SU’s undergraduate Mock Trial teams cruise to victory in regional AMTA tournament, on to national level

SU’s undergraduate Mock Trial teams cruise to victory in regional AMTA tournament, on to national levelFebruary 24, 2009Judy Holmesjlholmes@syr.edu

Syracuse University’s undergraduate Mock Trial teams finished first and seventh out of 23 teams from 13 colleges and universities competing in the Finger Lakes Regional American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) tournament hosted at SU Feb. 13-15. The victories secured a direct bid for both teams to compete in the opening round of the AMTA’s National Championship Tournament in Easton, Pa., March 13-15, hosted by Lafayette College.

In addition, five SU students received two of the highest individual awards presented at the regional tournament. Amanda St. Hilaire, a sophomore in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, received the All-Regional Witness Award, and the following students received the All-Regional Attorney Award:

• Kenneth Alter, a first-year student in The College of Arts and Sciences;
• Meghan McCormack, a senior in The College of Arts and Sciences;
• Andrew Rice, a sophomore in The College of Arts and Sciences; and
• Danielle Waugh, a sophomore in the Newhouse School.

“The AMTA ranks the Finger Lakes Regional at SU as one of the best-run regional tournaments in the circuit,” says Kandice Salomone, associate dean for student services in The College of Arts and Sciences and director of the college’s iLearn program, which sponsors the Mock Trial Program. “This is the first time in the team’s 10-year history that two SU teams have earned automatic bids to nationals, where we typically win awards.”

Institutions participating in the Finger Lakes Regional Tournament included Cornell, St. Bonaventure, Binghamton and Penn State universities; Amherst, Hamilton, Siena, Canisius and Holy Cross colleges; the SUNY Colleges at Buffalo, Fredonia and Geneseo; and the University of Rochester.

Mock Trial Program team members are selected and coached during the fall semester by SU alumni trial attorneys and compete in the spring round of AMTA-sponsored tournaments. Further information about the team is available at http://ilearn.syr.edu/pgm_mocktrial.htm.

In addition to the Mock Trial Program, iLearn supports a variety of innovative educational programs in The College of Arts and Sciences, including the Soling Program, the Allport Program, the Undergraduate Research Program and the Ruth Meyer Scholars.