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Shawna Merrill, the Director of the Debate & Speech Team at Illinois College, is bringing a wealth of new insights back to her students after spending a summer as an instructor at the Chicago Debate and Speech Institute (CDSI). CDSI, an initiative of Chicago Debates, introduced Merrill to a diverse group of middle and high school students, offering a fresh perspective on teaching and communication.

Merrill’s experience teaching Original Oratory at the camp, where students learned to craft persuasive speeches, mirrors the lessons she teaches at Illinois College. However, the condensed one-week camp format allowed Merrill to refine her approach, focusing on efficient and engaging instruction. Merrill learned how to break complex ideas down into simpler concepts and found creative ways to keep students engaged—a skill that will undoubtedly benefit students at IC.

“One thing that was really valuable about the experience was bringing my passion for public speaking to a group of younger students who can be empowered by these skills,” Merrill explains, “Their speech topics reflected their advocacy and possibilities for community impact. The forward-thinking of these young people was truly inspiring, and this camp helped them find their voice and confidence, which is a philosophy I bring to my classes and coaching.”

Along with the extracurricular opportunity to participate in the speech and debate team, public speaking is a key component of coursework at IC. First year students are required to take Communication 101, which aims to help students develop their speech-giving abilities from idea formation to presentation. Members of campus literary societies routinely give presentations to other members. Students also have the opportunity to work at the Speech Communications Center, a space dedicated solely to the art of giving speeches. Participating in debate and speech develops skills in critical thinking, listening, and research and has been demonstrated as excellent preparation for a number of fields.

Merrill’s experience at CDSI will be invaluable to students and has given her a new appreciation for the importance of early engagement. She recognized how overwhelming new information could be for students, especially when faced with tight deadlines. This realization will help her structure her courses at IC in a way that maximizes student participation from day one, ensuring students grasp the material while also developing the confidence to apply it.

Merrill has a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in communication from Missouri State University where she competed in speech and debate and judged on the collegiate level.