Release date: April 6, 2007
Contact: Elaine Justice at 404-727-0643 or elaine.justice@emory.edu

Emory Students Named First All-female Team to Win National Debate Tournament

Emory students Aimi Hamraie (left) and Julie Hoehn are the first all-female team in the 61-year history of the National Debate Tournament to win the title.

Emory University students Aimi Hamraie of Colleyville, Texas, and Julie Hoehn of Alpharetta, Ga., are the first all-female team in the 61-year history of the National Debate Tournament to win the title. The top 72 college teams in the country gathered in Dallas, Texas, March 28-April 2 to determine the national champion.

More than1,500 teams competed this year. "It's a huge accomplishment," said Edward Lee, who serves as Hamraie and Hoehn's primary coach. "You just can't overestimate how important this is for students who are debaters. It's the one tournament of the year everyone aims for."

And how are the winners? "It hasn't sunk in yet," said Hamraie, a senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies and political science. She has been involved in debate since her freshman year in high school.

Hoehn, a junior majoring in political science, also is a veteran debater who competed all four years at Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta. "It's one of my favorite things to do outside school," said Hoehn.

The Emory team of Hamraie and Hoehn won the tournament by debating topics taken up recently by the United States Supreme Court, including daunting issues such as abortion, military tribunals, school desegregation and violence against women.

"Debate exposes you to a whole bunch of different topics that you wouldn't normally come across by hanging out with people my age," says Hoehn.

Hamraie says that women are still a minority in debate, but that things are changing. "There really has been a glass ceiling," she said, adding, "We played the boys' game, and we were better at it. We hope this will encourage other women to participate in debate and give them hope that they can win, too."

Emory University is one of the nation's leading private research universities and a member of the Association of American Universities. Known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities, Emory is ranked as one of the country's top 20 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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