Clemson Debate Society to compete in Worlds Universities Debating Championship

The Clemson Debate Society is taking its argumentative and critical thinking skills to South Africa for the World Universities Debating Championship. The tournament will be held Dec. 27 – Jan. 4 at the University of Cape Town.

Eight students– four teams of two– will be competing against 400 other teams from 250 universities across the globe such as the Tel Aviv University, The University of Malaya and Yale University. Three students will be judges for various rounds of debate.

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The students who will be attending the championship are:

• Savannah Skidmore, a health science major,
• Nathan McDowell, a mathematical sciences major,
• Lizzie Huntley, a biochemistry major,
• Mollie Maglich, a packaging science major,
• Marissa Jansen, a health science major,
• Anish Chaluvadi, a chemical engineering major,
• Madison Moeller, a parks, recreation and tourism management major,
• Milan Shah, a bioengineering major,
• Raphael Miller-Figueroa, an anthropology major,
• Sam McDade, a computer science major, and
• Pierce Carrouth, a bioengineering major.

This is the fifth time that Clemson University has competed at the worlds championship. The students will not only be representing Clemson, but also South Carolina, as Clemson is the only university in the state attending the tournament, said Lindsey Dixon, communication faculty member and Clemson Debate Society coach.

“It is such an honor to showcase the amazing students we have at Clemson at the most prestigious and rigorous academic competition in the world,” Dixon said. “These students have been working so hard to compete against the best and brightest minds the world has to offer. I know they will make us all so proud!”

For the tournament, all of the teams are separated into three categories: English-as-a-Primary Language, English-as-a-Second Language and English-as-a-Foreign Language. The teams compete in nine preliminary rounds which are then followed by elimination rounds. The top 48 teams in each category will compete until the top four finalists are chosen.

The Clemson Debate Society is also competing in a 7-round pre-Worlds tournament from Dec. 20-24 in Stellenbosch.

To support the students in the Clemson Debate Society as they travel and compete, click here.