Soto takes second in state oratorical competition

University of North Georgia (UNG) student Alexandra Soto finished in second place in the virtual Georgia Interstate Oratorical Association (IOA) competition before taking part in the 152nd annual IOA competition hosted by the University of Florida.

IOA is the oldest national speech and debate tournament in the U.S. The only other time UNG had a student compete in the national IOA event was virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, so Soto became the first UNG student to ever take part in the event in person. Her speech was published as part of the national conference's proceedings.

Soto's speech at the state and national events focused on generative artificial intelligence (AI) and what she sees as its negative impact on public education. The idea came from her research on AI in accounting as a student assistant with Mike Cottrell College of Business faculty member Dr. Siew Chan.

"I really wanted to have nuance in my speech and present myself in a way that made the judges believe my argument," said Soto, a rising senior from Gainesville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in accounting.

Soto recently completed a tax internship and wants to serve in that field, helping low-income and underserved communities. Her time in the Beta Alpha Psi accounting honor society and other opportunities at UNG are setting Soto up for her goals of graduate school and earning her Certified Public Accountant credential.

The competition marked the first time she flew on an airplane, and seeing other competitors present opened her eyes to the possibilities of community advocacy.

"This was a really good personal growth opportunity for me. I learned I could do a lot more than I expected," Soto said. "Two years ago, I didn't think I would speak in front of other people representing the university."

Stephania Ortez, lecturer of communication and director of forensics, said Soto was impressive in her ability to balance school with an internship and competitions.

"She's thoughtful with others. She's a very intentional person with everything she does. She's a hard worker. She's super bright and has a lot of opportunities," Ortez said. "She's a good reflection of students who could have gone anywhere. But she came to UNG and has made the most of her time here."

Chan, meanwhile, was not surprised to see her student excel in a highly competitive process.

"She likes being challenged," Chan said.