On Friday and Saturday, Oct. 12-13, Brenau University hosted its 16th annual Mock Mediation Invitational Tournament, which brought students from nine universities to practice their conflict resolution skills in a national tournament.
One of the best-known regular competitions at Brenau University, the tournament positions students against each other as they compete to be the best peacemakers in the nation.
“Once again we had an incredibly successful tournament,” said Ken Frank, director of the Conflict Resolution and Legal Studies Program. “Our teams did very well in the competition, and six of our team members will go on to compete in the International Intercollegiate Mediation Tournament at Drake University Law School in Des Moines, Iowa, Nov. 15-17.”
Approximately 60 students competed from the nine participating universities: Brenau, Butler University (Indiana), Clayton State University, Kennesaw State University, Lewis University (Illinois), Middle Georgia State University, Principia College (Illinois), University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and University of Texas, Dallas.
Mediation competitions are broken into rounds, and each round includes six student participants. Two act as co-mediators, while the other four form two advocate-client pairs. All six sit together at a table, and the co-mediators help the pairs work through a given case for a panel of judges that were this year made up of attorneys, mediators, mental health professionals and members of the International Academy of Dispute Resolution. The pairs are typically formed with students from separate schools, creating a spirit of collaboration throughout the tournament.
The Top Mediator Team Award went to Brenau for the team made up of Gloria Clark, Cierra Franklin and Anaya Daniels. The Brenau team of Jessica Jarrett, Sha’kym Holland and Lessie Day placed fourth. Clark was named the No. 1 Mediator Individual, and Brenau’s Keri Ashworth placed second, Franklin fourth and Holland sixth. The Top Advocate/Client Team was Ashworth, Diamond Wood and Dejah Williams, and the Clark, Franklin and Daniels team placed second in that category. Ashworth also earned the Baumgardner Award, the highest award given in the competition.
The three-round tournament also included opportunities for training on mediation techniques and advocacy in mediation. In the training prior to the beginning of the tournament rounds, students and coaches heard from Nicole Hull, an attorney and mediator from Athens, Georgia, who gave a presentation on mediation and diversity.
The full results of the Mock Mediation Invitational Tournament are as follows:
Baumgardner Award Winner
Keri Ashworth, Brenau University
Top 10 Mediator Individual Awards
Gloria Clark—Brenau University
Keri Ashworth—Brenau University
Hunter Hummell—Principia College
Cierra Franklin—Brenau University
Mackenzie Batten—Principia College
Sha’Kym Holland—Brenau University
Amanda Bonds—University of Texas, Dallas
Deepah Mirchandani—UNC, Charlotte
Christopher Jones—Principia College
Ben Robinson—UNC Charlotte
Top Mediator Teams Awards
Brenau University
University of Texas, Dallas
Principia College
Brenau University
Principia College
Top 10 Advocate/Client Individual Awards
Alexis Martinez/Carmen Watkins, Clayton State University
Meerna Dalal/Umal Lalee, University of Texas, Dallas
Najib Gazi/Sam Kiewra, University of Texas, Dallas
Annie Hight/Chris Engert, Principia College
Sarah Buie/Dalton Morris, UNC Charlotte
Carmen Watkins/No client, Clayton State University
Sam Kierwa/Sherin George, University of Texas, Callas
Hannah Chilleno/Nick Krueger, Butler University
Juliet Beck/Mackenzie Batton, Principia College
Namrata Roy/Ben Robinson, Principia College
Top Advocate/Client Team Awards
Brenau University (Keri Ashworth, Diamond Wood, Dejah Williams)
Brenau University (Gloria Clark, Cierra Franklin, Anaya Daniels)
Clayton State University
University of Texas, Dallas
Kennesaw State University
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- Keri Ashworth mediates during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Cierra Franklin and Gloria Clark during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Diamond Wood and Dejah Williams during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Ayana Daniels during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Mary Lou Frank during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- The 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Diamond Wood during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Diamond Wood and Dejah Williams during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Gloria Clark and Cierra Franklin during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Gloria Clark and Cierra Franklin during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Keri Ashworth mediates during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Dejah Williams during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Ayana Daniels during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
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- Cierra Franklin, Ayana Daniels and Gloria Clark during the 16th annual Brenau University Mock Mediation Invitational tournament. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
