Debate Team
The Union University Debate Team competes in the prestigious International Public Debate Association. Beginning a competitive schedule in 2008, the team has won 10 team season-long sweepstakes awards and 9 national championship tournaments to go along with a host of individual and regional tournament awards.
The four cornerstones of the program are the same as those of the University:
- Excellence Driven: Union’s administration, from the President down, has clearly demonstrated its desire to launch a program that can succeed at the highest level.
- Christ Centered: The goal of the team will be to see every debater come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and demonstrate His love to the collegiate debate community.
- People Focused: The team will increase their individual skills, support each other, and edify their community.
- Future Directed: Debate teaches skills that are easily transferable to a large variety of career choices including law, ministry, education, and business.
The Union Debate team strives to be honorable to the Savior, a source of pride to the University, and a vehicle of service and education for all involved.
Future Opportunities
Debate can open doors in your future. Many of the keys to success in graduate school, the marketplace, the business world, and public service, are the very skills you learn in debate: the ability to analyze problems, find logical alternatives, select a course of action, and persuade others of the correctness of your ideas through clear and organized communication. Plus, many graduate degree programs look extremely favorably on collegiate debate experience.
About the Directors
Seth Brake
Seth Brake is the Director of Debate at Union University. Seth has competed and coached at all levels of competitive debate, but before becoming director, his proudest debate accomplishments came from his four years on the UU debate team from 2010-2014, where he competed in the professional division. The UU debate program shaped his life, career, and character, and he is humbled to return as coach. Seth is a visiting professor of political science at Union University and is a PhD candidate at the University of South Carolina.
Kayla Kemp-Brake
Kayla Kemp-Brake has been the Assistant Director of Debate at Union University since 2025. She brings a passion for mentoring and applying research-backed theories on skill development to weekly debate team meetings. When traveling, one of her main goals is to keep the debaters cared for and well-fed, but she also specializes in helping debaters prep rounds that align with her teaching/research interests, like education policy, family issues, and pop culture. Kayla is also a visiting professor in the Department of Sociology and Family Studies.
Join the Debate Team
Why Should I Join?
- Intellectual Growth: Debate teaches critical thinking in its highest and most integrated form. Through resolution analysis, case construction, and refutation you will learn the skills necessary to develop well-constructed arguments in any field. You will learn to look at problems and issues from a variety of angles. Through researching multiple subjects, you will both learn those subjects and the ability to find and integrate information quickly. Subjects debated include philosophy, political science, history, and popular culture. Finally, through presenting your arguments to a wide spectrum of audiences, you will learn the intangibles of persuasion that go beyond the logic of your argument.
- Social Networking: The team travels to 8-10 tournaments a year across the Southeast. Through this travel, you will have the chance to socialize with your teammates on van rides, in hotels, and during the tournaments. Through such close contact you will learn the social skills necessary to develop lasting, meaningful relationships. You will also meet other competitors from around the world, many of whom have a drastically different worldview than your own. You will be challenged to live your faith in and out of debate rounds.
- Character Building: Debate is an academic discipline and requires hard work, perseverance, and dedication to excel. Through practice rounds, critiques, lectures, and a variety of other learning opportunities you will have the chance to grow as an individual as well as a debate competitor. Through social interactions you will have the opportunity to build your character “as iron sharpens iron.”
- Competition: Debate is also a great opportunity to stoke your competitive fire! You can show your school spirit by representing Union in competition against some of the finest schools in the nation. It gives you the chance to win individual and team awards.
- Future Opportunity: Debate can open doors in your future. Many of the keys to success in graduate school, the marketplace, the business world, and public service, are the very skills you learn in debate: the ability to analyze problems, find logical alternatives, select a course of action, and persuade others of the correctness of your ideas through clear and organized communication. Plus, many graduate degree programs look extremely favorably on collegiate debate experience.
- Scholarships: Finally, scholarships are available for those who qualify. You can apply at the outset of your debate experience or join the team and try to earn one through competition.
How do I join?
There are several ways you can participate with the team.
- If you are just interested in knowing more, staying in touch, and becoming involved as you can, you can follow us on Facebook or Instagram, where we will post announcements, meetings, etc.
- Debate Team/Scholarship applications for the 2026-2027 season are due to Seth Brake on March 30th, 2026