During the weekend of April 18th – 21st, the George Mason University Forensics Team traveled to Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, to compete at the National Forensics Association National Speech and Debate Tournament. Mason is the National Champion in the President’s One division and 4th overall. Individual results are as follows, where semifinalists indicates top 12 in the country, quarterfinalist would be top 24, and octafinalist-top 48:
Prem Ganesan, Senior Economics Major from Minnesota: 2nd Program Oral Interpretation, 2nd Duo Interpretation (with Sanyu Mwassa), 3rd Informative Speaking, 5th-Dramatic Interpretation, 6th Rhetorical Criticism, Semi-Finalist Prose Interpretation, Semi-Fianlist Poetry Interpretation, 3rd, Octa-Finalist After Dinner Speaking, 5th Place Overall Speaker.
Sanyu Mwassa, First Year Communication Major from Minnesota, National Champion Program Oral Interpretation, 2nd Duo Interpretation (with Prem Ganesan), 4th Prose Interpretation, Semi-FinalistDramatic Interpretation.
Freya Hutton, Junior Philosophy Major from Virginia: Octa-Finalist After Dinner Speaking, Semi-Finalist Impromptu Speaking, Semi-Finalist Extemporaneous Speaking, Semi-Finalist Persuasion, Octa-Finalist Rhetorical Criticism.
Ian Candy, First Year Government and Neuroscience Majors from South Dakota, Octa-Finalist Duo Interpretation (with Nicholas Koch), Octa-Finalist Extemporaneous Speaking, Semi-Finalist After Dinner Speaking, Semi-Finalist Informative.
Nicholas Koch, First Year Theater Major from Texas, Octa-Finalist After Dinner Speaking, Octa-Finalist Duo Interpretation (with Ian Candy), Octa-Finalist Program Oral Interpretation, Octa-Finalist Dramatic Interpretation.
Grace Cora, Sophomore Government Major from Virginia, Semi-Finalist Persuasion, and Octa-Finalist Prose Interpretation, Quarter-Finalist Dramatic Interpretation.
Neelam Gurung, Sophomore Government Major from Idaho, Octa-Finalist Dramatic Interpretation, Quarter-Finalist Program Oral Interpretation, Octa-Finalist Prose Interpretation.
Camila Canelas Soto, First Year Government Major from Virginia, Octa-Finalist Persuasion, Quarter-Finalist Rhetorical Criticism.
Vera Sandi Alvarado, Sophomore Forensics Science Major from Virginia, Semi-Finalist Poetry Interpretation.
Emma Redden, Senior Communication Major from Philadelphia, Quarter-Finalist Impromptu Speaking, Octa-Finalist Informative Speaking.
Whitney Payne Junior Film Major from Virginia, National Champion Novice Informative Speaking.
**Hall of Fame- Xavier Clark, PhD Communication ’24.
Also contributing to the team’s success, Cassidy Gunter, Sophomore Criminology from Virginia, Atiya Idris Junior Health Administration major from Virginia, Alexandria Laswell Junior Government Major from Virginia, and Emma Schaible First Year Government Major from New Jersey.
The team is coached by Dawn Lowry; Tyler Watkins, BA Political Communication '15, MA Health Communication '17; Brennan Mock, Communication Graduate Student, Doniven Hill-Bush, Communication Graduate Student, Emily Williams, BA Sharr School Of Government ’23, Tom Murabito, BS Sharr School of Government ’21, and Xavier Clark, PhD Communication ’24.
May 05, 2025