To all returning members, new members, and those who are considering joining: welcome to the University of Western Ontario Debate Society, 2024-2025! I’d like to (re)introduce you all to this club and discuss our purpose and history as well as a bit of my personal experience in UWODS.
Before that, though, some necessary information for new members. Our club is currently run via our Discord server, so this is where you will find all information about practice times, socials, tournaments, etc. The link to join the server is here: https://discord.gg/RGdSnMfsYn. You can also follow our Instagram, @westerndebate, for less frequent updates on just the major things happening in UWODS.
Our club’s official purpose, as stated in our constitution, is to “facilitate and encourage the acquisition and refining of debating and public speaking skills on the University Campus” and to participate in competitive debate tournaments. In reality, it is so much more than that. In UWODS, the debate skills I have learned have taught me to express myself in a way that improves my confidence, critical thinking, assertiveness, and leadership. In this club I have also found so many opportunities. As a member of UWODS, I have travelled to tournaments in Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, New York state, and elsewhere. I have found leadership opportunities that have taught me how to work with and manage others to achieve a common goal. I have found many of my closest friends, and I have found a genuine passion for competitive debate as an activity. I cannot speak directly for others in the club, but I know many members have had similar experiences. In short, this is a fantastic club to join if you are looking for community, self improvement, and a fun time in a competitive yet very supportive environment.
Another great thing about UWODS is that as a member, you can participate as much or as little as you like. We have meetings twice a week, tournaments many weekends, and a social event at least once a month, but there is no attendance requirement. You can also, if you are not immediately comfortable with debating, judge or just watch debate rounds. If you are considering joining, I highly recommend attending a practice or two to see how it all works – although we do have a membership fee, we only charge it after you are sure you want to join. You also do not need any prior debate experience to be a part of the club; we have training resources for those of all skill levels. I went from having absolutely no debate experience to becoming a nationals semifinalist, and continue to benefit from the resources, practices, and more experienced members of the club.
Being a member of UWODS also makes you a part of our long and proud history as a club. The club itself was formally founded in 1933 after the dissolution of the Literary Society, which was the oldest club at Western (founded in 1881) and the school’s original debate society. Since then, we have participated in and succeeded in many prestigious tournaments, including reaching the grand finals of the 1998 world championships (WUDC) and many national and North American championship titles and achievements. If you are interested in a more detailed history, we do have a page on our website covering the history of debating at Western. Feel free also to ask me about it – I wrote that page after spending hours in the archives of Weldon Library reading handwritten meeting minutes from the 1910s, so it is safe to say I am a little too interested in it.
A very warm welcome to all our new members, I hope you can all find joy, fulfilment, and valuable experiences in this club. And welcome back to all our returning members, I hope you find yet more wonderful experiences like the ones that inspired you to return this year.
Here’s to another phenomenal year of the University of Western Ontario Debate Society.
President Tessa Smith
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