The University of Southern Mississippi Speech and Debate Team recently returned from a tournament at Louisiana State University (LSU) with eight awards across various categories. The competition allowed participants to engage in different debate formats and speech events, including Impromptu Speaking and Dramatic Interpretation.
Six members of the team competed at the tournament, with newcomer Olivia Selenariveia winning the Top Novice Speaker award in the International Public Debate Association (IPDA) format and securing third place in Prose. Prose is a speech event where participants use excerpts from published works to craft a cohesive narrative. This was Selenariveia’s first time competing in this category.
“It felt great to get the awards that I did,” Selenariveia said. “I remember calling my parents after I won because they are my biggest supporters. I was really happy to place and see the work I put into the club pay off.”
Selenariveia expressed her enjoyment of competing in Prose and plans to participate in the event again in future tournaments.
Jakiriah Davis, another new member of the team, competed in IPDA and Dramatic Interpretation, earning Top Novice, Mississippi State Champion, and third place in Dramatic Interpretation. Davis has found the team experience valuable beyond the competition stage, noting personal growth through her involvement.
“Being on the team has helped me get out of my comfort zone,” Davis said. “I deal with social anxiety, and joining the team has helped me become more social and hold conversations with new people without having an anxiety attack. That makes winning awards even more satisfying to me.”
Davis plans to compete in additional events such as Impromptu Speaking and Team Debate in upcoming tournaments to expand her skills. The team coaches are proud of their new members' success and look forward to their continued development in future competitions.
