From left to right: Coach Kaikane Glorioso, Scarlet Baeza, Theodore McLain, Sophia Siangco.
On April 26, 2025, the Hawaiʻi Pacific University Debate Society participated in the Edith Kanakaʻole Hawaiʻi Island Debate Tournament hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. This event marked a significant milestone for the HPU Debate Society, as this is the first in-person debate tournament off-island that the HPU Debate Society has competed at since late 2019.
Theodore McLain, Scarlet Baeza, and Sophia Siangco competed in five rounds of Asian Parliamentary Debate, securing first place. Notably, McLain was awarded the prestigious “Top Speaker” title, while Baeza received the fifth place speaker award and Siangco the sixth place speaker award.
This tournament also marked McLain’s final collegiate debate tournament.
“Congratulations on your victory and on your upcoming graduation, Theo!” Glorioso exclaimed.
The HPU Debate Society extends its sincere gratitude to UH Hilo for hosting such an exceptional event. Additionally, the society wants to thank HPU’s Department of Arts, Communication, Languages, and Media and HPU’s Office of Student Engagement for their unwavering support, enabling the team to have opportunities to learn and grow through these competitions.
The HPU Debate Society is committed to empowering students to develop effective communication skills and articulate their convictions through rigorous practice and competition. The society primarily engages in British Parliamentary Debate, a widely adopted debate format utilized by numerous institutions globally.
For further inquiries, please contact Kaikane Glorioso, Lecturer and Debate Coach, at kglorioso@hpu.edu.
