University Of Alaska Anchorage: Seawolf Debate Closes Out Fall ‘21 Semester Strong!

Press release from the University of Alaska Anchorage:

December 13, 2021

The UAA students who make up the competitive squad of the Seawolf Debate Program (SDP)
demonstrated their resilience and commitment with an extraordinarily strong showing
in the fall 2021 semester. After over 18 months of COVID-related disruptions, the
Seawolf debaters proved they had not lost their edge. The students competed in five
tournaments this semester: four online and one in-person event. They posted finals
showing in four of those tournaments and won the Carroll College tournament (which
had 68 teams competing) outright. Their performance resulted in two of the Seawolf
tw0operson teams ranked in the top five teams conference-wide; as a squad the Seawolf
debaters were ranked 2nd overall.

But the program wasn’t content with only its competitive successes in the fall 2021
semester. They also reinvigorated their service agenda, volunteering to judge at high
school debate tournaments throughout the semester and hosting training sessions in
Fairbanks, the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage for middle school debaters. They also sponsored
two competitions in support of the Middle School Public Debate Program they founded
seven years ago; most exciting was the return to in-person MSPDP competition in December,
where Begich Middle School prevailed over Academy Charter of Palmer to take top honors.

The spring 2022 semester is chock-full of events for the SDP, including five competitions
in which UAA students will participate, hosting the Alaska State High School Drama,
Debate and Forensics Championships in February and sponsoring a number of middle school
tournaments in Fairbanks and Anchorage. Notably, the SDP is honored to have been selected
to host the collegiate debate conference championship and are hopeful that circumstances
will be such that they’ll be able to welcome dozens of teams from across the U.S.
to Anchorage in April.

This press release was produced by the University of Alaska Anchorage. The views expressed here are the author’s own.