Debate is the art of arguing, and soon students at Lakeland College will be participating in this art. The program will begin next spring semester and will be headed by the instructor of the communication program, John McKenzie. McKenzie has been an instructor at Lakeland College for a year and a half now, and is very excited for the program.
“Students have been asking for it since the beginning of the year,” says McKenzie. “I did speech and debate in high school, and it was very fun. Since so many students want to have it here, I thought, why not.” McKenzie states that the program doesn’t have a budget yet, but they are working on it. The program will have a class to go along with it called the Debate Practicum.
“The class will be for the participants in the program and students majoring in communication,” says McKenzie.
Students with and without experience will be able to participate in the program. The coach for the team will be David Henning. Henning has thirty years of experience teaching debate and forensics.
Allyssa Ourada, a freshman who is majoring in communication, is also joining the program.
“I’ve always wanted to join the debate team in high school but didn’t,” said Ourada. “I enjoy arguing very much.”
Ourada just got elected to the public relations seat for the debate program.
“My job is to advertise and get the word out around campus so students who don’t know but would like to join will be able to.”