Patrick Henry College’s Civic Debate team earned second place at the Transatlantic Dialogues West Tournament, hosted by the U.S. Air Force Academy. This tournament is one of two U.S. events, after which PHC selects its top performers to compete in the final round in Paris.
The team—Aiden Forbes, Mark Roose, and Noah Todd, coached by Tyler Dunning—delivered a standout performance. Roose was also recognized individually, earning the second-place speaker award.
A second PHC team—Caleb Langley, Isaiah Sinclaire, and Will Strohmeyer—also represented the college with excellence at the tournament.
Founded by École de Guerre and The George Washington University, the Transatlantic Dialogues is an annual competition in which student teams develop and defend policy proposals on major transatlantic issues before an audience of security and military leaders.
Unlike traditional debate formats, Transatlantic Dialogues challenges students to craft their own policy positions. They are evaluated not only on argumentation, but also on scholarship, collaboration, and real-world impact.
PHC students have consistently excelled in this format, reflecting the College’s commitment to academic rigor and classical education.
Civic Debate teaches students to engage political and cultural issues with civility and clarity. Drawing on their classical training, students learn to analyze competing worldviews, articulate persuasive arguments, and communicate effectively.
PHC students have debated or made presentations before panels of distinguished experts, including ambassadors at the European Union, officials at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., and civil rights leaders at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
PHC students are frequently recognized for their thorough preparation, outstanding presentation skills, and their winsome speaking style. Civic Debate gives them opportunities to develop their professional and leadership skills as ambassadors for Christ.
Patrick Henry College exists to glorify God by challenging the status quo in higher education, lifting high both faith and reason within a rigorous academic environment; thereby preserving for posterity the ideals behind the "noble experiment in ordered liberty" that is the foundation of America.