TOMKINS COVE STUDENT TO COMPETE IN DEBATES

The School of Business at the State University of New York at New Paltz held its ethical debates competition in van den Berg Hall over a three-week period in March.

Sophomore Brandon Finn, of Tomkins Cove, N.Y., is one of 26 students who participated in the competition and debated timely topics, including the Common Core, the Keystone XL Pipeline, and the Affordable Care Act, in front of a panel of judges. Student teams had a total of 15 minutes to present their arguments and were judged on their effective use of evidence and knowledge of the topic, persuasiveness, opening and closing statements and rebuttals, language use, and performance.

Ying Zhan ’15, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Kristen Bucki ’17, Commack, N.Y.; Kemorene Henry ’15, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; and Joelle Bracco ’15, Staten Island, N.Y., successfully made their way through two rounds of debates and won the championship. Each student on the winning team received a $100 scholarship. The debate competition was judged by SUNY New Paltz faculty members Professor Rief Kanan and Interim Associate Dean Sally Schultz, and local business leaders Ed Lane, Lane Asset Management; Vince Pangia, Pangia & Company, CPA’s LLC; Stephen Digilio, Morgan Stanley; Scott Hutchins, Jabil Circuit, Inc.; and Gene Moncrief, Moncrief Associates. Tom Sipos, of Hudson Valley Focus and chair of the Business Advisory Council at SUNY New Paltz, moderated the event.

Finn is the son of Stony Point Supervisor Geoff Finn.