Pancakes for a Purpose!

Photo: This is one of my favorite pictures from the season. Tessie (junior) dressed up as a bumblebee for Halloween! She and coach Abbie are doing the spinning-hug thing.

Hi friends,

Whew, we can't believe how quickly this first semester has flown by! We only have two more tournaments left in the fall semester. The team travels to Hastings College this afternoon and then will make a trip to Kearney the first weekend in December.

This year has been absolutely magical. We have an amazing group of kids. But as most of you probably know, budget is always a huge concern for us. We already have several students qualified for the national tournament in April, problem is, we still don't have the tournament paid for. So, we're having Pancakes for a Purpose! On Thursday, December 2nd from 5-7pm, the Pancake Man will be serving all you can eat pancakes and sausage as a fundraiser to send our team to nationals! We'll have a cake walk and other fun games, and trust us, these cakes are delicious! We need to raise $3,500 between now and April, so we are counting on all of our friends and family to consume pancakespancakespancakes so our speech kids can go to nationals, instead of crying in a corner in April! :)
Prices for all-you-can-eat pancakes and sausage:

Adults: $7
Children ages 5-10: $5
...Children 4 and under eat for free!

The event will be in Omaha at Royal View Hall. This venue is across the street from Rosenblatt Stadium. Take the 13th street exit (exit 454) toward Stadium/Zoo. Royal View Hall will be at the intersection of 13th and Phelps (your third right). There is limited parking near the building, so it is suggested that people park across the street in the Rosenblatt parking lot.

If you cannot attend the pancake feed, please consider making a donation to the team on our online website. Any amount is appreciated and will make a difference for our students. Also, if you donate on this website, you'll receive a tax-deductible receipt! YAY! Here is the link:
https://nufoundation.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=895



Photo: Look at these kids! Aren't they vibrant young professionals? They need your help! Come eat pancakes!

Forensics Kicks Off!

Eastin Yates, Tessie Stednitz, Allison Henri and Stephanie Larsen.


Hello friends! Well, the forensics season has officially begun. It's been so busy that we haven't yet posted results from LAST week's tournament, let alone THIS week's tournament.

So, below you'll see results from our weekend in Hutchinson, KS (both Saturday and Sunday), as well as our weekend in magical Manhattan, KS (both Saturday and Sunday).

Results from K-State/KSU Alumni Swing

Saturday, October 2nd

• Niveditha Rajagopalan: 1st in Persuasion, 1st in After-Dinner Speaking (ADS), 2nd in Info, 4th in Impromptu, 6th in Extemp.
• Cameron Logsdon: 1st in POI, 1st in DI, 2nd in Poetry, 3rd in Prose.
• Allison Henri:1st in CA, 1st in Poetry, 2nd in Prose, 3rd in Duo with Tessie
• Tessie Stednitz: 3rd in Poetry, 3rd in Duo with Allison
• Eastin Yates: 5th in Duo with Stephanie, 4th in POI, 4th in DI
• Stephanie Larsen: 5th in Duo with Eastin
• Brian Robinson: 2nd in Extemp, 3rd in Impromptu, 3rd in ADS
• Blaine Miller: 3rd in CA
• Jacki Miller: 2nd in Impromptu, 4th in Persuasion
• Cole Evans: 3rd in POI, 6th in Prose
• Trae Graham: 5th in Poetry
• Hope Stanley: 7th in Extemp

Individual Sweepstakes
Three awards were given in individual sweepstakes, all of which went to UNO students.

• 3rd: Niveditha Rajagopalan
  
• 1st: Allison Henri and Cameron Logsdon had an unbreakable tie for 1st place.

Team Sweepstakes:

• 3rd: Doane College
• 2nd: UNL
• 1st: UNO

The team in Manhattan, KS (missing Iven).

Sunday, October 3rd

• Niveditha Rajagopalan: 1st in Persuasion, 1st in ADS, 3rd in Impromptu, 4th in Extemp.
• Cameron Logsdon: 1st in Poetry, 1st in Drama, 2nd in Prose.
• Allison Henri: 1st in Prose, 2nd in Duo with Tessie, 4th in Communication Analysis (CA).
• Joy Kathurima: 3rd in Persuasion
• Traelon Graham: 5th in Poetry
• Stephanie Larsen: 4th in Informative
• Blaine Miller: 3rd in CA, 5th in Duo in Cole
• Cole Evans: 2nd in Program of Oral Interpretation (POI), 5th in Duo with Blaine
• Eastin Yates: 3rd in POI, 5th in DI
• Tessie Stednitz: 2nd in Duo with Allison, 3rd in Prose,3rd in Drama
• Brian Robinson: 6th in Impromptu
• Jacki Miller: 6th in Extemp

Individual Sweepstakes

Three awards were given in individual sweepstakes, all of which went to UNO students.

• 3rd: Allison Henri
• 2nd: Cameron Logsdon
• 1st: Niveditha Rajagopalan

Team Sweepstakes

• 3rd: Doane College
• 2nd: UNL
• 1st: UNO

Results from the Hutchinson Community College Swing

For fun, I'm going to refer to the team by some of their nicknames from time to time...because I think you'll enjoy it. And because I love them and they're all terms of endearment. :)

Cole and Blaine having fun.

Saturday, September 25th

• Niveditha Rajagopalan: 1st in Persuasion, 3rd in Informative, 4th in ADS, 5th in Impromptu
• Cameron Logsdon: 1st in POI, 1st in Duo with Doza, 3rd in Poetry
• Allison Henri: 1st in Poetry, 3rd in Duo with Tessie, 5th in CA
• Tessie Stednitz: 1st in Poetry, 3rd in Duo with Allison
• Eastin Yates: 6th in DI
• Stephanie Larsen: 5th in Informative
• Brian Robinson: 1st in ADS
• Blaine Miller: 2nd in Duo with ColE, 3rd in CA
• Jacki Miller: Semifinal in Extemp, Semifinal in Impromptu
  
• Cole Evans: 2nd in Duo with Blaine, 5th in Prose
• Iven Mendoza: 1st in DI, 1st in Duo with Cambo, 6th in Prose, 6th in POI
• Joy Kathurima: 2nd in Persuasion
• Traelon Graham: 6th in Poetry
  

Team Sweepstakes

• 3rd: K-State
• 2nd: UNL
• 1st: UNO

Trae Graham, Hope Stanley, Brian Robinson, Jacki Miller, Joy Kathurima and NivRaj.

Sunday, September 26th

• Niveditha Rajagopalan: 1st in ADS, 2nd in Persuasion, 2nd in Informative, 5th in Impromptu, 5th in Extemp
• Allison Henri: 1st in Poetry, 2nd in CA, 2nd in Duo with Tessie
• Cameron Logsdon: 2nd in Prose, 2nd in POI, 3rd in DI
• Brian Robinson: 1st in Impromptu, 4th in Extemp, 5th in ADS
• Tessie Stednitz: 2nd in Poetry, 2nd in Duo with Allison, 5th in Prose
• Stephanie Larsen: 5th in Informative
• Blaine Miller: 1st in CA, 5th in Duo with Cole
• Jacki Miller: 1st in Persuasion
• Cole Evans: 3rd in Prose, 5th in Duo with Blaine
• Iven Mendoza: 1st in DI
• Traelon Graham:4th in Poetry
  

Team Sweepstakes

• 3rd: K-State
• 2nd: UNL
• 1st: UNO

Meet Mark and Randy!

Photo: Dr. Randy Rose and Dr. Mark Wohar smile for the camera, knowing they've set the forensics team up for success this year.


Hello everyone! We'd like you to meet two men who have kicked-off the 2010-2011 forensics season with a bang. Dr. Randy Rose (UNO School of Communication) and Dr. Mark Wohar (UNO Department of Economics) have stepped forward and made matching donations to the forensics team. Together, these two men have already paid for one-quarter of the money we need to raise for the national tournament in April. Not only will their gift pay for competition, but it also decreases the burden on our students to do extra fundraising throughout the year, which keeps them focused on academics.

Brian Robinson, a senior on the team, had this to say about Mark and Randy's generosity:

"After having competed in forensics for seven seasons, I can truly say that it is only by our donations and others like Dr. Wohar and Dr. Rose that this noble activity can endure. A great debt is owed to those who support and cherish the art of forensics. Thank you."

Thank you, Mark and Randy, for your commitment to UNO, forensics, and our students. We will do all we can to make you proud this year.

Auditions for next season!

Photo: The team stopped for a quick shot while touring the campus at nationals. Do you want to be part of this crazy group? Then contact Coach Abbie (asyrek@unomaha.edu) for audition information.

Hi everyone. We speech folk hope that the first few weeks of summer are treating you well. What's going on with the team, you wonder? Glad you asked. On Saturday, June 12th the team will host our annual audition day as we prepare for the fall season. Anyone is welcome to audition, you just have to be an undergraduate student with plans to attend UNO this fall. For those of you who will be new to campus, let Coach Abbie know if you would like to meet with any other UNO groups, organizations, or academic departments. We're more than happy to help you make a day of it. Parents and friends are welcome to come along, just let Abbie know how many people you are planning to bring with you so we can order enough pizza.

If you're interested, contact Coach Abbie (asyrek@unomaha.edu) for more information. Hope to see you there!

UNO Helps High School Students "Speak Up!"

Photo: Two East students approach Niveditha, Cameron, and Iven to ask questions about the college experience.

Way back in November, Shelley Molland, speech teacher at Sioux City's East High School, contacted Coach Abbie to arrange a collaborative workshop between East High and UNO. On April 30th, the project became reality! UNO students Iven Mendoza, Cameron Logsdon, and Niveditha Rajagopalan traveled with Abbie to East High to host "Speak Up," an all-day workshop focused on teaching minority students how to find their voice and use it to prepare for college and the professional world.

Photo: Niveditha delivers her After-Dinner speech about arranged marriages to the audience of East students.

The workshop began with Iven, Cameron, and Niveditha performing a variety of events they used in competition this year. After each performance, the 70 high school students in attendance pointed out their favorite aspects of each piece and discussed the social themes embedded within the selections. Then, 10 East students were given one-on-one coaching time with Cam, Iven, and Niv. After some practice time, these 10 students performed their selections as their peers applauded enthusiastically. Following this coaching session, Iven, Cam and Niv shared their personal stories of what brought them to UNO, how they finance college, and what keeps them motivated to keep working hard both in forensics, and in the classroom. They answered several questions from East students, and even exchanged contact information with some students and have since been communicating about college preparation and the processes involved with applications and scholarships.

Photo: Iven, Cameron, and Niveditha answered questions about the various campus activities students can get involved in at UNO.

In this wonderful activity of competitive speech, we often talk about the importance of getting into the community and using our skills to make a difference. Iven, Cameron, and Niveditha did just that on Friday. They spent the day mentoring 70 exceptional students. When it was all said and done, one student approached Niv and said, "Everyone around me was telling me not to go to college, but watching you three today taught me I have to follow my dreams." Another student told Abbie, "College always seemed so out of reach and a little too difficult. Now it seems cool and really fun. I can't wait!" It was a beautiful day.

THE RESULTS ARE IN: UNO Forensics Places 8th in the Nation and Cameron Logsdon Wins National Championship!

Photo: The team stops for a quick picture after the awards ceremony on Sunday night. Does it look like they've been crying? You'd better believe it!

Well friends, our forensics season has come to a close and we have never had a season like this one. All year we've been asking for donations of time, money and resources so we could pay to travel to the national tournament, the American Forensics Association-National Individual Events Tournament (AFA-NIET). All of you, our friends, family, and alumni, made it possible to go to nationals this spring and we're so glad you did. UNO Forensics placed 8th in nation out of 76 schools and junior Cameron Logsdon became UNO's first national champion!

UNO Forensics traveled to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the AFA-NIET, March 31st-April 5th. For those of you who are still learning about forensics, the national tournament is so large that events don't break straight to finals. Instead, the first elimination round is quarter-finals (the top 24 in the nation). From there, 12 competitors in each event advance to semi-finals (top 12 in the nation) and from there, the top six in each event become your national finalists.

This year, UNO had 9 breaks to quarter-finals, a school record (the previous record was 5). UNO quarter-finalists include:

• Cameron Logsdon, Poetry Interpretation
• Brian Robinson, Impromptu Speaking
• Tessie Stednitz, Poetry Interpretation

UNO advanced three events to semi-finals. Our semi-finalists include:

• Allison Henri, Informative Speaking
• Blaine Miller, Communication Analysis
• Tessie Stednitz, Dramatic Interpretation

Three UNO speakers advanced to final rounds (previous record was 2)!

• Cameron Logsdon is UNO's first national champion! He won Program of Oral Interpretation.
• Allison Henri placed 2nd in Poetry.
• Iven Mendoza placed 3rd in Poetry.

We are also proud to share that junior Allison Henri placed 16th in individual sweepstakes. Awards in this category are given to the top-20 speakers in the nation. Allison has joined alum Matt Eledge (19th place in 2009) as only two UNO speakers ever to take home an individual sweepstakes award.

Photo: Meet your UNO out-rounders! Blaine Miller, Tessie Stednitz, Cameron Logsdon, Allison Henri, Brian Robinson and Iven Mendoza.

Finally, for the first time ever, UNO cracked into the Top-10 and placed 8th as a school. The highest UNO has ever placed at the NIET was 13th (both in 2008 and 2009). Although placing in the Top-10 was a glimmer in our eye, we never thought doing so was actually possible. But we did it! And now the coaching staff has to cash in a few bets they made with the team. Let's just say that coach Vanessa will soon be sporting a blonde head of hair, perfect for summer! And did I hear someone say tattoos? Yes, coaches Abbie and Ryan will get inked! :)

To say that we owe this success to all of you, our devoted, loving family, friends, and alumni, would be an understatement of epic proportions. THANK YOU to each of you who attended chili feeds, bake sales, and Night Before Nationals. THANK YOU to each of you for donating to the team to make this dream possible. Thank you to Dr. Jeremy Lipschultz, Director of the School of Communication for paving our road and being a constant supporter of our students. Thank you to Dean Gail Baker (College of Communication, Fine Arts & Media) and Chancellor John Christensen for their support of our program. UNO Forensics is part of all of us. We did this together, and now we can celebrate a season that still has Ryan and I wondering if it actually happened. Here is to you!

Chillin' in Manhattan, the good one

We're chillin' in Manhattan with Nick Herink and Taylor Sloey. Nick and Taylor compete for UNL and have a new duo this weekend. Can't wait to see it! Someimes Nick forgets to pack clothes for the tournament and has to borrow them. Nick creates alternate realities wherein he thinks UNO judges glare at him while he performs. How could we possibly glare at such a beautiful performer?

In other news, Starbucks donated coffee to the tournament! More results to come as the day continues . . .