Student and graduate team up to bring debate championship to CEGEP level
Second-year Liberal Arts student Julia Deutsch and Kartik Sameer Madiraju ’08
brought a national
debate championship to Marianopolis, making the College the first
CEGEP to host such an
event. (Alex Wasylyk)
It’s something on which champion debaters second-year student Julia Deutsch and Kartik Sameer Madiraju ’08 agree: Marianopolis College becoming the first CEGEP to host the prestigious Central Novice Debating Championships is a good thing.
Thanks to their hard work, the Marianopolis College Debating Society and the McGill University Debating Union received the honour of co-hosting the 2009 edition of the Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate’s championships. Each year, the non-profit tournament brings together hundreds of debaters from across Canada. Every year, a new venue is selected.
Last October, Marianopolis became the first CEGEP to host. It did so in conjunction with its debate group’s counterpart at McGill, the 100-plus-year-old McGill Debating Union, one of North America’s oldest and most respected debating societies.
“We wanted to introduce new debaters to the CUSID community, which boasts international fame in the debating community,” said Julia, a self-described “enthusiastic Liberal Arts student.” About 160 debaters competed and there were almost 100 judges.
Participants analyzed various global issues from different perspectives and thought critically about the world around them. The style of debate, British Parliamentary, is reminiscent of historical procedures in the House of Commons in England.
“In addition to the pursuit of critical thinking, this event offered the opportunity for debaters to connect with university students from across the country and forge professional and social ties with people who share their passion for argumentation,” said Julia, who has paired up with Kartik as tournament directors.
Among the other Marianopolis students who brought the championship to the College October 2 to 4 were Ryan Brun, Lia D’Abate and David McLeod.
Julia grew up in Westmount and hopes to study constitutional law or politics or both. “I view the tournament as an opportunity to mend the gap between CEGEP and universities, to inspire future collaborations.
“I have been extremely fortunate in having had the opportunity to work with a wonderful, caring co-chair,” she said of Kartik, who was an Honours Pure & Applied Science student at Marianopolis and is now stuyding engineering at McGill.
Kartik said, “Aside from academics, I help organize the 2009 Bell Montreal Regional Science and Technology Fair and I’m continuing the scientific research that I presented at competitions during CEGEP.
“Much of my success is owed to the opportunities I was given at Marianopolis. This debating tournament is just one way I hope to give back to my college.”
Julia said, “Both Kartik and I were extremely excited to have the opportunity to host our first CEGEP university-level debate. In a way, it represented a bridge between the Quebec college system and universities across Canada.”
