Our Interview With Dr. Skip Rutledge, Director of Forensics and Professor of Communication at Point Loma Nazarene University

By the Juris Education Interview Team

Dr. Skip Rutledge is the Director of Forensics (Speech and Debate Team) and Professor of Communication at Point Loma Nazarene University.

1. What types of debates or formats does your union participate in?

We compete primarily in NPDA, IPDA, and TPDA debate, and occasionally in NFA LD, and BP

2. What are some of the biggest takeaways or real-world benefits that students gain from participating in your debate union?

Debaters learn life-empowering skills including:

Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Decision Weighing
Big Picture Analysis
Public Speaking
Confidence Building
Cognitive Development
Argument Construction
Advanced Research
Persuasive Communication and Rhetorical Skills
Organizing Ability
Rapid Assessment of Opposing Views
Values Prioritization
Policy Analysis
Team Building
Goal Setting
Time management, and so many other skills

3. What’s the most challenging and the most rewarding aspect of joining a debate union?

The greatest challenge is choosing to step outside of your comfort zone, as you will be entering an arena where you must not only make good decisions and build arguments to defend them, but you must do so against an opponent(s) dedicated to proving that you are wrong, in front of a potentially critical judge or audience. But that is also the greatest reward: recognizing that these skills you are developing and enhancing will serve you well in all your future endeavors. You will be growing exponentially in dimensions you may never have even been aware of.

4. How does debating help students become more confident speakers?

Classroom presentations and assignments, and even job or grad school interviews and professional presentations, will seem as nothing compared to the battles you will go through in debate, preparing you for easier real-world situations. You not only gain confidence in your ability to present and persuade, but more importantly, you make sure that your advocacy is sound and the conclusions you draw are correct and defendable.

5. Do you think aspiring law school applicants can benefit from joining a debate union? How so?

Yes, law school applicants can definitely benefit from involvement in interscholastic debate. Surveys of law school admissions committees reveal that the skills debaters learn in competition are exactly the skills law schools are attempting to inculcate in their students. The gauntlet academic debaters go through for fun on weekends is what most law students fear and tremble at in law school. But it seems so familiar to former debaters that they not only relax through these challenges, but they also enjoy them.

6. Do you know of any former members of your debate union who have successfully gone on to law school? If so, how did their debate experience contribute to their success?

The success stories of former debaters that excel in law school and the practice of law itself are legion. Any college or high school debate coach could recite for you scores of graduates who have come back and mentioned how much they benefited from academic debate for law school, not to mention the skills and abilities developed to do well in Moot Court competitions that many law schools provide.

Juris Education is proud to interview experts like Dr. Skip Rutledge to help future lawyers understand the benefits of extracurricular involvement. Learn more about how our experts can help you get into law school today.