(Updated) May 19, 2022 – NAUDL is pleased to announce its 2022 White & Case NAUDL Fellows class in partnership with White & Case LLP. This year, for the third season, NAUDL welcomes 10 new Urban Debate Network alums to this summer internship program. Applications are evaluated on both a written questionnaire of short essay questions and an in-person interview. Our goal for the Fellowship is to model development in defined work-place skills for the intern; create new efficiencies and capacity for NAUDL and partner leagues; and create meaningful volunteer experiences and long-term relationships among all parties.
2022 Class
Danielle Dupree
Howard University
Washington Urban Debate League
Neymara Freeman
Witchita State University
DEBATE-Kansas City
Ansell Jude Gadingan
San Jose State University
Silicon Valley Urban Debate League (SVUDL
Bilal Gilbert
University of Houston
Houston Urban Debate League
Annamarie Lyons
University of Southern Maine
Boston Debate League
Daniel Montalvo
Marquette University
Milwaukee Debate League
Davyna Rath
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver Urban Debate
Erica Santos-Reyez
Monmouth University
New York City Urban Debate League
Rodrigo Trujillo
Bradley University
Houston Urban Debate League
Anna Zhao
Yale University
Boston Debate League
In 2020, NAUDL launched its Alumni Fellows internship pilot, working with five (5) leagues to build a scalable workplace mentorship program for qualified urban debate alums (at least two- years of college completed). Projects engage Fellows in multiple roles and provide an opportunity to lead an initiative, function or process, either directly with NAUDL or with select partner leagues (Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. in 2022). All interns receive ongoing virtual oversight, coaching and assessment from NAUDL senior staff (as does league leadership with intern placements). Fellows also attend group Roundtables hosted on a weekly basis, featuring professional volunteers, in the widely-accepted Eight Competencies for Career-Readiness, as defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). Topics include: teamwork and collaboration; digital technology; professionalism and work ethic; career-management; leadership; and intercultural fluency.
Now in our second year of partnership, White & Case lawyers and staff will again play an integral role in the weekly Roundtable discussions and develop mentoring and career-coaching opportunities with the Fellows. “Debate provides students with the transferable skills and self-confidence to succeed,” says Dana Foster, White & Case partner in Washington, DC. “This is particularly important for students attending Title I schools without such resources. In 2020, we expanded our support for local urban debate leagues in all eight of the US cities where we have offices, and we are thrilled to partner with NAUDL to work with league alumni.”
“Having White & Case on board as the official sponsorship partner of the program means a great deal for NAUDL and is such a natural fit,” says Rhonda Haynes, NAUDL Executive Director. “Not only does it provide financial stability and sustainability for this important program, but the access to the tremendous talent and roles within a global law firm like White & Case — from seasoned partners to associates just beginning their career, to marketing and diversity teams and other professional roles — this connection will bring so much to our Fellows.”
The Fellows Program will run through August with reflections and a final Roundtable session, as well as mock interviews with volunteers from White & Case.
If you are interested in learning more about the Fellows experience, you can view the video here featuring two 2020 Fellows. You may also contact Brooke Moreland, Director of Education, at brookemoreland@urbandebate.org.