Civic debate uses debate as a tool for engagement, service and publication. By participating in civic debate competitions, students have opportunities to contribute to global civil society while developing essential professional and civic skills. Civic debate also offers GWU students the opportunity to develop their resumes through internships at leading national and international organizations, to participate in once-in-a-lifetime experiences supporting global debate education, and to earn academic credit and scholarships for their work as society members. As part of our civic debate program over the last two years GWDebaters have:
taken fellowships at NASA and traveled to the Ames Space Center as part of the NASA Astrobiology Debates
taken fellowships at the Embassy of France and traveled to Paris as part of the Lafayette Debates
traveled to Bali and Bandgung, Indonesia, as part of the GWU FITE Advocacy Competition
assisted in founding the only intercollegiate debate tournament in the world dedicated to debating social justice topics, the Morehouse Social Justice Debates at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA.
And much, much more! Click here for answers to FAQs about civic debate.
Pictured above: U.S. Senator Tim Kaine delivers the opening statement at the War Powers Debates at The George Washington University as GWDebaters Joseph Nelson and Katherine Stasaski prepare their speeches in the background. Afterwards Kaine explained in an article on Presidential War Powers how Katie's speech had improved his understanding of how young adult noncombatants experience war in the post-9/11 era.
