Colgate Speaking Union

The Colgate Speaking Union is an ensemble of student clubs focusing on the power, utility, and beauty of the spoken word and its skillful employment to achieve socially valued ends.

Championship Round Colgate Open 2015

The Opportunities

CSU's members organize and run on campus Debate and Mock Trial tournaments, public debates, and speaking competitions. CSU's members also compete at regional and international tournaments. From New York to California, to Buenos Aires, Bangkok, and beyond, CSU's members meet and compete with people from around the world. In July 2015, the Spanish Language Debate Society (SLDS) traveled to Bogotá Colombia to compete at CMUDE 2015. SLDS travelled this July to Córdoba Spain to compete in CMUDE 2016 and to Jamaica for the 2016 Pan American Spanish Language Debate Tournament. Also, we traveled to Malaysia for the 2015 World Universities Debate Championship (WUDC). Model UN competed in Mexico and Italy in 2016, and Debate competed in Greece at WUDC 2016.

The Activities

Applying their liberal arts education, CSU's clubs converse and compete.
They act as politicians as they advocate policies through parliamentary debate.
They act as diplomats as they engage in strategic and respectful negotiations toward the creation of resolutions or the management of crises.
They act as attorneys as they prosecute and defend.
They act as colleagues as they build consensus in group discussions.
In sum, they gain practical experience and develop speaking skills suited to the pursuit of a fruitful public life.