The Harvard Debate Council recently held its Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project Surprise Reveal, at Atlanta City Hall.

The event celebrated 27 African American students who were rewarded with scholarship money to join Harvard’s prestigious residential Summer Program.

“The students we selected were surprised with the news of their acceptance and were rewarded with scholarship money from several sponsors to attend Harvard Debate Council’s residential summer program at Harvard College,” says Executive Director of the Harvard Debate Council, Brandon Fleming

The event’s recipients initially believed that they were coming to be interviewed for admission. But at the end, the students were surprised with news of their acceptance and scholarship.

Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project is an Atlanta-based diversity pipeline program created to raise the young social and political voice in urban Atlanta and to matriculate African American students into the Harvard Debate Council’s residential summer program for high school students at Harvard College (in Cambridge, MA).

“No other activity [outside of academic debate] imbues young people with a skill set that will train them to be effective students, communicators, and citizens. Debate combines competition with advocacy, making it rewarding and worthwhile for even the most reluctant students to learn to research, read, speak and write successfully,” says Tripp Rebrovick, Ph.D. Head Coach of Debate at Harvard University

With the program, student participants will not only study debate at Harvard, but also gain academic excellence, leadership acumen, and cultural pride.

The program is also designed to provide students firsthand experience of residential life at Harvard College and an opportunity to learn from accomplished debate professors and coaches.

For more information, please visit: http://www.harvardDCDP.org. 

Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project’s Class of 2020 is made up of: 
Roland Foster III 
Jaala Hudson 
Naima Johnson 
Allana Walker 
Braxton Broady 
Turner Davis 
Chloe Evans 
Christian Flournoy 
Isaiah Hicks 
Nigel Savage 
Myla Somersali 
Chloe Woods 
Jenesis Bronner 
Kiona Colclough 
Ekeminiobong Johnson 
Jordan Lawrence 
Denzil Mathis 
Erin Minley 
Meah Poret 
Courtney Suber 
Ramaya Thomas 
Kendrick Warren 
Jalil Cooper 
Alexis Ihezue 
Oluwatito Omoteso 
Xavier Peterson 
Madison Webb