UAA’s Chris Kolerok and Tom Lassen used ‘Truth and Reconciliation’ to win the Open

The Seawolf Speech & Debate Team showed up ready to win at the US Universities National Open at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA, this past weekend. Hosted by Occidental College, the tournament drew 40 teams from California, Oregon and Alaska.

After an exhausting seven rounds of preliminary debate competition, UAA had a fine showing, advancing half of their teams to the quarterfinal elimination rounds: Lindsay Eberhardt (senior) with partner Race Brunton (freshmen); Michael Rose (junior) with partner Rose Helens-Hart (senior); and Chris Kolerok (junior) with partner Tom Lassen (junior). In addition, Michael Rose and Rose Helens-Hart earned ninth and 10th places as overall speakers at the tournament.

Kolerok and Lassen cruised through quarterfinals and semifinals advancing to the final round where they met two teams from the University of La Verne and another from Claremont Colleges. The Seawolf duo advocated the use of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, used extensively in South Africa after apartheid, as a way to bring peace, closure and healing to civil war-torn Algeria while opposition teams from La Verne and Claremont argued that Tribal Councils are more beneficial because they ensure retribution and deterrence. In the end, UAA prevailed, taking first place by building their argument for TRCs around the Swahili word Umbunto, which means, “Everything comes together when we all look out for each other.”

The Seawolves will travel to Vancouver, BC, to compete in the CUSID British Parliamentary National Championships October 13-16.

Back Row From Left to Right: Rose Helens-Hart, Chris Kolerok, Tom Lassen, Wiley Morgan, Justin Dahlen, Michael Rose, Ben Ferguson

Front Row From Left to Right: Hilary Seeger, Race Brunton, Dana Ovsak, Lindsay Eberhardt, Adriel Mathew

For more information, please contact Seawolf Speech and Debate coach Steve Johnson at 786-4391.