Acclaimed ESU duo debates TU
Alistair Cormack, Alex Just stop at Trinity as part of 3 month, 32 school tour
Eric Washburn
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: Trinity Life
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"It was a really good debate," Garretson said. "If it had been judged, Trinity might have won, but I'm torn between the two sides."
Crockett felt that the Trinity debaters came with a few aces up their sleeves, "but the British debaters had the entire crowd laughing along, jumping around and turning witty phrases at the Trinity debaters."
Cormack, born in London, England, graduated from the University of Durham this year with an honors degree in History and Politics, having represented Durham at debating championships across the globe. He was ranked among the top ten European speakers in 2006 and was a finalist at the English National Championships.
"Alex and I are having an amazing time, doing what we love to do," Cormack said.? "We're having a lot of fun debating, and we're really enjoying being able to experience college life in America- just this week, we ate barbeque and shot guns with students at Texas State, and we had the chance to see a homecoming game in Missouri before that."
Just was born in Scotland and is currently a senior at Oxford University, majoring in History and Politics.?He was a Grand Finalist at the World Schools' Championships in Singapore and the World Universities' Championships in Malaysia and coached the Scottish national debating team in 2007, leading them to a victory at the 2007 World Championships in South Korea.
Speaking about the tour, Just joked about the fun he and Cormack had been having for the past month and a half.
"We're practically living like rock stars," Just said. "Exhaustion hasn't set in yet, but it's a hard life doing a gig every night, following it up with a few drinks, and meeting your groupies at your hotel room after its all said and done."
Atchison debated at Wake Forest (N.C.) on scholarship and was ranked third speaker at the National Debate Tournament his senior year, going undefeated in preliminary rounds.?He went on to coach debate teams at the University of Georgia (UGA) and Wake Forest, leading a UGA team to a national championship last year.
King, a varsity basketball player at Trinity, is president of the Lambda Pi Eta honor organization and is majoring in speech, communication and marketing.?A member of Atchison's Argumentation class (SPCM 3330), she was hand-picked by Atchison to participate in the debate.
"We were really excited to have this opportunity to debate two of the smartest debaters in the world," agreed Atchison and King.?"Matching wits with them has been a unique opportunity."
Trinity's Department of Speech and Drama and the Trinity Debate Program provided funding for the event, and a group of students from Atchison's Argumentation class managed publicity and logistics.
According to Atchison, the ESU debate tour could become an annual tradition at Trinity.
"We're also hoping to place a Trinity debater onto the team itself when the United States is given the opportunity to tour," Atchison said.?"We're very excited about the future of debate at Trinity."
Crockett felt that the Trinity debaters came with a few aces up their sleeves, "but the British debaters had the entire crowd laughing along, jumping around and turning witty phrases at the Trinity debaters."
Cormack, born in London, England, graduated from the University of Durham this year with an honors degree in History and Politics, having represented Durham at debating championships across the globe. He was ranked among the top ten European speakers in 2006 and was a finalist at the English National Championships.
"Alex and I are having an amazing time, doing what we love to do," Cormack said.? "We're having a lot of fun debating, and we're really enjoying being able to experience college life in America- just this week, we ate barbeque and shot guns with students at Texas State, and we had the chance to see a homecoming game in Missouri before that."
Just was born in Scotland and is currently a senior at Oxford University, majoring in History and Politics.?He was a Grand Finalist at the World Schools' Championships in Singapore and the World Universities' Championships in Malaysia and coached the Scottish national debating team in 2007, leading them to a victory at the 2007 World Championships in South Korea.
Speaking about the tour, Just joked about the fun he and Cormack had been having for the past month and a half.
"We're practically living like rock stars," Just said. "Exhaustion hasn't set in yet, but it's a hard life doing a gig every night, following it up with a few drinks, and meeting your groupies at your hotel room after its all said and done."
Atchison debated at Wake Forest (N.C.) on scholarship and was ranked third speaker at the National Debate Tournament his senior year, going undefeated in preliminary rounds.?He went on to coach debate teams at the University of Georgia (UGA) and Wake Forest, leading a UGA team to a national championship last year.
King, a varsity basketball player at Trinity, is president of the Lambda Pi Eta honor organization and is majoring in speech, communication and marketing.?A member of Atchison's Argumentation class (SPCM 3330), she was hand-picked by Atchison to participate in the debate.
"We were really excited to have this opportunity to debate two of the smartest debaters in the world," agreed Atchison and King.?"Matching wits with them has been a unique opportunity."
Trinity's Department of Speech and Drama and the Trinity Debate Program provided funding for the event, and a group of students from Atchison's Argumentation class managed publicity and logistics.
According to Atchison, the ESU debate tour could become an annual tradition at Trinity.
"We're also hoping to place a Trinity debater onto the team itself when the United States is given the opportunity to tour," Atchison said.?"We're very excited about the future of debate at Trinity."
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