ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY (March 4, 2025) – Rockland Community College (RCC) debaters highlighted their skills and determination at RCC’s debate tournament against Dominican University on February 23, securing top placements in multiple categories.
RCC’s Patricia Gibby and Julie Saadatmand claimed victory in the tournament, triumphing over four two-person teams from Dominican University after three rounds of debate. Gibby also claimed the Top Speaker Award. Teammate Kai Weiss secured fourth place in speaker rankings, while RCC’s Hassan Akua tied for fourth place along with Dominican University’s Shannon Kelly.
The RCC team of Christine Williams and Noel Nyamewya also competed in the event, contributing to the college’s strong representation. RCC alum Rivka Mandel, currently a student at Columbia University Law School, returned to serve as a judge.
Impromptu Debate League tournaments are three-round events where teams debate scenarios. Participating colleges and universities send multiple two-person teams to compete. Awards are given for winning the most rounds (“place” awards) and for individual speaking performance (“speaker” awards). A school may win multiple team and individual awards.
“Patricia Gibby and Julie Saadatmand are brand new to college debate, and it was exciting to see them win their first tournament,” said Professor Andrew Jacobs, Director of Forensics (Speech & Debate) at RCC. “Once again, RCC has a deep talent pool, and I’m eager to see what the rest of the season holds.”
The next debate tournament will take place at Dominican University on March 23. For more information about the RCC Speech & Debate Team or the Impromptu Debate League, contact Prof. Andrew Jacobs, Director of Forensics at RCC: [email protected].
About Rockland Community College, State University of New York
Rockland Community College (RCC), located in Suffern New York, provides purpose driven educational opportunities in a supportive, affordable, and accessible environment, empowering individuals to positively transform themselves and their communities. RCC welcomes students from diverse backgrounds who appreciate small class sizes and personal attention from a distinguished, award-winning faculty that includes Fulbright scholars and SUNY Distinguished Professors. Many graduates go on to top universities to further their education on their own or through RCCs institutional collaborations. RCC also provides career training and professional development to adult learners looking to change careers or upgrade their skills through a variety of programs and educational opportunities including workforce training, certifications, and microcredentials. Many of the programs are developed with employers in the community in high-demand industry areas to enable graduates to move into a new career upon graduation. More information can be found at sunyrockland.edu.
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