Pictured from left to right, Coach Kaikane Glorioso, Sophia Siangco, Scarlett Baeza.
On October 18-19, 2025, the Hawaiʻi Pacific University Debate Society competed at the Rocky Mountain Debating Championship at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. Not only was it an honor to compete at this prestigious event, but it also marked the first debate competition outside of Hawaiʻi that the HPU Debate Society has competed at in person since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
HPU students Scarlett Baeza and Sophia Siangco competed in six rounds of British Parliamentary debate.
Baeza noted that “Flying to Denver to debate has been an extraordinary experience to not only grow as a debater, but also as the HPU Debate Captain…It was also a great opportunity to connect with my peers on the mainland and get to know more about each other.”
Siangco followed up, saying “Being able to meet different crowds and operate in different environments has helped me grow as a debater and a person. I am very grateful I had this opportunity!”
The HPU Debate Society extends a special thank you to MSU Denver and the University of Denver for jointly hosting this event and welcoming the team to their tournament! Additionally, the society thanks HPU’s Department of Arts, Communication, Languages, and Media for enabling the team to have such an incredible opportunity to compete and learn.
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.
The HPU Debate Society is hosting the 2025 Hawaiʻi Pacific Autumn Invitational on November 15, and the 2026 Pan Pacific Debate Championship in March.
If you would like to join the HPU Debate Society, compete at these events, or would like to learn more about what we do, please contact Kaikane Glorioso, Lecturer and Debate Coach, at kglorioso@hpu.edu.
