Debate Team Beats Top Competitors

The CC Debate Union reached new heights at the Yale Inter-Varsity Debate Tournament.

The Connecticut College Debate Union reached new heights at the Yale Inter-Varsity Debate Tournament, earning the highest scores in the College’s history and placing among the top 25 of 124 teams.

Team CCDU HJ—featuring Tanvir Hasan ’28 and Diana Jackson ’28—earned 10 team points, setting a new program record and finishing among the top 25. Team CCDU EQ—featuring Landen Ellsworth ’28 and Shayaan Qaiser ’27—followed with 8 points. A third team, featuring Aracely Barajas ’28 and Joseph Earley ’29, also competed. Conn’s debaters defeated competitors from Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Middlebury, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and other leading institutions.

“This tournament was an incredible showcase for Connecticut College on the North American debate circuit,” said Hasan, president of the Debate Union. “From people asking about our institution to seeing Conn’s name in the top half of the rankings at such a competitive tournament, it was truly a proud moment.”

The 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 Conn’s Mock Trial team, co-founded the group in 2024.

Ellsworth said the team’s mission goes beyond competition. “People are often stuck in their own echo chambers,” he said. “We want to create a space for open dialogue and healthy civil discourse, where everyone feels they have a voice.”