BHSU Debate Team excels at national tournament; holds gun law debate in Rapid City

The Black Hills State University Debate Team returned from the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament recently with a winning record, including one member advancing to the quarterfinal round and two team members receiving awards of excellence. The team will now prepare for an exhibition debate on gun suppressor laws to be held Monday, April 17 at 6 p.m. at BHSU-Rapid City. Left to right: Nick Montieth, political science major from Sturgis Megan Wattenhofer, biology major from Rapid City Taylor Mowery, political science and social science composite major from Gillette, Wyo. Molly Graesser, exercise science major from Gregory and Cheyenne Rost, communication/speech composite education major from Thornton, Colo.

The Black Hills State University Debate Team returned from the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament with a winning record. One member of the team advanced to the quarterfinal round and two team members earned awards of excellence. The team recently held an exhibition debate on gun suppressor laws at BHSU-Rapid City.

At the national tournament in Boise, Idaho, Taylor Mowery, political science and social science composite major from Gillette, Wyo., advanced to the quarterfinal round in novice Individual Parliamentary Debate (IPDA). Mowery also received an excellence award in novice IPDA. Another BHSU student, Megan Wattenhofer, biology major from Rapid City, also received an excellence award in open IPDA.

Perhaps even more impressive than the individual awards, Wattenhofer said that no one on the BHSU team had a losing record in National Tournament.

"The BHSU Debate Team had national competitors in three different divisions and no competitor had a losing record, which is no small feat," said Wattenhofer.

The Debate Team completed the academic year with an exhibition debate on gun suppressor laws Monday, April 17 at BHSU-Rapid City.

National quarterfinalist and excellence award recipient Mowery says participating in debate has helped her gain confidence and prepare for her future career.

"I&rsquom pursuing a degree in education, and participating in speaking events has given me the ability to speak comfortably in front of groups and crowds, such as a class of students," said Mowery. "Competing at any tournament is always a pleasure, but advancing at a national level was also an honor."

The BHSU debate team will continue to meet on campus in Spearfish for the remainder of the semester, with plans to expand the debate team to BHSU-Rapid City in the fall. BHSU will also defend their trophy against South Dakota School of Mines &amp Technology in the Black Hills Cup before the semester&rsquos end.

BHSU has a strong history of debate on campus, supporting a debate team for more than 100 years. Pi Kappa Delta, the national honor society for collegiate speech and debate, hosts the National Tournament each year. BHSU has been a member of Pi Kappa Delta since 1955. The Debate Team adviser is Dr. Ryan Clark, associate professor of communication studies at BHSU.

BHSU Debate Team students who participated in the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament include:
  • Molly Graesser, exercise science major from Gregory
  • Nick Montieth, political science major from Sturgis
  • Taylor Mowery, political science and social science composite major from Gillette, Wyo.
  • Cheyenne Rost, communication/speech composite education major from Thornton, Colo.
  • Megan Wattenhofer, biology major from Rapid City