DIRECTOR
Dawn Lowry
Originally from Illinois, Dawn Lowry became the Director of Forensics during the 2019-2020 school year! With degrees in Mass Communication from Northern Illinois University and Illinois State University, Dawn has spent 20 years coaching at prominent programs in Illinois, Kentucky, and Texas. However, she is most excited to join the legacy of creativity and passion that are hallmarks of GMU Forensics. And while all the events are important, she may be a bit biased towards Prose, Informative, and Program Oral Interpretation. Current life goals include creating engaged citizens through forensics, traveling internationally, and finding the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.
STUDENTS
SENIORS
Captain
NAME: Tom Murabito (He/They) (TAH-m) Year: Senior MAJOR: Government & International Politics | Minor in Criminology HOMETOWN: Erie, PA SIGN: Virgo FAVORITE EVENTS: ADS, PRO Tom is thrilled to return to Fairfax and leave the tundra of their hometown, Erie, Pennsylvania. He is so so so excited to be back competing this year! When he is not doing speech you can find Tom doing their homework, walking around the block, or calling his mom. 
Social and Academic Coordinator NAME: Nick Steinmetz (He/Him) (NIH-k) YEAR: Senior MAJOR: Government & International Politics | Minor in Women & Gender Studies and History HOMETOWN: Fort Lauderdale, FL SIGN: Aries FAVORITE EVENTS: PERS, ADS Nick is super excited to start his third year on the team! He comes from Fort Lauderdale, FL where he competed for Saint Thomas Aquinas HS (Go Raiders!). When Nick isn't speeching, he’s probably watching Rupaul’s Drag Race or every version of the Real Housewives. A true floridian at heart, Nick loves the beach, boating and the Gators. He is also thrilled to spend another year in Virginia, a state that will still exist in 30 years. 
Alumni Liaison
NAME: Peter Figueroa (He/Him) (PEA-ter) YEAR: Senior MAJOR: Political Communication | Minor in Theater Performance HOMETOWN: Long Island, NY SIGN: Gemini FAVORITE EVENTS: POE, POI, DI Peter Figueroa has been exhilarated to be a part of Mason Forensics since transferring from the community college circuit! When he's not doing speech you can find him doing anything with music, movies, Martial Arts....or just listening to the weeknd way too much. |
Captain
NAME: Jacob Thompson (He/His) (JAY-cub) YEAR: Senior MAJOR: Government & International Politics and Conflict Analysis HOMETOWN: Des Moines, IA SIGN: Pisces FAVORITE EVENTS: EXT, IMP Jacob is entering his senior year at GMU where he is continuing to study International Security issues in multiple majors. While he does various PA’s his favorite events will always be the LP’s. Outside of speech you will find him arguing about Iowa vs. Iowa state with Danny Drane and watching The West Wing. 
NAME: Haleigh McGirt (They/She)
(HAY-lee) YEAR: Senior MAJOR: Psychology | Minor in Women and Gender Studies HOMETOWN: Jupiter, FL SIGN: Leo FAVORITE EVENTS: POE, POI Haleigh is starting their senior year here at George Mason University, and they are thrilled to be back for their fourth and final year on Mason Forensics! Haleigh is glad to have moved away from the heat and humidity of her hometown in South Florida and finally to a place with seasons. Outside of speech, they are really into poetry, poetry, and more poetry. Haleigh cannot wait for the 50th season of the Legacy! |
JUNIORS
Secretary
NAME: Natalie Cumming (She/Her) (NA-tuh-lee) YEAR: Junior MAJOR: Performance: Musical Theatre | Minor in Spanish HOMETOWN: Orono, MN SIGN: Gemini FAVORITE EVENT: POE Natalie Cumming is so so happy to do what she loves everyday with her favorite people. She's incredibly friendly like a golden retriever but also can be really aggressive like a golden retriever. She has a dog who is the light of her life (Eddie). She also is an ambitious rockstar and cannot be stopped. Her favorite things include videos of people answering questions wrongly, Broadway musicals, meditation, Chris Fleming, stage fails, talking about herself, Tom Murabito, soup, potatoes, and the sunrise. 
NAME: Sydney Alexandria Hardy (She/Her)
(SID-nee) YEAR: Junior MAJOR: Economics HOMETOWN: Chesapeake, VA SIGN: Cancer FAVORITE EVENTS: POE, PRO, ADS, CA Sydney Alexandria (SA) Hardy is a current junior (C/O ‘22) studying Economics on a Pre-Law track. Sydney Alexandria enjoys reading and writing poetry. She also enjoys mediation and black tea. SA’s mission in life is to make an income while making an impact. Her favorite quote is, “you cant complain that your plate is full if your goal was to eat” 
NAME: Mollie Weitzman (She/Her)
(MAH-lee) YEAR: Junior MAJOR: Environmental Science (Wildlife) | Minor in English HOMETOWN: Big Stone Gap, VA SIGN: Libra FAVORITE EVENTS: POI, POE Mollie Weitzman is so excited for her first year on the team after years of anticipation. When she isn't reciting poetry like her life depends on it, you can find Mollie curled up with the newest gay YA novel (and crying over it), organizing with GMU's Jewish organizations, or shopping with her friends. Her favorite things include French press coffee, rereading her favorite books, wrinkly puppies, and loudly screaming the song "Betty" in her Prius. |
Public Relations Coordinator
NAME: Izzie Larson (They/Them) (IH-zee) YEAR: Junior MAJOR: INTS Social Justice & Human Rights | Minor in Dance HOMETOWN: Moorhead MN SIGN: Virgo FAVORITE EVENT: DUO, POE Izzie Larson is pumped to be a junior on the Mason Forensics team. Originally from rural MN, Izzie fell in love with the busy and beautiful DMV area. When they are not competing, you can find them reading and writing poetry, dancing, drawing, playing bass, eating breakfast & making team vlogs. They love their kitty Ophie, their lizard Comet, the lake, R&B music and dyeing everything in their home blue and purple! 
NAME: Christy Caudle (She/Her)
(KRIS-tee) YEAR: Junior MAJOR: Global Affairs HOMETOWN: Austin, TX SIGN: Libra FAVORITE EVENTS: DI, Duo Christy Caudle is a rising junior on the team from the yeehaw state of Texas. After four years of high school competition, Christy began her collegiate speech career at Mason! When she isn’t doing speech, she quoting Disney movies or Drake and Josh and sleeping. Christy is looking forward to getting to know her new family and experiencing all that this season has to offer! 
NAME: Cheriaca Huntley (She/Her)
(Chair-EYE-aka) YEAR: Junior MAJOR: Mass Communications HOMETOWN: Carrier Mills, IL SIGN: Chicken Nugget FAVORITE EVENTS: POE |
SOPHOMORES
Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator
NAME: Makaela Reed (She/Her) (Mah-KAY-la) MAJOR: Journalism HOMETOWN: Houston, TX YEAR: Sophomore SIGN: Virgo FAVORITE EVENTS: POI, POE Makaela is originally from the city that brought you chopped and screwed with lemonade on the side but traded it all to be a part of the illustrious George Mason University Forensic Team. As an active officer for the Black Student Alliance, NAACP , and Peace Jam she is an advocate for change and progression in the Black community . Outside of POI and Poetry rounds you can catch Makaela editing videos, blasting Tupac songs , and FaceTiming her family back in Houston. She has always lived by the quote “One small voice can make a huge change in the world." 
Tournament Director
NAME: Emily Williams (She/Her) (EH-mih-lee) YEAR: Sophomore MAJOR: Government & International Politics | Minor in Legal Studies and Women and Gender Studies HOMETOWN: Palm City, FL SIGN: Pisces FAVORITE EVENTS: POI, DUO Emily is excited to be swapping out her sunshine state for a place where seasons actually take place! She is so happy to be a part of the GMU forensics team and loves being at mason because of the amazing political opportunities and because she looks great in green. When not participating in speech (let’s be real, never) Emily can be found studying, looking at pictures of her 3 dogs, hanging out with her sorority, or sitting in the 24 hour Starbucks late at night listening to Lorde. 
Recruitment Coordinator
NAME: Jose Quinones (He/Him) (Ho-ZAY) YEAR: Sophomore MAJOR: Criminology HOMETOWN: Weston, FL SIGN: Capricorn FAVORITE EVENTS: EXT Jose is currently a sophomore on the team and a recruitment coordinator. When he isn’t prepping for 30 minutes he enjoys listening to music, playing music and video games. He fell in love with the DMV area after discovering seasons which he hadn’t known in Florida. Jose loves his big Haleigh and Izzie too.
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Tournament Director
NAME: Cordelia Tran (She/Her) (Kore-DEEL-ee-uh) YEAR: Sophomore MAJOR: Government & International Politics HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, CA SIGN: Sagittarius FAVORITE EVENTS: POI, DUO Cordelia is a sophomore on the GMU team, and a current tournament director. Outside of speech she enjoys cooking feasts, going to concerts, fundraising with her sorority, and hanging out of windows of fast cars! She's on a pre-law track and is also a black belt in karate! GMU You know! 
Recruitment Coordinator
NAME: Atta Gould (She/Her) (AT-tuh) YEAR: Sophomore MAJOR: History HOMETOWN: Brooklyn, NY SIGN: Scorpio 
NAME: Steven Franklin (He/Him)
(STEVE-en) MAJOR: Criminology YEAR: Sophomore SIGN: Aquarius |
FRESHMEN
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NAME: Nardi Velasquez Soto Elsa (She/Her/Ella)
(NAR-dee) YEAR: Freshman MAJOR: Global Affairs HOMETOWN: Springfield, VA SIGN: Aries FAVORITE EVENTS: POE Nardi is ecstatic to be a freshman on her very first forensics team. She has lived in Springfield, VA her whole life so she is very familiar with Northern-Virginia! She is a first-generation student, STEP scholar, and her entire family is from Cochabamba, Bolivia. She loves to thrift, hang out with friends, play cello, and canvas/phone bank for LatinX reproductive justice and elections! ¡También, habla español! 
NAME: Juliette Reyes (She/Her) (JOO-lee-ET) YEAR: Freshman MAJOR: Government & International Politics and Conflict Analysis SIGN: Taurus |
NAME: Eleni Mercer (She/They)
(Uh-LEN-ee) YEAR: Freshman MAJOR: Government & International Politics HOMETOWN: Jupiter, Florida SIGN: Virgo FAVORITE EVENT: POI Eleni is pumped to be a GMU forensics team member! Originally from the North, Eleni is glad to be back somewhere where the leaves change colors. When they aren’t holding a binder, you can find Eleni googling bigfoot theories, having a mullet, or thrifting super high-waisted pants. They love to organize, then color-code, then reorganize their room, canvas for local candidates, and pretend like they’re living in a music video when listening to Taylor Swift’s ‘folklore’ album. |