Wisconsin Speech and Debate
Spring 2023
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.
2
3
Members of the Wisconsin Forensics Union in 1953, 70 years ago.
a successful year at the spring
4
Wisconsin Speech and Debate members celebrate
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.
5
Foward to Graduation
Badger Speakers and Debaters,
Spring semester is both a beginning and an end.
We will welcome members who are joining us for the first time. Volunteer to meet them at the Spring Org Fair. If you’re a Badger interested in Speech and Debate, join us. No experience is necessary.
We will also say goodbyes. Many members that I welcomed in my inaugural year leading Wisconsin Speech and Debate, and shortly thereafter, will graduate this spring. I hope that they will look back fondly on their membership: on the speeches given and heard, the friendships made, the challenges faced (including the Covid-19 pandemic), the meals shared, the trips taken, and the competitions lost and won. There are many lessons one could learn from participating in Speech and Debate. I hope they’ve learned the good ones and not the bad. I also hope that they leave us more critical of—and generous towards—others’ speeches, more confident to speak themselves, and that they will speak for good.
But there is much to be done between the beginning and the end. We will foster forums for Speech and Debate on campus. Senior members are organizing large debates open to the campus community (watch our weekly emails for details) and we will host our second on-campus, intramural competition open to all Badgers. Members will also be speaking in our weekly sessions, participating in competitions, and preparing to speak in national championships. Members will celebrate the year at the spring banquet. You can find dates for these events on pages 12 through 15 of this booklet.
These activities come with costs. Again we thank our generous donors for their support—thank you! Members will also contribute by volunteering to sell concessions at UW athletic events and applying for university grants. Selling concessions together can be fun and there are skills to be learned writing grants. Members, please pitch in to help.
Forward!
A.J. Carver, coach (he/him) acarver@wisc.edu
6
I WANT YOU
We focus on becoming better speakers, performers, and debaters but you can become a leader with us too.
SEEKING
Speakers, Performers, Debaters, Drivers, Reporter, Socials Leader, Photographer, Videographer, Instagram Manager, Peer Trainers, Competition Captains, and your unique contribution!
7
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
honors.ls.wisc.edu/speechanddebate/#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.
8
Instagram @wispeechdebate WATCH
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.
Sabine Gross
Griebsch Bascom Professor of German
Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+
Wisconsin Speech and Debate Faculty Advisor
9
Members at Loyola University’s Rambler debate tournament.
12 Spring 2023 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Week 1 23 ● OATS 5 ● MAFL 5 ● Speech warm-up 24 ● First class day 25 ● Speech Week 2 30 Jan 31 ● Org Fair at Kohl Center, 5-8pm Feb 1 ● Speech Week 3 6 7 8 ● Speech Week 4 13 14 15 ● Speech ● Nirvana Day & Presentation of Jesus at Temple Week 5 20 ● MAFL 7 21 ● Election day 22 ● Speech ● Ash Wednesday & Lent begins Week 6 27 ● OATS 6 Feb 28 Mar 1 ● Speech Week 7 6 ● Magha Puja day ● WI elections 7 ● Purim ● WSDS Election 8 ● Speech ● Holi ● Hola Mohalla
13 ● Speech, Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. ● Debate, Friday sessions from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. ● Special events and religious observances ● Socials *events and competitions subject to change Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 26 ● WSDS Kickoff and Social, 6-7:30pm, see email for location 27 ● Debate ● YODL 3 28 ● YODL 3 29 ● MAFL 6 at NIU 2 3 ● Debate 4 5 9 10 ● Debate 11 ● Grace Walsh at UWEC 12 ● UWEC Alumni Tournament 16 17 ● Debate 18 ● Maha Shivaratri 19 23 24 ● Debate 25 ● MAFL 8 at ISU 26 2 3 ● Debate ● YODL 4 4 ● YODL 4 5 9 ● Chamber Debate ● Hola Mohalla 10 ● Debate ● Hola Mohalla 11 ● Spring recess 12 ● Spring recess
14
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Week 8 13 ● Spring recess 14 ● Spring recess 15 ● Spring recess Week 9 20 21 ● WSDS elections 22 ● Speech ● Ramadan begins Week 10 27 28 29 ● Speech Week 11 3 4 ● Election day ● Mahavir Jayanti 5 ● Speech Week 12 10 11 12 ● Speech Week 13 17 ● NFA Nationals 18 19 ● Speech Week 14 24 25 26 ● Speech
Spring 2023
15 ● Speech, Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. ● Debate, Friday sessions from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. ● Special events and religious observances ● Socials *events and competitions subject to change Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 16 ● Spring recess 17 ● Spring recess 18 ● Spring recess 19 ● Spring recess 23 ● ASC (Asynchronous Speech Championships) 24 ● Debate ● ASC 25 ● Washburn’s Novices Intramural ● ASC 26 ● ASC 30 ● Schuman Challenge Mar 31 ● Debate ● Schuman Challenge April 1 2 6 ● Lent ends ● Passover begins 7 ● Good Friday & The Annunciation ● YODL Championship 8 ● Vesak ● YODL Championship 9 ● Easter & Palm Sunday ● YODL Championship 13 ● Passover ends & S., SE, & Sri Lanka New Year ● NFA Nationals 14 ● Debate ● S., SE, & Sri Lanka New Year ● NFA Nationals 15 ● S., SE, & Sri Lanka New Year ● NFA Nationals 16 ● NFA Nationals 20 21 ● Eid al-Fitr 22 ● Eid al-Fitr 23 27 28 ● Debate 29 ● Spring Banquet 30
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
16
Jason Li is a second-year student studying Finance, Investment, and Banking in the Wisconsin School of Business. He is passionate about leadership and public speaking; hence, his involvement with WSDS since his freshman year. Jason has been involved in both speech and debate, and is actively competing in multiple speech categories. Outside of WSDS, Jason loves following business and geopolitics, playing chess and soccer, as well as trying to figure out why he left California for the Wisconsin weather.
Jason Li Treasurer
he/him/his
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
17
COMMUNITY
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.
We continue to strengthen our community.
Whether you are a long-term member, or just joining us, we invite you to help. Regularly attending 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. And consider running for the next executive board.
You can make difference!
18
Members enjoying Bradley University’s 75th Annual LE Norton memorial tournament.
WSDS member Kalin Ahmad speaks in a Friday debate.
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 may 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 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.
21
COMPETITION
WISCONSIN SPEECH AND DEBATE SOCIETY
Official Roster of Previous Semester
Fall 2022
COACH
A.J. Carver
PRESIDENT TREASURER
Sophie LaRose
SECRETARY
Marina Kerekes
Kalin Ahmad
Kaitlin Brooks
Doron Darnov*
Emily Distler
Hazel Garland
Michael Grose
Elise Hickey
Marina Kerekes
Emily Lawrence
Reed Lokken
Mason McWherter
Ariel Nelson
Max Norman
Landon Prokopinski
Alex Ratel
Gabe Sanders
Sukriti Somvanshi
Dylan Warnecke
* Volunteer graduate students.
Ria Dhingra
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
Zach Dyar
ACTIVE MEMBERS
Puteri Aliya
Ben Charnecki
MK Denton
Zach Dyar
Deonna Garrison
Harlan Gunderson
Asher Jewell
Jack Klausner
Sophie LaRose
Declan McHugh
Griffin Murphy
Kathryn Nelson
Ethan Park
Xochitl Quinones
Anna Rolfs
Sahishnu Sarma
Natalie Suri
Michelle Yan
Isabelle Bubnick
Brian Deisher
Rushali Dinesh
Grace Feller
Miguel Gonzalez
Zachary Heintz
Charles Johnson
Kaldan Kopp
Jason Li
Jeremy L. McLaughlin*
Pranav G. Nair
Seth Neuheisel
Chelsea Poppleton
Thea Quick
Theodore Rehm
Ainsley Schwalbe
Matthew Thompson
Christina Zhang
22
Generous supporters make Wisconsin Speech and Debate possible. We are deeply grateful—thank you!
supportuw.org/giveto/speechanddebate
Prof.SabineGross,advisor,sgross@wisc.edu
A.J.Carver,coach,acarver@wisc.edu
23
honors.ls.wisc.edu/speechanddebate Version 1.2
