Join Eagle Debate Team

Nationally Recognized -- Internationally Experienced

 

Enhance your education, speaking skills and knowledge of crucial social controversies while traveling across the region and even the world.
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Northwest University Debaters are paired with a partner to compete against other two person teams from the other colleges and universities at  weekend tournaments. Each two person team debates about  6 times at each meet. We take part in about four weekend tournaments each semester. Topics are assigned fifteen minutes before each round to give students time to compose their cases. Topics are usually current event or political philosophy issues. [See here for examples]

 

Students who do well on the debate team usually enjoy public speaking and current events.

 

We are committed to the four team format of debate – like major universities in Europe such as  Oxford and Cambridge -- with two teams affirming a proposition and two opposing. There are eight five or seven minute speeches.  Debaters role play government officials debating these issues. We debate both sides of any issue as part of this role playing game.

Scholarships: All of your expenses are paid and if you prove successful, the following year you are eligible for scholarships. These range from $1,000 to $6000. If you can show promise as a debater, some scholarships are available to new team members next fall.

We also enjoy attending tournaments across the nation, including California, Alaska, Colorado, Texas, Nebraska, Idaho and Oregon. We sent students to Hawaii for a tournament in November 2004 and  October 2008. The 2009  national championship was in Vermont.

Past international trips include tournaments in Vancouver, Canada; Athens, Greece; England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain and Australia. March 2006 we debated in Prague, Czech Republic during spring break. 

We sent students to tournaments at Oxford and Cambridge Universities in November 2006 and 2009. In 2006 we attended the World Championships held at the UBC in Vancouver, Canada last January.


Paradise: our program jets to Hawaii for debates in the fall hosted by Hawaii Pacific University. October 2009 was the fifth time.
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If you join debate, you could take part in these exciting long distance trips. We are able to afford these trips because the coach raises funds. 

Interested? Debaters may earn credit taking COMM 3722 Forensics (open to freshmen).

Debaters must have a 3.0 GPA, an ACT of 21 or better and SAT of 1725 or better to be admitted.  (Students with scores that are slightly below may take part in on campus debates each week on a trial basis.)

Successful Former NU Debaters:

  • Jordan Goddard, Harvard Law School student.

  • Josh Brittingham, UCLA Law School graduate.

  • Gideon Copple, United Nations Intern, Analyst with Council for Foreign Relations

  • Roger Altizer, professor at the University of Utah.

  • Taylor Jones, graduating from the University of Arizona Law School.

There are many academic benefits being exposed to the brightest students from all
over the nation – and even the world.   

2008 -- 2009 Debate Year in Review:
Celebrating our Success and Memories
     

Join Eagle Debate


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