Seawolf debater Matt Ostrander wins 2014 Global Debate and Public Policy Challenge in Budapest

Matt Ostrander, Seawolf Debate Program member and junior in economics, won the 2014 Global Debate and Public Policy Challenge on Friday, June 27, in Budapest, Hungary.

The Global Debate and Public Policy Challenge is an annual competition organized by the International Debate Education Association (IDEA), the Global Public Policy institute (GPPi), the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and the Central European University (CEU) School of Public Policy.

The GDPPC offers undergraduates an opportunity to explore issues of global importance such as 'Rethinking Drugs' (this year's challenge) or 'Digital Freedom and Its Limits' (last year's theme) from different points of view. The goal of the Challenge is be to ensure that the undergraduates, regardless of their field of study, develop the capacity to critically engage in issues of public policy that affect them and others and recognize their responsibility to support and advocate for those policies which also take into account their rights and responsibilities.

Matt was invited to attend the Budapest Forum after having his public policy paper selected from among over 170 submissions from students in 50 countries. Matt joined 40 other students selected to travel to Budapest, where the participants engaged in a week of presentations and debates on the drug policy question. After qualifying for the semifinals and advancing to the final round, Matt faced competition from 11 other competitors vying for the grand prize.  When the dust settled on the final, Matt was named the winner of the competition and received a $10,000 scholarship for his efforts.

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