-
HPU Debate Society including its Coach Kaikane Glorioso, fourth from left, at the 2026 Pan Pacific Debate Championship hosted by HPU at Aloha Tower Marketplace .
-
Coach Kaikane Glorioso, far left, and the HPU Debate Society team members at the 2026 Edith Kanakaʻole Hawaiʻi Island Debate Tournament.
This spring, the Hawaiʻi Pacific University Debate Society was very busy competing across Hawaiʻi, both hosting and traveling to events across the state.
On March 21-22, 2026, HPU hosted the 2026 Pan Pacific Debate Championship (PanPac). This year, the tournament featured 12 teams from Hawaiʻi Pacific University, the United States Air Force Academy, the University of Alaska Anchorage, Crowder College, and Linfield University. After 7 rounds of debate, the University of Alaska Anchorage emerged as the champions, securing the First Place Trophy, while the U.S. Air Force Academy secured the prestigious Top Speaker award. The HPU Debate Society extends a heartfelt thank you to all the universities that participated in PanPac and congratulations to all the winners!
On April 25, 2026, the HPU Debate Society then competed at the 2026 Edith Kanakaʻole Hawaiʻi Island Debate Tournament hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. HPU ultimately secured Second Place, with HPU’s Scarlett Baeza receiving the Top Speaker Award, Skyy Blue receiving the 3rd Place Speaker Award, and Jahaun Thompson receiving the 6th Place Speaker Award. Mahalo to UH Hilo for hosting such an exceptional event!
The HPU Debate Society extends its deepest gratitude to HPU’s Department of Arts, Communication, Languages, and Media and HPU’s Office of Student Engagement for their unwavering support, enabling the team to have opportunities to learn and grow through hosting and traveling to these events.
The HPU Debate Society’s mission is to equip students with persuasive and public speaking skills, empowering them to express their opinions effectively and defend their beliefs through rigorous practice and competition.
If you are interested in learning more about the HPU Debate Society or would like to join the team, please don’t hesitate to contact Kaikane Glorioso at kglorioso@hpu.edu. You can also follow the team’s Instagram page @hpu.debate for updates on events and the practice schedule.
