As the saying goes, there's no arguing with success, and nobody understands successful arguing better than the Otterbein debate team.
The team qualified for nationals, which comes as no surprise.
Otterbein has sent students to the national competition for the last five years.
"Last year we placed 11th in the nation. The year before we were 10th in the nation. We compete against schools like Northwestern University, Creighton University, Ithaca College, Western Kentucky University and University of Pennsylvania," said Nichelle McNabb, debate coach and assistant communication professor at Otterbein.
Out of approximately 12 competitions this year, Otterbein students scored in the top three on numerous occasions.
In preparation for the competition, debaters have done extensive research on the yearly topic given to them and held practice debates. A retreat in early April may also be in the works to help the members prepare outside of local distractions.
A debate competition works in two phases.
First, students debate for or against a predetermined United States policy, twice for and twice against.
The winners of these preliminary debates advance to elimination rounds, which make up the second phase of debate competition.
McNabb said this year's topic was "The United States Federal Government should substantially increase assistance to the Greater Horn of Africa in one of the following areas: economic development, human rights protection or public health."
"I have loved this year's topic on the Greater Horn of Africa because I feel it has opened my eyes to a vast amount of issues outside of my safe, little world," said junior English-education major Judith Holbrook. "You can't spend hours researching and debating child starvation, female genital mutilation, AIDS disease, etc. without being taken out of your little me-world bubble."
Besides Holbrook, Fahmiya Ismail, Randi Hopkins and Jessica Hansen will be going to the national competition held April 16-21st at Tennessee State University in Nashville.
A four-person team is on the small side. Other schools usually have around six members.
Although the team is challenged by the small number of participants, Otterbein faculty has stepped in to help.
"Our political science department has a great deal of expertise on Africa. Marsha Robinson came and talked to my debate class about the topic, Deb Halbert has attended tournaments and judged for us, and she sometimes watches practice debates, and Alan Cooper has spent time talking about some of the issues with various students," said McNabb.
Otterbein graduates who have won distinctions at past competitions include David Root, who won Pi Kappa Delta, National Champion, junior varsity division and the Lincoln-Douglass Debate.
Also taking the Lincoln-Douglass award was alum Sean Hayes. He also earned the 2004 Ohio State Champion award.
McNabb feels that her team has a fighting chance in the national competition.
She believes the student's stint with the debate team will have lasting benefits for their careers.
"My perception is that they work really hard and learn a great deal that will be helpful in their careers," said McNabb. "In the case of Randi and Judith, as high school teachers. Or in the case of Jess and Fahmiya, as lawyers." t&c;
