“It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” Joseph Joubert (1754-1824)
Here is a question for alumni from the 1970s, ’80s or ’90s: What campus organization traveled all over the United States and made a name for Missouri Western because of its achievements? If you answered the Forensic Society, you are correct! After an absence of more than a decade, a forensic program, along with parliamentary debate, returned to campus in the fall of 2013.
The impetus for the program’s return came about in December 2012, when the Board of Governors renewed Dr. Robert Vartabedian’s presidential contract for five years and gave him a salary increase. Instead of taking the increase, Dr. Vartabedian said he wanted to use the net salary increase to fund special programs or projects over the next three years.
As a former college debate participant and debate coach, he used the funds to create a parliamentary debate and forensic program, and Sohail Jouya and Abigayle Richardson were hired as coaches, Jouya for debate and Richardson for forensics. The program began with seven students.
Freshmen Haden McDonald and Brad Stanton, who were debate partners at Savannah (Mo.) High School, said that once they decided to go to Missouri Western, they had talked to each other about trying to start a debate team here. They were excited when they realized Dr. Vartabedian had the same idea.
At their first debate tournament last October, Stanton placed third and McDonald fourth in the Novice Division for individual speakers. Additionally, the freshmen team of Graham Deckard and Eli Dodge brought home first place in the Parliamentary Debate Novice Division. Dodge is one of only two Missouri Western team members who were not on debate or forensics teams in high school.
At the Missouri Association of Forensics Activities state tournament, the team of Deckard and Dodge finished second and McDonald and Stanton finished third out of 15 teams.
“Debate is one of the best extra-curricular activities for giving you real-life skills,” said Stanton, whose career plans include being a lawyer and perhaps a politician. “Public speaking, logic and thinking on your feet are 100 percent applicable to the real world, and are all skills you can gain from debate and forensics.”
In parliamentary debate tournaments, the competitors learn their topic only 15 minutes before their debate begins. The twice-a-week practices for the team involve research, talking about a number of different current events and analyzing arguments, said Jouya, who also coaches debate at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy in Kansas City, Mo. “These students come away from the program with a huge handle on current events. You can’t help but learn from it.”
Richardson participated in forensics as a freshman at Truman State University in Kirksville and all four years as a student at Savannah High School. As a high schooler, she qualified for the national tournament four times. Richardson also attended three summer forensic camps at Bradley University. “I got to study under the best of the best,” she says of the summer camps. “And I love coaching the students.”
She noted that several universities want to see Missouri Western’s program succeed and have offered help to the two coaches.
“This program acts as the academic and intellectual face of the University, and we enjoy that,” Jouya said.
Stanton agreed. “I want to debate here to make a name for Missouri Western on the debate circuit.”
Jouya lived in St. Joseph for three years as a youth and said he spent a lot of time on campus, and Richardson attended cheer camps on campus as a young girl. After he was hired, Jouya found out his mother had participated in Missouri Western’s forensic program as a student.
Future plans for the program include offering scholarships and hosting a high school tournament on campus.
“We like starting from the ground up and we’re happy to be here,” Jouya said. “It’s nice to be back on campus and be leaders.”