Congratulations to the 12 Debate Hawks members who competed at the American Debate Association National Championship tournament hosted by Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia on March 6-7. Monmouth entered six teams of two debaters including: 1) Summer Billich and Sophie Schaub (co-captains); Aiden Fornicola (co-captain) and Giana Mirto; 3) Paige Campbell and Kym Davis; 4) Ilyana Balaj and Emma Levinson; 5) Megan McCann and Lola Salyamov; and 6) Luciana Molina and Gurvind Dehar.
The championship tournament included 230 debaters from about 25 universities from across the nation. The team of Aiden Fornicola (co-captain) and Giana Mirto went 3–3 at the tournament, which ties for the most Monmouth debate round wins at the American Debate Association national championship tournament. Monmouth teams competed against debaters from George Mason University, the University of Texas, Boston College, the University of Indiana, the University of Houston, the University of Kentucky and against debaters from a number of other universities. The 2025–26 American Debate Associate topic this year is: “Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially strengthen collective bargaining rights for workers in the United States.” The Monmouth team ran an original team-researched case calling for the expansion of the National Labor Relations Act (1935) to include domestic workers.
A special thanks to debate alum Patrick Carbone who worked hard helping the team prepare for the tournament and by judging at the tournament. The team will next compete in the National Prison Debate League against inmates from York Correctional Facilities in Connecticut on April 8. Please reach out to Joe Patten if interested in learning more about the team. No experience is necessary. Debate teaches skills that last a lifetime and debate is a great way to make life-long friendships. Go Debate Hawks!
