Debate at Emory Today

From the campus debates between the 19th century literary societies to the intercollegiate competition of today, Emory debate has continued to evolve and progress with the society in which we live.

 

Student Officers

Below are the Barkley Forum's 2009-2010 elected student officers.

 

President - Mikaela Malsin '10

Mikaela Malsin is a senior and graduate of Hanover High School in Hanover, New Hampshire. As a debater at Emory with extremely modest beginnings, Mikaela has qualified for the elimination rounds at such tournaments as CEDA Nationals, Georgia State, and Nevada-Las Vegas. Mikaela is a Comparative Literature major and Linguistics minor.

 

Vice-President - Jeffrey Thomas, ‘10

Jeffrey "JT" Thomas is a senior and a graduate of Grady High School in Atlanta, Ga. He studied in Paris, France for the Spring 2009 Semester. He is a CEDA Academic All American and is a French major.

 

Secretary - Matt Lasky ‘11

Matt Lasky is a junior and graduate of New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Illinois. Matt fixes just about everything that blinks and whirrs in the Barkley Forum. Matt is majoring in International Studies and minoring in Russian Studies.

 

Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha

President - Jermeen Sherman ‘10

Jermeen is a Senior and graduate of Henry Grady High School in Atlanta, Georgia. Jermeen has actively worked with the Urban Debate League program for 3 years, teaching at the Debate Center, at Carson Middle School, and initiating a reading program at A.D. Williams Elementary School. Jermeen is a philosophy major.

 

Vice-President - Kirk Gibson ‘11

Kirk Gibson is a junior from Brookwood High School in Snellville, GA. He is a Political Science and Women's Studies double major, has been to three colleges now, and reached elimination rounds of the NDT in 2008.

 

Secretary - Sarah Beth Thomas ‘10

Sarah Beth is graduate of Calhoun High School and an Oxford College alumnus. She has debated actively at college debate tournaments, and enjoys working at the Debate Center and UDL programs. She is a Political Science and Latin double major, and enjoys participating in university choirs.

 

Policy debate

Emory participates in two-person policy debate. A debate resolution is voted on and selected by the entire debate community before the season begins. Other colleges and universities host tournaments that are attended by many different universities from around the country. Debaters compete at tournaments with six to eight rounds of preliminary competition debating both sides of the question. Teams who perform well during the preliminary rounds can debate in up to three to six single elimination rounds depending on the size of the tournament. Emory attends tournaments sponsored by the National Debate Tournament, the Cross Examination Debate Association, and the American Debate Association.

 

A Successful program

As debate has evolved over the years, debate at Emory has become increasingly successful. By any measure, the Barkley Forum is one of the finest debate teams in the nation.

 

*Participation. Over 100 Emory students participate in various Forum outreach and intercollegiate debate activities. Out of 40 tournament debaters, more than twenty-five participated in at least one varsity elimination round.

*Academic Success. Boasting some of the finest academic records at Emory, debaters are regularly admitted into the finest graduate and professional schools in the nation.

 

*Competitive Success. More than twenty different members of the Barkley Forum have won more than ten national championships since 1995.

 

*Community Service. The Barkley Forum for High Schools, the Emory National Debate Institute, the Urban Debate League, coaching internships, public performance, and political debate commentary are all elements of a multi-faceted forensic and academic service organization.

 

More than a debate team

Barkley Forum membership includes other benefits beyond opportunity for personal achievement in debate. The Barkley Forum also provides

 

*extensive academic counseling

 

*volunteer internships with local interscholastic debate programs

 

*academic internships through Emory's Division of Educational Studies for a variety of research and teaching experiences

 

*opportunities to work with Barkley Forum alumni in law, business, and government internships

 

*the opportunity to assist with the Urban Debate League, the Emory National Debate Institute, and the Barkley Forum for High Schools, garnering valuable teaching, administrative, and supervisory experience. If you are interested in joining this dynamic organization with rich traditions please click here.