All-American Debate Squad The organization should honor a maximum of thirty CEDA debaters as those students who represent the best of intercollegiate debate. They should demonstrate competitive success, academic success, good conduct, and contributions to their squad. No more than two students from a given school shall receive this award. At least two recipients must...

National Debate Scholar The organization should honor students who maintain strong academic records in addition to their competitive accomplishments. There will be no minimum or maximum number of students eligible for any of these awards. To be eligible for any level of national scholar recognition, a student must have attained at least junior standing, competed...

Outstanding New Competitor Award The recipient will be selected among a pool of applicants who began their participation in interscholastic debate in college, are in their first year of competition and are participating at the CEDA championship tournament. Their application should show evidence of growth and participation in the activity. The student’s participation during the...

Baby Jo Debater of the Year Award The annual award named in honor of 1994 CEDA National Champion Brian Johnston is designed to recognize an outstanding debater in CEDA. The ideal candidate demonstrates competitive success and a commitment to represent the highest values of the debate community. Return to Awards Main Page Past Awardees 2021Azja...

Matt Grindy Outstanding Graduate Student Coach Award This award is intended to recognize both the pedagogical and competitive contributions to the growth and development of policy debate by graduate student coaches, who are balancing their obligations to their school work and that of their programs. The recipient needs to demonstrate excellence in graduate and professional...

The Galentine Award The annual award named in honor of Rebecca Galentine is designed to recognize an outstanding female debate coach in CEDA. The ideal candidate can demonstrate service to programs and the organization, community building and competitive success. Return to Awards Main Page Past Awardees 2021Vida Chiri, Liberty University2020Allison Harper, Emory2019Vik Keenan, New School2018Jyleesa...

The Brownlee Award The Brownlee Award is given annually to a forensic educator who demonstrates outstanding achievement in scholarship, education and service to CEDA. The award is named in honor of longtime coach and founding CEDA member Don Brownlee. The ideal candidate demonstrates some element of all three factors (scholarship, education and service to CEDA)....

The CEDA Alumni Award This award recognizes outstanding achievement, contribution and service by a program alumna of a member school. The best candidates are those who are not active coaches, but those alumni who embody the best values of debate through their own debate, philanthropy, and leadership. These candidates, trained in debate, should now provide...

The National Public Debate Award 1. This award is given to the intercollegiate debate program which, over the course of the past academic year, has best advanced the values of debate in the public sphere through sponsorship of one or more public debate activities including international public debates, multimedia debates, public debates on campus or...

Public Advocate of the Year The award acknowledges the contribution of an individual during the past year that made a positive contribution to public discourse on matters of social import. The award recipient need not have a direct relationship to intercollegiate debate, but must be someone who has made a significant difference in local, regional,...

The Odenkirk Award Return to Awards Main Page Past Awardees 2019Michael Eisenstadt & Deven Cooper, UC-Long Beach2020**Not Awarded ? Tournament Canceled ? COVID-19**2021Samantha Godbey, West Virginia University Return to Awards Main Page