NEW ORLEANS (November 13, 2020) – Dillard University’s debate team, now in its second year, is awaiting the results from its second tournament of the season, the East Texas Baptist Shark Invitational, held on Oct. 23-24.

The team reached the final round of its first competition Sept. 26-27, with sophomore Jerika Edwards placing No. 2 of 23 competitors. The team placed fifth overall in that event, the East Coast Early Bird Speech and Debate competition.

The tournaments this season have been held virtually because of the pandemic. The competition held last month was based at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas. The first event in September was based in New York.

Returning members Kyle Stieb, Jerika Edwards and Alica Hoey participated in both events. New debate team members were added for the second. They include Spencer Jones, an urban studies and public policy major from West Memphis, Ark., who is in the pre-law program., and Landon Johnson, a computer science major from Baton Rouge

Edwards, an urban studies and public policy major who is in the pre-law program, made it to the final round of the Open-Division International Public Debate category of the September competition.

Edwards said competing virtually was “a little strange to not be able to see our opponents and judges, but we made it work.”

For the first event, Edwards said, she, Hoey and Stieb competed at the same time but in separate classrooms throughout the Professional Schools Building.

Attorney Byron Arthur is adviser and mentor to the group. Arthur, a National Speech and Debate Hall of Famer, is president/CEO of Lyceum Schools, Inc.