UT Tyler Debaters Excel

February 18, 2014

UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

UT Tyler Earns Top Spot at Premiere Debate Tournament, Prepares for National Championship

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February 18, 2014

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

February 18, 2014

The University of Texas at Tyler continues its tradition of excellence in parliamentary debate by earning another top spot in competition and a place in the national championship, Dr. Martin Slann, College of Arts and Sciences dean, announced.

UT Tyler sophomore political science major Kaitlyn Bull of Powderly and freshman social sciences major Sam Cook of Flint placed second overall at the Point Loma Nazarene University tournament held in San Diego, Calif.

Bull also received an award that recognizes the top five speakers at the tournament, which is considered one of the premiere National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence events during the spring semester and showcases some of the best debaters in the country.

“They performed very well,” said Dr. Charles Walts, UT Tyler director of forensics. “This is the right time of year to have a good showing at a tournament because it positions us to do well at nationals.”

UT Tyler will now prepare for the national championship to be held next month at Northern Arizona University.

UT Tyler was most recently ranked ninth in the 2013-14 National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence rankings. The national rankings are from a field of more than 250 collegiate debate teams. NPTE’s ranking system determines who qualifies for the national tournament.

UT Tyler’s program competes in both NPTE and the National Parliamentary Debate Association.

For more information, contact Walts, 903.565.5627 or cwalts@uttyler.edu.

One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 7,500 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.