Published on July 7, 2025 by Gunnar Sadowey  
SummerDebate

Last week, Samford’s Summer Debate Institute welcomed middle and high school students from across Alabama for five days of fast-paced practice rounds, hands-on workshops and team-building activities that sharpened argumentation skills and fostered new friendships. Guided by Samford’s championship-winning debate team, campers tackled public forum and Birmingham Area Debate League formats in an environment praised for its individualized feedback.

First-year participant Sam Howard, who will enter John Carroll Catholic High School this fall, said the week surpassed his expectations. “I’ve enjoyed meeting new people and gaining different perspectives,” Howard said. “Winning the Impact Championship with a super-volcano scenario was exciting, but the best part has been learning how to structure a case and think on my feet.”

Returning for her third consecutive summer, Lauren Graham of Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School noted how the institute has shaped her career ambitions. “Debate has given me political awareness and confidence in public speaking,” Graham said. “I used to be shy in the back of the classroom. Now I’m comfortable taking on a solo Lincoln-Douglas round and I’m considering a future in law or international advocacy.”

Grace Blackwell, a 2024 Samford graduate and former varsity policy debater who is directing this year’s camp, emphasized the institute’s long-term impact on participants.

“After serving as a lab leader for the past two years, getting to direct the institute this year has been incredibly rewarding,” Blackwell said. “Debate integrates critical thinking, collaboration, research and high-level competition, and helping students grow in all those areas has been a privilege. The experience prepares them not just for success at tournaments, but for life beyond the activity.”

While earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology, Blackwell captured the 2022 Novice National Championship, qualified for the National Debate Tournament (NDT) in 2023 and 2024 and served as an assistant coach for both SpeakFirst and the Samford Debate Team.

To learn more about Samford’s nationally competitive debate program, visit the Samford Debate website.

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Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.