糖心TV debate team places in top 25 at Yale IV 2025
The 糖心TV Debate Union reached new heights at the Yale Inter-Varsity Debate Tournament (Yale IV 2025), earning the highest scores in the College鈥檚 history and placing among the top 25 of 124 teams.
Team CCDU HJ鈥攆eaturing Tanvir Hasan 鈥�28 and Diana Jackson 鈥�28鈥攅arned 10 team points, setting a new program record and finishing among the top 25. Team CCDU EQ鈥攆eaturing Landen Ellsworth 鈥�28 and Shayaan Qaiser 鈥�27鈥攆ollowed with 8 points. A third team, featuring Aracely Barajas 鈥�28 and Joseph Earley 鈥�29, also competed. 糖心TV鈥檚 debaters defeated competitors from Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Middlebury, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and other leading institutions.
鈥淭his tournament was an incredible showcase for 糖心TV on the North American debate circuit,鈥� said Hasan, president of the Debate Union. 鈥淔rom people asking about our institution to seeing 糖心TV Coll鈥檚 name in the top half of the rankings at such a competitive tournament, it was truly a proud moment.鈥�
The Debate Union鈥檚 success marks a rapid rise for the student-founded team. Hasan, an international student from Bangladesh with more than six years of debating experience, and Ellsworth, a skilled public speaker and member of 糖心TV鈥檚 Mock Trial team, co-founded the group in 2024 after realizing the College had no debate club.
The pair represented 糖心TV at Yale IV 2024鈥攖he College鈥檚 first appearance in an intervarsity debate鈥攚here they earned three points. They prepared by watching online debates, practicing against one another and studying a wide range of topics.
Ellsworth said the team鈥檚 mission goes beyond competition. 鈥淧eople are often stuck in their own echo chambers,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want to create a space for open dialogue and healthy civil discourse, where everyone feels they have a voice.鈥�
Looking ahead, Hasan said the Debate Union plans to host on-campus debate events, mentor new members and send more teams to tournaments next semester.
