Success
As debate has evolved over the years, debate at Emory has become increasingly successful. By any measure, the Barkley Forum is one of the finest debate teams in the nation.
Participation. Over 100 Emory students participate in various Forum outreach and intercollegiate debate activities. Out of 40 tournament debaters, more than twenty-five participated in at least one varsity elimination round.
Academic Success. Boasting some of the finest academic records at Emory, debaters are regularly admitted into the finest graduate and professional schools in the nation.
Competitive Success. More than thirty-five different members of the Barkley Forum have won twenty national championships since 1995.
Community Service. The Barkley Forum for High Schools, the Emory National Debate Institute, the Atlanta Urban Debate League, coaching internships, public performance, and political debate commentary are all elements of a multi-faceted forensic and academic service organization.
Emory won its first national championship in 1967 when Susan Cahoon, Mark Frankel, Joe Longino, and Bill McDaniel combined to win the Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha (DSR-TKA) national tournament. Since then, 51 Emory students have won thirty national team championships or individual champion speaker awards, including:
- Six American Debate Association titles
- Three National Debate Tournament titles
- Two Cross Examination Debate Association titles
- Four Rex Copeland Award winners (presented for best season-long performance)
- Nine Novice/First-Year Nationals titles
- Nine top speaker awards at these tournaments
| Year | Championship | Debaters |
| 2024 | National Debate Tournament | Grace Kessler (First Individual Speaker) |
| 2024 | Rex Copeland Award | Grace Kessler and Shreyas Rajagopal |
| 2023 | National Debate Tournament | Eugenia Giampetruzzi (First Individual Speaker) |
| 2022 | National Debate Tournament | Eugenia Giampetruzzi (First Individual Speaker) |
| 2020 | American Debate Association | Eugenia Giampetruzzi and Zahir Shaikh |
| 2017 | American Debate Association | Kristen Lowe and Viveth Karthikeyan |
| 2011 | Rex Copeland Award | Stephen Weil and Ovais Inamullah |
| 2011 | Freshman Sophomore Nationals | Megan Cambre and Matthew Pesce |
| 2010 | Rex Copeland Award | Stephen Weil and Ovais Inamullah |
| 2010 | National Debate Tournament | Stephen Weil (First Individual Speaker) |
| 2008 | American Debate Association | Nick Miller and Chipp Schwab |
| 2007 | National Debate Tournament | Aimi Hamraie and Julie Hoehn |
| 2004 | Cross Examination Debate Association | Michael Beckley and Henry Liu |
| 2004 | American Debate Association | Mike Greenstein and Vicki Palomo |
| 2002 | American Debate Association | Rania Nasreddine and Scott Phillips |
| 2002 | Cross Examination Debate Association | John Rains (First Individual Speaker) |
| 2001 | Novice Nationals | Michael Beckley and Henry Liu |
| 2000 | National Debate Tournament | Mike Horowitz and Jon Paul Lupo |
| 1999 | Cross Examination Debate Association | George Kouros (First Individual Speaker) |
| 1999 | Novice Nationals | John Rains and Kurt Kastorf |
| 1998 | Rex Copeland Award | George Kouros and Anjan Sahni |
| 1998 | Cross Examination Debate Association | Dan Fitzmeier, Stephen Heidt, Vic Tabak and Anne Marie Todd (closed out final round) |
| 1998 | Novice Nationals | Stephen Bailey, Kamal Ghali, David Harkin and Joey Tavery |
| 1998 | American Debate Association | Kenya Hansford and Anjan Sahni |
| 1997 | Novice Nationals | Larry Heftman and Jeff McNabb |
| 1996 | National Debate Tournament | David Heidt and Kate Shuster |
| 1995 | Novice Nationals | Dan Fitzmeier and Anjan Sahni |
| 1993 | Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha | Mark Kelsey (First Individual Speaker) |
| 1992 | Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha | Chris Kellner and Micah Kessler |
| 1990 | Cross Examination Debate Association | Jeff Smith (First Individual Speaker) |
| 1986 | Novice Nationals | Frank Lowrey and Bryant McFall |
| 1982 | Novice Nationals | Scott Segal and Mike Weiss |
| 1980 | Novice Nationals | Bill Brewster and Reggie Smith |
| 1967 | Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha | Susan Cahoon, Mark Frankel, Joe Longino and Bill McDaniel |
The National Debate Tournament
The United States Military Academy hosted the first National Debate Tournament (NDT) immediately after World War II ended. The first tournament featured 29 teams invited at the suggestion of various debate coaches contacted by the cadets at West Point. Now the tournament has over 70 teams who qualify through an elaborate procedure so that only the most skilled debaters even compete at the National Debate Tournament. Rich in tradition, every round at the NDT is still judged by three-judge panels, the preliminary rounds are still announced orally by the tournament director, and it remains among the most prestigious tournament events of the debate season.
Emory University has fared well at the NDT, the name appearing in numerous parts of the record book. Since 1996, ten different debaters have represented Emory in the final round of the tournament, capturing the title three times. The number of teams Emory has qualified to the NDT demonstrates the historical strength of the program. Since the NDT was opened to second teams from the same school in 1970, Emory has qualified multiple teams 41 times and is tied for the record for the longest consecutive streak of sending multiple teams with Northwestern at 39 years. In 1993, third teams from the same school were allowed, and Emory has qualified three teams 26 times out of 28 years, and particularly impressive is the fact that all three of those teams have cleared 11 times. Emory debaters have reached the quarterfinals ten times, the semifinals four times, and the finals six times. The appearance of so many teams in the elimination rounds of the National Debate Tournament is a demonstration of the highest effort and intellectual achievement of Emory students.
The individuals who have represented Emory University at the National Debate Tournament are:
| Year | Debaters | Place |
| 1965 | Charles Clark and Larry Woods | Octofinals |
| 1966 | Bill Boice and Larry Woods | Quarterfinals |
| 1967 | Susan Cahoon and Joe Longino | Octofinals |
| 1968 | Susan Cahoon and Joe Longino | Quarterfinals |
| 1969 | Joe Newman and Richard Willard | |
| 1970 | Robert S. Jones and Richard Garrett | |
| 1971 | Nick Lotito and Tom Gallo | Octofinals |
| 1971 | Bruce Albrecht and Melissa Maxcy | |
| 1972 | Bruce Albrecht and Melissa Maxcy | Octofinals |
| 1972 | Lilly Correa and Mike Kidwell | |
| 1977 | David Klimchak and Joe Tankersley* | Octofinals |
| 1978 | Kenny Schatten and Steven Smith | |
| 1981 | Bill Brewster and Mike Hancock | Octofinals |
| 1982 | Bill Brewster and Mike Hancock* | |
| 1982 | Dan Whitenack and Rich Robins | |
| 1983 | Bill Brewster and Mike Hancock* | Octofinals |
| 1983 | Lee Gregory and Rich Robins* | Octofinals |
| 1984 | Bill Brewster and Rich Robins* (3rd place in season-long rankings) | Quarterfinals |
| 1984 | Lee Gregory and Scott Segal | Octofinals |
| 1985 | Doug Arney and Scott Segal* | Octofinals |
| 1985 | Bill Russell and Michael Weiss | |
| 1986 | Scott Segal and Michael Weiss* (5th place in season-long rankings) | Octofinals |
| 1986 | Bill Russell and Maria Salterio | Octofinals |
| 1987 | Frank Lowrey and Holly Raider | Octofinals |
| 1987 | Drew Dowell and Kevin Hudson | |
| 1988 | Frank Lowrey and Gus Puryear* | |
| 1988 | Joe Bellon and Drew Dowell | Octofinals |
| 1989 | Frank Lowrey and Gus Puryear* | Semifinals |
| 1989 | Joe Bellon and Drew Dowell | Doubles |
| 1990 | Jason Bergman and Jeffrey Richardson* | |
| 1990 | Jim Archibald and Darren Summerville* | Octofinals |
| 1991 | Jeffrey Richardson and Darren Summerville* | Quarterfinals |
| 1991 | Greg Blankinship and Paul Lackey | Octofinals |
| 1992 | Greg Huber and Charlie Henn | |
| 1992 | Mark Kelsey and Amy Johnson | |
| 1993 | Charlie Henn and Jon Sharp | Doubles |
| 1993 | David Heidt and Jamie McKown | |
| 1994 | Charlie Henn and Jon Sharp* (3rd place in season-long rankings) | Octofinals |
| 1994 | David Heidt and Jamie McKown | Doubles |
| 1994 | Shannon Redmond and Kate Shuster | Octofinals |
| 1995 | Charlie Henn and Jamie McKown* | Doubles |
| 1995 | Dan Fitzmier and Anjan Sahni | |
| 1995 | Ronna Landy and Kate Shuster | |
| 1996 | David Heidt and Kate Shuster* | Winner |
| 1996 | Ronna Landy and Anjan Sahni* | Doubles |
| 1996 | Dan Fitzmier and Stephen Heidt | |
| 1997 | Ronna Landy and Anjan Sahni* | Quarterfinals |
| 1997 | Dan Fitzmier and Stephen Heidt* | Quarterfinals |
| 1997 | Victor Tabak and Anne Marie Todd | |
| 1998 | George Kouros and Anjan Sahni* (Copeland Award Winners) | Finals |
| 1998 | Dan Fitzmier and Stephen Heidt* | Octofinals |
| 1998 | Victor Tabak and Anne Marie Todd | Octofinals |
| 1999 | Stephen Bailey and Kamal Ghali* (2nd place in season-long rankings) | Finals |
| 1999 | Michael Horowitz and Jon Paul Lupo* (4th place in season-long rankings) | Doubles |
| 1999 | Larry Heftman and Jeff McNabb | Semifinals |
| 2000 | Stephen Bailey and Kamal Ghali* (2nd place in season-long rankings) | Semifinals |
| 2000 | Larry Heftman and Jeff McNabb* (3rd place in season-long rankings) | Octofinals |
| 2000 | Michael Horowitz and Jon Paul Lupo | Winner |
| 2001 | Stephen Bailey and Kamal Ghali* (5th place in season-long rankings) | Finals |
| 2001 | Josh Lynn and John Rains* | Octofinals |
| 2001 | Adam Goldstein and Joey Tavery | |
| 2002 | John Rains and Kacey Wolmer* | Octofinals |
| 2002 | Adam Goldstein and Josh Lynn* | Doubles |
| 2002 | Mike Beckley and Henry Liu | |
| 2003 | Josh Lynn and Scott Phillips* (2nd place in season-long rankings) | Quarterfinals |
| 2003 | Mike Beckley and Henry Liu* | Octofinals |
| 2003 | Michael Greenstein and Alexandra Rodu | Doubles |
| 2004 | Scott Phillips and Kacey Wolmer* (3rd place in season-long rankings) | Octofinals |
| 2004 | Mike Beckley and Henry Liu* | Doubles |
| 2004 | Bob Allen and Michael Greenstein* | Octofinals |
| 2005 | Stephen Chaudoin and Cyrus Ghavi* | Doubles |
| 2005 | Michael Greenstein and Vicky Palomo* | Octofinals |
| 2005 | Elise Borochoff and Roy Levkovitz | |
| 2006 | Cyrus Ghavi and Scott Phillips* | Semifinals |
| 2006 | Stephen Chaudoin and Roy Levkovitz* | Doubles |
| 2006 | Aimi Hamraie and Julie Hoehn | |
| 2007 | Aimi Hamraie and Julie Hoehn* | Winnner |
| 2007 | Nick Miller and Pradeep Pramanick* | Doubles |
| 2007 | Chip Schwab and Chris Sun | Doubles |
| 2008 | Julie Hoehn and Stephen Weil* (2nd place in season-long rankings) | Quarterfinals |
| 2008 | Nick Miller and Chip Schwab* | Doubles |
| 2008 | Ana Nikolic and Chris Sun | |
| 2009 | Nick Miller and Chip Schwab* (5th place in season-long rankings) | Doubles |
| 2009 | Matthew Senghas and Stephen Weil* | Octofinals |
| 2009 | Ovais Inmullah and Ana Nikolic | Doubles |
| 2010 | Ovais Inamullah and Stephen Weil* (Copeland Award Winners) | Quarterfinals |
| 2010 | Ana Nikolic and Megan Swenson | Doubles |
| 2010 | Ross Gordon and Rajesh Jegadeesh | Octofinals |
| 2011 | Ovail Inamullah and Stephen Weil* (Copeland Award Winners) | Finals |
| 2011 | Kirk Gibson and Ana Nikolic | Octofinals |
| 2011 | Elli Kuenzel and Megan Swenson | |
| 2012 | Megan Cambre and Matthew Pesce | Doubles |
| 2012 | John Holland and Fayzan Rab | |
| 2013 | Matthew Pesce and Jason Sigalos* | Octofinals |
| 2013 | Ben Dean and John Holland | Doubles |
| 2013 | Megan Cambre and Julia Marshall | |
| 2014 | Andrew Jones and Jason Sigalos | Doubles |
| 2014 | Ben Dean and Brian Klarman | |
| 2014 | Paula Cheng and Nate Sawyer | |
| 2015 | Viveth Karthikeyan and Jason Sigalos* (5th place in season-long rankings) | Octofinals |
| 2015 | Brian Klarman and Kristen Lowe | Octofinals |
| 2015 | Nikhil Bontha and Ben Dean | |
| 2016 | Viveth Karthikeyan and Jason Sigalos* (3rd place in season-long rankings) | Octofinals |
| 2016 | Brian Klarman and Kristen Lowe* | Doubles |
| 2016 | Saul Forman and Tanner Lewis | Doubles |
| 2017 | Alex Gazmararian and Viveth Karthikeyan* | Octofinals |
| 2017 | Saul Forman and Kristen Lowe* | Doubles |
| 2017 | Mike Demers and Wendell Phillips | |
| 2018 | Saul Forman and Alex Gazmararian* | Doubles |
| 2018 | Zahir Shaikh and Gabi Yamout* | Doubles |
| 2018 | Mike Demers and Wendell Phillips | |
| 2019 | Alex Gazmararian and Zahir Shaikh* (4th place in season-long rankings) | Quarterfinals |
| 2019 | Michael Cerny and Gabe Morbeck | |
| 2019 | Liliana Burgess and Gabi Yamout | |
| 2020 | Eugenia Giampetruzzi and Zahir Shaikh* (2nd place in season-long rankings) | tournament cancelled |
| 2020 | Michael Cerny and Gabe Morbeck | tournament cancelled |
| 2020 | Liliana Burgess and Maggie Wells | tournament cancelled |
| 2021 | Eugenia Giampetruzzi and Grace Kessler* (3rd place in season-long rankings) | Doubles |
| 2021 | Andrew Pak and Shreyas Rajagopal* | |
| 2021 | Adrian Gushin and Henry Mitchell | |
| 2022 | Eugenia Giampetruzzi and Grace Kessler* (3rd place in season-long rankings) | Octofinals |
| 2022 | Andrew Pak and Shreyas Rajagopal | Doubles |
| 2022 | Henry Mitchell and Margaret Hecht | Doubles |
| 2022 | Manny Navarrete and Jacob Palmer | |
| 2023 | Eugenia Giampetruzzi and Grace Kessler* (2nd place in season-long rankings) | Semifinals |
| 2023 | Henry Mitchell and Bella Piekut* | Doubles |
| 2023 | Clara Conry and Serena Rupp | Doubles |
| 2024 | Grace Kessler and Shreyas Rajagopal* (Copeland Award Winners) | Semifinals |
| 2024 | Henry Mitchell and Bella Piekut* | Quarterfinals |
| 2024 | Daniel Gallagher and Margaret Hecht | Semifinals |
| *First-round at-large bid recipient |
Cross Examination Debate Association National Championship
The Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) was formed in 1973. The organization did not sponsor a national championship tournament until 1985. This tournament, unlike the NDT, is an open national championship. The Barkley Forum has attended CEDA Nationals almost every year since the tournament began and has reached the semifinals three times and won the tournament twice. In the history of the tournament, more than sixty different Emory teams have competed in the elimination rounds. Eleven Emory teams have made it to the quarterfinals or better since 1993.
| Year | Place | Debaters |
| 2007 | Quarterfinalists | Aimi Hamraie and Julie Hoehn |
| 2005 | Quarterfinalists | Michael Greenstein and Vicki Palomo |
| 2004 | Champions | Michael Beckley and Henry Liu |
| 2002 | First speaker | John Rains |
| 2001 | Finalists | John Rains and Kacey Wolmer |
| 1999 | First speaker | George Kouros |
| Quarterfinalists | Russ Falconer and George Kouros | |
| 1998 | Co-Champions | Dan Fitzmeier, Stephen Heidt, Vic Tabak and Anne Marie Todd |
| Quarterfinalists | Michael Horowitz and Jon Paul Lupo | |
| 1997 | Semifinalists | Dan Fitzmeier and Nessa Horewitch |
| Quarterfinalists | Stephen Heidt and Shanara Reid | |
| 1993 | Quarterfinalists | Chris Kellner and Michah Kessler |
| 1990 | First speaker | Jeff Smith |