Senior Mary Salazar, a member of the Speech and Debate Team, was recently named an All-American by the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) this year. Salazar is one of 30 intercollegiate debaters nationwide, and one of six from California, selected to be an All-American. She is the second SFSU student to earn the honor.

Salazar, a speech and communication studies major, plans to join the Peace Corps after graduating from SFSU this fall and pursue a career in human rights advocacy.

All-Americans were announced at CEDA’s national tournament, held recently in Fullerton, Calif. More than 100 schools competed in the tournament in which Salazar and her debate partner Kevin Rinker, a junior from Downeyville, won four rounds and nearly advanced to the elimination rounds.

Salazar and Rinker also recently placed second in the Northern California Forensics Association championship. They performed particularly well against Ivy League schools, defeating Dartmouth this year and Harvard last year.

Over the years, the SFSU Speech and Debate Team has won dozens of debates and individual events, including the 2001 National Forensics Association championship in duo oral interpretation.