ASU team takes first place at inaugural Regents' Cup debate competition
Daylong event at University of Arizona showcases Arizona’s public universities' commitment to freedom of expression
Arizona State University students Valielza O’Keefe and Joshua Pardhe took first place in the inaugural Regents’ Cup debate competition this weekend, each winning $16,600 in a one-time scholarship to further their educational goals.
Second place was awarded to University of Arizona students Vincent Jasso and Finley Dutton-Reid. Taking third place were ASU students Jessica Carter and Logan Guthrie, and UArizona students Nyah Fyfe and Marnie Gyorffy.
MORE: The inspiration and practice ahead of the Regents' Cup
Thirty-six students on two-student teams from Arizona’s public universities competed during the daylong event at UArizona on Saturday, a competition showcasing Arizona’s public universities' commitment to freedom of expression. Subjects debated included how (if at all) social media sites should regulate speech, free speech on college campuses, and if the United States should have tougher libel, slander and defamation laws.
“It was inspiring to watch our students so eloquently debate the topics of free speech and civil dialogue, both of which are vital to the health of our democracy,” said Mark Searle, executive vice president and university provost at ASU. “I was particularly impressed that Valielza and Joshua, our winning ASU students, are majoring in physics and engineering, which underscores the importance that ASU places on learning experiences that transcend traditional academic disciplines.”
The second-place winning team received one-time scholarships totaling $12,450, and third-place winners took home a $6,225 scholarship. Each of the remaining student competitors was awarded a $500 one-time scholarship.
“The inaugural Regents’ Cup was not only a pleasure to watch, but it was an honor to participate in by awarding scholarships and presenting the cup to the winning team,” said Regent Karrin Taylor Robson, who envisioned the event. “I am deeply proud of all of our students who presented compelling arguments and conducted themselves in an exemplary and professional manner, one that was characterized by civil discourse and respect.”
This inaugural competition featured reasoned debate during an era when free-speech issues on college campuses are part of the national conversation. Arizona’s public universities are recognized as exemplars in free speech; Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona are all recognized with a green light rating, the highest rating by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.
During the all-day competition, student teams participated in rounds of civil dialogue, solutions debate, persuasive storytelling and Oxford-style debate.
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Arizona State University undergraduates Valielza O’Keefe, a physics major, and Joshua Pardhe, a computer systems engineering major, won first place at the inaugural Regents' Cup competition on Nov. 16. Here they stand with the Regents' Cup after their win.
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ASU students who took part in the competition included (in alphabetical order) Rachel Caldwell, Jessica Carter (third place), Cameron Conti, Logan Guthrie (third place), Felix Herbst, Mauricio Macias, Valielza O’Keefe (first place), Joshua Pardhe (first place), Irving Ramirez, Yumna Samie, Makayla Thompson, Truman Walker and Joshua Young.
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Participants stand with Arizona Board of Regents members and faculty after the daylong competition Saturday at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
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The Regents' Cup. ASU faculty and staff who took part were Lauren Beethe (graduate student in the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences), Jenny Brian (Barrett, The Honors College), Lois Brown (Center for the Study of Race and Democracy), Nicola Foote (Barrett), Jennifer Linde (Hugh Downs School of Human Communication), Adam Symonds (Hugh Downs) and Bonnie Wentzel (New College).
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