Members of the Randolph-Macon College Franklin Debating Society won First Place in the Collegiate Forensic Association (CFA) final 2015-16 tournament, which was held March 4-5, 2016 in Ocean City, Maryland. They also retained the Welch-Strine Cup, which is awarded to the outstanding school for the year. Randolph-Macon has won the Cup five out of the past six years.

In Parliamentary Debate, Derek Dittmar ’16 and Emily Durando ’17 won 5th place while Sean Gordon ’19 and Caroline Kouneski ’19 won 6th. Dittmar was the 2nd best speaker in parliamentary debate.

In Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Stephanie Clute ’17 won 5th Place, while Taylor Evelyn ’17 won the top season-long award in this category.

In both Poetry Interpretation and Prose Interpretation, Durando won 4th. In Dramatic Interpretation, she won 5th, and Lauren Grace Wygal ’19 won 3rd.

In Dramatic Duo, three RMC combos won: Martin Yoder ’17 and Wygal, 3rd Place; Dittmar and Durando, 5th Place; and Gordon and Kouneski, 6th Place.

In Declamation, three RMC students won awards: Durando for 2nd; Evelyn for 5th; and Fidele Ntumba ’18 for 6th. Durando won the year-long award in this category.

In Persuasive Speaking, Gordon won 1st Place, and Kouneski, 4th. Gordon won the year-long award in this category.

In Humorous Speaking, Dittmar won 1st Place, and Kouneski, 2nd. Dittmar won the year-long award in this category.

In Communication Analysis, Dittmar won 2nd Place, while Christine Sellers ’16 won 6th.

In Extemporaneous Speaking, Gordon won 4th Place; Dittmar won 5th; and Kouneski won 6th.

In Impromptu Speaking, Dittmar won 1st Place, while Evelyn won 5th. Dittmar was the year-long winner in this category.

Three Yellow Jackets won Pentathlon Awards based on performance in five events. Dittmar was 1st, Kouneski was 3rd and Durando was 6th.

RMC Communication Studies and English Professor Ted Sheckels coaches the Franklin Debating Society.

“During the 2015-16 season, 20 colleges and universities have participated in the seven CFA sponsored or affiliated tournaments,” says Sheckels, who also serves as director of speaking for the Higgins Academic Center. “These schools extend from New York to Florida, with a heavy concentration in Virginia including Hampton, Richmond, Lynchburg and RMC. The Franklin Debating Society members are delighted to end up in first place once again in this rich, diverse group.”

The Franklin Debating Society
Fostering the invaluable skills of public speaking and reasoned discourse, the Franklin Debating Society also gives students the opportunity to participate in lively debate competitions. Franklin Debating Society members compete intercollegiately in debate and a range of forensics activities. The Society annually hosts the touring British debaters as well as a 19th Century-style debating event.