The Debate Team at KSU hosted a debate night last Tuesday in the Social Sciences building on Kennesaw Campus where students and club members debated a variety of topics. The Pre-Law club and Criminal Justice Society collaborated to help run the event and provide topics to discuss.
“We hosted this as a way to help people be exposed to multiple organizations,” said Zainab Wajid, Criminal Justice major and president of the Debate Team at KSU. “We wanted people to come and discuss fun topics, share their peace, and help them get better at speaking in public.”
According to their Owl Life, the purpose of the Debate Team at KSU is to “develop members’ skills in critical thinking, constructive argumentation, and effective discourse through both practice and application.”
The Pre-Law Club is made up of students seeking to go to law school and enter the legal field, and the Criminal Justice Society promotes study and interest in the field of criminal justice.
The event had over 20 participants, and there were 15 topics that were discussed and debated, including the criminal justice system, rehabilitation, Halloween shows on Netflix, and Marvel vs DC.
“I think it went very well,” Wajid said. “I think people got very involved, and everyone, at some point, got comfortable enough to communicate with each other and state their opinion.”
Wajid continued, “There was a lot of involvement and laughter. The whole point was for people to learn things that they didn’t know before or get used to other mindsets and opinions that they hadn’t been exposed to before.”
“We went from talking about Marvel and DC to criminal punishment,” said Aayush Metah, Finance and Cybersecurity major and member of the Debate Team at KSU. “It was interesting to see a lot of different beliefs that we had. It was beautiful to see that.”
“Ever since I joined the Debate Team, I’ve enjoyed seeing just how intelligent people can be,” said Eros Pinto, English major and member of the Debate Team at KSU. “It has been wonderful to be a part of something so inclusive.”
Some debates were more spirited than others, and certain conversations stood out to the event attendees.
“My favorite topic was criminal rehabilitation,” Wajid said. “It really got people thinking and showed so many different ideas and expressed a lot of creativity. It’s important to have topics that get people thinking.”
“My favorite topic was Marvel vs DC,” Metah said. “Some people thought Marvel’s movies were better or that DC’s comics were better. We were able to see how people value different things when it comes to forming their opinions.”
The event also sought to encourage more friendly and productive discourse on university campuses.
“It really teaches people how to let other people know what they’re thinking quickly and nicely,” Wajid said. “It teaches people to advocate for themselves, be more informed about social issues, and get over their social anxiety. Through clubs and events like this, universities can help encourage their students to be intellectuals.”
“In today’s society where information is so rampant, having a debate club allows us to better communicate our thoughts,” Metah said. “It helps us to become better people overall.”
“Throughout life, one might be challenged on what they believe in,” said Simone Soares, Math and Music Composition major and member of the Debate Team at KSU. “Having this club can help students be more confident in their beliefs. That’s an important skill.”
