Memory Board

Here are some of the memories that our alumni have made in their time with IUMT. Each one details a different perspective on what it means to be an IU Mocker. If you participated in IU Mock Trial and would like to share a memory, contact us at hoosiermock@gmail.com

Matthew Vogler

As the original founder of IUMT, I have enjoyed watching this program grow and mature from a group of fledgling newcomers into a legitimate national contender. It never ceases to amaze me how far this program has come from its humble beginnings in a Bloomington Steak 'n Shake in 2011 to ultimately placing in the top 10 at Nationals in Los Angeles last spring. What has always stuck with me about IUMT, beyond just the high level of competition, is the close-knit nature of the program. IUMT is a big tent, so to speak, with students from all different backgrounds and majors making up its ranks. The program has also proven to be fiercely social and welcoming to members new and old--whether they're on the top team or the bottom. And these relationships have ultimately yielded a strong and active alumni base. If you are looking for more than just an extracurricular activity, or something to pad your resume, and are looking for a place to truly belong on campus in Bloomington, you would be hard pressed to do better than IUMT.

Lindsey Walker

When I started at IU as a freshman in the fall of 2013, I had no idea what mock trial was. In a way, this was a good thing. It meant I was unable to fully grasp the embarrassment when our two IU teams went 0-16 at my first tournament that fall. In fact, all I really knew from the moment the call-out flyer hit my fingertips was that I loved this weird, crazy, all-consuming activity. I loved the thrill of the competition, I loved the puzzle that the case represented to me, and I loved the people I was doing it with.

Through the hours and hours (and hours) of nightly practices and the days of traveling and competing, I never wavered in my belief that I had found my people and my calling. And that was enough for me. Of course, I would be lying if I said winning wasn’t important to me— I am incredibly proud that during my four years we went from a last-place program, unknown and unrecognized, to placing in the top 10 in the nation. But what made all of our successes so meaningful to me was all of the failures we had along the way. I know that my teammates and I only got to where we did because we love mock, we love each other, and we poured every ounce of ourselves into this program.

As I prepare to move on from this chapter of my life, I already know the lessons of perseverance and dedication that I learned from my teammates and coaches in IU Mock Trial are ones I will carry with me every day for the rest of my life.

David Conarty

When I first joined Mock Trial at IU, I thought I would be joining a simple after-school club that would provide a means for me to gain legal knowledge and somewhat prepare me for a future legal career; I had no idea that MTIU would provide so much more.

I joined MTIU the Monday before my team’s first tournament with almost no prior public speaking experience. I was frightened out of my mind to have to argue and compete while litigating an imaginary case in front of my peers and opponents. By the Sunday night after the tournament, that fear no longer existed. I was hooked.

At that first tournament, I was amazed that I was competing alongside such a smart, competent, and inspiring group of people.

Throughout the next four years, old members left and new members joined the organization, but that feeling of amazement never left. I had the pleasure of competing alongside some of the smartest and most talented people I have ever met. I am grateful for every minute I’ve spent with MTIU, both as a competitor and as a two-term treasurer. MTIU teaches you important legal skills, like how to argue, reason, think critically, engage your opposition, and strategize; but MTIU also teaches you important life skills, like working with others, listening, and respecting others opinions. Now on my way to law school, I’m very confident that I’m prepared for whatever comes my way, not just because of the four years I spent in class, but because of the four years I spent with MTIU.