New debate director ready for upcoming season

ESU alum Sam Maurer returned to ESU as the new director of debate.

Emporia State University alum Sam Maurer returned to his stomping ground to become the University’s new director of debate.

Maurer graduated from ESU in 2003 with a degree in philosophy and communication. While attending ESU he was an active participant in the debate program. His last year he served as assistant coach for the team. After graduation Maurer traveled to North Carolina to attend graduate school at Wake Forest University. In December 2005, he earned a master’s degree in Rhetoric.

“I love this program. ESU is where I got my start in debating and I am excited about being at the helm now,” Maurer said. Some of his duties as director of debate will include traveling with the team to tournaments and teaching Interpersonal Communication and Argumentation and Debate.

Maurer said he plans to help the team maintain its strong academic performance. “The ESU debate program has a reputation of sending its graduates to graduate schools all over the U.S. My goal is make sure the team has strong academic success in class as well as in competitive debate,” he said.

He credits ESU for making his transition from an undergraduate student to a graduate student. “ESU’s classes prepared me for the rigorous of graduate school. The debate program as well as the classes prepared me extremely well,” he said.

The debate team is busy preparing for their season opener September 22 at Wichita State University. With a busy schedule ahead, Maurer said he is looking forward to a successful year. “So far we have six members, three returning from last year’s team,” he said. “This is a good district, where students can get a lot of good experience, where they get both regional and national experience.”

This year’s team will compete against schools such as Harvard, Kentucky University and Missouri State University.

“I encourage the team to take it a round at a time. Our goal for this season is to have a “brow-raising” performance on the national level,” Maurer said. “When we have a lot of competitive success we are not suppose to have, people begin to ask, Emporia who? This makes us better as a team and wants to win for ESU.”

The debate program will hold an open house, September 6 at 4:00 p.m. in King Hall room 211. The open house is open to all students interested in the program and debating.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>