Eagle Debate Season HighlightsJune 23, 2004 June: Christina Reasner, Northwest University’s 2004 student commencement speaker, was crowned Miss Alaska on Saturday, June 12. She is now preparing to compete in the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City in September. Christina debated for Northwest and served as President of the Debating Society. She was one of 25 students in the nation chosen for the Oxford Honors Program last spring. Later she also was accepted into the prestigious WINS leadership training program at American University in Washington, D.C. June: James Stewart, a 2000 graduate and former debater, received a full time tenure track contract to teach communication courses at Bethany College in Scotts Valley, California. Part of his duties is to coach the debate team. While at Northwest, James was one of two students in the nation chosen for the United States Debate Team’s European tour in the spring of 2000. He also was the only American to reach finals in public speaking at the World University Debating Championships in Athens, Greece in 1998.
May: Ranking 47th out of 351 colleges and universities in the National Parliamentary Debate Association for the 2003 -- 2004 season, the Northwest University debate team is among in the top 13 percent of all programs.
April: Jon King and Casey Digennaro broke into final rounds at the National Parliamentary Debate Association championship tournament at California State University, Northridge -- maintaining our eight-year winning streak. King ranked as the fifteenth best speaker out of 624 top-notch competitors.
April: Last year, Roger Altizer, former top debater and Assistant Coach at Northwest, was accepted into the graduate studies program at the University of Utah -- one of the most prestigious speech departments in the world. He reports great success and is considering a doctorate degree. Next year he will serve as Assistant Debate Coach for Utah's team.
Debaters Sweep Tournament of the March: six contestants win twenty-five awards, including the Debate Superior Award, at Seattle University. The Eagles closed out the novice division, winning both first and second place.
March: While competing at the International Forensics Association Tournament held in Spain, Six Northwest University students were in downtown Madrid during the terrorist attack, witnessed the aftermath and participated in the historic Manifestation memorial march outside their hotel. Debate alums Jacob and Autumn Witt generously volunteered to judge for us in Madrid. Upon returning from Madrid, debaters were met by television camera lights for an interview.
February: A potential 15,000 homes tune in Eagle Debaters when team captain Jonathan King and partner Casey Digennaro debated a team from Seattle University in the Redmond City Council Chamber before a live audience of 70 people. In addition to live web stream, the debate was shown on RCTV, the Redmond City cable television station. The tape was replayed seven times the following weeks. Topic: Resolved, Redmond will not build another mile of road.
January: With a six wins, zero loss record, Sara Boyd and Jacqueline Passey ranked as the best novice team at the Western Washington University speech and debate tournament in Bellingham. The women went on to take third place.
November: Matched against students from 14 colleges and universities Northwest won top awards -- including second and third place.
October: Gideon Copple and Jed Nelsen won quarterfinals at the Lewis and Clark College. 280 debaters from 29 colleges and universities competed in three divisions at the three-day contest on the Portland campus.
September: Famed debate alumni James Stewart, Paul Nystrom and Josh Brittingham returned to campus to challenge Jon King, Casey Digennaro and Evan Muxen to a debate on the merits of the USA Patriot Act before a crowd of about fifty in Millard Hall. After the debate the team hosted the alumni and their wives for desert at the Woodmark Hotel.
September: a debating group for students and alumni began meeting on Monday nights to discuss current controversies. Christina Reasner and Desiree Knemeyer served as officers and debate alum Troy Henley attended.
Friends of Northwest Eagle Debate is an organization of alumni and supporters who recognize the tremendous boost that intercollegiate debate provides for students at formative time in their lives. Members are kept informed about upcoming public debates, judging opportunities and notable team successes. Mail in a gift today and know that you are helping build future leaders
with high aims who will go onto positions of leadership and service.
The Debate Educational Scholarship Fund is used to ensure that more
students benefit from these enriching educational opportunities. Paul Nystrom, class of 2000, Friends of Northwest Eagle Debate President |