Special To The Minaret
In addition to the plethora of already-existing organizations on campus with which students can get involved, there are two promising newcomers poised to make waves in the UT community: UT Trial and Advocacy Organization and Up ’til Dawn.
The Trial and Advocacy Organization, started by Nick Williams, has formed to officially participate in two national competitions: Moot Court and Mock Trial. Moot Court is a representation of the American appellate court system. The participants, working in teams of two, write an appellate brief and deliver oral arguments for presentation before a hypothetical appellate court. This type of competition is very focused toward pre-law undergrads, requiring in-depth legal research.
Mock Trial, on the other hand, provides competitors with the information, including evidence and witness statements, beforehand and has much larger teams. This competition includes roles for both witnesses and attorneys. Mock Trial provides a much more artistic public speaking experience than Moot Court and hopes not only to attract those with legal interests, but also “involvement from the drama department here at UT,” according to Williams.
The advisor for this new group is Alisa Smith. “She is currently trying to create a curriculum based on one or both of the competitions [in order to] start a class,” explained Williams. “She would like to have it cross-listed with communications.” So far there are about 15 prospective members for the group.
The other organization, Up ’til Dawn, arose as a side project for the P.E.A.C.E. Volunteer Center but has since formed into its own independent group. Currently, the organization has eight members serving on its board, selected from applications handed out in the spring by student leaders.
Up ’til Dawn is a philanthropic, student-led, campus-wide fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital but is also a nationwide event with almost 200 participating colleges. Interested students must form teams of six and register with the P.E.A.C.E. Office by Oct. 16. Groups will then attend the All Team Meeting in November where there will be games, live music, large prizes and possibly a step-show to celebrate the funds being raised.
During the All Team Meeting, each member of every team writes 50 letters, which are sent to friends, family and associates, asking for donations.
“For every 50 letters sent, an average of $300 is donated to the hospital,” stated Paola Cassana, the St. Jude Representative for the UT Up ’til Dawn chapter. “We’re hoping for 50 teams, so that estimates $90,000 just for this campus.”
For more information on the UT Trial and Advocacy Organization, contact Nick Williams at nwilliams@ut.edu. For more information on Up ’til Dawn or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, contact the organization at uptildawnut@hotmail.com.
