UTEP Student Wins National Speech and Debate Championship
EL PASO, Texas (March 26, 2025) – At just 19 and in his second semester at The University of Texas at El Paso, Sebastian Perez-Navarro is already a man on the move. This March, he earned top honors at the Pi Kappa Delta 2025 National Comprehensive Tournament, bringing home a national championship in Spanish Impromptu Speaking and two additional top-three finishes.
The tournament, which featured some of the nation’s top collegiate speakers, took place March 13-16 at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. In addition to his championship in Spanish Impromptu Speaking, Perez-Navarro earned second place in English Impromptu Speaking and third place in Extemporaneous Speaking.
“This was the first collegiate national tournament I’ve participated in and the first time I’ve ever finaled in a speech and debate tournament at the state or national level,” Perez-Navarro said. “It was a huge honor, but it was also a surreal experience because I really had to push through my limits.”
Impromptu and Extemporaneous Speaking are competitive speech events that require quick thinking and structured delivery. In the Impromptu Speaking category, participants select a quotation, with topics varying by round and section. They have seven minutes total for both preparation and speaking, with limited notes allowed. Extemporaneous Speaking focuses on current events: contestants choose one of three given topics and have 30 minutes to prepare and deliver an original speech.
"Competing at this level requires extraordinary quick thinking, poise and communication skills," said Carlos A. Tarin, Ph.D., associate professor of communication and coach of the UTEP Forensics Team. "Sebastian demonstrated remarkable talent across multiple categories, showcasing not only his individual abilities but also representing the quality of our program."
Among Perez-Navarro’s many endeavors, the communication studies major is an editor at The Prospector, UTEP’s student-run newspaper; works with the UTEP Athletics Miner Vision team as a broadcaster for ESPN+; and is part of a research team investigating equal time issues related to news coverage of the 2024 election.
The UTEP team’s success extended beyond individual achievements, with the squad earning second place in Individual Speech Events and fourth place in Combined Speech/Debate in the Small Team/Limited Entry Division. In addition to Perez-Navarro, the UTEP Forensics team includes Felix Castañón, an aerospace engineering major; Kenneth Ochoa, a political science major; Dylan Harden, a nursing major; and Arely Avitia, a graphic design major.
For his part, Perez-Navarro credits his success at the tournament to the training and support he received from Tarin, his teaching assistant Sabrina Bustillos and his teammates.
“Dr. Tarin and Ms. Bustillos have helped us understand that, while we are competitors, we need to enjoy and have fun with what we’re doing,” Perez-Navarro said. “It’s a great culture – one in which I feel protected, and one in which I feel I will continue to grow as a member of this team and as an individual.”
In early April, the team will host an event to showcase their skills for the UTEP community. The UTEP Forensics Showcase will take place on Thursday, April 10 at 6 p.m. in the Union Cinema. Admission is free and open to the public. The show will feature selected portions of the team members’ performances.
About The University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is America’s leading Hispanic-serving university. Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, where three states and two countries converge along the Rio Grande, 84% of our 25,000 students are Hispanic, and more than half are the first in their families to go to college. UTEP offers 171 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.
Last Updated on March 26, 2025 at 12:00 AM | Originally published March 26, 2025
By MC Staff UTEP Marketing and Communications
