March 7, 2019

SVSU student qualifies for second event at forensic national championship

After another strong performance in a statewide contest, a Saginaw Valley State University student qualified to compete in a second event at the National Forensics Association Championship Tournament.

Dan Visnovsky was among three SVSU students — as part of the SVSU Forensics Team that competes against college peers in public speaking-based contests — to earn accolades at the Michigan Intercollegiate Speech League State Championship hosted Saturday, March 2 at Eastern Michigan University.

The political science major from Sparta won one Top Novice award in the competition's Informative Speaking category and a second Top Novice honor — as well as fifth place overall — in the Extemporaneous Speaking category.

Top Novice honors are given to students who have both competed in fewer than six tournaments in the forensics league and placed highest in a particular category.

In February, Visnovsky placed second in the Informative Speaking category at the Michigan Intercollegiate Speech League Novice State Championship, qualifying him to compete in that same category at the 2019 National Forensic Association National Championship Tournament scheduled April 18-22 in Santa Ana, California.

His performance Saturday will allow him to compete in a second category — Extemporaneous Speaking — at the national championship.

Jessica Carpenter, an English major from Saginaw, also will represent SVSU in Santa Ana after placing sixth in Poetry during the March 2 state championship.

Karlie Sherwood, an English major from Royal Oak, earned Top Novice honors in the After Dinner Speaking category during Saturday’s competition.

The SVSU Forensics Team next will compete in the National Speech Championship scheduled March 23-24 at Oakland University.

The group is advised by Amy Pierce, SVSU associate professor of communication, and Ryan Rigda, SVSU lecturer of communication.