Can you feel the buzz in the air? It's that time of year, when Alumni Week is just around the corner! Save the dates, January 22-26, and make plans to join us on social media for throwbacks, meet and greets, and a whole lot of fun as we celebrate our alumni community. We also have a new program we will be launching that is just for you, so make sure you stay tuned!
|
|
|
What Your Community is Celebrating » |
Meet Shannon, an alum and fashion influencer, who's leveraging the skills and knowledge she gained during her time in speech and debate to provide positive shopping experiences and clothing that fits:
"Putting on an outfit that makes you feel your best can literally change your entire mood. It can make you feel powerful, beautiful, and unstoppable. For me, fashion has been an ever present tool I've used to express myself, but as someone who has always lived in a larger body, the shopping experience has consistently been lack luster at best and at worst a traumatic experience. As a student, speech and debate was the space I needed to become a more confident person. As an adult, I hope to create that same type of environment for people of size with The Plus Closet!"
|
Meet Andrew, an NSDA alum, CEO and Founder of Champion Briefs, and now published author! Andrew and his writing partner, Rob Long, recently published their book, The Great Weather Diviner, an action-packed fantasy epic about a groundhog who is taking on the challenges of protecting the environment and saving our planet.
|
|
|
Share in the Celebration »
|
We are building a community of support and conversation on LinkedIn and you're invited to join! If you are looking for a way to stay connected with other alumni, share what you are celebrating, and find resources beyond the newsletter, join the Speech & Debate Alumni Community LinkedIn group »
|
| |
|
| What's the Buzz on Big Brother?
|
Catch up on all things Big Brother with NSDA alum, Cory Wurtenberger! Join us on Instagram this Monday, Decemeber 18 at 3:00 p.m. CT for a live Q&A. Find out how his speech and debate skills helped him succeed in the reality tv world plus behind-the-scenes info on what it was like in the house!
|
|
|
If You Missed November's Webinar »
|
|
|
We hope you were able to join us for our last alumni webinar, “Advocate for Speech & Debate as an After-School Coach,” but in case you couldn't make it, we've made the recording available for you. Plus, check out some of the resources that were referenced in the webinar to help you get started as a coach »
|
|
|
Seth Everett is a speech and debate alum, broadcaster, and podcast host. Get to know him and how speech and debate influenced his career »
How did speech and debate help you get into broadcasting?
Original Oratory inspired my career. I was honored to be the 1992 New Jersey state champion, and prior to that, I attended the National Forensics Institute at American University for two summers. I worked with Dr. Lanny Naeglin for both years and that made me want to be a broadcaster. I've covered two Super Bowls, ten World Series, and I currently work for iHeartMedia.
|
|
"Speech and debate gave me the confidence to pursue my broadcasting career. In this ever-changing media landscape, the skills developed through speech and debate are invaluable no matter what path you take."
|
|
|
Do you have advice for alumni who are in the same line of work or those who are interested in pursuing broadcasting?
Take opportunities when they present themselves. When I started 28 years ago, sports radio was a booming industry. Technology has changed the broadcasting landscape, and now there are podcasts, YouTube, and social media. Don’t be afraid to pay your dues, but make sure the ends justify the means. Make sure whatever you are doing is putting you on a path to your career goals.
What can you tell us about your podcasts?
Sports with Friends and Hall of Justice are passion projects. Sports with Friends was named after the game Words with Friends. Every guest is a friend…or a friend of a friend. Hall of Justice helped me prove that the superhero genre can be covered by adults. It covers films and TV shows with the same gravitas that I use in my sports broadcasting career.
Interested in a career in sports media or broadcasting? Connect with Seth »
|
|
|
An Opportunity to Get Involved »
|
Our Springboard Series continues throughout the spring, and we're seeking enthusiastic alumni to volunteer to judge. You don't need to be a pro, just bring your genuine passion for the activity and a desire to help students shine. If you have time to give and want to pass on your wisdom to the next generation, sign up today »
|
|
|
Your Impact on This Activity »
|
Already this year, over 220 schools have received free or discounted memberships thanks to our alumni-led Pay It Forward Fund. Now, 220 schools have access to speech and debate resources, past performances, lesson plans, and more to help students reach their full potential.
If you want to help boost that number, head to our Donation Page and select the "Pay It Forward Fund" to donate what you can!
|
|
|
|
Your Resource Hub »
Created with you in mind, our alumni website is your one-stop shop for alumni-specific resources, news, and articles about what's happening in the speech and debate community, ways to get involved, and more.
Visit the alumni website »
|
|
|
Thanks for engaging in our quarterly newsletter! We would love to hear more about your journey since your time in speech and debate, and we think others in our community would, too.
If you feel inclined, please take a moment to share your experience, the highs and lows, of your time in speech and debate or let us know where you are now and what has taken place since you competed.
|
|
|
Update your mailing preferences | Opt Out of all NSDA communications
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
|
6600 Westown Parkway Suite 270 | West Des Moines, IA 50266 US
|
|
|
This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
|
| |
|
|