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The Belmont Abbey College Debate Team participated in the 10th Annual NCICU Ethics Bowl February 20th, focusing on compassionate decision-making in the context of a pandemic. Our students represented Belmont Abbey as a panel, weighing issues about vaccination policies and equity in public school education. The final presentations balanced ideal goals of government agencies with current limitations, advocating for the diverse needs of communities.

Belmont Abbey students spent the day refining their own advocacy among peers from NCICU institutions and learning from experienced practitioners in the field. This year, the NCICU Ethics Bowl did not have a competitive structure. While judges provided positive feedback to our students, no wins or losses were assigned. Instead, this year emphasized keynote speakers who have played key roles in managing North Carolina’s response to Covid-19. These included: Mike Sprayberry, Deputy Director of NC Emergency Management; Geoff Coltrane, Senior Education Advisor to Governor Cooper; and Mark Benton, Assistant Secretary for Public Health in the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

Our next competition will be the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament, beginning on March 19th. Pi Kappa Delta is among the oldest forensics honor societies globally and represents a uniquely large national competition. This will be Belmont Abbey’s first year at the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament, and we are hopeful to introduce our students to the full in-person experience next year.

To see our team in action, click one of the videos below:

Session 1 – Breakout Room 1

Session 2 – Breakout Room 2