Get Recognized for Your Achievements
Students at the University of Mary Washington are recognized for their achievements. Whether as scholars, athletes, leaders, or doers, UMW students stand out for what they accomplish and the manner in which they do so. Kevin Kallmyer and Terrell Taylor have been recognized for their nationally ranked debate skills.
As members of the Debate Team, junior Kevin Kallmyer and sophomore Terrell Taylor represented the University of Mary Washington at the Inauguration Debate series in Washington, D.C., held in conjunction with the Inauguration of President Barack Obama. UMW was one of only six schools chosen to participate in the debate.
“It was a big moment for me,” said Taylor, a philosophy and English double major. “I am still honored that we got to participate.”
The Inauguration Debate wasn’t the first time in the spotlight for Olney, Md., native Kallmyer and Dale City, Va., native Taylor. Both vie with the UMW Debate Team in competitions across the country.
For the past two years, Kallmyer has qualified for The National Debate Tournament in the open division with debate partner senior Matt Struth, and together they have beaten top teams like Harvard and Dartmouth. In Kallmyer’s three years on the debate team, the political science major has racked up a long list of titles from debate tournaments around the country. He’s headed to the National Tournament again this year since the team received a first round at-large bid, a distinction given to 16 teams in the nation.
Taylor, who teaches middle and high school debate through the James Farmer Scholars Program, has made it to the playoff rounds in his two years on the team and hopes to move from the junior varsity division to the open division level of competition.
Both Kallmyer and Taylor started debate in high school and chose to continue at Mary Washington because of the prestigious reputation of the debate program led by Tim O’Donnell, associate professor of communication, who also chairs the National Debate Tournament Committee.
“It’s why I’m at Mary Washington,” Kallmyer said.
Both the National Debate Tournament and the Cross Examination Debate Association consistently have ranked the UMW debate team in the top 20.
UMW’s debate program is unique because, according to Taylor, “we have students who are competitive at the national level like Kevin [Kallmyer] but the program gives newcomers a chance to develop too.”
The debate program has been a powerful force to both students, who plan to continue their involvement even after they graduate.
“I look forward to coming back to the University to help with the program, maybe as a coach,” Taylor said.
“I debate because of the research tools, critical thinking tools and rhetoric tools—it’s the perfect springboard for law school,” said Kallmyer. “Debate will continue to be influential in whatever I do.”