09.18.06 - Trojan Debate Excels at Season Opener
The USC Trojan Debate Squad, sponsored by the Annenberg School for Communication, opened the 2006-2007 season in tremendous fashion, placing two teams in the final four of the season opening tournament at Gonzaga University. The teams had outstanding success in the first tournament debating the desirability of overruling landmark Supreme Court decisions in areas of affirmative action, abortion, enemy combatants and civil rights remedies for gendered violence.
For the last four years teams from across the nation compete in this kickoff event in Spokane, Washington. This year Trojan Senior and Squad Captain Alex Iftimie (’07) joined with his partner Michael Smith (’08), Chris Jones (’08) and new Trojan Michael Jones (’09) to earn two of the tournaments four semi-finalist bids. Both teams came within a single vote of winning their semi-final debates which would have allowed the Trojans to earn both 1st and 2nd place honors. The Trojans also qualified a third team for the elimination rounds, with Clare Velasquez (’09) and new Trojan Mima Lazarevic (’10) earning a place in the tournament’s sixteen elimination participants. The Trojans advanced beyond a number of talented teams, including those from California-Berkeley, Whitman College, the University of Richmond, Loyola Marymount and California State University-Fullerton.
This was an impressive performance for the Trojans both as teams and as individual speakers. The Trojans were awarded five of the top twenty individual speaker awards, including: 19th (Chris Jones), 18th (Michael Smith), 14th (Mima Lazarevic), 13th (Michael Jones) and 1st (Alex Iftimie).
These awards recognize a number of outstanding student performances. Two Trojans earned speaker awards in their first competition as a Trojan. Michael Jones, from Salt Lake City, Utah, transferred from the University of Kentucky and Mima Lazarevic earned high honors as a first-year student from Glenview, IL.
The Trojans will look to continue their success this coming weekend at they travel to Berkeley, California.
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08.06 - Trojans to take part in Arizona Debate Institute - This summer several Trojans will take part in the 29th annual Arizona Debate Institute hosted in Tempe, Arizona. The program runs from July 31 until August 15.
The workshop provides an opportunity for college students to begin learning about the upcoming collegiate topic. Trojan coach Adam Symonds is on the faculty this year. Chris Jones ('08) and Clare Velasquez ('09) (pictured) are attending the workshop as well. Jones was also named a fellow for the program.
All profits from the workshop support the Southern California Urban Debate League. |
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06.01.06 - Stables elected as CEDA topic committee chair. At the conclusion of the Cross-Examination Debate Association (CEDA) summer business meetings, TDS Director Gordon Stables was chosen to be the new chair of the Topic Selection Committee.
As committee chair, Stables will be responsible for overseeing the process of researching and selecting the single topic debated by teams from colleges and universities around the country. Stables has been an elected member of the committee for the last two years. Stables has helped to develop a new website for the committee. |
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04.28.06 - Trojans square off with the Irish in South Bend. Accepting a generous invitation from the University of Notre Dame, trojans traveled to South Bend for a public debate on following proposition:
“Resolved: That the University of Notre Dame should defeat the University of Southern California in the 2006 collegiate football contest”
USC was represented by debate squad member Michael Smith ('08) and Brandon Hancock ('07) a member of the Trojan Football team. Trojan Directors David Damus and Julie Carver joined the students on the trip and helped to plan the event.
Many thanks to Notre Dame for their hospitality and to BrendanLoy.com for the pictures and an audio link. The student daily at Notre Dame also provided coverage. |
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04.03.06 - The annual Groman Cup Humorous Extemporaneous Contest was held featuring student presentations based on the work of Mark Twain. .
The judges faced a difficult task deciding among the talented speakers, but the award winners were Cheryl Korneluk (first prize) and Dolce Wang (second prize).
The TDS is grateful to the Groman family for its continued support of forensics. Their gift continues to honor the legacy of TDS alum Arthur Groman. |
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03.30.06 - Inaugural Grover-Kerfoot Student Congress Event - The Trojan Debate Squad Public Debate Program held its first campus-wide student congress event. The event is named in honor of Potter Kerfoot and George Grover who finished second at the inaugural National Debate Tournament in 1947.
The event was open open to all students and featured a number of strong performances. In the end, the judges awarded prizes to both Joshua Sharp and Aaron Lipman. Congratulations to all of the competitors.
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| 03.27.06 - Impressive Trojan performance at the National Debate Tournament! - USC qualified for the elimination rounds of the NDT on a basis of a strong performance. Squad Captain Alex Iftimie ('07) and Michael Smith ('08) advanced to the elimination rounds after winning five preliminary debates. Iftimie was also recognized as the 24th individual speaker. |
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03.12.06 - Trojan success at Sacramento State. The Trojans enjoyed a trip North to Sac State for the CEDA western warm up tournament. Matt Nadell ('08) and Tony Liao ('07) won the tournament, finishing with an undefeated record. Trojans Clare Velasquez ('09) and Nick Fiori ('07) also had a strong tournament, winning four debates and finishing in the semi-finals. Nadell and Liao also won speaker awards, with Liao being recognized as the 8th speaker and Nadell earning the top individual speaker award.
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03.10.06 - Trojans and Bruins debate the publication of Islamic political cartoons. The cross-town rivals took part in a public event as part of UCLA's return to policy debate. Asst. Director Julie Carver helped to organize the event which enjoyed a positive review in The Daily Bruin.
The Trojans were well-represented by (from left to right) Clare Velasquez ('09), Brian Berggren ('08), Julie Carver, Kamil Chaduhary ('06), and Bunny Tucker ('06). |
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03.03.06 - Trojans host the Japanese National Team - The Trojan Debate Squad hosted Japanese-U.S. Debate Exchange participants Noriaki Tajima and Kaori Yamada in a public debate. The Trojans were represented by Freshman Clare Velasquez and Sophomore Matt Nadell. The topic for the debate was Resolved: That Japan should take a more active role in International Peacekeeping.
Mr. Tajima and Ms. Yamada participate in an English speaking policy debate league in Japan and proved formidable opponents for the Trojans. The Japanese team focused their arguments on the pacifist example provided by Japan to the rest of the world, while Velasquez and Nadell discussed the U.S.-Japan Alliance and the success of Peacekeeping missions. Mr. Tajima and Ms. Yamada head off to debate other teams in California, New York and Utah before heading back to Japan. |
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03.01.06 - Trojans qualify for Nationals; extend their records. At the California qualifier for the 60th National Debate Tournament (NDT), USC continued its tradition of excellence by qualifying two teams to nationals. USC extended its record for qualifying for more NDTs than other university (54). USC has qualified for the NDT in every year since 1963. In that time 87 USC teams have qualified for this prestigious tournament.
The USC team of squad captain Alex Iftimie (’07) and Michael Smith (’08) earned the second seeded bid to nationals and the USC team of Chris Jones ('08) and Brian Berggren ('08) (pictured) earned the third bid. Iftimie was also recognized as the 4th overall speaker. |
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03.28.06 - Carver awarded teaching grant to expand debate. TDS Assistant Director of Forensics Julie Carver was awarded a $12,000 grant to develop a teach a course in applied debate to USC students by the Fund for Innovative Undergraduate Teaching. The course will utilize elements of debate training and include student participation in a tournament and volunteering with the Urban Debate League.
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02.08.06 – Trojans enjoy success at the University of Texas - Despite a potentially hostile setting in Austin, Texas the Trojans finished the regular 2005-2006 season among the nation's elite, earning an Elite Eight (or quarter-finalist) finish at the first University of Texas Tournament.
This year the Tournament, normally hosted by Northwestern University, was shifted to Austin to allow Northwestern to concentrate on their upcoming role as hosts for the National Debate Tournament. As the regular season finale, this tournament witnessed the nation's best teams squaring for one last time before nationals. One hundred and thirty-four teams from across the nation took part in the competition.
The Trojan team of squad captain Alex Iftimie (’07) (pictured) and Michael Smith (’08) continued their strong run from the Berkeley tournament by defeating the University of Michigan in the first elimination round. In the octofinals, the Trojans pulled the upset of the weekend, defeated the previously unbeaten and top seeded team from Emory University.
The Trojans later lost a close decision to the eventual tournament champions from Michigan State University. The great finish, combined with Iftimie's recognition as the 24th individual speaker, puts the Trojans in a strong position as they prepare to qualify for the upcoming 60th National Debate Tournament. |
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02.01.06 – Despite the gloomy weather in the Bay Area, the Trojan Debate Squad successfully competed against some of the nation’s finest teams on their way to earning to a semifinalist finish at the University of California – Berkeley’s intercollegiate debate tournament.
In a field of over fifty teams from across the nation, including representatives from Harvard, Dartmouth, Texas- Austin, Northwestern, and Michigan, USC finished in the final four. The team of squad captain Alex Iftimie (’07) and Michael Smith (’08) (pictured) upset teams from Northwestern University and Whitman College on their way to the semifinals. Iftimie was also recognized as the Sixth overall speaker.
Two other Trojans also earned honorable mention. The team of Brian Berggren (’08) and Chris Jones (’08) had a strong performance that just missed the cut for elimination competition. |
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12.31.05 - The Alan Nichols College Debate Tournament was held on the USC campus during the final days of 2005. The Harvard University team of Michael Klinger and Nikhil Mirchandani defeated the Northwestern University team of Josh Branson and Noah Chestnut. Michael Klinger was recognized as the top speaker. He also earned the rare honor repeating as Nichols champion. (Featured in the picture are left to right, Klinger, Merchandani and Branson).
In the Junior Varsity division, the Cal State University - Fullerton Brett Beeler & Darren Letendre team of and defeated the Whitman College team of Candi Kissinger & Luke Sanford. Brett Beeler was also recognized as the top speaker. Full results are available. |
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| 11.14.05 - Iftimie named 11th speaker at Wake Forest. At the prestigious Wake Forest 'Franklin Shirley' debate tournament Alex Iftimie was recognized as the 11th individual speaker of a national field of 286 students. Iftimie and Brian Berggren were the 12th seed (of 143 teams) after the preliminary debates. Tony Liao and Matt Nadell earned honorable mention for winning five preliminary debates. |
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| 11.12.05 - Trojan Rookies Shine! At the Fall Rookie tournament hosted by Cal State Long Beach two teams of Trojan rookies went undefeated in a field of 50 teams. Nick Kump, a junior public relations major and Alissa Sevrtioukova, a senior business major , took 8th place. Laila Zomorodian, a freshman music and pre-med major took 6th speaker. All top 6 were tied for first with perfect 30s. Laila and her partner Davis Lawyer, a freshman political science major took 2nd overall. |
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| 11.06.05 - Glenbrook North defeats College Prepatory School to win the open division in policy debate at the Trojan Fall Championships. The tournament featured students and schools from around the nation competing in both policy and LD debate. Over 350 students competed. Check out our high school tournament site for more information. |
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| 11.06.05 - The Trojans lose a captain. Robert Feder, a squad member and the 1937 squad captain, passed away recently. Robert was an outstanding squad member and our condolences go to his family. |
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| 10.30.05 - Alex Iftimie was recognized as the 25th individual speaker at the Harvard University tournament. Alex was recognized among the 130 debaters at the nationally competitive tournament held in Boston, MA. |
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| 10.25.05 - Michael Smith named top speaker. Smith (class of '08) (pictured with his parents) was recognized as the top individual speaker at the 8th Annual Ray Buchanan Invitational debates hosted by Pepperdine University. Smith bested 95 other debaters to earn this honor. Smith and partner Chris Jones (class of '08), recognized as the 11th speaker, also qualified for the elimination rounds. |
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| 10.07.05 - The Trojan Debate Squad held a public debate as part of the 125 festivities on campus. In order to have a more forward looking discussion, the policy debate encompassed whether the U.S. military should be the primary agency to oversee and administer natural disaster relief.
The public debaters who participated were Davis Lawyer, Meggie O’Dell, Joshua Sharp and Laila Zomorodian. All four of them are freshman who attended a public tryout for the event. Between 60 and 70 people attended the event and the debate was followed by a lively question and answer session. The event was hosted by David P. Damus, Esq., the Director of Forensics and moderated by Julie Carver, the Assistant Director of Forensics |
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| 09.20.05 - The Trojan Debate Squad began its 126th year with a strong start at the Gonzaga University Debate Tournament in Spokane, Washington on September 16-18th, 2005. In a competitive field of forty-four teams, three USC teams qualified for the elimination rounds Chris Jones (class of ’08), Michael Smith (’08), Matt Nadell (’08) and Tony Liao (’07) reached the ocotofinals (final sixteen teams) while Alex Iftimie (’07) and Brian Berggren (’08) reached the quarterfinals (final eight teams). Alex Iftimie was also recognized as the 12th individual speaker (out of a field of 88). |
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| 09.01.05 - Brian McBride joins the USC coaching staff. One of the nation's most accomplished and talented coaches, Brian joins the staff after previously coaching for the University of Redlands and Northwestern University. |
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| 08.25.05 - The TDS welcomes Julie Carver. Julie is the new Assistant Director of Forensics and Public Debate. Julie will be managing the public debate and on-campus programs for the TDS. Check out the coaches page to learn more about her and the TDS staff. |
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| 07.29.05 - The Cross-Examination Debate Association announced the 2005-06 intercollegiate debate topic is "Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase diplomatic and economic pressure on the People's Republic of China in one or more of the following areas: trade, human rights, weapons nonproliferation, Taiwan." |
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| 04.30.05 - The 125th TDS Anniversary Banquet - On a beautiful Saturday evening at the Town and Gown Center the TDS family gathered to celebrate. The Trojan band made a special appearance. Click on the link to see more pictures from the event. |
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