Whitman Debate
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Welcome to Whitman Debate!
Debate has changed the way Whitman's coaches and students see the world and how we engage with it. Debate is a place where we found a home and a social circle. A place where we've learned to discuss our ideas without insulting each other.
Our Program
We rely heavily on a mentorship model. First, the coaches teach students how to debate, to be competitively successful, and to make connections between debate and the classroom. Second, student's mentor each other so new debaters never feel intimidated. Third, we contract with Diane Burkholder who is an advocate for students in higher education. She serves as an outside mentor to help the team navigate world issues debated in rounds such as: police brutality, divides between rich and poor, and transphobia.
Scholarship Opportunities
Students interested in participating in Whitman's renowned debate program are encouraged to apply for the President's Scholarship in Debate through the applicant portal. All students are invited to apply, regardless of major or experience.
The application consists of four parts:
A letter describing your experience in speech and debate
A letter of recommendation from a debate coach
An example of your work in debate (part of a file)
A brief statement on why you wish to participate in debate at Whitman
To maintain this scholarship, recipients are required to participate in Whitman's debate team for the duration of their time as a student.
All applications are due by 5:00 p.m., PST, on Monday, January 29, 2021. Apply here!
We Do Things Differently
We love debate, but we also really value making the debate team a space where a student can find a social support network. We welcome anyone and everyone regardless of experience, year in college, or willingness to travel to tournaments.
Debate and Friends
We encourage inviting friends to debate events on campus, host public debates, volunteer in the community, plan "Debate a Friend" meals. We strongly believe that competitive success comes much easier when you foster a team culture of group accountability, public service, social support, productive dialogue across differences, and plain old fun.