Braver Angels College Debates and Discourse Program Research Grant

Braver Angels College Debates and Discourse Program Research Grant

Funder: John Templeton Foundation (via Braver Angels nonprofit organization)

Geographic Scope: One of 10 colleges nationwide; VMI in Lexington, Virginia

Overview: A two-year research grant from Braver Angels, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting civil discourse. VMI was designated as one of only 10 colleges in the nation to be named a "Community of Practice" in the College Debates and Discourse Program.

Program Purpose

Braver Angels' trained experts teach students to:

Express their views

Frame persuasive arguments

Listen deeply

Engage respectfully with each other around issues that are typically difficult and divisive

Debate Format

Philosophy: Debates are not competitive but rather a collective exercise in thoughtfulness, respect, and a search for the truth

Structure:

Conducted in light parliamentary style

Guided by a trained chairperson

Each debate centers around a resolution chosen in advance

Each speaker has up to four minutes to present argument

Speakers answer questions from audience participants

Short debriefing session at end of debate

Grant Requirements

Faculty and Student Fellows:

One faculty fellow and two student fellows supported by grant

Debate Requirements:

One debate post-wide

One debate in a class each semester for three semesters

Fourth semester involves data analysis

Research Goals:
Provide research on the impact of debates on participants, including:

Ability to exhibit calm and confidence when conflict arises

Impact on leadership skills

Data gathered by 10 partner institutions and sent to University of Delaware for analysis

Program Timeline

History at VMI:

2017: David Blankenhorn (Braver Angels founder) invited to speak at VMI's Center for Leadership and Ethics Annual Leadership and Ethics Conference on "Speaking Truth to Power: Candid and Courageous Civil Discourse"

2021: Braver Angels demonstrated newly developed college debate programming at CLE conference

Four trained facilitators ran debates on contentious topics

VMI Building BRIDGES club attended and participated

2022: Building BRIDGES and CLE held two debates

2022: VMI offered two-year research grant by Braver Angels

Early spring 2023: First debate planned for post

Eligibility

For Student Fellows:

Must provide writing sample

Must pass multiple interviews

VMI cadets with demonstrated interest in civil discourse

For Faculty Fellow:

VMI faculty member interested in civil discourse and debate integration

Contact Information

VMI Alumni Agencies

Phone: 800-444-1839 or 540-464-7328

Fax: 540-463-1701

Email: give@vmiaa.org

Address: P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450

Program Contacts at VMI:

Lt. Col. Kim Connolly, VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics, Assistant Director for Programs and Conferences

Lt. Col. Sara Whipple, Ph.D., Psychology Department, Associate Professor and Building BRIDGES Co-advisor

Col. Valentina Dimitrova-Grajzl, Ph.D., Department of Economics and Business, Faculty Co-advisor for BRIDGES