GREENVILLE, Pa.—The Thiel College Moot Court Program will host its first Moot Court Oral Advocacy Night at 6:30 p.m. November 7 in the Stamm Lecture Hall in the James Pedas Communication Center.
The event is a forerunner to the National Midwest Moot Court Qualifying Tournament on Nov. 16-17 at Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio.
In this year’s Moot Court Advocacy Night, two teams will present oral arguments on the constitutionality of biometric facial recognition software in involuntary manslaughter convictions, examining whether the First Amendment protections are valid. This event will provide students with real-world courtroom experience in front of a panel of judges and the public.
With this event serving as a precursor, Thiel College will be the host organization for the National Midwest Moot Court Qualifying Tournament at Capital University, which will welcome 32 teams from throughout the country, including the University of Michigan, the University of Iowa, Cal-State Berkeley, Texas A&M University, and Loyola of Chicago.
“To have the opportunity to engage in a legal setting against great schools like University of Michigan and University of Iowa validates that Thiel College and the liberal arts experience offered to students is preparing them for career pathways that are changing the world in a positive way,” Visiting Professor of Political Science Eric Matthews, Ph.D. said.
The Thiel Moot Court program aims to educate undergraduate students about law, legal policy, and the U.S. Constitution. It provides practical moot court activities, allowing students to engage with case law, develop arguments, and demonstrate courtroom demeanor. “Moot Court, in addition to providing us with a hands-on experience, connects many of the theories and strategies we have learned in class with a real-life case scenario,” said Thiel Moot Court team member Brooke Griffith ’26.
She is joined on the team by Grant Becker ’27, Rex Dugan ’27, Alivia Fallon ’28 and Anna Kavulla ’27. The team is coached by Matthews and Adjunct Professor of Political Science Ashleigh Musick, J.D.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.