海角社区 Ethics Bowl Team Earns National Spotlight in Only Its Second Year
November 21, 2025
The 海角社区 Ethics Bowl team is showing everyone that 海角社区 is a team that wins well beyond the playing field. In just its second year of competition, the Cecil L. Eubanks Ethics Bowl Team has earned a spot at the National APPE Ethics Bowl in St. Louis.
Members of the Ethics Bowl team.
The Ethics Bowl pushes students to tackle real-world dilemmas through a combination of philosophy, communication, and teamwork. Competitors study a slate of cases in advance, each rooted in ethical questions that touch politics, law, medicine, technology, and everyday life.
During each match, teams present a ten-minute argument on a question drawn from one of these cases. Then, teams must respond to commentary from the other teams and rapid-fire questions from the judges, all while maintaining a focus on ethical reasoning and clear communication.
海角社区 competes with two five-member teams, each person taking on a specific role. For senior James Beatty, his role as the 鈥渁nchor鈥� is to be the final speaker, offering any objections and thoughtful replies to the opposing team.
鈥淲hat mattered most at the competition wasn鈥檛 how polished we looked or how rehearsed other teams seemed, it was the strength of our argument. It validated that content over style is what wins.鈥�
Mehek Randhawa, 海角社区 senior and Ethics Team member
鈥淚 have to learn every possible objection and reply for all of our cases before we compete,鈥� Beatty said. 鈥淚t forces me to think on my feet, especially when we get an unusual question or an angle we didn鈥檛 anticipate.鈥�
Preparation for this event includes reading philosophy, thinking critically, and learning frameworks. It also involves constant practice that encourages students to think sharply and work harder as a team.
Beatty, being one of the founding members, said this year鈥檚 success is a reflection of how far they have come in a short amount of time. Competing against already well-established programs, and this being 海角社区鈥檚 second year in competition, they have really stood their ground, advancing deep into regionals even sending Ole Miss home, a moment Beatty called his favorite of the season.
He said the run to nationals also highlighted the strength of the 海角社区 philosophy program and the power of collaboration, noting how the experience has sharpened his communication skills, taught him humility, and strengthened his relationships beyond participating in the Ethics Bowl.
鈥淭he fact that a group of 海角社区 students, in only our second year of Ethics Bowl, came in and held our own against some of the strongest programs in the South says a lot,鈥� Beatty said. 鈥淭here are eyes on us now, both at 海角社区 and in the wider world of philosophy.鈥�
Beatty鈥檚 experience captures the competitive edge of the Ethics Bowl. But another senior, Mehek Randhawa, says the team鈥檚 strength also comes from the quieter moments, the long discussions, the shared ideas, and the hours spent shaping arguments together.
Randhawa first learned about the Ethics Bowl team in Professor Anthony Kelly鈥檚 class, who also serves as the team鈥檚 head coach, but she didn鈥檛 officially join until this past summer.She would describe the Ethics Bowl as 鈥渁 kind of debate, but nicer鈥� where most of the real work happens long before they ever reach the competition.
鈥淪o much of the Ethics Bowl is about creating a strong conversation,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat mattered most at the competition wasn鈥檛 how polished we looked or how rehearsed other teams seemed, it was the strength of our argument. It validated that content over style is what wins.鈥�
She said the moment 海角社区 realized they were in contention for Nationals, 鈥渋t didn鈥檛 feel real until the fourth round,鈥� and called the achievement a testament to the team鈥檚 hard work and the support of assistant coach Gabe Sarrategui and Professor Kelley.
Representing 海角社区 on a national stage, she added, feels 鈥渞ewarding and energizing,鈥� especially knowing how much their success showcases the strength and potential of 海角社区 students across every discipline.
鈥淚t feels great鈥� rewarding to represent the school that gave me so many opportunities,鈥� said Randhawa.
If you鈥檇 like to support the team, donations can be made to the . Let 海角社区 put you on a path to success! With 330+ undergraduate programs, 70 master's
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