The debate team had another fantastic year with a number of notable accomplishments.
Representation in the National Debate Tournament
In March, Brendan Brower and Clayton Russo qualified for the 2017 National Debate Tournament at the University of Kansas.
According to debate advisor Dr. Eric Morris, “It is challenging to qualify, and they qualified on the basis of their record throughout the whole season.”
Congratulations Brenden Brower & Clayton Russo for earning a bid to the 2017 National Debate Tournament! @MoStateDebate #GoBears
— Clif Smart (@ClifSmart) March 9, 2017
Success at the National Forensics Association tournament
Six Missouri State debaters attended the National Forensics Association tournament in April.
- Mikayla Dickerson qualified as one of the final 32 debaters and was ranked the sixth speaker in the nation.
- Gabe Morrison qualified as one of the final 16 debaters.
Join the debate
The debate team is open to all majors. Anyone wishing to give it a try is encouraged to register for COM 321: Inter-Collegiate Debating with Dr. Morris.
“You’ll probably give 12-20 organized speeches, and if you go to even one tournament, you’ll give twice as many as that,” Morris said. “We’ll show you how to put them together in ways that are fast and efficient, which will help your ability to deal with future situations where you may be asked to speak in-depth on a subject.”
And because employers consistently cite strong communication as one of the most desirable skills for prospective employees, these experiences help prepare debaters for a wide range of career paths.
Morris added, “I think one reason debaters tend to be so successful after they graduate is because they train themselves to be hard workers and also efficient workers.”
Register for the fall
- What: COM 321 (Inter-Collegiate Debating)
- When: Tuesday/Thursday, 3:30 – 4:45 p.m.
- CRN: 40163
- More information: Contact Eric Morris