From the Hill to the World - Amplify Cornell Debate!

Why support the Cornell Speech & Debate Society?

In a world increasingly in need of conscientious dialogue and discourse, The Cornell Speech and Debate Society, as the Ivy League's sole speech and debate society maintaining an open, no-try-out membership policy, is a beacon of intellectual inclusivity. Thanks to your donations and contributions, we can uphold our unwavering commitment to accessibility, ensuring that every aspiring speaker and debater, regardless of financial background or experience, can access world-class instruction and transformative opportunities in forensics.

Being strongly committed to Ezra Cornell’s vision of “... any person ... any study" by fostering equity and inclusivity through financially sponsoring tournament attendance, we believe developing world-class debaters is about the journey, not the starting point. Through teamwork, international competition, quick thinking inspired by shared energy, and advocacy beyond Cornell, we support our students’ growth into the speakers and debaters they want to be. 

Over the past few years on the world stage, we’ve created new partnerships in China, India, and Vietnam, won the North American Championships in debate, and have topped the AFA National Championship in speech, and continued our long-standing community service programs, such as training through the National Prison Debate League, on-campus advocacy training, and in our many international programs. 

With an increasingly global world and many national and international championships to win and communities to engage, we need YOUR support to back our From The Hill To The World initiative, which aims to allow any aspiring speaker and debater to represent Cornell on the global stage!

Above: Policy Debate Team at United States Military Academy in Westpoint - October 2025 

To uphold this mission, we must continue providing our members with access to the most distinguished competitive forums worldwide. Each tournament represents not merely a competition, but an investment in developing tomorrow's thought leaders and esteemed advocates.

Your generous support is essential in keeping our vision of excellence and accessibility alive. Every gift, no matter the size, helps uphold our proud legacy and supports the democratic ideals of open dialogue and effective communication.

The following programs are made possible by your generosity:

1. Global empowerment: Cornellians teach debate to students and adults in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Uganda, South Africa, China, Vietnam, South Korea, and India—and in the Constitution State, Connecticut!

2. Local service: We’ve worked with everyone from incarcerated individuals to high school students to senior citizens, including programs with the National Prison Debate League and Ithaca High School.

3. Informing the campus: We’ve taught debate skills to ROTC cadets, hosted major intellectuals speaking on everything from the future of money to the midterm elections, and moderated campus political debates.  

4. Speech & debate tournaments: Cornell speech and debate competitors made it to elimination rounds in multiple tournaments and achieved top results both domestically and internationally. 

Please donate today and join us in our journey to democratize speech and debate!

Above: BP/Worlds at Harthouse InterVarsity in Canada  

Our programs all have one thing in common: a learning experience impossible anywhere else but open to all. Whether it’s raising awareness on campus, competing globally, or teaching speech and debate to others, the Cornell Speech and Debate Society fosters lasting community connections that transcend state and national borders. Our members gain not only the ability to advocate for themselves but also the fulfillment of passing that skill on to others. Your support helps this impactful work thrive, and with your donation, you can see the transformative growth of the students you’re empowering.

 Pictured below, Cornell Speech and Debate members in previous years:

Above: Speech Team at Alabama State! 

Above: Armands Revelins and Sam Nelson at Cornell International Debate Camp! 

Above: Lead Camp Counselor and current CSDS Treasurer, Esmeralda Alverde Duarte, with Cornell International Debate Camp Students - Summer 2025 

Above: Director Sam Nelson as part of our outreach missions in Africa

Above: The participants of Cornell's International Debate Camp

Above: English Worlds team competing at the World Universities Debating Championships in Vietnam

Above: Cornell Speech Team with their trophies from OCHO IE

Above: Spanish Worlds team competing in CMUDE in Medellín, Colombia

Above: Policy debate team wins big at Suffolk University

Support the Cornell Speech and Debate Society’s global achievements and outreach by donating today! Your generosity directly impacts hundreds of students, who are deeply grateful for your support.

As a registered student organization, we are committed to equal access to all of our programs and do not discriminate based on any protected identity status.