NHI Announces 2016 Great Debate Dates

The National Hispanic Institute has announced its 2016 dates for the Great Debate series. The Great Debate calendar starts as it typically does, with the Texas Great Debate — one of the most important annual events for NHI alumni with Texas ties — June 6-9 at Austin College in Sherman. Other Great Debates include:

• Texas Star Great Debate at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, a six-day event from June 28 to July 3;
• Midwest Great Debate at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, a six-day event from July 6-11;
• Northeast Great Debate at Villanova University in Philadelphia, a six-day event from July 26-31; and
• Texas Ambassador Great Debate at the University of Texas at Austin, a four-day event from July 28-31.

The Great Debate is first in the series of three programs designed to develop students who want to play a key role in bringing about prosperity and opportunity in their home Latino communities. At the program, students develop their capacity to express thoughts, respond to intellectual challenges, work in organized endeavors and compete against equally competent peers.

“The Great Debate is about the most integral skills for leadership: thought and communication,” said Karla Martinez, Midwest Regional Director for NHI, who oversees one of NHI’s longest-running and most popular programs in the Midwest Great Debate. “This year, students will focus their energy on evaluating the values at the core of the messaging our community sends to kids, regarding how they should develop and what their trajectory should be.”

While the program focuses on public speaking skills within a speech and debate tournament format, it also introduces students to the asset-based approach that NHI takes in assessing the U.S. and global Latino communities.

More information about the program is available on the NHI website.