MEDIA ADVISORY – College of Western Idaho (CWI) Speech and Debate is back-to-back-to-back national champion following a third-consecutive first-place finish in the Community College Division of the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament in St. Louis, Mo. this past weekend (March 13-16). CWI completed its incredible run as a three-peat top community college in the nation and added an additional recognition as the fourth best out of all 89 colleges and universities in attendance – including several ivy league institutions.
CWI entered the weekend with one clear goal in mind – take home its third national title in just four years of existence. That will to win would prevail once again as CWI students garnered 17 combined gold and silver finishes in individual competition.
“I told [coach] Johnny Rowing before the tournament, that I refused to be the first team captain not to bring home a title,” Co-captain Jordan Brady said following the win. “Our team has worked so hard, we made sure that didn’t happen.”
Brady is one of 13 CWI students to earn gold or silver individual honors on the weekend. CWI’s individual gold finishes came courtesy of Mike Sheehan and Alishia Jonas, who combined to win three top honors. Sheehan earned gold in Open ADS and Open Discussion, while Jonas took gold for Broadcast Journalism.
CWI solidified its impressive run back to the top of the podium with 14 silver finishes over eight events. Mark Galaviz led the way with four silver honors, which came in Open Dramatic Interpretation, Open Program of Oral Interpretation, Open IPDA Debate, and Open Duo with Brady. Brandy Music followed suit for CWI with three silver finishes of her own; Open Program of Oral Interpretation, Novice Prose, and Open Duo with Taylor Olsen.
“The overall success of the team is a great feeling,” Brady said. “But the best feeling is watching the other students, our fellow teammates, succeed.”
“The [preparation] and creative process is very collaborative,” Galaviz said. “No speech is just your own. No debate is just your own. Everyone is involved so you feel the awards are earned by everyone. You wouldn’t have your personal success without the rest of the team.”
RESULTS
Broadcast Journalism
Alishia Jonas - Gold
Mike Sheehan - Silver
Casey McManus - Silver
Open Dramatic Interpretation
Mark Galaviz - Silver
Kelsey Dillon - Silver
Open Program of Oral Interpretation (POI)
Mark Galaviz - Silver
Brandy Music - Silver
Hawley Williams - Silver
Novice Prose
Brandy Music - Silver
Open Duo
Mark Galaviz/Jordan Brady - Silver
Brandy Music/Taylor Olsen - Silver
Open ADS
Mike Sheehan - Gold
Open Discussion
Mike Sheehan – Gold
Open IPDA Debate
Mark Galaviz - Silver
Novice IPDA Debate
Cyndi Kerr - Silver
Open Public Forum Debate
Alex Lange - Silver
Joshua Garcia - Silver
Contact:
Jennifer Couch
(208) 562-3508
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The College of Western Idaho is a public, open-access, and comprehensive community college committed to providing affordable access to quality teaching and learning opportunities to the residents of its service area in western Idaho. CWI has seven campus locations throughout Southwest Idaho providing higher education and 21st Century technical skills acquisition. The college is dedicated to improving the community’s economic well-being by responding with highly-educated and productive graduates. The foundation for the area’s only community college was created by a supermajority of voters in Ada and Canyon counties on May 22, 2007. For more information about the college, visit cwi.edu or call (208) 562-3000.
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