UMD sophomore and Willmar native Claire Schmitz is celebrating winning both the Best Witness Award and the Best Attorney Award at the American Mock Trial Association Regional Tournament (AMTA). It was held last weekend, February 24 – 27, 2017, at Hamline University in St. Paul.
Schmitz, a communication major, was the only student in the tournament to win an award in both categories.
“Claire was outstanding in both of her performance,” says Associate Professor of Political Science Joseph L. Staats. “She was competing with teams from all over the Midwest– including the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, University of Chicago, and Northwestern University.”
Mock trial is designed to give students an understanding of court proceedings within the judicial process.
AMTA hosted 25 regional tournaments across the country in February.