Scholars CX/Policy Program
The Scholars Program is an advanced lab designed for students looking for a more in depth and comprehensive experience. Launched in 2001 the Scholars lab was designed to provide a top tier lab experience to a small group of talented and motivated varsity students. We offer a top lab experience taught by a faculty who are among the most respected and successful college coaches and debaters in the nation. Your lab will also be the tip of the spear for our argument development and research production.
Sophomores CX/Policy Program
The GDI has become a destination for rising sophomores from across the nation. This lab is designed for sophomores, or anyone entering their second year of debate, preparing to make a jump to the next level and has attracted some of the best, brightest and most dedicated sophomores from across the nation. Students can expect a dedicated faculty with extensive teaching backgrounds; a lab of your peers who share many of the same goals and who will work to create a positive lab environment; many, many debates and opportunities to speak - we think you learn best by doing; a really fun experience. For most sophomores this will be your first extended lab experience (and for many of you your first lab experience). We want to make sure you have fun while you’re here and to that end you can expect your faculty to balance a lot of work with a lot of fun lab activities.
Varsity CX/Policy Program
Our Varsity program continues to attract a wide range of students looking for a challenging lab environment that combines an emphasis on research with plenty of opportunities for practice and skill work. While they arrive a week later than our Scholars the Four Week labs are still major players in the development of the GDI research set. Upon arrival you, will have the opportunity to begin debating immediately with the early files produced by faculty and Scholars as you begin to also develop your own arguments within labs. You will primarily spend the first 1-2 weeks focusing extensively on original research and argument development in your labs while also attending lectures in a wide range of subjects. Practice debates, speech redoes, and lectures will intensify during the last 2 weeks of your program culminating in the GDI tournament, a six round competitive tournament.
Two Week CX/Policy Programs – Varsity, JV and Novice
The two-week programs were the inaugural programs at the very first GDI nearly 50 years ago and continue to provide an outstanding lab experience to students of all skill levels who are looking for a high-quality camp experience in a shorter time frame. These labs are divided among skill levels, so students will be placed in labs with others of their level of experience. All these programs are truly “immersion” programs in the sense that they pack the best of all our programs into a Two-week experience. Given the time constraints of a two-week lab these programs primarily devote themselves to skill work including practice debates, speech redo’s, speaking drill and other activities geared toward the development of a students’ overall skill set. In addition, the students will attend a lecture series suited to their individual skill level. The institute will culminate in the GDI Tournament, a 6 rounds tournament featuring some tough competition and highly qualified judging. If you want to get the most out of two weeks of debate camp this is the program for you. You will not find a better two-week institute experience anywhere in the nation.