THE VOICE OF EDWIN REVIEWS THE YEAR
|
News
from Vermont Debate AKA The Voice of Edwin is the weekly newsletter
of the Edwin Lawrence Debate Union at the University of Vermont, an
endowed co-curricular program which trains students in debating and
sponsors national competition and community events. The newsletter is
published every Tuesday during the school year and infrequently at other
times. Alfred C. Snider is the Director. 802-656-0097 voice, 802-238-8345
mobile, 802-656-4275 fax, asnider@zoo.uvm.edu
email, and http://debate.uvm.edu/ldu.html
web site. |
As many as six LDU teams will open the 2001-2002 competitive season on September 14 & 15 at the University of Rochester. More teams will be added in the next week. Aaron Fishbone and Shawn Wilkerson, both national debate All American team members from 2000-2001, will be at the University of Northern Iowa the next weekend, where most major national varsity teams will open their schedule. After a weekend off the LDU plans to take many, many teams to the US Military Academy tournament at West Point, NY.
AFFIRMATIVE STRATEGY MEETING
Varsity: Fishbone-Wilkerson,
Campbell-Marty
JV: Limprevil-Trebilcock, Parmett-Gervais, Owusu-Greenman
Novice: Hill-Cole,
Brue-Gana
Coach/Judges:
Lockwood, McDonald, Hoag, Sweeney
Coaches: Massey, Snider
VANS TO ROCHESTER
12:30 PM Massey,
Campbell, Marty, Limprevil, Hill, Trebilcock, Gana, Owusu, Greenman, Fishbone
5 PM Snider, McDonald, Hoag, lockwood, Wilkerson, Brue, Cole, Parmett,
Gervais, Sweeney
CROWD AT PREVIOUS DEBATE ON US MILITARY ACTION HELD IN 1999 DURING KOSOVO
CRISIS
The LDU made a commitment at this week's meeting to host a major public debate about US military action against terrorism in the near future. Charles Hoag will coordinate this effort. US military action seems inevitable, and after that action begins would be an appropriate time to hold a public debate. The debate will attempt to match up UVM faculty members with UVM debaters and include opportunities for members of the audience to present floor speeches. We will try and book the largest possible venue on campus and engineer a major publicity campaign. This debate will be webcast and globally available for viewing.
Last semester the LDU hosted a debate about the future of the global economy and drew several hundred attendees and major news coverage.
OVERLOOKING THE HUDSON, WEST POINT WAS BEAUTIFUL THIS YEAR
The LDU sent ten debate teams into competition at the US Military Academy at West Point's traditional tournament this weekend. While the squad placed highly in both divisions, there was clearly room for improvement.
The team of Casey Gervais and Shawn Wilkerson were 5-1 in the Varsity division. In the quarterfinal round they defeated Cornell TJ 2-1. In the semifinal round they lost to Cornell KD 2-1. Thus, they took Third Place in varsity. Wilkerson received an individual speaker award for his excellent performance. The JV-eligible team of Vilasa Campbell and Jillian Marty were 4-2, and debated New York University GG in quarterfinals, losing a tough 2-1 decision. Thus, they took Fifth Place in Varsity. Other teams had a more difficult experience but had high spirits.
The team of Brian Cole and Teresa Hill were 4-2 in the Novice division. In the quarterfinal round they defeated Ithaca College GJ 3-0, before losing to Rochester NW 2-1 in the semifinals. Thus, they took Third Place in novice. Hill received an individual speaker award for her excellent performance. Stephen Gilpatric and Jacob Ricker also received speaker awards. Other debaters in novice were at their first debate tournament and learned a lot.
Special recognition should go to those attending their first LDU tournament: Ertan Barucic, Kayce Massey, Josh Grenier, Julianne Hellmuth, Adam Fronheiser, Sky Ganer, Nick Cantalupo, Jacob Ricker, and Peter Wright. Now they are debaters.
Special thanks also need to go to the coaching crew for West Point, including Greta Lockwood, Charles Hoag, Anthony Pagan, Jackie massey and A. C. Snider. Rodrigo Rojas, director of the Sociedad de Debate at Universidad Diego Portales in Santiago, Chile, was also able to attend, judge for us, and offer critical advice. Rojas is on a Fulbright at NYU for two years and we hope he can be with us more often.
The tournament was unique this year in that all vehicles and bags coming into the West Point grounds had to be searched, including under the hood and under the car inspection of the vans.
Jackie Massey had the debaters in the field again this weekend. Aaron Fishbone & Shawn Wilkerson accompanied Jackie as they drove to Lexington, Kentucky for the Henry Clay Invitational, attended by over 125 teams from all over America. The team was 4-4 in the preliminary debates, going 2-2 on Saturday and 2-2 on Sunday. Fishbone, in a call home, confessed he should have debated better. Dartmouth College eventually defeated Berkeley in the final round to be tournament champion.
The debate will feature a mix of professors and students. Cole will time. Hoag will moderate. Muradian will work on a poster. Charles Hoag is the coordinator and will handle the organization and publicity of the event. POSTERS AVAILABLE ON WEDNESDAY -- PLEASE TAKE THEM AND POST THEM PROPERLY. Brue, Marty, Gana, Sweeney, Murdian, Owusu are involved. Sweeney will do camera work.
UVM hosted the 2001 version of the Robert Huber Debates on the weekend of October 20-21, 2001. The tournament featured junior varsity and novice divisions. Sponsored by SAMBA [Society Advocating More and Better Argumentation] UVM teams were allowed to receive awards and did very well. The tournament had 40 novice and 20 jv teams.
Once again the greatest success was had by the novices, where the fearsome foursome of Adam Gana, Margit Brue, Brian Cole and Teresa Hill experienced high levels of success. Teresa Hill was the #1 debater in the novice division, while Brian Cole was #2, Margit Brue was #3, Adam Gana was #6, Stephen Gilpatric was #8 and Nick Cantalupo was #10. Adam and Margit were 6-0 in prelims while Teresa and Brian were 5-1. New stars appeared on the horizon as Jake Ricker and Peter Wright were 5-1 and Cody Rounds and Julianne Hellmuth were 4-2. The teams of Ertan Baucic & Kayce Massey, Adam Fronheiser &Sky Ganer, Keith Kosow & Jason Goralnick as well as Amy Myers & Nikki Muradian also participated. Cody, Nikki and Amy were at their first debate tournament, so congratulations to them.
In the novice elimination rounds Adam and Margit defeated Marist 3-0 in octafinals, advanced over Jake and Peter in quarterfinals, and then defeated Rochester 2-1 in semifinals. This put them in the final round facing New York University. Because of the shortage of eligible judges (unless we made Rochester's bus delay for 2.5 hours) the final round will be held at the Columbia tournament next month. Jake and Pete defeated Rochester 2-1 in octafinals and then deferred to Adam and Margit. Teresa and Brian defeated Marist 3-0 in octafinals before losing 2-1 to Rochester in quarterfinals. Cody and Julianne lost their octafinal debate 3-0 to Rochester.
In the Junior Varsity division teams also performed well. Meredith Parmett and Casey Gervais were 4-2, Anthony Pagan and Vilasa Campbell were 4-2, and Sheila Limprevil and Jillian Marty were also 4-2. Casey Gervais was rated the #2 debater in the tournament, Vilasa Campbell the #7 and Meredith Parmett the #9. Brian Hurley and Nick Soverel started their season with a 3-3 record, while Edwin Owusu and Claudia Greenman had one o those tournaments at 1-5, and we look for a strong comeback by both of them.
Both JV teams, however, lost their quarterfinal debates, to New York Univ. and Rochester.
The squad finished with a 49-42 record for 14 teams.
Meanwhile Aaron
Fishbone and Shawn Wilkerson represented at the Capital City Debates held
at Catholic University in Washington, DC. They lost their break round to
finish 3-3. That made for a long drive back, but the squad supports in victory
and defeat.
Harvard University,
a tournament which has been a challenge for UVM debaters for over a decade,
remained so in the 2001-2002 season. UVM sent two teams, Aaron Fishbone
& Shawn Wilkerson along with Jillian Marty & Vilasa Campbell. The
tournament is attended by almost all of the top teams in the nation, and
this year the entry was limited to 72 teams. Fishbone & Wilkerson finished
with a 4-4 record after a very slow start, winning their final three debates.
Marty and Campbell, technically a JV team, were entered in varsity at their
first major national tournament, and performed well, gaining good speaker
points and having eight close debates, although their record was 2-6. Jillian
Marty, a sophomore, had the second highest points of the four UVM debaters.
The LDU will schedule another public debate on the terrorist issue this Fall. The debate will feature LDU debaters and explore the modern definition of terrorism and whether it is accurate or relevant. Charles Hoag is the facilitator of this event.
| Campbell & Marty. Third
Place JV | Gana & Brue Fifth Place Novice |
| Jake Ricker, 8th Speaker Novice
| Pagan & Owusu Fifth Place
JV |
| Grenier & Rounds, Ninth
Place Novice | Kayce Massey. Future Star |
A flock of UVM teams attended Binghamton University's 12th Annual Southern Tier Forensics Festival last weekend and returned with multiple honors and a strong overall winning record. Five teams reached elimination rounds and overall the record was 34-28. The tournament traditionally has only a junior varsity and a novice division.
Jillian Marty and Vilasa Campbell compiled a 5-1 record in the preliminary debates in the JV division. Their quarterfinal round was against Cornell, including Top Speaker Kerry McBroom, and UVM emerged with a 2-1 victory. The next opponent was Columbia in the semifinals, and UVM lost a 3-0 decision, finishing THIRD. Anthony Pagan and Edwin Owusu were 4-2 in prelims and lost a 3-0 decision to Rochester. Sheila Limprevil and Abigail Trebilcock were 4-2 and missed the elimination rounds by a few speaker points. Lana Langsweirdt and Brian Hurley were 3-3. The JV squad was an impressive 16-8 in prelims. Anthony Pagan was named the 6th speaker.
In the novice division three teams reached elimination rounds, all three with 4-2 records, including Adam Gana and Marget Brue, Jake Ricker and Peter Wright, along with Cody Rounds and Josh Grenier. Rounds and Grenier lost their octafinal debate, while both of the other teams won 3-0. In quarterfinals both teams lost, Gana and Brue 2-1 while Ricker and Wright went down 3-0. Adam Gana was the 2nd speaker, Marget Brue was 7th, and Jake Ricker was 8th. Kayce Massey and Ertan Barucic were 2-4 while Keith Kosow and Justin Goralnick were 1-5.
Charles Hoag was named the #2 judge in the tournament after a balloting by students. He richly deserves this recognition.
The LDU was lucky enough to take a 48 seat BUS to the tournament, sharing it with Middlebury College. It was quite a luxury to get into the bus at the end of the tournament, falling asleep, and waking up safely back in Vermont. Thanks to Harry our driver.
Full tournament cumulative
results available at http://debate.uvm.edu/binghamton2001.html.
| Vilasa Campbell, Top Speaker|
Abigail Trebilcock, Third Place |
| Jillian Marty, Fourth Speaker
|
Three UVM teams journeyed to Oklahoma City to attend the traditional Joe Jackson tournament at the University of Central Oklahoma. The result was a strong record and many awards, but unfortunately, no tournament championship.
In the JV division Jillian Marty and Vilasa Campbell were 6-0 and top seed in prelims before losing their quarterfinal debate 2-1. Abigail trebilcock and Sheila Limprevil were 5-1 and second seed, and after winning their quarterfinal debate, lost their semifinal round 2-1. Campbell was named the Top speaker, with Marty 4th and Trebilcock 5th.
In the varsity division
Aaron Fishbone and Shawn Wilkerson finished 3-3, once again losing their
break debate in round six.
The 15 November
rankings put together by the AFA/NDT cover all collegiate policy debate
competition in America at all levels. The results showed that a strong performance
at all levels by the large UVM squad has catapulted them to near the top.
The University of Vermont is Third, behind Emory and Rochester. We aren't
the only ones losing to Rochester, in fact Vermont has a pretty strong record
against them.
Given that most schools offer extensive scholarships for recruiting high
school debaters and that the Lawrence Debate Union has a fraction of the
funds most schools have, this type of performance is a tribute to the hard
work and creativity of UVM students and coaches.
You can see the list at http://www.whitman.edu/offices_departments/rhetoric/ndt/
Schools in bold have UVM alumni coaching in or directing the program. Notice how well we place against italicized schools we like to compete with on an academic level.
| 1. Emory University 374 2. University of Rochester 327 3. University of Vermont 293 4. University of Pittsburgh 278 5. University of California-Berkeley 262 6. Gonzaga University 258 7. Northwestern University 257 8. University of Southern California 250 9. U.S. Military Academy 250 10. Michigan State University 241 11. Liberty University 236 12. Dartmouth College 230 13. Emporia State University 219 14. University of Texas-Austin 212 15. Idaho State University 212 16. Whitman College 211 17. Catholic University (The) 210 18. West Virginia University 203 19. Wayne State University 197 20. Cornell University 197 |
OTHER SCHOOLS
OF NOTE |
| Brian Cole and Matt Klein
won the tournament| Amy Myers and Nikki Muradian, Third Place |
The tournament started
out poorly and then got worse. Team members were very ill (bad sushi was
mentioned) but still debating, at other times partners had to debate by
themselves. Talented novice debaters who had moved up to the Open division
were taking their lumps. Hard working novice debaters were getting discouraged.
Then came round five.
The tournament was featuring five rounds in one day, an exhausting affair.
The discouraged gained confidence, the ill gained a bit more stability,
and the LDU bucked down to stage one of the most remarkable comebacks in
recent years. Although it was too late to get any of the teams into the
elimination rounds in the Open division, the novices scored well with four
of the five teams reaching the elimination rounds, with the only other novice
team finishing 3-3.
In the novice octafinals Adam Fronheiser and Sky Ganer (4-2) as well as
Cody Rounds and Josh Grenier (3-3) were defeated.
But other teams were on a role. Amy Myers and Nikki Muradian (14th seed)
defeated #3 seed NYU 2-1 while Brian Cole and Matt Klein defeated #4 seed
Binghamton 3-0. In quarterfinals Muradian and Myers defeated #6 seed Rochester
while Cole and Klein advanced over the University of Chicago. This meant
that the two teams from UVM, #13 and #14 seeds, had reached the final four.
In the semifinal round Muradian and Myers dropped to West Point 3-0, but
Klein and Cole stayed on a role, defeating the #1 seed West Point team 3-0.
In the final round Klein and Cole won 2-1 over #2 seed West Point to win
the tournament championship. The round ended at 11:45 PM on Sunday.
In the Open speaker awards Casey Gervais was #11. In the Novice speaker
awards Brian Cole was #2, Stephen Gilpatric was #11, Josh Grenier was #13,
and Amy Myers was #15.
In the Open division Novice team Marget Brue and Adam Gana were 3-3, Casey
Gervais and novice debater Teresa Hill were 2-4, Claudia Greenman and Lana
Langsweirdt were 2-4, Edwin Owusu and Brian Hurley were 2-4, and Sheila
Limprevil and Abigail Trebilcock were 2-4.
Sweepstakes scoreboard watchers note: All Rochester teams were gone after the quarterfinals.
TEAMS AT WAKE FOREST:
Aaron Fishbone and Shawn Wilkerson finished 3-3 while Vilasa Campbell and
Jillian Marty finished 2-4, with only a varsity division at the tournament.
The Fall, 2001 debate semester is finished. Ten tournaments and 408 debates after it began, the semester is over. Time for some consideration of these recent events.
KANSAS CITY SWING:
Eight teams and four coaches are bound for Kansas City in January, 2002.
Two vans will traverse the highways safely to provide transportation. Students
demanded to drive instead of fly so that more teams could attend. Each student
must complete a major research assignment before the first prep day on 12/27.
TEAMS TRYING TO GET ON THE VANS: Fishbone-Wilkerson, Marty-Campbell, Trebilcock-Limprevil,
Parmett-Gervais, Langsweirdt-Greenman, Cole-McDonald.
DEBATERS STILL IN THE MIX: Gana, Hill, Owusu, Soverel, Hurley.
LDU TERRORISM DEBATES NOW AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNETBoth debates from this Fall are now available for viewing. You will need RealPlayer [http://www.real.com/] to watch these events, but it will scale to match the speed of your connection.
MILITARY ACTION IN AFGHANISTAN? 16 October 2001. http://real.uvm.edu:554/ramgen/debate/terrordebate101601.rm
SHOULD WE FIGHT A WAR AGAINST TERRORISM? 13 November 2001. http://real.uvm.edu:554/ramgen/debate/pubdebterror1101.rm
At the end of semester one all national rankings put UVM as high as third and as low as eighth. That sounds good, and it is good, but what do these rankings mean? How are they calculated? What are the differences between the different rankings?
UVM is Third in the Cross Examination Debate Association December National Sweepstakes rankings. UVM is Sixth in the National Debate Tournament/American Forensic Association overall National Sweepstakes rankings. UVM is Eighth in the American Debate Association overall National Sweepstakes rankings.
You gain points under all three systems by being in debates and winning debates. Each win counts in your sweepstakes total. Elimination round victories and final placing also produces additional points. The ADA rankings only tally tournaments which are sanctioned by the ADA, few of which UVM attends, so it is a surprise to be ranked so high. Each system only counts your best tournaments, with different numbers of tournaments counting for points under the different systems. Each system counts only the performance of your best few teams. Both of these controls stop a program from piling up points by entering many teams at many tournaments. In the CEDA rankings, for example, only the top six tournaments are counted. Both the CEDA and NDT Sweepstakes points are looked on as true national contests, as most ADA schools and tournaments are in the middle Atlantic states. However, within their organization the ADA has fostered a lot of healthy debating and novice opportunities.
Sweepstakes points and rankings are traditionally used not only to recognize performance but also to justify budgets and staffing by the sponsoring schools. Because UVM's program operates from the Lawrence endowment there is no "drive for points" because the funding pressures are quite different. For example, sweepstakes points are never a consideration in tournament or division choice. Successful UVM teams at the novice and JV level are routinely encouraged to enter into higher divisions to gain training and experience, even though they would be harvesting a rich load of sweepstakes points at their legitimate level of competition. UVM's goals are still personal growth and development of the individual students, not the points race. But, if we still finish high, we'll take it.
Here are some of the greetings and information we have recently received about former debaters, coaches, and close friends of the Lawrence Debate Union. If you are not on this list please send information and pictures and we will be glad to feature you in 2002!
ANDREA AMICANGELO
[LOOBY]
Married this last summer to Jay Amicangelo, Tuna was even in the wedding!
Hard to Imagine.
"Things here are fine. I took the LSAT and I went to a Law School Fair
last week. I am drawn to the schools that have strong domestic violence
and women's law programs. Thank you again for doing the reading at my wedding.
It was wonderful to have you a part of it. Give my love to everyone."
DAVID BERUBE
[former coach]
David is still Director of Forensics at the University of South Carolina.
He has been working as an advisor to Paramount on STAR TREK issues and is
an active conspirator with Tuna on various forensic plots. Is up for a major
NSF grant to study social effects of nanotechnology.
JOHN BURGESS
"Thank you. As to health it is marginal; but much improved. As to longevity,
I shall not compete with old Edwin Lawrence, but I shall not go gently into
that good night. We get and read the debate newsletter avidly."
MATT BYRNE/ERYNNE
ROSS 
Now both practicing law in Chicago after graduating from the University
of Chicago's law school.
" Erynne Ross gave birth to Brendyn James on December 12, 2001 at 12:56
p.m. Brendyn was 9lbs. 3 oz. and 20 and 1/2 inches long. Mom and baby are
doing just fine."
MICHAEL CALORE
Still has his red gold and green shoelaces, we hope!
"I am living and working as a writer in San Francisco. I also appear
weekly under the name DJ snackfight, playing avant jazz, roots, dub, and
electronic music every Friday night at the Oxygen Bar in San Francisco's
Mission district."
JEFF CEDARFIELD
Now practicing law in Springfield, MA. Seen judging and coaching for Marist
College to assist his old partner, Maxwell Schnurer.
STEVE DOLLEY
[former coach]
Research Director at the Nuclear Control Institute in Washington, DC, he
fights against nuclear proliferation. Has testified before Congress and
written in the New York Times. Plays bass in a band called "Liquid
Lobster." Too bad his gig photo was corrupted in transit!
GLENN & LAURA
ELLINGSON
"Laura and I are happy out here in Silicon Valley, where Laura is a
new assistant professor at Santa Clara University, and I am, um, looking
for one of those fabulous silicon valley technology jobs :-). I am in touch
with the UDL out here and happily racing my miata, while Laura is winning
the academic game, with back-to-back "top paper" panels and a
recent election as the NCA Ethnography Division 2nd VP."
JEFFREY FERNANDEZ
"My name is Jeffrey Fernandez ('75) and I debated in 74-75, having
no prior experience in debate at any level. As you know, Doc Huber had a
wonderful program for novices and beginners. It quickly became my primary
educational vehicle, and I switched majors from Economics to Communication.
It was by far the best preparation I had for Grad School (Public Policy)
and future employment. Currently I am the Budget Director at Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory (another influential Lawrence!) , and rarely a day goes
by without evaluation by my office of a financial issue as a policy proposition,
and presentation of a persuasive case for a resource allocation decision.
I teach this to my staff, and I have the most well-rounded , effective,
analytical staff in the Federal National Laboratory complex. Thank you Doc
Huber and the LDU!"
DAN GAREAU
Now working on his doctorate in Biomedical Laser Engineering at the Oregon
Graduate Institute. Looks forward to welding flesh together for the betterment
of all!
SCOTT GELLER
Finishing his PhD in Forest Management at the University of Edinburgh in
the UK. Before that worked for the UN Development Program in NYC.
TRACY GONOS &
PAUL HAYES [long time friends of the program]
"Paul and I have officially left New York City and are now residing
in Washington, D.C. metropolitan area." Tracy is clerking for a federal
district judge and Paul is practicing law.
JETHRO HAYMAN/CLEOPATRA
JONES
Jethro and Cleo have two beautiful children, Caramae and Rhian, with another
one on the way. Jethro is now the Director of Forensics at Cornell University
and his team is #20 in the national sweepstakes. Gordie Miller is assisting
him with coaching duties.
LISA HELLER
Now finishing her doctor degree at the University of Pittsburgh in Speech
Communication. Has been very active in an organization she founded called
"Dump and Run" to promote recycling on college campuses at the
end of the year when tons of stuff gets thrown out. Has had stories in the
New York Times and Boston Globe, recently appeared on OXYGEN television.
TOMISLAV KARGACIN,
MIRA PETKOV [former coach]
Working in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia, teaching English and debate. Beautiful
daughter Andreja lights up their lives. Toma taught at WDI this last summer.
PAUL KERR
After working at the Institute for International and Strategic Studies in
Washington and the Lexington Institute, is now striking out on his own down
in foggy bottom. Coaches debate at Catholic University off and on. Looking
to get into political campaigns if anyone has an idea, tell us and we will
put you in contact.
GRETA LOCKWOOD
Working as a legal researcher, as an artist and as a coach for the LDU.
Has great argument ideas.
SCOTT LOZEN
"Here's a GIF of myself and my lovely wife, Eve Agee. We were married
in her hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas on October 13th. We live in Washington,
DC and are committed to city living, specifically by the house we purchased
in the Columbia Heights neighborhood. Over the past year and a half I have
been working a variety of Information Technology contracting jobs, but have
found time to train for and finish two marathons in the last year. It's
good to hear the VOICE OF EDWIN booming out from the hills."
JOHN MEANY [former
coach]
Still Director of Forensics at the Claremont Colleges in California. Forms
a triad with Berube and Snider for extensive forensic plotting. Director
of the Southern California Urban Debate League as well. His son Jake recently
was top speaker at the MIT high school debate tournament.
GORDIE MILLER
Now coaching at Cornell University and still collecting reggae music.
HELEN MORGAN
Finishing a graduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh and coaching
debate there. Her team is currently ranked 4th in the national sweepstakes.
Looking forward to teaching and coaching debate at the college level.
CHARLES MORTON
Practicing law in Baltimore, now with four beautiful children, loves globe
trotting. Longtime LDU supporter, has even let as many as 16 debaters sleep
in his house! Active in the community and does considerable pro bono work.
ERIC NELSON
Still in the Air Force, was in the Pentagon when it was hit. Now overseas.
"Things are well here, if busy with the arrival of US forces here (not
sure it's being reported in the US press, but it's all over the media here,
because it's a major historical event for the country and for the region.
My basic update: Josie and I are expecting our first child in April. I'm
promoted to Lt. Colonel as of the first of January. I'm still here in Kyrgyzstan
helping out the Defense Attache Office, in the middle of a three month tour;
still based out of the Pentagon. Looking at reassignment this upcoming year
to I don't know where yet."
SAM NELSON [former
coach]
Director of Debate at the University of Rochester. Has a huge team and is
now tied for first place in the national sweepstakes. Even hired Sarah Snider
to coach with him!
KENAN OSMANOVIC
Working with the International Refugee Committee in NYC. "It's been
a while since I talk to you. I just wanted to let you known that I am fine
because my office is in midtown Manhattan. Today we had bomb scare across
the street at Grand Central Station and we had to evacuate from our building.
But, I am back at work now and everything should be fine. My parents work
in upper west side so they were not directly affected by the bombing. I
am still at my old job doing family based immigration and working with refugees
and immigrants. So far is good but I am thinking about continuing my education."
JUSTIN PARMETT
Completing his graduate degree in speech communication at the University
of South Carolina where he coaches debate with David Berube. Has won judging
awards and is very popular among debaters nationally.
PAM PECK
Working in the regional planning office in Portland, OR. Has a beautiful
son named Benjamin. Hosted LDU on their last two visits to Portland.
DAVID POOLE
"I was eating lunch yesterday and reading the paper when I came across
an article about Vermont Debate. None other than the Tuna man himself was
quoted. Pretty Damn Cool!!!!! I don't know what it means to you to have
an article about your work in the mainstream press, but to me it means that
you are getting some recognition that you very well deserve! I hope you
are well, life is good, missing the warm cradle of academia, but doing well
and trying to stay cool in the City."
SAM PRESS
Living happily in Burlington. Hosts regular martini hours and wants to persuade
Tuna to smoke cigars. Active and supportive in Vermont high school debate.
NARRIC ROME
After living and working in Washington, DC for 5 years, and completing a
MPA degree at Columbia Univ., Narric has returned to Burlington, VT and
is currently searching for employment in the public policy sector.
MAXWELL SCHNURER
Now Director of Forensics at Marist College, has a PhD from Univ. of Pittsburgh.
Recently completed a book with Tuna on using debate in the classroom to
teach a wide variety of subjects. Continues his activism, especially as
regards animal rights.
RAE SCHWARTZ
Completing her graduate degree at Wake Forest University in Speech Communication
and coaching debate there. Says North Carolina needs more reggae music!
Looking into a PhD in Women's Studies.
LORI SHERMAN
"Lori is now moving to Florida where she will spend at least 2 glorious
years helping her boss (Skip) write a charting/trading platform to go with
the software that already exists. The project is in conjunction with Harvard
and Lori will be traveling there at least a couple of times a month to work
in the lab... Hopefully she will be able to see all her northeastern friends
at one time or another during these trips. This change means that at the
end of this project that Lori will never have to worry about a job again
(not that I do now) but will also be a partner in the company and a kickass
trader at the end of it all. Yea - this means I am one step closer to making
all the dreams I have for the LDU happen. You know, the van, the debate
house and the endowment (that will add to Lawrence's) are all closer to
being a reality now. But on a shorter note, I will be having thanksgiving
with Sallie, Sally and Sarah etc. I cant wait it will be fun. I love you,
miss you and never forget what debate and you have done and continue to
do for me every day of my life."
BILL SHANAHAN
[former coach]
Now Director of Forensics at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. Very
successful team. His wife Kim is coaching high school forensics.
SARAH SNIDER
Now coaching debate at the University of Rochester, where her team is tied
with Emory for #1 in the national sweepstakes.
JEROME SPENCER
After Georgetown Law is now a prosecutor. "A big congrats to the current
brood of Edwin's children for such an outstanding season to date! Last Friday
I obtained a guilty verdict in my first murder case. Okay, the defendant
pled guilty, but guilty is still guilty! He pled to first degree murder;
he had killed his girlfriend's pregnant daughter with .380 handgun. He had
told detectives that he killed her because he wanted her to leave so he
could get back to eating his hamburger."
KAT TOSI (KOLLER)
"It is me, Kat (Koller) Tosi, still in Bangkok Thailand. What am I
doing? Hmmm, good question......For starters, volunteering at a Mon refugee
camp on the Thai border. Enclosed picture shows me using their version of
air-conditioning: a nice cooling root powder smeared on the face! We have
registered our group as a nonprofit organization called the Mon Culture
and Literature Survival Project and built a website on top of it! (www.monland.org)
Besides that, I write a weekly Thai Culture column for the local English
paper called 'Kat's Window on Thailand'. (www.bangkokpost.com/kat/index.html)
and pick up other free lance jobs proofreading etc. for companies doing
CBT's, company profiles, etc. I even got the BBC to hire me for a few jobs.
Am I famous yet? Pay is small, but it looks aok on the resume. Thailand
is an amazingly strange place. Never dull. Always hot. Very green. And very
CHILLED OUT. I have also recently been visited by 4 former UVMites (Chuck
Buckley and Jason Scheidler of WRUV past glory included.) My doggie is still
here with me and waxing philosophical in her old age.....Things are going
AOK, I am aging properly, etc. and I am always more than proud and pleased
when I get the Edwin updates."
CHERYL WILSON
"I write with good news: I have finally passed the Massachusetts Bar
Examination!! After basically two years of hard work, I have finally achieved
my goal....I get sworn in in Boston, January, 2002. I am currently working
for Chubb Specialty Insurance, doing Employment Practice Liability Claims,
which basically means that I run the claim on the insurance carrier side
for employment discrimination claims that occur against companies. It is
a change from working with the claim from the state agency side, but I am
learning a lot about employment law! I live in Springfield, MA and am still
dating the same wonderful guy for about 3 years. Hope all is well with everyone
in the LDU world!! "
STEVE WOODS [former
coach]
Now Director of Forensics at Western Washington University in beautiful
Bellingham along with his partner Jennifer Hays. His team is doing very
well. He has a lovely son, William, now five.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! DROP US A LINE AND PLEASE INCLUDE A PICTURE IF YOU CAN!