Howard Payne University’s Student Speaker Bureau Speech and Debate Forensics Team will host an exhibition on Tuesday, February 23, at 6 p.m. in HPU’s Mabee University Center.

The program will begin with the parliamentary debate team of Lauren Teel, Robert Davis, Charity Chambers and Jake Ashmutat debating a current HPU student issue.

“We are delighted to host this event to showcase our students’ outstanding talent while at the same time debating an important campus issue,” said Dr. Julie Welker, professor of communication and SSB speech and debate team coach.

At 7 p.m., students will perform their individual competition pieces, ranging from Prose Interpretation to After Dinner Speaking.

Student performers include: Adam Hardy, Program Oral Interpretation, “Understanding the Taliban;” Charity Chambers, Informative, “Jury Nullification;” Hardy and Chambers, Duo Interpretation, “Tanya;” Walter Pam, Poetry Interpretation, “The Many Emotions of Me;” Jake Aschmutat, Impromptu and Program Oral Interpretation, “Silence Kills;” Lauren Teel, Persuasive, “Micro-Finance: Solution or Devastation?;” and Raquel Spencer, After Dinner Speaking, “The Fate of NASA.”
“We want people to feel free to come and go and take a few minutes out of their day to see these students in action. They are outstanding speakers and very entertaining as well,” said Welker.

The exhibition is preparation for the team’s upcoming trip to the National Christian College Forensics Association National Championship Tournament, held at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio, in March.  Earlier this month, the team took 5th place overall at the Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association Spring Championships hosted by Texas A&M University.

The HPU Student Speaker Bureau Speech and Debate Forensics Team is coached by Dr. Welker and Kim Bryant, associate professor of communication.