Members of Randolph-Macon College’s Franklin Debating Society finished in first place at the Collegiate Forensic Association’s winter tournament, which took place January 25-26, 2019 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina.

“Fourteen RMC students competed, and all contributed to our winning point total. Students from all four classes contributed as well as students from a wide variety of majors. It was not only a team-wide effort but a college-wide one,” says Communication Studies and English Professor Ted Sheckels, who coaches the Franklin Debating Society.

Communication Studies Professor Ruth Beerman, who also coaches the Society, says, “RMC’s overall first place finish stems from the hard work and dedication of our students. I’m very proud to see the continuing development of each individual student, including those who did not win individual awards: Jacob Baker ’22, Hannah Gutzwiller ’22 and Lorin Johnson ’20. After each tournament, we take the judges’ feedback and use it to make changes and adapt. I look forward to our final two tournaments of the season.”

Students won the following awards:
In parliamentary debate, the team of Sean Gordon ’19 and Caroline Kouneski ’19 finished third. The team of Chris Cox ’19 and Rebekah Hale ’20 and the team of Melissa Pritchard ’21 and Sommer Jordan ’19 received honorable mention with 3-1 records (winning three out of four rounds, finishing in the top third out of 25 teams). Gordon was third-place speaker and Brianne Habit ’19 was sixth-place speaker.

In Lincoln-Douglas debate, Pritchard placed first, Brianna Tsitsera ’22 placed second, and Jordan placed fourth.

In extemporaneous speaking, Gordon was third. In persuasive speaking, Gordon finished first, Emma Reilly ’22 finished second, and Habit finished fourth.

In humorous speaking, Matthew DeLancey ’21 finished third; and in communication analysis, Kouneski finished second, Dossat finished third, and Tsitsera finished sixth. In poetry interpretation, Jordan was third and Casey Dossat ’20 was fifth. In declamation, Gordon finished first and Kouneski finished fourth.

In dramatic interpretation, Tsitsera was sixth; and in duo interpretation, Gordon and Kouneski were fifth.

In pentathlon competition (demonstrating excellence in five events over three different categories), Gordon finished second and Kouneski finished third.

The Franklin Debating Society
The Franklin Debating Society competes in the Collegiate Forensics Association circuit.

Students compete in a variety of events, including debate and forensics. Debate includes both parliamentary debate and Lincoln-Douglas. Forensics events include: informative speaking, persuasive speaking, after dinner (humorous) speaking, impromptu speaking, extemporaneous speaking, communication analysis, declamation, poetry interpretation, prose interpretation, single dramatic interpretation, and duo dramatic interpretation.