Dorie Walton of Lolita travels to England with HPU's Student Speaker Bureau

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Left to right: Kim Bryant, Marcos Corley, Catherine Mullaney, Dorie Walton, Kaleigh Tankersley, Jared Russell and Dr. Julie Welker.

BROWNWOOD, TX (12/05/2013)(readMedia)--  Dorie Walton, a Howard Payne University junior from Lolita, recently traveled with HPU's Student Speaker Bureau (SSB), a speech and debate team, to Oxford, England, to the Oxford Inter-Varsity International Debate Tournament.

Walton served as a judge for multiple rounds of competition.

"Judging is such a great way to really learn what wins a debate round," said Dr. Julie Welker, chair of the communication department, professor of communication and SSB coach. "I know this experience will make Dorie a much better debater. Plus, she got to judge with individuals from universities across the world."

Along with Walton, two teams of HPU debaters traveled to Oxford – Jared Russell, a junior from Hillsboro, and Kaleigh Tankersley, a junior from Iraan; and Marcos Corley, a junior from Corpus Christi, and Catherine Mullaney, a senior from Boylston, Mass.

Dr. Welker said the teams competed extremely well.

"Our two teams did outstanding," she said. "In this format of debate, students have eight years of eligibility so our undergraduate students competed against law students and Ph.D. students from some of the top universities in the world."

Kim Bryant, associate professor of communication, also traveled with the team.

The two teams competed in five rounds of WUDC debate at the University of Oxford. The students debated five different motions and were given 15 minutes before each round to prepare.

"Collegiate debate builds excellent critical thinking skills," said Dr. Welker. "Our team members have to be well-versed in a number of current event and world issues – we don't just debate one issue or concept all year. The topics range from political to social to environmental issues, and students must be prepared for any topic in any round."

The use of electronic material and coaching help is prohibited during prep time and during the debate.

The Oxford IV tournament is the largest WUDC tournament on the European circuit. The tournament consisted of teams from around the world, including other American teams as well as teams from the United Kingdom, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Australia and many other countries.

The HPU teams also enjoyed a tour of Oxford and a guided visit to the Bodleian Library, one of the oldest libraries in Europe. After the tournament, the teams traveled to London for sightseeing. Students visited St. Paul's Cathedral, Greenwich, The Globe Theatre, Kensington Palace and attended a theatre production.

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Founded in 1889, Howard Payne University is a Christ-centered academic community dedicated to excellence by developing and equipping the whole person for intellectual inquiry, personal and professional integrity, and service to God and humanity.

Located in Brownwood, Texas, HPU offers a full array of undergraduate programs and a limited number of graduate programs in a traditional residential academic community. The university also offers selected undergraduate and graduate course work by electronic means and at extended learning centers in El Paso, Texas, and New Braunfels, Texas. HPU maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio, which contributes to the university's reputation of being "a place where everybody is somebody."