Despite Conn’s notoriously vast variety of over 80 clubs and organizations, students Tanvir Hasan ‘28 and Landen Ellsworth ‘28 noticed one that was missing — a debate team. After competing at Yale against fellow top-ranking schools and well-established and practiced debate teams earlier this month, co-founders of Conn’s first Connecticut College Debate Union Hasan and Ellsworth are ready to establish the school’s first-ever debate team.
Hasan, an international student from Bangladesh, has over 6 years of experience in debating. He has mentored, moderated, and organized several debaters and debate events, and was a Co-founder of the first online debating training platform in Bangladesh, Decoding Debate. He has debated at the local, regional, national and international levels.
“When I got to Conn, I asked everyone, ‘Where’s the debate team?’ They said, ‘We don’t have one.’ So, I started looking for members. I’d start my own team.” Hasan said.
Ellsworth has little formal experience with debating, but extensive training and experience in public speaking. He has participated in We The People mock congressional hearing competitions where he has placed in top rankings, and is a member of Connecticut College’s Mock Trial team.
Hasan reached out to Ellsworth while on his search for more members. After further discussion and planning, the two became co-founders of the Connecticut College Debate Union, a proposed debate team. Hasan spoke to the initiatives behind their Union. “I feel like sometimes we as a college aren’t fully represented for our many views. We hope to establish an open-debate platform where we can have constructive discussions and cultivate new ideas through debate.” Hasan said.
Ellsworth continued, “I feel more often than not, in society today, people are more and more stuck inside of their own echo chambers, on our own little islands, and we’re not reaching out to other people. Ultimately, I think that for an amalgam of reasons, including mental health and democracy as a whole, it’s good that we have conversations with each other about things, and that everyone feels like they have a voice. Our club would strive to emphasize this healthy civil discourse.”
Earlier this month, the team of two represented Connecticut College at the 2024 Yale IV, North America’s premier parliamentary debate tournament Here, they debated with students from around the country and the world. Despite not yet being a college-recognized organization, the Union has already raised new membership interest and maintains a number of accolades following their performance. Hasan spoke to the skills and preparation necessary for this competition. He explained that the format entails short sessions of debating with only 15 minutes beforehand to learn the topic of debate as well as to prepare arguments and rebuttals.
“The motion ranges from everywhere. It can come from politics, psychology, socialism, art, tech films; there was even one round debating over the topic of ‘situationships’. So it’s not about just planning and learning a particular topic and such; you need to practice argumentation everywhere,” he explained. So, Hasan and Ellsworth spent much time watching youtube debates, debating against one another, and researching topics. He also noted the extra effort required, as the team doesn’t have a coach.
This effort wasn’t for nothing — despite not qualifying, the team defeated a number of teams throughout their run, including the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University. They finished with a mid-level rank.
Their goals for the future, once approved as an official college organization, include gaining membership and sending off multiple teams to debates, organizing more debate events to different schools, and mentoring debaters of all experience levels.
Ellsworth closed, reflecting on the great effort and adjustment both members overcame in order to develop this prospective organization, and provided a shared message of encouragement to prospective participants: “To those who are considering joining in the future, I encourage you to do things that you think are unattainable and make them attainable.”
