USM, British National Debate Teams to Compete Oct. 16

A debate between The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Speech and Debate Team and the British National Debate Team will take place Thursday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. in the International Center (IC), room 101 on the Hattiesburg campus. This event is free and open to the public. The proposition to be debated is "Resolved: This House would prefer a world with open borders."

The debate is sponsored by the School of Communication in the College of Arts and Sciences. Each year, two university students from Great Britain are selected to represent the United Kingdom and tour the United States, debating collegiate teams at various universities across the country. This is the seventh year in a row that Southern Miss will be host to the British team. Southern Miss will be the only school visited in Mississippi, and one of the few universities in the southeastern United States to host the British National Debate team.

John Beckham and Iyanna Marshall, representing Southern Miss, will debate Méabh McMahon Flanagan and Owen Mooney, representing Great Britain. There will be real time voting and results from the audience throughout, and at the end of, the debate. Members of the audience will also have the option to participate in the debate by asking questions or delivering speeches from the floor. 

For more information, contact  Dr. L. Paul Strait at L.StraitFREEMississippi.