SMC Debate Team Wins Awards at Two Regional Tournaments

SANTA MONICA, CA – Santa Monica College (SMC) is pleased to announce that the SMC Speech and Debate Team won several awards at the Tabor-Venitsky & Southern California LD Championships held at Cerritos College from Feb. 17-19. The team also bagged awards at the PSCFA “Char Arnold” Spring Championships held at California State University, Long Beach Feb. 24-26.

SMC students Matthew Linsky, Thal Gondim, and Ashley Grace were finalists in the Individual Events division at the Tabor-Venitsky & Southern California LD Championships. Ashley Grace won third place in informative speaking. A total of 24 two-year and four-year colleges and universities were represented at the tournament; 399 students competed in individual events, including informative, persuasive, and extemporaneous speaking.

The SMC debate team also won several awards at the Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association “Char Arnold” Spring Championships held at CSU, Long Beach from February 24-26. Matthew Linsky, Thal Gondim, and Ashley Grace received awards in the International Public Debate Association (IPDA) division. All three competitors advanced to the semifinals round and received a bronze medal.

Matthew Linsky won third place in Open Impromptu speaking in a field of 94 competitors; and Ashley Grace won third place in Open Informative speaking in a field of 54 competitors. Garrett Parker, a new debater on the team, was a finalist in Novice Impromptu speaking. SMC received third place in the Sweepstakes category for limited entry programs.

“Our speech and debate students work tirelessly and give up their precious weekends to positively represent our team and Santa Monica College,” said Luis Andrade, SMC Communication professor. “The most recent tournaments are our regional championships. Our next stop is the Phi Rho Pi Nationals Tournament, the Super Bowl of community college speech and debate, which will take place in Washington DC in April.”

For more information on the SMC Debate Team, contact Luis Andrade at andrade_luis@smc.edu or 310-434-4771.

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