Olivet Nazarene University’s Center-Sponsored Mock Trial team recently competed in a Regional Mock Trial tournament at Xavier University in Cincinnati. The Olivet ‘Trial Tigers’ are in their third year of competition. At this tournament, they were met by former Center Director and team coach Zach Bohannon (far right). “I performed in Speech and Debate in high school, so it is wonderful to be able to continue to compete in my undergrad years. Everyone on the team is very thankful for the continuing support we have from the Center for Law and Culture,” says team captain Chesley Rowlett.
The 2017-2018 season for the Trial Tigers was an exciting year competing in American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) tournaments. The team had twelve student members throughout the year and a volunteer coach, Ryan Covarrubias. The team competed at a total of two tournaments thanks to generous donations from the Center for Law and Culture, the Law and Politics Society, family and friends. The ONU Trial Tigers were successful their fourth round at the regional tournament.
The students on the team have majors varying from Chemistry, Political Science, Criminal Justice, History, Corporate Communications, Public Policy, Finance and Accounting. In the upcoming season, the team hopes to gain more experience by competing at multiple tournaments, and their goal is to beat their record from last year by winning a majority of ballot votes in their rounds.
“AMTA is an invaluable organization that allows students at Olivet to practice not only for a career in law but any career that requires critical thinking in a fast-paced environment,” stated Rowlett.
The team now has four alumni: Ryan Covarrubias, Justin Lautermilch, Joshua Dille and Elaine Hackney. Dille now studies law at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, one of the top ten law programs in the country.
The ONU Trial Tigers began with Dr. Charles Emmerich’s goal to form an external speech and debate program at Olivet as is the first of its kind in Olivet history. The team thanks the Center for Law and Culture and Dr. Emmerich for their continuous promotion and funding, allowing them the opportunity to participate in Mock Trial again in the 2017-2018 season.
For more information on the ONU Trial Tigers, contact The Center at 815.936.3907 or lawandculture@olivet.edu
