SJDI Staff Interview #1: Danielle Dosch

For the second year, SJDI is releasing a series of interviews with its staff members. The first installment of this year’s interview series features instructor Danielle Dosch.

Danielle debates for Immaculate Heart. She has won the Loyola, Greenhill, Alta, Presentation, and College Prep Invitationals this year and reached late out-rounds at several other tournaments. She will be teaching at all 5 weeks of SJDI this summer.

Hear what she has to say about her favorite arguments, advice for younger debaters, and working at SJDI below!

1. What are your favorite aff and neg arguments? What did you like about them?

I love reading policy-style arguments on both the aff and the neg. My favorite affirmative position is a plan aff with hegemony and other IR advantages, and my go-to negative strategy is a counterplan and a disad. On top of them being the most strategic, I find the research process required to write these positions very enjoyable. I’ve learned so much about the international arena, knowledge that has benefitted me in every avenue of my life.

2. Tell us your favorite debate “war story”. What was difficult or interesting about this round?

This isn’t about a particular round, but the wildest debate experience I’ve had was probably when I woke up with food poisoning the morning of TOC my junior year. I had been trying so hard to stay healthy – drinking a ton of water, getting a lot of sleep, even taking “Emergen-C.” Little did I know Jalapeños Mexican Restaurant would foil my efforts. I was literally throwing up until the minute the uber arrived at our hotel. I knew giving up was not an option, so I mustered up the energy to get into the car and then debated my presets with a trashcan next to my stand.

3. What advice would you give to young debaters trying to improve?

Read. Learn everything you can about everything. Having strong background knowledge of the positions you read in round is extremely important in terms of explanation and responding to arguments. Even if you don’t have carded evidence on a particular subject, knowing how the world works will help you point out inconsistencies or reference current/historical events that might disprove an opponent’s argument and give you an edge over other debaters.

4. You attended SJDI as a student. What did you enjoy most about camp?

I attribute so much of the success I have had this year to SJDI. It’s the only place where you can work with the best instructors and the most dedicated students for five uninterrupted weeks. One thing I loved about SJDI was that they provide you with an evidence starter-pack. The starter-pack includes a couple different high-quality aff/neg cases that you’ll eventually contribute to as camp progresses. The packet makes it so that you don’t have to stay up all night the first couple days of camp throwing cases together. With the packet, practice debates are better and start happening sooner.

5. What teaching philosophy do you plan to bring to SJDI?

Even though this will be my first year teaching at SJDI, I feel like I have picked up a lot of tips/tricks I am anxious to share with the next generation of great debaters. I am excited to mentor students who are as passionate about this activity as me. As eager as I am to give lectures on going for framework, I am also excited to share what I’ve learned about maintaining a winner’s mindset and staying focused during hour 13 of a tournament.

I can’t wait to work at SJDI!

To learn more about SJDI, watch our promotional video here. See our full staff list here, and sign up here.