WASHINGTON, PA (Nov. 16, 2017)—The Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) Mock Trial team started its competition season strong with team captain and president, Ethan Heller ’18, earning a top attorney award at the Happy Valley invitational held in State College.
The W&J group was one of 23 teams participating in the invitational and went up against Saint Vincent College, Michigan State University, Elon University, and Drexel University. Ethan, a senior English major with a concentration in conflict and resolution studies, earned his top attorney award based on judge considerations of competitors deemed the most competent and well-rounded. He said he is proud of the team’s efforts.
“As a team, we had a ton of new members as we are in the midst of a transitional year, but the other executive board members, our coach and I all agreed that the talent we saw (during the invitational) is truly special,” Ethan said. “The next step is giving our young team members the exposure needed to be able to have the experience to compete at the next level.”
This competition marked the start of invitational season, which runs from October to February. Teams take part in the invitationals to gain experience before competing toward the national championship. W&J’s team will participate in three more invitational competitions at Carnegie Mellon University, Ithaca College, and The University of Pennsylvania.
Competing members of the W&J team were: Ethan, Abi Tolbert, Caitlin Guthrie, Casey Rupen, Cat Wheatley, Denver Stahl, Jessica Wensus, Jocelynn DePual, Katherine Starr, Michael Conroy, River Icenhour, Sam Wessel, and Sarra Zimmerman. The team is advised by Associate Professor of Economics and Business Sam P. Gidas and coached by local attorney Corey Kirkwood.
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work. For more information about W&J, visit washjeff.dev, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
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