Chinese National Debate Team visits Northwest

Report on Harvard University at Northwest University Feb. 2011

Report on Chinese National Debate Team at NU Feb 2011

Don't Miss the Chinese New Year Impromptu Speech Smack Down!

Watch top University Students from the Peoples Republic of China Challenge Americans in Show Debate

Three Chinese students and their coach will visit five colleges and universities in the northwest the end of January and beginning of February. The students will visit Willamette University, Linfield College, Western Washington University, University of Puget Sound, Pacific Lutheran University and Northwest University as part of their American debate tour.

Kirkland's Northwest University Eagle Debate Team will host the Chinese on February 3 to 6. February 3 is the beginning of the Chinese New Year.

When the students arrive at the Northwest campus, they will take part in an Impromptu Speech Smack Down competition.  Chinese and American students will be given topics to create two to four minute speeches with limited time to prepare. Topics will concern current events, political theory and enduring philosophical controversies. After each speech, audience members will ask questions of the speaker. Judges will select top speaker for awards.

Impromptu Smack Down: 3:30 PM in Health and Science Center room 102.

That evening the Chinese guests, along with members of the Northwest Debate team, will enjoy a Chinese New Years Dinner Party at the home of Professor Gary and Teresa Gillespie. Mr. Gillespie is the NU debate coach and Mrs. Gillespie is Dean of the School of Business and Management.

On February 4, the team will face off with Northwest students during a debate at the Microsoft Corporation in Redmond. The Microsoft debate is sponsored by the Microsoft Political Action Committee. The lunch time event is for Microsoft employees and stock holders only. The topic of the debate will be: We should view China more as a competitor than a partner. The Chinese will oppose..

It will be the seventh time over the last few years that the Microsoft PAC has hosted college debate teams from the United Kingdom, Canada and Ireland as well as China. In March of 2010, another team from China debated at the Redmond, Washington campus.

Kirkland City Hall Debate 7 PM Feb. 4

At 7 PM in the Kirkland City Hall, the Chinese will debate Northwest University students on the topic: Reject social network websites.  The Chinese will oppose. The debate will be televised and streamed on the web on KGOV cable television.

Saturday and Sunday will be reserved for exploring the Eastside and downtown Seattle. 

Look here or Google "Gary Gillespie" for updates and more details as the event draws near.