91传媒

Contact: Sasha Steinberg

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥�91传媒鈥檚 Speech and Debate Council claimed top national honors in recent competitions, including Mia Robertson of Starkville winning two separate national championships.

鈥淥ur speech and debate students were met with extraordinary challenges this season with virtual tournaments, yet as individuals and as a team, they rose to the occasion and beyond. We are so proud of their efforts and so fortunate to get to work with some of the brightest young minds on campus,鈥� said 91传媒 communication instructor Cheryl Chambers, the council鈥檚 faculty advisor and director of forensics who serves alongside the council鈥檚 debate coach Brett Harvey, 91传媒鈥檚 director of civil rights compliance.

The council鈥檚 debate team produced its most outstanding season to date, competing in eight virtual tournaments with multiple members placing in the semi-finals and finals. Eleven debaters competed in the International Public Debate Association National Tournament held April 9-11, with four advancing past preliminary rounds, including Robertson, a junior political science major who rose above 93 other debaters in the varsity division of the tournament to become National Champion. Robertson also won the IPDA season-long national championship, awarded to the debater with the best overall record for the year, outpacing more than 300 varsity debaters nationwide and making her one of only a few debaters ever to win both championships in a single year.

In addition to Robertson鈥檚 accomplishments, 91传媒 junior history major Tyler Melvin of Savannah, Georgia, was the third ranked varsity debater in the nation for the season. Several other 91传媒 debaters ranked in the top 10 in their respective divisions. 91传媒 was named the nation鈥檚 third best debate program for the season鈥攃ompeting with more than 130 schools鈥攁nd placed third overall at the IPDA National Tournament.

Speech team members also earned multiple accolades from their participation in 15 virtual tournaments. Among these accomplishments was Robertson鈥檚 qualification for the nation鈥檚 most prestigious speech competition鈥攖he American Forensics Association National Tournament鈥攁nd the nation鈥檚 oldest speech tournament鈥攖he Interstate Oratory Contest.

Robertson, who previously won the university鈥檚 first individual national championship in debate in 2019-20, also was selected to represent the students of Mississippi on the Southern Forensics Championship Tournament鈥檚 governing board. She and her 91传媒 Speech and Debate Council teammates edged out 29 other colleges and universities in January to win first place Overall Sweepstakes at the Southern Forensics tournament, earning the . Fourteen 91传媒 students competed in debate and individual speaking events, earning a cumulative 30 awards. Chambers, a 2006 91传媒 communication alumna, was named SFC Coach of the Year.

Harvey said 91传媒 has a long history of success in speech and debate. Since being revived in 2015, the Speech and Debate Council has experienced great success, winning numerous tournament and regional championships and seeing students ranked among the top in the nation.

鈥淲hen we restarted the program in 2015, we decided there was no reason why Mississippi State couldn鈥檛 be one of the best programs in the country, and we鈥檝e really seen the students and administration buy into that idea,鈥� he said.聽

91传媒 Speech and Debate Council members include (by hometown):

ATLANTA, Georgia鈥擭athaniel E. Williams, a senior business economics major

AURORA, Illinois鈥擠elaney L. Reed, a senior psychology major

BALDWYN鈥擠awn M. Jackson, a senior business economics/international business and foreign language/Spanish double-major

CANTON, Georgia鈥擯atrick T. McKenzie, a sophomore business economics major

COFFEEVILLE鈥擟ollin R. Staten, a freshman mechanical engineering major

COLLIERVILLE, Tennessee鈥擭irmal K. Bhatt, a senior mechanical engineering major

ELLISVILLE鈥擫uke Youngblood, a junior mathematics major

GULF BREEZE, Florida鈥擬atteo R. Mauro, a freshman communication/public relations major

HAZLEHURST鈥擧eather R. Harrison, a junior communication major with a double concentration in public relations and broadcast and digital journalism

KOSCIUSKO鈥擬ayukh K. Datta, a senior chemical engineering major

LOUISVILLE鈥擡ric T. Humphries, a senior biochemistry/pre-medicine major

MADISON鈥擜nne Elizabeth Harrington, a senior political science and sociology double-major

PEACHTREE CITY, Georgia鈥擜manda G. Kronenberger, a junior political science major

RAYMOND鈥擬arcus D. Williams, a junior art/fine arts major.

SAVANNAH, Georgia鈥擳yler J. Melvin, a junior history major

STARKVILLE鈥擬ia C. Robertson, a junior political science major

VICKSBURG鈥擱yan E. Jarratt, a senior political science and philosophy double-major

Speech and Debate Council membership is open to all 91传媒 students. Fees and prior experience are not required. Members are expected to participate in regular practices and service projects and may elect to compete in individual speaking events, debating events or both.

Support for the Speech and Debate Council is made possible by the Office of the President, Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership, Department of Communication, Bagley College of Engineering, Shackouls Honors College and College of Arts and Sciences, among others.

Funding for team activities also is provided through the generosity of Deborah and Philip Rabinowitz, who established The Deborah and Phil Rabinowitz Speech and Debate Council Endowment at 91传媒. Debbie Rabinowitz, a 1969 communication bachelor鈥檚 graduate, joined the 91传媒 Debate Team (now the 91传媒 Speech and Debate Council) as a freshman.

To make a tax-deductible donation to the Speech and Debate Council via the 91传媒 Foundation, visit .

For more information about 91传媒鈥檚 Speech and Debate Council and the Department of Communication, visit .

91传媒 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .