Schools

Roosevelt University Debuts New Debate Society


CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–November 3, 2015.  A student debate society with big plans for competing against top college debate teams from around the country has been established and is hitting the ground running this semester at Roosevelt University.

The Rooseveltian Debate Society already has won several matches against debate teams from the University of Chicago and DePaul University.

Four of its members, including (pictured from left above in Roosevelt Torch photo by Quinton Arthur): accounting major Danny Mula, political science and economics major Willie Preston, political science major Adam Gunther and economics major Ramone Kittrell, will be flying to Washington, D.C. later this week for a weekend face off against college debate teams at American University. Funding to make the trip possible is still being sought, and donations are being accepted. For information, contact Roosevelt’s Office of Institutional Advancement Interim Vice President Jan Parkin at [email protected] or 312-341-4327 or email [email protected]

The group’s first official home debate against students from DePaul University will be held on Thursday, Nov. 19.

“When I found out that Roosevelt didn’t have a debate society, I knew it was something we needed to pursue,” said Preston, a senior undergraduate who got the ball rolling last spring.

After talking to instructor Ben Lynerd, a post-doctoral fellow with Roosevelt’s Montesquieu Forum, Preston filed paperwork to start the student organization and to register with the American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA), a national organization that holds tournaments all over the country among university-level debate teams.

“From the first time our students met, they hit the ground running,” said Lynerd, the faculty advisor to the Rooseveltian Debate Society, whose members practice every Saturday at the Chicago Campus.

“It’s a way to come together and have a substantive discussion on real issues,” added Preston of the group whose membership has been growing all semester long. “As we debate,” he added, “we are moving Roosevelt University and its mission forward for all to see.”

Earlier this month, two teams from the Roosevelt society won initial rounds against teams from the University of Chicago and DePaul, but lost in final rounds, society members believe, mainly because of lack of experience with the APDA format and rules.

“We’ve been educating ourselves on the ins and outs of APDA and we think we can do even better going into competition at American University,” predicted Kittrell, who is vice president of operations and chief recruitment officer for the group.

“I’m looking forward to being practical in confronting issues and in presenting logical arguments,” said Roosevelt biology major Nicole Douglas (pictured above right), who will participate in the Nov. 19 debate versus DePaul.
 
For more information on the Rooseveltian Debate Society, contact [email protected].

Source: www.roosevelt.edu

 


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