Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE- After resolving disputes as heated as a religious conflict among co-employees or as sensitive as a public utility's liability for the injuries to independent workers, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville mediation team won the highest score in the mediation category at the 2005 National Intercollegiate Mediation Tournament at John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

The team of Christine Nelson, Christopher Lushine and Jesse Neuheisel each mediated one round of the three-round tournament. Lushine topped all mediators in the second round and joined five UWP alumni who have won the prestigious award of All-American Mediator.

A field of 22 teams from 11 states gathered Nov. 3 to 5 for an active weekend of professional training and competitive performance. "The tournament is dedicated to building an army of peacemakers who hold out to their campuses and communities a healing alternative to unpleasant litigation," said national tabulation director Brad Bloch. "Each year we hear from the professional mediators who judge our competition that the students are developing ever more sophisticated techniques of resolving difficult disputes. These students are the cream of the crop as far as peace studies go."

Including scores from all competition categories, the UWP team finished eighth overall; this was the fourth top 10 finish at nationals for UWP in six years. "I'm proud that our students are national leaders," said UWP coach John Rink.

Contact, John Rink, professor, Department of Social Sciences, (608) 342-1795,rink@uwplatt.edu

Formatted By: Evelyn Martens, UWP Public Relations, (068) 342-1194,martense@uwplatt.edu