2014 2015
Seawolf Debate POINTS OF INFORMATION
Debate: The Next Adventure by N I C K T A B A C Z K A
Not unlike many alumni of the Seawolf
Debate program, the Cabin Fever Debate Tournament was the intoxicating sampling I needed to seek out the team and my place on it. The path prior to that, however, was quite different than the average route taken by past and current members of the team. I am what is called a “non-traditional” student, here at UAA. Moreover I can be further categorized as “student veteran”. So what makes a 34 year old student and combat veteran want to join a group that participates in respectful discourse? The answer: “engagement”. When I first met with Steve Johnson to discuss my goals and listen to him introduce the program to me, he gave the
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IN THIS ISSUE: Debate: The Next Adventure Nick Tabaczka
We Are Alaska’s Agora Steve Johnson
Debating on Home Turf Sarah Elton
Season Recap Amie Collins
My Favorite Round Jacob Shercliffe
Mentoring Others Parker Dahl
Alumni Spotlight Joey Besl
Competitors, coaches and over 400 members of the Anchorage public listen to the final round of the U.S. Universities Debating Championship Credit: Philip Hall/UAA
We Are Alaska’s Agora by S T E V E J O H N S O N
In ancient Greek cities, the agora
articulating versions of the “marketplace of ideas” metaphor in modern thought) were familiar with the design of Greek society when they noticed the parallels between the free exchange of commerce and the free exchange of ideas.
was an open square in the center of the city at which tcitizens would gather to hear official announcements and to debate the matters of the state. In some cases, the agora also served as a marketplace for citizens to exchange goods and services While physical spaces that function as agora are no longer a needed in ancient life. required design element of The agora offers interesting insight modern cities, the need for a place into the lives of citizens of ancient in which citizens can come Greece. Their public spaces were together remains essential. The deliberately and thoughtfully virtual agora that once held such designed, intended to be at the promise (talk radio, cable news literal as well as metaphoric center channels, the comments sections of those citizens’ lives. Even the in online media sources) have dual purpose of the agora--as turned out to lack the social public square and marketplace--has constraints so necessary for civil significance. No doubt John Stuart discourse that are (more) present Mills, Oliver Wendell Holmes and when individuals gather in person. WIlliam O. Douglas (the So where shall we engage one individuals credited with another? (continues on pg. 3)
Seawolf Debaters Sam Erickson and Sarah Elton compete in the Quarterfinals of the U.S. Universities Debating Championship at the Captain Cook Hotel. Speakers from left to right: Noah Kirsch and Drew Latimer of Tufts University; Emmanual Wadell III and Rodje Malcolm of Morehouse University; Sam Erickson and Sarah Elton of the University of Alaska Anchorage; Alex Bullock and Becca White of the University of Vermont Credit: Erik Hall/ADN
Debating on Home Turf by S A R A H E L T O N
Shortly after I joined the Seawolf
Debate team three years ago, my parents devised a new family rule; “No Debate at the Dinner Table”. It’s not that I was particularly aggressive in my opinions, but my insistence on analyzing their statements through a post-structuralism paradigm made meals significantly less enjoyable. Regardless, my parents have always actively supported my interaction with debate. They happily watch public showcase debates, willingly pick me up from the airport at two in the morning, and occasionally stop by debate practice (once accompanied by a Valentine’s Day a capella quartet).
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The spirit of debate is alive and well in all activities I participate in, but my attitude towards debate tournaments is decidedly more intense. Showcase and practice debates lack the desperation and
intensity that competition begets. Being present during a heated debate draws audience members into the tension and unspoken nuances of the round. The United States Universities Debating Championships, hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage this past year, gave my family a unique avenue to understand debate and a significant portion of my life they could never have fully understood otherwise.
internationally, often see Alaska as a physical place and cannot envision the mountains and clear air as an integral part of my worldview. Bringing my dearest friends into the “big backyard” while explaining Alaskan Native myths and describing my campfire filed upbringing brought us closer together. The elements of my character that require to be wild and free were exposed and understood.
The necessary conditions for being an Alaskan and being a debater share more qualities than I had previously perceived.
The necessary conditions for being an Alaskan and being a debater share more qualities than I uhad previously perceived. Both require boundless curiosity to push forward to the summit. A passion to navigate the next argument or anticipate the next peak. The bravery to fight against the current or the current argument. Equanimity in dealing with a bad ranking or bad weather, and the fire to continue with the things you love most. ◊
Being an Alaskan is also central to my identity. The many close friends I have accumulated on the debate circuit, nationally and
Alaska’s Agora... I’ve been thinking a lot about the role of a debate program in its community over the past year. Modern debate programs tend to conceive of themselves exclusively as competitive teams, with only passing attention paid to public debates hosted when the Irish or British champions tour happens to stop by. The consequences of this limited focus can be particularly stark for programs like ours, where our competitions happen outside and the benefits of encountering important social and policy topics in a debate are unavailable to the very public on whose support debate’s continued existence depends. As is evidenced by the programming the Seawolf Debate Program has produced this past year, as well as some of our plans for the future, we’re responding to what we perceive as a need--and a duty--to create spaces in which people can be exposed to and instructed in effective civil discourse. Our year started with two very successful public debates on policy issues under consideration
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by Alaskan voters. We recruited and trained policy experts to argue in the academic debating style, then sold out the 400-seat Bear Tooth Theatre in town for debates over proposed changes to Alaska’s oil tax regime and whether Alaska should legalize the recreational use of marijuana. We partnered with the Alaska Dispatch News to host these debates which were, by all accounts, very successful. Our spring semester was consumed with preparations for hosting the US Universities Debating Championships. Attended by over 500 debaters and judges from around the US (and a few from international debating circuits), the national championships for debating in the British Parliamentary style was a true celebration of academic debating. Our final round was attended by an audience of over 700 people, allowing the tournament participants in attendance to mix with Anchorage debate fans who came to see the round. Though UAA didn’t take the national championship (that went to Yale) we were happy to see so many people from our community turn out to watch a
Jonathon Taylor and Matthieu Ostrander represent UAA against Oxford University in our spring exhibition debate at the Alaska Performing Arts Center on the topic “Is Classical Music Dead?”. Credit: Philip Hall/UAA
debate for which they didn’t know the motion (it’s announced only 15 minutes before the round begins) or the teams competing (since they were decided in the semifinal round the immediately preceded the final). We rounded out our civic agenda by hosting Oxford for an exhibition debate on the motion “This House believes that classical music deserves no support beyond that which the market will provide.” KLEF 98.1, Anchorage’s classical music station, underwrote this debate and sponsored the participation of notable guest judges including the classical music critic from the Washington Post, the Artistic Director of the Sitka Summer Music Festival and Hobo Jim, Alaska’s Balladeer. While there were certainly an abundance of classical music fans in the audience, the topic seemed to have broad appeal particularly given the fiscal circumstances in which Alaska finds itself and the introspection we’re undergoing about what should receive the support of public funding. In all, four very successful experiments in bringing debate back to the community of which we’re a part. Did our efforts make a difference in the quality of discourse practiced by members of those communities? It’s probably too soon to tell, but given the positive feedback we’ve received it is certain that our civic debate programming will become an increasingly important part of the Seawolf Debate Program’s offerings. And who knows, maybe we’ll meet up with you the next time our agora is convened. ◊ 3
My Favorite Debate Round by J A C O B S H E R C L I F F E Although I enjoy discussing oil
markets and human rights abuses in far away lands, one of my favorite parts about debate comes from learning to appreciate more of the things I take for granted. Earlier this year at the United States Universities Debating Championship (USUDC), my partner, Parker, and I had the opportunity to gain that deeper gratitude. By far, my favorite debate this year was in the seventh round of USUDC, when we debated the motion: “This house would eliminate trial by jury and replace it with trial by judge”. The moment the motion was announced and Parker and I were assigned to the opposition, we began thinking about legal questions far outside our expertise. We wracked our brains for why the founding fathers decided juries were so important to the justice system that they
specifically outlined trial by jury in the Constitution. From a very young age, I remembered learning about the Bill of Rights; that the sixth amendment guarantees the right to a jury of your peers in a criminal trial. However, never once in all my years of education thus far had I learned why that principle was so important. The debate contained discussions on discrimination, analysis on the biases of judges, the principles and protection of democracy. I learned about rule of law, national judicial systems, and how rights interplay in the lives of citizens. Debate provided a unique environment that applied critical thinking and analysis towards the complicated issue and hectic world at hand. In eight, seven minute speeches, I received a better understanding of what it means to be a citizen of this country than I had in all my time
The Seawolf Debate Team at Seattle University Invitational this past December. 4
Jacob Shercliffe enjoying a summer canoe ride with fellow teammate Genevieve Mina and debate partner Parker Dahl. in a classroom. I learned about the importance of the institutions that
In eight, seven minute speeches, I received a better understanding of what is means to be a citizen than I had in all my time in a classroom. shape America by discussing the topic with others. Years from now, I won’t remember readings from my textbooks, lectures from my professors, or papers that I’ve written. But somehow I know I’ll never lose the respect I gained for America’s judicial system, the experience I shared conversing with other thoughtful and passionate individuals, and the love I have of getting up in front of others and debating. ◊
Finalists of the Northern Lights Open, our British Parliamentary debate tournament for high school students, pose with their awards. Terek Rutherford and Skyler Hektner of South Anchorage High School won for the third year in a row.
Nick Tabaczka joins fellow Seawolf Debaters as a judge for the final round of the Hanshew Invitational for the Middle School Public Debate Program.
Mentoring Others: Why I Serve by P A R K E R D A H L For the past two years I have been
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heavily involved in promoting middle school debate. Being able to be involved with middle school debate is very unique, for one there is the fact that middle school students are young. This may seem like stating the obvious, but how they approach things like debate is anything but. The average middle school student will be hesitant, as most are, but once they decide to do something they jump in with both feet. Their youthfulness also presents itself with an abundant amount of positivity and some of the most interesting takes on arguments. I am so grateful that I have been able to be a part of this program, for the general enthusiasm middle school students bring to debate reminds me why I love it so much.â—Š
UAA College of Arts & Sciences Dean John Stalvey presents Daniel Galarza and Anthony Galarza with the Championship Trophy at the 2015 Cabin Fever Debates. The intramural debate tournament designed for UAA students not part of our competitive team celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.
Alumni Spotlight: Seawolf Debate Program by J O E Y B E S L , U A A O F F I C E O F A L U M N I R E L AT I O N S
Alumni came from down the
street and around the world to help out at the 2015 U.S. Universities Debating Championships (USUDC)—the nation’s top debate tourney—hosted by UAA April 11-13. USUDC provided UAA’s world-ranked Seawolf Debate another chance to shine on the national stage. Just as important, though, it gave dozens of debate alumni a chance to come home. Former Seawolf debaters came from Anchorage, Juneau, D.C. and Texas to assist with the tournament—one even flew back from South Korea. The overwhelming response was fitting for a massive event like USUDC. Over a span of three days, 170 teams from nearly 60 universities went head-to-head in 360 live debates held all across campus, culminating in a championship round before an
before an audience of over 700. For a program that has earned a global reputation—even ranking in the top 10 in the world in 2012—hosting was a significant honor. For the returning alumni, it was a chance to reconvene and celebrate the program they helped build. Highlights and Seawolf Debate
history
of
Seawolf Debate has existed in some form since the Anchorage Community College days. Back in 1972, the team traveled as far as Bozeman and Tempe to compete. More recently, though, members have stamped their passports in India, Greece and even Botswana to take on the world’s oratory all-stars. Currently, Seawolf Debate is ranked #17 on the planet. The reputation of Seawolf Debate is largely owed to the legacy of its
alumni and its coach of 19 years, Steve Johnson. Under Steve’s watch, UAA took home national titles in 2002 and 2005—one team even advanced to the final eight at Worlds in 2007. While organizing USUDC, Steve invited former students to help judge the immense tournament. The alumni response was incredibly enthusiastic. “That’s a pretty strong comment on what this event meant to them that years after the fact they’re willing to come back and give a whole weekend to a project like this,” Steve said. The weekend kicked off on Friday, when nearly 30 alumni and current students gathered at the Captain Cook to reminisce over the glory days, the rounds they remembered, the tournaments they attended and the skills they gained from debate. “That was really the high point of 9
Season Recap by A M I E S T A N L E Y To say this year was a busy one for
Seawolf Debate is an understatement. In addition to taking on our most ambitious public service agenda yet, the team’s competitive prowess continued to shine. As I took time off to welcome my first child into our family, the Seawolf Debate Program was incredibly blessed to welcome back alumni John Schultz, former coach at Purdue University as part of our coaching staff. John served as Assistant Coach through much of the competitive season and proved invaluable to the team’s success as I closely followed the team from home, eager to return and see them on the road to nationals. With less than a month of fall practice under their belt, six debaters traveled on behalf of the University of Alaska Anchorage to compete at the United States Air Force Invitational in Colorado Springs on September 25-26. All three of those teams advanced smoothly to elimination rounds- as if they had spent their entire summer before practicing debate. Our Seawolves ended up ranked 2nd, 5th and 7th over a field of 56 teams representing 17 institutions at the conclusion of preliminary debating. Bexley Brown and Johanna Richter settled for Quarterfinalist honors, while Sarah Elton and AJ Carver joined Matthieu Ostrander and Jonathon Taylor in the final round. Following an incredibly close round on a topic evaluating the likely effectiveness of sanctions targeting Russia, Elton and Carver captured second place, with Ostrander and Taylor finishing third. LMU’s top-team won the tournament. Of
AJ Carver, Johanna Richter, Matthieu Ostrander, and Jonathon Taylor make the long 25 hour trek to Malaysia to compete in the Worlds Universities Debating Championship. For Seawolf Debaters, planes feel like our second home. speakers at the tournament, six were from UAA. Wasting no time the teams of Elton and Carver, Ostrander and Taylor travelled the following weekend to the Yale Invitational. This year the invitational, known to be one of the most competitive in North America, hosted 148 teams from the U.S., England, and Canada. After six tough preliminary rounds both teams advanced to the elimination phase- Ostrander and Taylor as the 4th overall seed followed by Elton and Carver as the 16th seed. Although UAA’s two teams had to contend themselves with Quarterfinalist awards, this was a record-setting trip for the Seawolf Debate Program. It was the first time we’ve broken a team at the Yale Invitational since 2010 back when Akis Gialopsos and I broke, and the first time ever our program broke two teams at the same Yale IV. This break was just the energizing experience our coaching staff and students needed to tackle the rest of our ambitious year.
On October 17-19 the Seawolf Debate Program sent three teams to the Hart House Intervarsity Debating Tournament in Toronto. This year’s Hart House was attended by 100 teams representing universities across the US and Canada. Three Seawolf Debate teams were entered into the competition where they debated motions considering whether all salaries should be made public, whether war journalists should be compelled to reveal their sources in trials involving suspected war criminals, and whether politicians should be assumed to be under oath when making any public statements thus being held criminally liable for perjury if they lie. While all three teams represented UAA admirably, the team of AJ Carver and Sarah Elton just missed the break to quarterfinals, finishing with the 10 points needed to break (out of 15 possible) but falling just short on
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Season Recap... the tie-breaker of team speaker points. The team of Johanna Richter and Sam Erickson were right behind them finishing with 9 points and both teams finished the preliminary rounds of competition among the top-30% of all entered teams. Rather than make the long trek home only to double-back, the team spent the week out east in anticipation of the North American Universities Debating Championship, hosted by Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY. In New York the Seawolves faced equally tough competition against 92 of the best teams North America has to offer. Both teams missed a very tough break to quarterfinals, but landed themselves in the top third of teams in attendance. Testing our limits abroad, the Seawolf Debate Program took two teams to the Cambridge Intervarsity where 120 of America and Europe’s best teams congregated over the weekend of November 21-11. Again unable to seal the deal on an advance to elimination rounds, Seawolves held their own. Ostrander &
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(continued) Ostrander & Taylor as individuals secured themselves a speaker rank in the top quarter of the field. Meanwhile, back on the Alaskan front we prepared to send out many of our novices for the first time to the University of British Columbia Invitational. At that tournament of 32 teams, Bexley Brown and Jacob Shercliffe tied for 15th place speaker and secured themselves a spot in the semifinal round. Jacob Shercliffe was awarded the prize Top Novice Speaker at the tournament. On December 6-7, the program got a rare treat as all competitive teams traveled together to the Seattle University campus to compete against 36 of the best teams in the northwest U.S. and Canada. By the end of the tournament it was clear UAA had one of the deepest talent pools present. Competition kicked off Saturday morning with the first of many socially-charged debates, specifically engaging in a debate around the riots in Ferguson in round one while protests occurred just several blocks down the road throughout the weekend.
UAA Chancellor Tom Case and Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services Bill Spindle join us at the USUDC Banquet, as they get a firsthand glimpse of what intercollegiate debating looks like. Credit: Sarah Elton
By the end of round five all but 1 of our 7 teams were still in contention to advance to the semifinal round. At the end of six preliminary rounds the team of Sarah Elton & Sam Erickson advanced along with fellow Seawolves Matthieu Ostrander & Jonathan Taylor to the semifinal phase of competition at the top of the preliminary rankings. Elton & Erickson were the top-ranked team at the end of the preliminary phase, having dropped only 2 of the potential 18 points available. Ultimately it was the team of Ostrander & Taylor who would represent UAA in the final round. Joining UAA were teams from Claremont College, Seattle University and University of British Columbia on a debate about whether the United States should completely subsidize the cost of college education for its citizens. In a very close decision Ostrander & Taylor were named the 2nd Place Team. In addition to the 2nd Place Team and Semifinal awards brought home, UAA’s individual speakers dominated the top 10 speaker rankings, sweeping 6 of the top 10. Ostrander was named Top Speaker with his partner Taylor 2nd, followed closely by Erickson in 3rd and Elton in 5th. AJ Carver placed 6th and Johanna Richter 8th. About half of the UAA squad at this competition were in their first year of collegiate competition which qualified Jacob Shercliffe to the 2nd Place Novice Speaker award while Erickson took Top Novice Speaker. Rounding out the fall semester as always was our annual trip to the World Universities Debating Championship. This prestigious tournament was hosted this year in Malaysia and attended by over 350 teams. We were fortunate to
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The Next Adventure... same two mandates he gives everyone: (1) Represent the University in competitive tournaments and (2) participate in public outreach through middle and high school debate programs, as well as public forum debates on current issues facing our community. So as a tax payer, student, future Anchorage teacher, and competitive spirit, I could look around my whole life for a program that fit my goals and motivations and never find one as uniquely suited as the Seawolf Debate Program. Debate offered me a chance to engage with ideas both old and new, engage with
students and teachers within the Anchorage School District, and become part of a group that places a premium on understanding the issues. By my standards, my first year with the team was a great success. I enjoyed competing to be sure, but I have met some truly remarkable people that welcomed me from day one. I have plenty to learn and hone, but in less than a year I feel good about where I have gotten, which is in no small part because of the people who helped me get there. ◊
Season Recap... have sent three teams to represent UAA: Ostrander and Taylor, Elton and Erickson, Richter and Carver. After three days of preliminary competition, months of preparation, and much anticipation the team of Ostrander and Taylor missed the break to elimination rounds by a single preliminary team point. Their admirable effort in the preliminary phase placed them in the top 20% of all teams present at this year’s championship. Back home we took a break from competitive travel, focusing on our robust service agenda to foster debate and discourse in the Anchorage community. In addition to hosting several exhibition debates, UAA’s intramural competition, Alaska’s State DDF Tournament, and Anchorage Middle School Debate Championships, we honed in our skills in the hopes of making waves on the home shore when
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Top: Nick Tabaczka during his military tour. Bottom: Nick Tabaczka at his first debate tournament in Seattle.
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the U.S. Universities Debating Championship came to Anchorage. Luckily, our hopes prevailed as Seawolf Debaters gave the home crowd an inside glimpse at the legacy of competitive success our pogram has enjoyed on the national stage for years. Over 170 teams from 60 institutions made the trek to Alaska to participate in the U.S. Universities Debating Championship. Seven UAA teams entered the competition and two of them compiled records that qualified them for the elimination rounds. The team of Sam Erickson (Freshman) and Sarah Elton (Junior) were seeded 16th after the preliminary rounds but were eliminated in the first knock-out round. Matt Ostrander (Junior) and Jonathon Taylor (Junior) were the 10th seed after prelims and advanced through the first elimination round to end their run in the quarterfinal round. UAA
was the only public university to place a team in a quarterfinal round, a round that featured competitors from Stanford, Brandeis, Bates, and Cornell among others. Each year as I look back over the season recap, I continue to be amazed at the growth and excellence our program continues to produce. It is both exhilarating and intimidating to contemplate what the future holds for our program as we consistently claim top novice awards and our experienced debaters sweep elimination rounds. I believe our success is a testament to our work ethic, the quality of the debate community in Anchorage from which we draw our talent, and our UAA campus community’s commitment to academic debating and discourse that fosters such great leaders and ambassadors for UAA. Here’s to another #uaamazing year. ◊ 7
Technology & Debate As debaters it should be no surprise that we firmly believe in the power of debate and discourse to shape and influence our beliefs about the world around us. Through the use of technology like Poll Everywhere we can track the immediate power of debate to change opinion. We have been using the system to pose a simple question at the start of debates asking whether or not members of the audience agree or disagree with the motion before them. Audience members cast their vote by text message and are asked to do so again after listening to the entire debate. These are the results of the poll taken at our most recent public debate, showing dramatic shifts in a room full of music enthusiasts when asked to consider what kind of financial support classical music deserves.
Pre-Debate Poll
Seawolf Debate POINTS OF INFORMATION
Steve Johnson Director of Debate (907) 786-4391 steve.johnson@uaa.alaska.edu
Amie Collins Assistant Director for Public Relations (907) 786-4354 amie.stanley@uaa.alaska.edu
John Schultz
Post-Debate Poll
Assistant Coach (907) 786-4354 john.schultz@uaa.alaska.edu ADM/Humanities Bdg. Rm 262 3211 Providence Drive Anchorage, Alaska 99508 www.uaa.alaska.edu/seawolfdebate
Follow Seawolf Debate: â—Š
Left: Parker Dahl & Stacey Lucason process to receive their degrees. Right: Stacey & Parker pose after commencement with teammates Daniel Jost, Jacob Shercliffe, Demry Mebane, and Matthieu Ostrander, who served as name readers for UAA’s spring commencment.
Congratulations to our Class of 2015 graduates, Stacey Lucason & Parker Dahl on the completion of their bachelor degrees!
universities.” Seawolf Debate has always taken a unique community approach, staging annual Anchorage showdowns with big-ticket debate squads (like Stanford and Harvard) and sending students to coach in the school district. That outreach has worked in their favor as well.
Competitors eagerly await the announcement of the next round at the U.S. Universities Debating Championship. Seawolf alumni who donated countless hours to volunteer as judges can be spotted all along the top floor railing.
weekend with caring for their 2-year-old son. “I think the greatest benefit on a personal level was just the camaraderie of the team,” Nikki said of her years with Seawolf Debate. “It allowed me to really get involved with the university … it was an opportunity to be surrounded by people that succeed and pursue their dreams.” One of the things Steve taught us is perfection isn’t the goal, but you can always make things better. I see that in my adult life as an alum—there’s always room for improvement.” Michael and Nikki received a special shout-out at the USUDC banquet on Sunday night. In front of over 200 guests, right after Mayor Sullivan addressed the crowd, Steve Johnson took the mic and acknowledged Michael’s national championship at the inaugural USUDC in 2005.
“We were very touched,” Nikki said of the recognition. “Ten years ago we got married. And 10 years ago he won the national championship. So it was quite a year,” she laughed. Home field advantage UAA’s home field advantage worked in their favor. Two Seawolf teams advanced to Monday’s knockout rounds, one pair even made the round of 16. Stacked against Ivy League mainstays, UAA made it further than any other public university in the nation. For most of the alumni, seeing a tournament of this size hosted on campus was beyond belief. “I never thought it would happen … Without the judges and the donations and the university support, we wouldn’t have been able to do this,” Nikki said. “I think that [support] shows how Alaska outshines these other
“I ran into my neighbors at the final round and I just thought that was amazing, these people I grew up next to who have nothing to do with debate, aside from living in Anchorage, showed up to watch the final round,” added Brett. “I would have loved to be debating competitively in Anchorage with people coming to watch it,” Drew admitted. “I forgot how fun it was and how much I enjoyed spending time with those people.” “One of the consistent points of feedback I got from alumni was just how proud they were to be associated with the program that’s now getting front page coverage,” Steve said. “One of the things I kept reflecting on over the weekend is this is one of the hallmarks of UAA becoming a mature university,” he continued, citing the intense connection his former students feel to UAA and their Seawolf Debate tradition. “That’s ultimately what the collegiate experience needs to be about.” “We now have all these people that recognize that connection, and its meaningful and influential and informative … I think it’s a testament to what UAA is becoming.” ◊ This article appeared in the UAA Green & Gold on May 27, 2015.
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the weekend,” Steve said of the kickoff reunion. “It’s a very humbling experience to be part of something like that, to see parallels in their development … It’s just a wonderful thing.” Three-dimensional chess In the current format—known as British Parliamentary—four teams of two face off in a debate. Participants learn their topic and positions—two teams argue for an issue, two argue against—only 15 minutes before the debate starts. It’s a pressure cooker environment, as all eight participants get seven minutes to state their case while deflecting constant attacks from the other side. “It’s like taking a chess board and making it three-dimensional,” said Michael Rose, B.A. ’09, who won a national championship for UAA at the first USUDC tournament in 2005.“It forces you to think quickly and think on your feet and be able to speakimmediately,” noted Brett Frazer, B.S. ’12. That pressure was largely off the alumni volunteers this time around. As judges, they could sit back and determine who made the best arguments on topics that ranged from immigration to teacher’s union to police interrogations. A toolkit for the future Since leaving UAA, debate alumni have taken on careers across the board. Some went into non-profits, some work for Native corporations. There are analysts and lobbyists, PR execs and political consultants, and of course a few lawyers. Despite their diverse careers, debate alumni all owe a piece of their 10
path to their years on Seawolf Debate. “To a pretty large degree, it’s hard to separate my personal identity and who I’d be without debate. It’s been tremendously influential,” explained Drew Cason B.A. ’13, who currently works as a policy analyst in Washington, D.C. “You can have an extremely simple argument dressed in extremely technical language. Debate is helpful in identifying structures of debate and that’s something I deal with constantly.” Drew’s former teammate Brett works with the same skills. He even spent the past two years living and breathing debate in Asia. “Debate gave me the confidence to defend my convictions, to speak up more often in class, to get involved in my community,” he said. For the past two years, he passed those lessons on to his students in Malaysia and South Korea. Debate is big business in Asia—it’s a tool to teach English, as well as confidence and conviction in a foreign language. Brett worked as a debate teacher and private coach and even represented the Americas (yes, both continents) on the adjudication panel for the World Championships in Malaysia in 2013. USUDC made a great intermission between leaving Asia and starting law school at University of Michigan this summer. For Michael, now a lawyer in Anchorage, debate provided him a toolkit for his career. “That kind of sophisticated logical analysis and reasoning is critical in law. It’s one of the hardest skills first-year law students have to develop,” he said.
Michael Rose poses with the US Universities Debating Championship travelling trophy that bears his name. Credit: Nikki Rose
“I definitely feel I had a step up.” In debate, competitors try to knock each other off their guard with pointed accusations and one-line zingers. That improvisational style has paid off immensely. “There are countless examples of times I’ve had to think on my feet in trial settings,” he added. Proof? Recently, Michael stepped in last-minute on a high-stakes case. He studied up, formed his arguments and earned a $51 million award for his client. “Debate is the most important academic decision I made in my life,” Michael noted. “I could talk about this stuff for hours. It’s such an important part of my life.” The most valuable thing he gained from Seawolf Debate, though, was his wife, Nikki Rose, B.A. ‘10. The couple met on the debate team at UAA and both judged at USUDC, balancing the busy