Benefit event concludes 2021-2022 HUDL year
Friends and supporters of HUDL gathered in downtown Houston today to celebrate the achievements of HUDL students over the 2021-2022 school year. The annual luncheon at the J.W. Marriott hotel featured students sharing their personal stories about how participating in debate has changed their lives for the better.
Leah Lynch entertained the audience with her reflections on the friendships fostered in debate, and how the Westbury squad is bouncing back from the pandemic. Lindsay Times explained how debate built her confidence and helped her develop classroom skills. Rafael Rojas inspired the crowd with his story of how debate helped a once-shy and uncertain freshman become a college-bound senior, the first in his family, now on his way to enroll at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Rubick Hernandez delivered a powerful message about how she intends to use her debate skills to bring more attention to underserved and marginalized communities.
The event, HUDL's most important annual benefit, provides funds that are vital to HUDL's educational and scholarship programs. HUDL thanks the sponsors who purchased tables and contributed to this year's luncheon. The honor roll of HUDL sponsors includes:
Corporate and Firm Sponsors
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Arnold & Porter
Beck Redden LLP
Bracewell LLP
EIV Capital
Kirkland & Ellis
Latham & Watkins LLP
Liskow & Lewis
Locke Lord
Omni Bridgeway
Porter Hedges LLP
Smyser Kaplan & Veselka LLP
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Individual Sponsors
Nathan Coco & Deborah Gordon
Sarah Cooper
Hon. Gregg Costa
Hon. Andrew Edison
Amy and Will Geise
Tom Rollins
David Roosth
Denise and John Scofield
Raquel Segal
Margaret and Peter Tellegen