Emergency Services Program, Debate Team Win National Recognition

The University of Texas at Dallas’ University Emergency Medical Response (UEMR) team has been named the Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Organization of the Year —  the top award given by the National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Foundation.

UEMR is a first-responder organization, founded in 2017 at UT Dallas, staffed with professionally trained student volunteers who are certified emergency medical technicians (EMTs), advanced EMTs or paramedics. The members, who donate their time to respond to medical emergencies at UTD, currently number almost 100.

The program was honored in February at the foundation’s annual conference in Pittsburgh.

The team’s devotion to help other universities begin their own emergency response teams was one reason for the Comets’ recognition, said Sheila Elliott, EMS director and advisor of the UEMR program.

“When the foundation announced our award, they said this is the first time that they have ever had a nominee be nominated by other organizations,” she said. “And they thought that was really nice, how we have made the investment in trying to help other organizations do what we do.”

There are over 300 campus first-responder organizations in the United States, with only three in Texas, Elliott said. The other two are at Rice University and Texas A&M University.

The UTD program also was selected to publish one of its research projects in The Journal of Collegiate Emergency Medical Services, a peer-reviewed publication.

“We studied the results of an electronic cardiac monitor as compared with taking blood pressure manually and found that there was a discrepancy,” Elliott said. “That research was accepted by the journal.”

In 2024, UEMR was named a Gold EMS Ready Campus, the highest tier of achievement among college first-responder organizations. Elliot also was named Collegiate EMS Advisor of the Year last year.

Going forward, Elliott said, UEMR will try to continue to be a leader in its field.

“It’s almost like, what do you do after you win a Grammy? You probably try to win more Grammys,” she said. “Our goal is maintaining what we have and continuing to help others. We strive every day to be response ready and to do the best that we can.”

Debate Team Delivers Historic Showing at Tournament

The University of Texas at Dallas debate team made a historic showing at the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) national tournament March 19-23 at Rutgers University-Newark, as, for the first time, two Comet teams advanced to the top 16.

Three UTD teams competed in the tournament: history senior Adrian Sendejas and healthcare management senior Mahintha Karthik; economics sophomore Charlie Hale and electrical engineering freshman Sabarish Ravi; and public affairs freshman Rob Underwood and business administration junior Joseph-Charles D’Antuono.

“Debate is hard at this level. The students give up weekends, balance debate research and travel with a challenging academic schedule, and somehow still find the drive to spend countless hours in the squad room preparing, researching and practicing,” said Scott Herndon, UTD director of debate.

Sendejas and Karthik were 6-2 in the preliminary rounds with wins over Wake Forest University, the University of Iowa and Liberty University. They advanced to the elimination round where they defeated Iowa and the University of Kentucky before losing to California State University, Long Beach in the quarterfinals.

Hale and Ravi were also 6-2 with wins over the University of Minnesota; California State University, Fullerton; and the University of Houston. In the elimination round, Hale and Ravi defeated Wake Forest before losing in the top 16 to Iowa.

D’Antuono and Underwood were 4-4 and advanced to the elimination round. They were defeated on a 2-1 decision by the University of Kansas.

Sendejas was honored as the 13th overall individual speaker.

UTD finished its season April 4-7 at the National Debate Tournament at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. This was the Comets’ 23rd consecutive year to qualify for the elite tournament, which accepts only the top 72 debate teams in the country. Two UTD teams, Ravi and Hale and business administration senior Ari Karchmer and economics junior Rahul Penumetcha, competed. Both went 4-4.

Herndon said that UTD teams have attended CEDA every year for 26 years.

“There is a flag that hangs in the squad room signed by every member of the team since 2002,” he said. “This group has and will continue to build a legacy that will one day inspire the next generation.”

Herndon attributed the debaters’ success to members and their strong team culture. He also credited Erik Mathis, assistant director of the program, and assistant coach Sam Gustavson.

“They are a tight-knit group, even the younger members of the team. Outside of the debate and competition, they are friends, they hang out, and they pick each other up,” he said.

Accolades is an occasional News Center feature that highlights recent accomplishments of The University of Texas at Dallas faculty, students and staff. To submit items for consideration, contact your school’s communications manager.