Several students participated in three events the weekend of Oct. 17 in challenges stretching from Los Angeles to Miami

K-Cee Chavez and Rocio Pelaez (left); Dylan Long in the “White House Press Room” at the Reagan Library (right)

By News@TheU
10-23-2025

Over a busy Oct. 17 weekend, members of the University of Miami Debate Team earned experience and captured honors in competitions held online and in two locations in Miami and Los Angeles.

Students Paulina Barnjak and Dylan Long traveled to Los Angeles with David L. Steinberg, associate professor of practice in the School of Communication and director of the Debate Team, to compete in the Ronald Reagan and Pepperdine Debate Invitational Tournament.

The event was co-hosted by Pepperdine University and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, with all competition rounds held at the Reagan Library. Twenty students represented their universities in the competition of one-on-one debates on the motion, “The abolition of the U.S. Department of Education would be a beneficial policy for higher education.”

The event and the format were inspired by former President Reagan’s commitment to civil discourse and constructive engagement. Participants engaged in experiential learning activities organized by the Reagan Library’s educational staff, in addition to participating in the debates.

Long was the tournament champion, winning the final round on a stage set in the shadow of Air Force One used by six presidents from 1973 to 2001. In the final round, Long faced a student debater from Vanderbilt University and won the unanimous decision of the panel of judges made up of former Reagan staff, current Reagan Library educational activities directors, and professors of politics. Long negated the resolution, opposing abolition of the Department of Education.

Debate Team President Paulina Barnjak at the “Resolute Desk” in the Reagan Library

Under the direction of Patrick E. Waldinger, senior lecturer in the School of Communication and co-director of the Debate Team, students Yolanda Del Pino and Japheth Oyedepo competed online in the novice division of the Policy Debate tournament hosted by the University of Minnesota.

After six preliminary debates on Friday and Saturday, the team advanced into the elimination brackets on Sunday, winning in the round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals to advance into the final round of debate where they lost a 2 to 1 judge’s decision to the team from Wake Forest University.

During the tournament, Del Pino and Oyedepo competed in 10 debates, each lasting approximately 2½ hours, so they debated for more than 24 hours. During their run to the

final round, they defeated teams from the U.S. Naval Academy, Indiana University, Ohio State University, the University of West Georgia and the University of Kentucky. Del Pino was the eighth-place individual speaker and Oyedepo was ninth.

In British Parliamentary Debate, University debaters Rocio Pelaez and K-Cee Chavez competed at Miami-Dade College, Kendall campus. They were coached by Debate Team alumnus and last year’s top senior in Communication, Emily Danzinger, who volunteered to help the debate program.

Already this fall, University of Miami debaters have competed in five tournaments across three formats, with 18 students representing the U. Half of the students were participating in their first intercollegiate debate competition. Sixty-five University students have participated in at least one debate event. The team has won two championships and advanced into the quarterfinals four times, semifinals twice, and three final rounds. Ten students have received award recognition in intercollegiate competition. Three alumni have volunteered their time as coaches or judges.