Feb. 23, 2018

Mock Trial team finishes season at regional contest with two Outstanding Witnesses

Two representatives of Northwest Missouri State University earned Outstanding Witness awards as the Northwest Mock Trial team finished its season at the American Mock Trial Association Regional Tournament Feb. 17-18 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Hannah Sears, a December graduate of Northwest, and Jack Camenzind, a junior business management major from Omaha, Nebraska, received the Outstanding Witness accolades. The award was the second during the 2017-18 season for Sears, who also was top-scoring witness at the Mid-Missouri Mock Trial Invitational Tournament Jan. 12-13 in Columbia, Missouri.

Competing against other college and university teams from Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, two Northwest attorneys, Megan Clasen, a senior political science major from Chesterfield, Missouri, and Lauren Mills, a junior political science major from Gladstone, Missouri, both arguing for the defense, earned the maximum 10 points in one round and finished within striking distance of individual awards.

“We had a young team this year, but the leadership, work ethic and improvement throughout the year were among the best I’ve seen coaching mock trial at Northwest,” Daniel Smith, the team’s coach and an assistant professor of political science, said. “I’m excited for this group in the coming years.”

Northwest’s mock trial team competes in regional and national competitions sponsored by the American Mock Trial Association. Students prepare cases and play the roles of attorneys and witnesses during simulated trials before professional judges and attorneys. Mock trial gives undergraduate students an opportunity to learn firsthand about the judicial process and the work of trial attorneys in addition to honing communications skills.

The team’s 2017-18 officers were Danielle Lawton, president; Megan Clasen, vice president; Grace Eagan, secretary; and Harlee Sine, treasurer. Other team members were Matthew Berry, Tyler Throckmorton, Alek Kocher and Bruce Menard.

For more information about mock trial, visit The American Mock Trial Association, or contact Smith at 660.562.1293 or desmith@nwmissouri.edu.