Program Highlights

2017-2018:

  • Qualified for the National Debate Tournament, advanced to the quarterfinals finishing tied for 5th in the nation
  • Chinnel Williams became a Fulbright Alternate
  • Deontrey Yeargin was awarded a Learning Leaders Fellowship in Shanghai, China
  • Deontrey Yeargin and Chinnel Williams named Debate All-Americans

2018-2019

  • Finished the National Debate Tournament as one of the top 32 teams in the nation
  • Received the Cross-Examination Debate Association (CEDA) Public Debate Award
  • Received the CEDA Alumni of the Year Award (Elizabeth Jones)
  • Deontrey Yeargin named Debate All-American
  • Won the Val Browning Round Robin Tournament at Weber State University

2019-2020

  • Qualified for the National Debate Tournament (cancelled due to COVID)
  • Deontrey Yeargin named Debate All-American and National Debate Scholar
  • Deontrey Yeargin was awarded a full Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship to study abroad
    • The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity. Under Executive Order 13750, Gilman scholars are eligible for 12 months of noncompetitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government, with the possibility of extensions if certain criteria are met. NCE allows U.S. federal government agencies to hire eligible exchange program alumni outside of the formal competitive job announcement process and to compete for certain federal employment jobs that are only open to federal employees. In other words, a Gilman alumna/us can receive a job offer with as little as an open position and a résumé that reflects the necessary experience and education for an agency.
    • Deontrey completed the internship in Australia (virtually).
  • Tiffany Dillard-Knox was awarded the Arts and Sciences Supervisor of the Year Award

2020-2021

  • Received an automatic first round bid for the National Debate Tournament
    • This is awarded to the top 16 teams in the nation at the end of the regular season
    • This achievement has not occurred at the university since the 1990s
  • Raveen Bryant named Debate All-American
  • Deontrey Yeargin and Jahne Benthall named National Debate Scholars
  • A special issue of the Contemporary Argumentation and Debate Journal was initiated to celebrate the 20th anniversary of “The Louisville Project”
    • This journal issue is currently in press.