Howard Payne University’s Student Speaker Bureau Speech and Debate Forensics Team took 5th place overall at the Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association Spring Championships. Hosted by Texas A&M University, 21 teams participated in the competition held on February 5 and 6.

“We’re very proud of our awards at this tournament. Competing against and winning against schools like Texas A&M, Texas State and The University of Texas is a huge success,” said Dr. Julie Welker, professor of communication and SSB speech and debate team coach.

The HPU Parliamentary Debate team of Jake Aschmutat and Charity Chambers were quarterfinalists, holding the distinction of being the only novice team to advance to finals. HPU placed 5th overall in the Debate Sweepstakes.

Chambers was awarded the 6th place Top Speaker Award in Parliamentary Debate and took 6th place in Informative Speaking. She is a freshman majoring in the Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom and communication studies from Wichita, KS.

Aschmutat, a freshman Academy and political science major from Corpus Christi, was a semifinalist in the Impromptu Speaking competition.

Additional HPU students competing in the tournament included Lauren Teel, a junior Academy, political science and English major from Canton; Walter Pam, a senior communication studies major from Covington, GA; Adam Hardy, a sophomore Academy, political science and biblical languages major from Corpus Christi; and Raquel Spencer, junior communication studies major from Fritch.

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

Photo information: Photo provided by Dr. Julie Welker

The HPU Parliamentary Debate team of Charity Chambers and Jake Ashmutat were quarterfinalists at the Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association Spring Championships.