The hard work and dedication of the Panther Mock Trial team have led them to reach new heights this year. The talented President of Panther Mock Trial Persia Naseri and the brilliant Vice President Amanda Rodriguez del Rey led two diverse teams of students known as the A-team and B-team through a series of fierce mock trial competitions. With the guidance of experienced Mock trial coaches Eddie Holiday, Esq. and Kioceaia Stenson, Esq., victory was always within Panther Mock Trial’s grasp. Eddie Holiday, Esq. was a top-ranked advocate as a student mock trial member. Kioceaia Stenson, Esq. also competed in mock trials during her years as a student and is now the advisor of Panther Mock Trial. Both coaches are passionate about Mock Trials, and their experiences with competing have guided the team to great success.
Over the past year, Panther Mock Trial competed at Arkansas, Houston, Florida State University, New York, & at the University of South Florida. The A-team’s first competition of the season took place in Houston. The team victoriously brought home four individual awards from the completion. They won trophies for having the best attorneys and the best witnesses. Since the team achieved second place, they also received a trophy. The B-team also had a monumental first competition of the season. The B-team competed in Arkansas against experienced mock-trail teams. Many students who participated in the B-team during that competition have never engaged in this contest. The members of the B-team also did not have the opportunity to prepare since it was early in the school year. Although the B-team faced such overwhelming odds, they successfully overcame its challenges and remained undefeated during the first day of the competition. The B-team ended with a winning record of 5-3.
This season finished on a high note as the Panther Mock Trial A-team and B-team qualified out of Regionals and competed at the Open Round Championship Series for the first time in Panther Mock Trial history! It takes time for teams to develop the necessary skills to compete in mock trials. However, PMT has made leaps and bounds in progress in such a short period. This was the most successful season in PMT history as the teams won 17 total awards!
Many factors helped Panther Mock Trial achieve such great success. Panther Mock Trial President Naseri attributes the team’s success to the dedication of their coaches. Coach Holiday, Esq. and Stenson, Esq. dedicate much of their time and effort to guiding the team to success. PMT is also grateful for the support Dean Juan Carlos Espinosa has provided to the team. Dean Espinosa cultivated an environment to make the team comfortable achieving their ambitions. Lastly, President Naseri wishes to express his gratitude to Kristen Corpion who founded Panther Mock Trial back in 2017 and has laid down the foundation for the team.
Besides competing in mock trials, Panther Mock Trial hopes to become more involved within the FIU community to share its ideals and message with the rest of the university. Panther Mock Trial has a diverse student body and is open to any FIU student. Students must attend a meeting and show interest to join the mock trial club. Students interested in joining Panther Mock Trial may sign up here: https://www.panthermocktrial.org/join-pmt. This website also provides information about the program, events, and news. Feel free to reach out via email for more information at info@panthermocktrial.org or on Instagram at panthermocktrial. Panther Mock Trial is excited to take on any new challenges that come its way and is thrilled to continue its journey next season.