I have been back for nearly a week, but I still miss life at the Cornell International Summer Debate Camp. During that meaningful period, I was able to enjoy the happiness of debate. Because of that, I want to continue debate and I hope that I can be a Cornell student someday
The Camp
The Cornell International Summer Debate Camp is a two week long (28th July – 11th August 2013) of intense instruction for high school students wanting to learn the fundamentals of argumentation and debate. Skills learned will be useful in a variety of competitive formats and styles with instruction encompassing several debate formats.
Students will:
- Have experience based learning. Under the supervision of camp faculty, students will learn argument construction, persuasive speaking, and critical thinking through a regimented practice schedule.
- Receive instruction from Cornell University world-renowned faculty members. Student will have the opportunity to explore topics – ranging from nanotechnology to international business and finance.
- Experience American culture! Day trips are planned to Niagara Falls, Downtown Ithaca, and Broadway shows in exciting New York City!
- Experience life at Cornell University! Opportunities to explore campus and learn about Life on the Hill! Presentations include “How Universities Select Students For Admission” and information on the Cornell-China Summer College Program!
Tentative Schedule:
Registration Fee: $6,500
The cost of the camp covers instruction, food and board for the duration of the camp, as well as costs of excursions.
Housing and Dining Rules and Information:
Housing will be provided on campus at Cornell University dorms. All students participating in the Debate Camp will be required to sign and uphold the Cornell University Code of Conduct. Failure to uphold the Code of Conduct is subject to immediate dismissal from the camp and immediate removal from the Cornell University campus. Food will be provided for three meals when students are on campus.
Breakfast will be held from 7:45-8:45am every day, except for the days that there is an excursion
Daily Curfews
9:00 PM Dormitory Curfew/Commuters Depart by this Time Each Day
11:30 PM Room Curfew
NOTE – There are optional academic and recreational events each evening from 6:00-9:00 PM.
Coaches:
Sam Nelson, Director of Speech and Debate
Sam Nelson is the Director of Forensics and ILR school senior lecturer at Cornell University. He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1984 and received a Juris Doctorate and Master’s in Speech Communication from Syracuse University. Professor Nelson has over 25 years of coaching debate and speech, having taught debate and other speech communication courses at the University of Vermont, SUNY Geneseo, Syracuse University, the University of Rochester.
Adam Garen, Assistant Director of Forensics
Adam Garen began coaching the policy team at Cornell in the Fall of 2010, after an illustrious policy debate career at Dartmouth College. Among his many achievements, Adam was a semi-finalist at the National Debate Tournament (NDT), the largest and most prestigious policy debate tournament in the United States. Adam also coached several debate teams that made the out-rounds of the NDT. Adam has coached debate for the past 5 years, including at the University of California-Berkeley, and his alma mater, Dartmouth College.
Joe Damiba, Worlds Debate Coach
Joe Damiba debated competitively from 2006-2010 in the American Parliamentary and British Parliamentary debate styles as an undergrad at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and is now one of the coaches of Cornell University’s internationally acclaimed World Schools Style debate team, along with being a Master’s student in the University’s Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) School. Joe served as a trainer at the World Debate
Institute’s (WDI) 2012 Cameroon Debate Academy held at the Catholic University of Cameroon. Inspired by the likes of Alan Watts, Buckminster Fuller, and Robert Anton Wilson, Joe counts on using his debate experience to help other human beings see through the illusions of ideology and prejudice.
Paul Gross, Worlds Debate Coach
Paul did his undergraduate work at the University of Vermont, where he majored in Philosophy and Political Science. It was also at Vermont that he discovered and fell in love with debate. He competed on the regional, national and international circuits during his four years at school, breaking at the Oxford IV, reaching the finals at the Yale IV and winning top speaker at several regional competitions. He has also taught and coached debate in China and in Cameroon. At Cornell, he will be getting a Masters in Industrial and Labor Relations, concentrating in Dispute Resolution. He is excited to help the Cornell squad improve on their already impressive success!
