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!