The Augsburg Podcast features voices of Augsburg University faculty and staff. We hope this is one way you can get to know the people who educate our students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.Â
Minnesota Urban Debate League (MNUDL), a program of Augsburg College, is charged with the mission to empower students through competitive academic debate to become engaged learners, critical thinkers, and active citizens who are effective advocates for themselves and their communities.
Under the leadership of Executive Director, Amy Cram Helwich, and with the support of faculty advisor, Robert Groven, MNUDL currently serves more than 750 students at 39 partner schools and has seen sustained growth in student participation and academic growth since its inception in 2004.
This year, Urban Debate League has expanded their programming to include Spanish and Somali debate. May 27, 2015, Urban Debate league will pilot a Somali Debate Initiative with a Community Forum including Representative Keith Ellison and other community leaders. The topic is facilitating remittances from the United States to Somalia. This legislation affects many of our current Somali students—the debaters will engage in a high-level conversation to determine possible solutions for this community challenge.
Several alumni are also involved in the Mayor’s Challenge: The Great Water Debate, Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Registration is at 7:30 a.m., and the program begins at 8 a.m. This year’s national high school policy debate topic is “Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its non-military exploration and/or development of the earth’s oceans.” Students at the breakfast will present an informative debate specific to Minnesota lakes and rivers.
Alumni are invited to attend! If you are interested, please sign up here to attend the May 13 fundraising event for Urban Debate League.
To learn more visit the: .
Continue reading “MNUDL Needs YOU as a Volunteer Middle School Debate Judge”
One week before the general election, Augsburg College hosts the fall Sabo Symposium, a debate between the four candidates running for the Minnesota Secretary of State. Bob Helland (Independence), Bob Odden (Libertarian), Dan Severson (Republican), and State Rep. Steve Simon (DFL) will square off at October 28, at 7 p.m. in Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center, on the Augsburg campus.Â
The event is co-sponsored by the Minnesota League of Women Voters. Minnesota Public Radio’s The Uptake wrote about “17 Debates that Could Determine Minnesota’s Future” in a recent online article. Read more on The UpTake website.
Video of the forum will be livestreamed on TheUptake.org during the event. After the event, video will be available on the League of Women Voters Minnesota YouTube page.
Forum attendees may submit questions for the candidates by email in advance or in writing at the event.  Emailed questions should be sent to SOSquestions@lwvmn.org by noon on Monday, October 27. All questions will be anonymous and screened by a neutral committee.
