Common Ground Ambassadors Host Inaugural Student Debate

The more than 120 attendees were there to take part in Common Ground’s first-ever student-run debate, a milestone event that was months in the making, focused on the topic, “Resolved: Environmental Protections Are More Important Than Economic Growth.”

Unlike the program’s previous events, which often feature expert speakers who visit campus, this approach was designed by students and for students to ensure they would be the drivers of civil discourse.

Building a Student-Driven Debate

For Common Ground Ambassador Robert Neithart ’26, who co-chaired the event, the debate was a chance to turn an idea into a reality. His experience in college debates before transferring to Hamilton shaped his vision for bringing a more student-focused discussion-based format to campus. He saw it as a way to challenge the tendency to reduce complex issues to simple answers.

“Civil discourse is important because I think the world is a grayer place than a lot of people let on,” he said. “There’s a tendency to simplify difficult things because it’s easier to look at the world in a black-and-white way.”

After joining Common Ground, Neithart and the other ambassadors worked to make it happen. Neithart helped establish the College’s connection with the College Debates and Discourse Alliance, an organization dedicated to fostering civil discourse on campuses. The ambassadors partnered with representatives to plan the evening.

The event’s success would require student buy-in well before the day of the event. The ambassadors ran an open-ended survey in December, asking the Hamilton community what issues they wanted to see debated. After receiving more than 80 responses, the cohort refined the list of topics and polled the community on what resonated with them most. Environmental protections vs. economic growth emerged as a top choice.

From there, the student leaders worked on every detail from debate structure to promotion, recruiting four student speakers, designing surveys and leading outreach efforts, and planning and coordinating event logistics.

A Different Kind of Debate

Before the debate began, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Aaron Strong framed the discussion: “We want to create a space where we hear a debate about values.”

Mae Rum, a program coordinator for the College Debates and Discourse Alliance who primarily represents Braver Angels, served as the event moderator and encouraged students to engage fully.

“Say what you believe,” Rum stated. “It takes a lot of courage to say, ‘This is what I believe, and why I believe it.’”

How It Worked: Parliamentary Procedure Format

• A neutral chair (Rum) moderated the discussion.
• Four student speakers (two affirmative, two negative) opened the debate.
• Audience participation was encouraged, with all questions directed through the chair (no ‘you’ pronouns).
• Any attendee could participate by giving a speech.
• Time limits ensured balanced discussion.
• Instead of applause, snaps, taps, and stomps signaled agreement.

A Civil, Passionate Exchange

All along, the real question was: Would students engage? The answer was a resounding yes.

“We had students from all different persuasions engaging together on a difficult question — and doing so respectfully and from a place of epistemic humility,” Neithart said. “I didn’t get the sense that any speaker was unwilling to hear the other side, and that was a great thing to see.”

For Common Ground Senior Fellow Paige McKenzie ’25, the night surpassed expectations.

“One thing that particularly surprised me was how passionate and engaged our student body was throughout the event,” she said. “The topic provoked thoughtful, nuanced discussions, and it was incredible to witness our peers articulate their positions with such depth. As a Common Ground ambassador and a Hamilton student, it was truly inspiring to see our community come together to engage in such a productive dialogue about a global issue that will continue to affect us all.”

In a world where debates so often come to be more about scoring points, this student-run event illustrated what respectful dialogue should look like: speakers sharing their viewpoints, and attendees asking them thoughtful questions or challenging ideas respectfully, all with the goal of better understanding others’ perspectives or, perhaps, their own values.

“One of [Common Ground’s] biggest goals is to model what civil discourse is and ought to be, and while I think it's useful to watch politicians, authors, and journalists from different sides of the political aisle debate, what's often more impactful than watching is doing,” Neithart said.

Hamilton’s Newest Tradition

At the end of the night, Rum hosted a quick debrief session to give attendees a chance to reflect on the format. Students noted that the event allowed for more controversial ideas to be explored without fear of backlash, while others appreciated how the discussion was based on values. Many enjoyed the smaller, quieter ways of showing appreciation for a speaker’s point; snaps and taps affirmed ideas without swallowing the space.

The night proved one thing: students on the Hill want to engage with tough issues, and ambassadors plan to make that happen at least once a semester moving forward.

“What makes these events so valuable is that they encourage active listening, respectful debate, and the ability to view issues from multiple perspectives — skills that are indispensable in the real world. In a professional setting, students will often encounter situations where diverse viewpoints need to be understood and addressed thoughtfully,” McKenzie said. “Events like this help prepare students to navigate those moments with confidence, poise, and empathy.”

“This event reminded me that we can have these conversations,” Neithart added. “We just have to be willing to listen.”