Our Mission

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The mission of the Middlebury Debate Society is to develop Middlebury College students' ability to think critically, speak confidently, and explore new ideas through competitive parliamentary debate in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Think Critically

Develop your ability to critically analyze any subject matter or topic. ​

Explore New Ideas

Debate and discuss every subject imaginable with interested and passionate students from around the world. ​

Speak Confidently

Gain confidence speaking in front of groups in a safe, supportive environment. ​

Why Debate?

"I can genuinely say that joining the Debate Society is one the best decisions I have made. Debate has allowed me to consider, speak about, and acknowledge new topics from new perspectives. Debate is such a fun community on and off campus. I also now have more international friends from international tournaments! It is a space where we can joke around, have fun, but also have very serious and articulate conversations. Coming from a background with zero experience, I can speak to how welcoming the community has been to new members and continues to be. Becoming a debater has been such a transformative experience and I highly encourage anyone remotely curious to join us and try it out!"
---Cynthia Chen, '22

“I joined the debate team to improve my speaking skills and for the competition. Soon I found out that I walked into a fun, welcoming, and compassionate community that seamlessly switches from a joking atmosphere to a serious debate. People compete for intellectual high ground while at the same time trying to make their debate opponents laugh so much that they lose focus. I look forward to seeing the people on the debate team as much as the debate itself.”
​---Matt Goodman, '23

Montreal, Canda

Cambridge, England

Montreal, Canada

Washington, DC, USA