Congratulations Graduating Students
May 2026, Alex Peterson
The Truman State Forensics Union would like to highlight our incredible graduating class of 2026. Thank you for your work and dedication to this team.
Aiden Breesawitz
Aiden is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. Aiden is originally from Bolivar, Missouri and has been a member of the Truman Forensics Union for four years. He competed in Lincoln-Douglas (LD) debate. For his senior practicum, Aiden created a miniseries of educational debate videos to help incoming students adapt to college debate formats. His favorite memory with the team is eating at a Chinatown vendor in New York City during a surprise snowstorm at PKD his first year. He was joined by his best friends and Truman Alums, Alicia Stout, Elijah Baum, and Eli Bartz. After graduation, Aiden will be moving into the workforce. He plans to pursue non-profit or service-oriented labor.
Briggs Maynor
Briggs is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. Briggs is originally from Kansas City, Missouri, and has been a member of the Truman Forensics Union for four years. Briggs participated in all Interpretation events as well as Informative Speaking, Communication Analysis, and After-Dinner Speaking. For his senior practicum, Briggs restarted the Truman State Pi Kappa Delta chapter, which included creating a working constitution and facilitating elections. His favorite memory on the team is enjoying our travel experience during “Fun Days”. The Forensics team always arrives one day early to national tournaments, and during that day, students explore the city and bond as a team. Briggs particularly enjoyed his experience in Nashville, TN, and New York, NY. After graduation, Briggs is attending the University of Tennessee – Knoxville to pursue a PHD in Analytical Chemistry, focusing on Environmental Chemistry.
Jessie Philips
Jessie is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations with minors in Political Communication and Legal Studies. Jessie is originally from Raymore, Missouri, and has been a member of the Truman Forensics Union for three and a half years. Jessie participated in all Interpretation events as well as Impromptu Speaking and After-Dinner Speaking. For their senior practicum, Jessie created marketing videos for social media promotional material. This footage was also compiled into a legacy tribute recapping the team’s successes. Their favorite memory on the team was going out to Thousand Hills State Park to watch the Northern Lights for the once-in-a-lifetime Missouri visibility after practice. After graduation, Jessie is attending the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities to pursue a Master’s in Mass Communication before attending law school.
Alex Peterson
Alex is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Social Issue Advocacy with minors in Psychology and Legal Studies. Alex is originally from St. Joseph, Missouri, and has been a member of the Truman Forensics Union for four years. Alex participated in all Public Address events as well as Impromptu Speaking, Prose Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, and Dramatic Interpretation. Her favorite memory on the team is helping lead warm-ups and getting her squad focused and ready to compete. After graduation, Alex will be attending Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C. She plans to become a Criminal Defense Attorney.
Alex’s practicum project was revamping the Forensics website, writing Press Releases, and creating Dawg with a Blog.
Forever proud of our graduating class and best of luck to the team in their future endeavors.
Thank you for reading.
Forensics Students Honored at Leadership Recognition Program
April 2026, Alex Peterson
After returning from the National Forensics Association tournament, Truman Forensics competitors weren’t done just yet. Less than an hour after returning to Kirksville, many members of the team raced to suit back up and attend the Union and Involvement Leadership Recognition Program. Two forensics students were selected as guest speakers for the evening. These students continued a long trend of forensics students presenting the evening’s keynote speeches with Alumni Ella Schnake speaking in 2023, 4th-year Alex Peterson speaking in 2024, 4th-year Jessie Philips speaking in 2025, and both 4th-year Briggs Maynor and 2nd-year Cooper Spacil speaking in 2026.
The awards ceremony not only saw two incredible performances by Truman Forensics competitors but also saw multiple Forensics students honored with awards for their campus leadership. 4th-year Alex Peterson was awarded the Senior Leadership Award for her many years serving in leadership positions for the Truman Forensics Union, Student Government, National Residence Hall Honorary/Residence Hall Association, and many other campus organizations. 2nd-year Adli Jacobs was awarded the Student Excellence Award. This award goes to non-graduating students whose work or involvement has exemplified the mission of Truman State University. During his time at Truman, Adli has demonstrated actions that worked toward enriching and impacting the campus community through his leadership in Forensics, multiple campus organizations, and acting as the student representative to the Board of Governors.
Spacil was the first guest speaker of the evening. In his speech, he highlighted how there were no real differences between leaders and everyone else; leaders are just those who make the effort to step up. Spacil explained how real leaders have grit and commit themselves to the difficult task of leading, even when the position is less than desirable. Spacil stated, “We understand that leadership takes a toll, whether it’s time, money, or sanity; being a leader takes a lot of effort. This is why recognizing this leadership becomes so important, because a good leader is a real commodity.” Spacil has demonstrated his commitment to leadership by holding many different roles on campus. He has been the President of College Democrats, the National Communications Coordinator of RHA, and the Academic Affairs chair for Student Government.
Maynor spoke second at the event, the final speaker slot for guest speakers. Maynor’s speech focused on congratulating the leaders in the room and recognizing their hard-fought wins. He aimed to humanize the leadership experience, expressing to the audience that we all have the capacity to be a leader. Maynor stated, “As a leader, it is imperative to understand humanity within ourselves and those around us. To be okay with mistakes, but standing strong in the face of adversity and to always get back up, even if it takes extra time to get back in the game”. Maynor has held multiple leadership roles as Co-President of the Truman Forensics Union, President of the chemistry professional fraternity Alpha Chi Sigma, and as a volunteer after-school caregiver for K-12 students through KLife ministries off campus.
Truman Forensics competitors aren’t just phenomenal speakers and talented performers; they are true testaments to the Truman experience. Their advocacy for change is seen in their competitive pieces, but also in their everyday actions. These true leaders step up in their campus organizations whenever they can to demonstrate what it means to lead. The Truman Forensics Union is endlessly proud of our students’ incredible work for our community.
Forensics Student Advocates for Change
March 2026, Alex Peterson
Truman Forensics competitors never stop their advocacy. Rising junior Lauren Weiss understands this well. She is taking her commitment to using her voice for change beyond the round this summer. Weiss is continuing an ongoing research project focused on gambling addiction. Her research team, under faculty mentor Dr. Cox in the Health Science Department, is helping assess the impact of gambling addiction in rural communities through a prevention program. Weiss aims to address a significant gap in gambling research by incorporating the rural experience.
Her work sheds light on how gambling-related struggles uniquely affect smaller, often overlooked populations. By focusing on rural communities, Weiss and her team hope to develop more targeted prevention strategies that address deficits in resources and awareness. This research not only contributes to public health knowledge but also emphasizes the importance of equity in addressing addiction.
Weiss’s project reflects her strengths as both a communicator and a leader. She plays a key role in directing trauma-informed interventions designed to support vulnerable youth populations. Her dedication has already led to her research being presented at Truman’s Student Research Conference, with plans for publication in the near future. Weiss exemplifies the true meaning of Forensics, using one’s voice to create tangible, long-lasting change.
Her academic work continues to gain national recognition. In April 2026, Weiss’s research was presented at the Society for Public Health Education National Conference in Portland, Oregon. Although she was unable to attend due to representing Truman Forensics at the National Forensics Association tournament, she contributed as a poster author. This poster project focused on teaching Life Training Skills to at-risk groups. At the PKD National Tournament in March 2026, Weiss was the National Champion in Persuasive speaking. It’s clear that her powers of persuasion are being used for incredible social change.
Next year, Weiss’s research team is attending the Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., where Weiss is hoping to teach a class on advocating for public health to our senators. Weiss says, “This activity is about more than competitive success; it’s about creating a real difference in someone’s life.” The forensics team extends its gratitude and pride to Weiss for her continued efforts for progress.
Truman Forensics Host Humor Showcase
February 2026, Alex Peterson
On Friday, February 6th the Truman Forensics Union partnered with Upchuckles and TAG Improv to host the first “Big Dogs Gotta Laugh” Humor Showcase. The performance took place in Ophelia Parish’s Black Box Theater, offering a view of the event from all sides. Two Forensics Students, Alex Peterson and Emery McEvoy, MC’d the event. Peterson notes, “The Showcase was a chance to bring together three great groups on campus. We hope this experience leads to more epic crossovers in the future.”
From the Truman Forensics Union, novice team member Willow Adamson and varsity team member Cooper Spacil performed their After Dinner Speaking (ADS) speeches. An ADS performance uses humor and comedy to convey a message. An ADS speech can be informative, persuasive, or a mix of the two. Spacil said, “I had such a great time performing for such a large audience, and I still get stopped and complimented weeks after our performance.” Both Spacil and Adamson are gearing up to take these speeches to the National Forensics Association tournament in April.
From Upchuckles, Abbey Knabe, and Tyler Lawson performed stand-up comedy routines for students to enjoy. Upchuckles is the only stand-up comedy group at Truman State. Knabe explained that Upchuckles is all about “good vibes, great jokes, and giving students the chance to turn those ‘shower thoughts’ into real punchlines.” The group meets weekly on Wednesdays in Baldwin Hall 302 at 6:00 pm. For more information regarding Upchuckles, students are encouraged to follow them on Instagram @upchucklestsu
TAG Improv is Truman’s improvisational acting troupe. They perform short, medium, and long form games with an emphasis on CORE and comedy. They performed three games during the humor showcase: Objection, Blind Line, and Freeze Your Own Adventure. Each game pulls spontaneous cues from the audience to build an entirely unique scene. The actors get their prompts in real time and create something hilarious from audience input. The group has 10 members in total and frequently performs around campus.
The Truman Forensics Union looks forward to more collaboration and student-driven outreach. Check back soon for more updates on what the team does next!