California State University, Fresno’s Debate Team ends an eight-year hiatus, returning to action with an acclaimed coach and a special preview of its talents at noon Monday, May 9, fittingly in the Free Speech Area.
Three team members will tackle the controversial topic “California Should Fully Fund the CSU System?” in hopes of generating student interest for the debate season next fall that will include competition against major colleges across the nation.
The debaters are Kevin Grow, an English major from Salinas; Richard Schneider, a history major from Madera, and Jessica Lukens, a social work major from Harrisburg, Pa.
The new team is coached by former national debate champion Kevin Kuswa, currently the director of debate at the University of Richmond in Virginia. Kuswa’s teams have qualified for the National Debate Tournament seven times. As an undergraduate at Georgetown University, he he won the national tournament in 1992.
Competitions will be held on the state and regional levels. To compete in the national contest a team must be ranked in the top 64 in the nation.
“We will be debating any institution of higher education,” said Chris Andrade, lecturer in the Department of Communications who is spearheading the debate demo. “It is an amazing opportunity for our students to truly compete nationally.”
The Debate Team is open to all students. Kuswa will be on campus 2-4 p.m. May 15, to meet interested students and discuss the team and debate competitions.
For more information, contact Andrade at candrade@csufresno.edu.
(Copy by University Communications news intern Nicole Maul)
