Wisconsin Speech and Debate Fall 2022 semester booklet

Wisconsin Speech and Debate Fall 2022

The purpose of The Wisconsin speech and debaTe socieTy shall be To Train members in The skills of debaTing and public speaking; To prepare members To compeTe in speech, debaTe, and forensics evenTs as members of The Wisconsin speech and debaTe Team; To creaTe forums for members To speak and debaTe; To fosTer camaraderie amongsT iTs members and guesTs; and To uphold and proTecT The freedom of speech and expression of iTs members and guesTs.

Members of the Wisconsin Forensics Union in 1952, 70 years ago.

Wisconsin Speech and Debate members celebrate a successful year at the spring banquet, featuring guests Dean Susan Zaeske (seated second from left), Professor Sabine Gross (seated far right), and Professor Stephen Llano (not pictured). Photo by MK Denton.

insTiTuTional sTaTemenT on diversiTy diversiTy is a source of sTrengTh, creaTiviTy, and innovaTion for uW–madison. We value The conTribuTions of each person and respecT The profound Ways Their idenTiTy, culTure, background, experience, sTaTus, abiliTies, and opinion enrich The universiTy communiTy. We commiT ourselves To The pursuiT of excellence in Teaching, research, ouTreach, and diversiTy as inexTricably linked goals. The universiTy of Wisconsin–madison fulfills iTs public mission by creaTing a Welcoming and inclusive communiTy for people from every background — people Who as sTudenTs, faculTy, and sTaff serve Wisconsin and The World.

Change & Continuity

Dear Badger Speakers and Debaters,

I hope you’re excited for a new semester of Wisconsin Speech and Debate.

The student executives and I have applied what we’ve learned in the previous semesters when planning for this semester. Even winners of the Dean’s Award of Excellence can do better! This semester the team will continue to focus on community and competition.

I’m proud that our members are diverse and that we continue to become UW–Madison’s community of Speech and Debate despite differences that often separate society, and differences that separate many other forensics organizations (e.g. interpretive performance versus public address, debate versus forensics, upperclass-hu-men versus underclass-hu-men, experienced versus inexperienced, etc.). We don’t ignore divisive issues but work to become a community that can engage issues vigorously yet respectfully. That work is ongoing, and your contributions are welcome.

We ended last year on a competitive high, sending ten members to debate in Alaska at our conference’s national championship (where we finished fourth of fifteen teams for the season), three to the National Forensics Association National Championship in Illinois, and three to the Schuman Challenge in Washington, D.C. This year we hope to participate in many more in-person competitions.

We’ve already started this year well. Marina Kerekes, who you elected as your fall 2022 WSDS secretary, has been selected to be the student speaker at this year’s convocation! I encourage you to watch Marina’s speech. I’ve had a sneak peek and I know that she has an important, personal message to share.

This will also be a year of change and continuity. Some of those changes might seem big at first. But we have weathered the pandemic. Changes to WSDS, by comparison, will be small. I know that you—Wisconsin Speakers and Debaters— have it within yourselves to make the best of these changes.

On Wisconsin!

A.J. Carver, coach (he/him) acarver@wisc.edu

Wisconsin Speech and Debate

President Sophie LaRose (center), photographer MK Denton (left), and immediatepast president William Darbyshire (right) accept the Dean’s Award of Excellence at the 2022 Bucky Awards.

BENEFITS

• Become a better speaker, performer, debater, listener, researcher, critical thinker, and leader.

• Make friends from across the university.

• Express yourself.

• Practice thinking and speaking under pressure.

• Learn about current affairs and enduring issues.

• Access professional coaching.

• Represent Wisconsin in intercollegiate competitions.

• Travel to competitions.

• Inclusion on official roster.

• Right to wear official apparel.

JOIN

• Badgers of all class standings, majors, programs, departments, schools, and colleges may join.

• Exchange, visiting, special, graduate, and professional students may also join.

• No membership fees.

• Beginners welcome.

Being involved in Speech and Debate goes to the heart of the mission of a university: education, broadening one’s horizons, knowledge, exploration, the enjoyment of exchanges with others, competitive spirit with an ethical perspective, improving practical public-speaking skills, combining playful performance with an investment in fact-finding and the truth, contributing to a team as an individual. It is my pleasure and privilege to serve as Faculty Advisor to Wisconsin Speech and Debate.

Gross

Bascom Professor of German

of German, Nordic,

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Clint Smith, author of How The Word Is Passed. Photo by Carletta Girma.

Go Big Read then Speak

Wisconsin Speech and Debate invites all current and incoming UW–Madison students to give an interpretative or persuasive speech about the 2022–2023 Go Big Read, Clint Smith’s How The Word Is Passed.

Now in its third year, Go Big Read then Speak, like Wisconsin Speech and Debate itself, promotes Go Big Read’s goals to “generate vigorous discussions and exchanges of diverse ideas,” “bridge learning experiences inside and outside the classroom,” and “promote connections among students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the wider community.”

Entries are due by 11:59 pm on Monday 24 October 2022.

To learn more, visit: https://honors.ls.wisc.edu/ speechanddebate/#gobigread

Executive Board

Sophie LaRose is a senior studying environmental sciences and life science communication. She competed on speech team all four years of high school and has participated in BP debate at WSDS since her freshman year in 2019. Outside of school and debate Sophie enjoys watching basketball, swimming at the Nic, and drinking iced coffee despite the frigid Wisconsin weather. She’s looking forward to another semester of speech and debate with WSDS!

Sophie LaRose President she/her/hers

Marina Kerekes is a third-year majoring in Anthropology and getting a certificate in Environmental Studies. She competed for 7 years in Minnesota State High School League Speech, and has competed in various speech categories in WSDS since she joined in 2020. Outside of WSDS, Marina enjoys researching primates, gaming, cooking, and painting. She is looking forward to yet another year practicing, competing, and having fun with all of you!

Marina Kerekes Secretary she/her/hers

Ria Dhingra is a junior English Literature and Philosophy major. She is a lover of stories, bike rides, post-it notes, making playlists, and trying to find beauty within the ordinary. Ria also adores talking and learning through conversation; hence, her involvement in WSDS. Ria spent all four years of high school competing in both Impromptu and Original Oratory. She now does BP debate with WSDS. She is more than excited to get to know and talk to all of you.

Ria Dhingra Treasurer she/her/hers

Zach Dyar is a junior Economics and Political Science major. Zach competed for four years in high school Public Forum debate and has done British Parliamentary with WSDS since he joined in 2020. Outside of WSDS, Zach also coaches high school debate and does economics research. In his free time, Zach enjoys playing pickup basketball and volleyball, hammocking, lifting, and wearing a yellow Eggo hat.

Zach Dyar Corresponding Secretary he/him/his

Speaking and debating are important. Through speech and debate we can share diverse perspectives, learn, and possibly change minds or make better decisions.

Speaking and debating are also challenging. We speak passionately about topics close to our hearts and we engage about divisive issues through arguments. The chance for misunderstanding and offense is real. Goodwill helps us speak passionately and debate vigorously—yet also respectfully—and reconcile when we’re upset.

Speaking and debating are also fun. We enjoy making memories with Badgers who also enjoy speaking and debating.

This semester we will continue to strengthen our community.

Whether you are a long-term member, or just joining us, we invite you to help. Showing up regularly at our weekly sessions is an easy way to start. But don’t stop there! Speak on an issue you care about. Suggest debate topics. Share good articles about relevant issues on our server. Lead a training or help plan a social. Give feedback. Be a guest on the WSDS podcast. And consider running for the next executive board. You can make difference!

Members during a break at their conference’s spring 2022 national debate championship in Anchorage, Alaska.

WSDS members Charlie Johnson (left), Marina Kerekes (center), and Dylan Warnecke (right) at the National Forensics Association’s National Championship in Normal, Illinois.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison has been home to forensics societies since its founding. We have a tradition of Speech and Debate excellence.

In 1893, the University of Wisconsin debated the University of Michigan in the second intercollegiate debate ever held in the USA, according to some sources. Wisconsin speakers were American Forensics Association national champions in 1986 (afterdinner speaking), 1988 (informative speaking), and 1989 (communication analysis) and were National Forensics Association national champions in 1989 (rhetorical criticism and persuasive speaking) and 1990 (informative, persuasive, and rhetorical criticism).

Today members compete in any of 11 forensics events—impromptu, prose, extemporaneous, rhetorical criticism, after-dinner speaking, dramatic interpretation, poetry, informative, persuasive, duo, or program oral interpretation—and two kinds of debate. In keeping with UW’s position as a university of global significance and the Wisconsin Idea, we debate in the World Universities Debating Championship format and in Civic Debates.

“Worlds” (also known as British Parliamentary) connects Badgers with students from around the world. It is accessible to new debaters and public audiences while also offering new strategic and competitive challenges to experienced debaters.

We also do Civic Debate. Civic Debate has many formats but is unified by its desire to engage with stakeholders of contemporary issues, encourage scholarship, and promote service. In 2020 Badgers were recognized by the European Union’s Ambassador to the United States for a policy presented to the Delegation of the European Union to the United States.

Members at the Spring 2022 Washburn’s Novice Intramural Tournament. This tournament is open to any Badger new to Speech and Debate.

SPEECH AND DEBATE SOCIETY

Official Roster of Previous Semester SPRING 2022 COACH A.J. Carver

PRESIDENT TREASURER

William Darbyshire Sophie LaRose

SECRETARY

Zach Dyar

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

Ria Dhingra

ACTIVE MEMBERS

Zayaan Alamgir Puteri Aliya Ali Beneker Jingyu Chen Ben Charnecki Aleksander Cwalina Xaver Davey Brian Deisher MK Denton Emily Distler Deonna Garrison

Kalin Ahmad

Devon Grasley Harlan Gunderson Zachary Heintz Charles Johnson Marina Kerekes Jack Klausner Kaldan Kopp Josalin Kumm Pranav Krishnan Jeremy L. McLaughlin* Danielle Lennon Jason Li Kathryn Nelson Kalpit Munot

Pranav G. Nair Vighnesh Pillakkat Charu Brandon Pudwill Theodore Rehm Gabe Sanders Neha Srinivasula Sofia Staehly Mudit Surana Natalie Suri Ryan Thein Matthew Thompson Andrew Waldman Dylan Warnecke Pear Weerakul Julia Wiessing Alan Xi Christina Zhang * Graduate student volunteer—thank you!