HUNTINGTON, WV (WOWK) — The Thundering Word is headed to Tokyo, Japan to compete at the International Forensic Association Tournament.
According to a press release, the team will leave on March 9 and return on March 16.
The leader of the university’s speech and debate team, Director of Forensics for the Department of Communication Studies Clara Adkins, said this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“When I received the invitation from the organization, I immediately went to Dr. Bookwalter, dean of the College of Liberal Arts; he looked at me and said let’s see what we can do,” Adkins said. “Sixty days later, I got an answer that through donations from supporters and the Maier Foundation, this once-in-a-lifetime-experience was going to happen.”
The team is looking for monetary help to put together the trip. The donations are accepted through the Marshall University Foundation (COLA-Debate Program).
The university says the speech and debate team competes in four areas.
- Oral Interpretation of Literature
- Prepared speeches
- Limited preparation speeches
- Debate
Here is the list of members that are qualified for the trip.
- Ben Chambers, Athens
- George Urling, Midkiff
- Matthew Lebo, Vienna
- Gabe Corbin, Point Pleasant
- Bryson Connolly, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Mason Pomeroy, Nettie
- Olivia Hindman, St. Albans
- Liv Stockwin, Homer, New York
- Kia Booth, Proctorville, Ohio
- Adley Fry, Proctorville, Ohio
- Lily Mays, Martinsburg
- Ella Hiles, Sharonville, Ohio
- Aaryn Bonyak, Huntington
- Grace Stowers, Huntington
- Zoe Davin, Huntington
- Frances Harper, Huntington
- Aayush Damai, Huntington
The team is coached and judged by Administrative Assistant Denise Parks, Graduate Assistant Austin Fry, Debate Instructor Michael Shirzadian, Assistant Director of Forensics/Instructor Nancy Jackson and Clara Adkins.
