Mt. Hood Community College Forensics Team member Austin Schubert recently won three Bronze medals at the 2019 Phi Rho Pi National Community College Speech and Debate Tournament and Convention, held April 8 – 13 in Reno, Nevada. Schubert represented the college, along with coach and MHCC Speech instructor Shannon Valdivia, in a tournament that included competitors from 68 community colleges and 10 states.
Schubert advanced to the elimination rounds in the three debate-style competitions he entered, taking home Bronze medals for his performances in International Public Debate Association (IPDA), National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA), and National Forensic Association (NFA) Lincoln-Douglas debate-style rounds. He also helped the college earn a Bronze Hindman Division Debate Team Sweepstakes award in the small entry category.
“I’m incredibly proud of how he did at nationals,” said Valdivia. “His performance was amazing, especially for a first-year competitor.”
Valdivia, who’s led the college’s Forensics team for the past 22 years, didn’t go home empty-handed either. She was honored with the Phi Rho Pi Collie-Taylor Coach Fellowship Award, which is given to an outstanding coach from the tournament. Valdivia was nominated by her fellow students and coaches from Region IX of the Phi Rho Pi National Forensic Honorary Organization. The region includes Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Northern Idaho. She currently serves as president of Region IX.
“I was truly humbled to receive this recognition from my colleagues,” said Valdivia. “I share it all the students from MHCC, Lower Columbia College (LCC), and Clackamas Community College that I’ve coached over the previous 25 years, and with my late mentor, Michael Dugaw of LCC.”
Interested in joining the Forensics Team at Mt. Hood Community College and training under a national award-winning coach? Visit mhcc.edu/Forensics to learn more, or email Valdivia at Shannon.Valdivia@mhcc.edu.