LEXINGTON, Va. Dec. 17, 2024 — The College Debates and Discourse Program at Virginia Military Institute continued its development throughout the fall semester, beginning with a partnership with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the national College Debates and Discourse Alliance. In early September, the partnership led a day-long workshop on the Braver Angels debate format for faculty, staff, and students from across the Commonwealth of Virginia.  

VMI’s civil discourse and debates faculty fellows, Col. Valentina Dimitrova-Grajzl, professor in the Department of Economics and Business; Col. Sara Whipple, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology; and Lt. Col. Kim Connolly, assistant director for programs and conferences for the Center for Leadership & Ethics (CLE), participated in panel discussions on VMI’s successful development of its debates and discourse program.

“While these are called debates, they are actually community conversations where no one wins or loses,” explained Dimitrova-Grajzl. “The format of the Braver Angels debates allows for a variety of viewpoints to be shared, and for active listening to take place. We find that people appreciate the chance to share their opinions and their personal stories. A common remark during debriefing, immediately after the debate, is that while participants may not have changed their minds completely, they find their positions have softened and are less rigid.” 

Later in September, VMI hosted an intercollegiate debate on immigration in collaboration with Southern Virginia University (SVU), Washington and Lee University, and Mountain Gateway Community College. The event was opened to the community, and approximately 120 participants representing a wide variety of viewpoints took advantage of the opportunity to voice their opinions.

“We chose this topic because it was one of the main issues in the presidential election,” Whipple stated. “We and our cadet fellows wanted to demonstrate the power of this proven discussion format on a topic that can be contentious.”

As a follow-up to the debate topic, visiting economics professor, Michael Hicks ’84, gave a talk titled, “The Fiscal, Economic, and Social Effects of Immigration: County Level Evidence in the USA.” Students, faculty, staff, and community members who attended the immigration debate, also attended Hicks’ talk which delved deeper into the subject. 

SVU, which has fully embraced the debate format after being introduced to it last year at VMI, has held its own events. In November, they held a post-election A Braver Civil Discourse (ABCD) workshop titled, “How Should We Act as Peacemakers in a Politically Divided Nation?” The ABCD workshop format fosters solution-oriented conversations, and consists of two parts. During the first part, attendees simply share their viewpoints. In the second part, attendees are asked to offer solutions. Twelve VMI cadets participated in the SVU event. 

Also in November, a lunch conversation session branded as, “Food for Thought Conversations,” was held at VMI, which gave cadet fellows an opportunity to moderate on a small scale. The topic was political correctness. The small, informal gathering provided an opportunity for cadets, faculty and staff, to share their thoughts and opinions  

The final VMI-focused debate of the semester took place Dec. 5, with about 70 cadets, faculty, staff, and local alumni participating. The resolution was, “VMI continues to hold its cadets to the highest standards.” A common theme which emerged from both the affirmative and negative sides was, it is up to cadets to consistently police themselves. Academic, military, physical, and social standards were discussed, as well as the corresponding written standards in the Blue Book and the White Book. 

Cadets welcomed the opportunity to participate in the debate.

“I believe the Braver Angels debates are an all-around benefit to VMI,” said Josiah Farrell ’28. “With how separated each of the classes in barracks can be, the format allows cadets to open up and speak their minds without the pressure of the class system. I also feel that addressing questions to the chair eases the fear of public speaking and prompts cadets to engage when normally they would not.” 

VMI’s new strategic plan, “Forging 21st Century Leaders,” includes an objective to increase opportunities for the VMI community to debate ideas candidly and civilly, through the CLE. New offerings, including the ABCD workshop format, and a class based on debating economics, are some of the additional activities planned for the future. 

Cadet fellows for the 2024-25 academic year are Bella Bruzonic ’25, Earl Filgo ’25, Katy Layman ’26, and Zach Denton ’27. The cadet fellows help choose debate topics, recruit opening speakers, and promote the debates. 

Lt. Col. Kim Connolly
Assistant Director for Programs and Conferences, Center for Leadership and Ethics
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE