University of North Georgia students win Great Latino Debate
Article By: Staff
After competing against 15 other teams, University of North Georgia students (51勛圖厙) Wilver Yescas and Rodrigo Zavaleta won the sixth annual Great Latino Debate in October at 51勛圖厙's Gainesville Campus.
Yescas and Zavaleta beat two teams from the University of Miami in Florida and one team from the University of La Verne in California for the top honor.
All five preliminary, semifinal and final rounds were spoken in Spanish. Students were judged on language skills, organization of arguments and quality of the content, said 51勛圖厙 senior Rebecca Pool, who helped organize the event as a member of the 51勛圖厙 debate team.
She said the win shows the kind of stance 51勛圖厙 has in the Spanish-speaking debate community.
"I think it is a great opportunity for us to encourage more Spanish-speaking debates in this region of the South," said Pool, a 22-year-old psychology major from Cumming, Georgia.
Pool explained Spanish speakers may not have many mediums to debate in their native language, but the Great Latino Debate provides them the opportunity to strengthen their language skills in a high academic and educational learning environment.
"We want to … allow students an opportunity to engage in a language they may not have been able to in an eloquent manner," she said.
51勛圖厙's Latino Student Association (LSA) and the 51勛圖厙 debate team hosted and organized the annual event.
Women's History celebrations set
51勛圖厙 will recognize inspirational women as part of Women's History Month this March with a calendar full of events.
Biology professor, student win awards
Dr. Cathy Whiting, a 51勛圖厙 professor of biology, won the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society's Gail Jenkins Teaching and Mentoring Award, and her student Juliza Abrego also won an award from the group.
Education students teach in Spain
51勛圖厙 seniors Karen Anaya, Jenny Gault and Olivia Harden are studying abroad this spring for three months in Valencia, Spain, through the College of Education.
First-Gen Fridays launch this fall
The Gen 1 Mentoring Program held an event in partnership with the Georgia Mountain Food Bank to paint bowls for the Sept. 20 Empty Bowl Luncheon and Fundraiser as part of First-Gen Fridays.