Forte Named Finalist for Julia Burke Award
WPDU senior debater Melina Forte has been selected as a finalist for the Julia Burke Award for Character and Excellence in Policy Debate.
Each year, this prestigious national award recognizes an intercollegiate policy debater who demonstrates excellence in and passion for debate, a commitment to helping others, love and respect for the American Debate Association policy debate community, and dedication to maintaining friendships despite the pressures of competition.
On March 7, 2007, a representative of the Julia Burke Foundation announced that the list of nine nominees for this year's award was culled to three finalists from James Madison University, West Point, and the University of Pittsburgh. Melina has emerged as a strong contender in the select group, in large part because her work with the WPDU public debate and outreach programs complements her outstanding record of competitive success on the intercollegiate policy debate circuit.
Melina was a key advocate in the WPDU's February 2006 public debate on peer-to-peer electronic file sharing, and she has been a strong supporter of the WPDU's Middle School Public Debate Program (PDF), often judging at middle-school debate tournaments hosted at the University of Pittsburgh. In addition, Melina has achieved distinction in intercollegiate policy debate competition, winning the 2005 University of Richmond tournament, reaching the deep elimination rounds at tournaments held at King's College and the University of Miami, and chalking up numerous individual speaker awards.
WPDU assistant coach Carly Woods won the Julia Burke Award in 2004, so Melina is in good company! The award includes an individual trophy and a $1,000 donation to a charity chosen by the award recipient.