NFA 2022
John R. Park Debate Society Ends 2021-2022 Season with Record Honors
The John R. Park Debate Society wrapped up its historic nationals season at the National Forensics Association Championship Tournament hosted by Illinois State University from April 14-18, 2022. The team advanced 4 students to elimination rounds across 5 different events, a best ever performance for the Debate Society.
Across the season, students representing the Debate Society won 127 awards and were recognized as tournament champions 20 times. The Debate Society also had its best placing at an a national speech championship, finishing 5th in their division at the Asynchronous Speech Championship; and also advanced students to the semi-final round of the Western States Debating Championship for the first time.
Finally, with the close of the season, the Debate Society is saying goodbye to 4 graduating seniors. Thane Zeeh and Leo Doctorman were national Lincoln Douglas Debate co-champions at the 2020 National Online Forensics Festival. Vivian Lee will be the College of Humanities 2022 Convocation Speaker and has appeared in elimination rounds at the National Forensics Association, International Forensics Association, Western States Debating Championship, and National Speech Championship tournaments. Grace Osusky will leave the U with more appearances in regular season final rounds of debate than any student in JRP history. This group of seniors embodies the best the Debate Society has to offer as both competitors and students.
COMPLETE RESULTS
National Forensics Association Championship Tournament
Overall Awards:
12th Place – President’s Two Division – University of Utah
25th Place – Open Division – University of Utah
Individual Speech Awards:
Quarter-Finalist – Extemporaneous Speaking – Meredith Jenkins
Octo-Finalist – After Dinner Speaking – Ryan Knippel
Octo-Finalist – Communication Analysis – Lorna Gage
Octo-Finalist – Extemporaneous Speaking – Ryan Knippel
Octo-Finalist – Poetry Interpretation – Vivian Lee