It’s been ten years since Jack Caporal and Quinn Zemel won the University of Miami Tournament but their time on the team was just the beginning of the friendships and life lessons they found from MSU Debate.
In 2015, Caporal and Zemel won the Hurricane Debates hosted by the University of Miami. It was the first time the team had won a major tournament in years, and it clinched their invitation to the National Debate Tournament (NDT). Caporal and Zemel qualified to the NDT as a first-round bid recipient which designated them as one of the top 16 teams in the country based on season-long success. 
“Jack and Quinn winning the Miami tournament was transformative for the program,” said Carly Watson, currently the Director of Debate who was the team’s Program Coordinator at the time. “It had been a long time since the team won a large tournament and it was a huge statement that MSU Debate was back and ready to win at the highest levels.”
Caporal and Zemel debated from 2011 to 2015 at Michigan State University, where they both studied International Relations in James Madison College.
Zemel chose to attend MSU primarily because of the Debate Team and his high school debate coach was an MSU alumnus. Similarly, Caporal cited the competitive success of the Debate Team as a draw for attending MSU in addition to the strength of MSU’s academic programs and unmatched school spirit.
Today, Caporal is the Research Director for the Motley Fool, a company that provides financial advisory services, and manages media-facing content strategy. Caporal also chairs the World Trade Center Denver’s Trade Policy Committee and was a Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies prior to joining the Motley Fool.
Caporal said that debate showed him a passion for problem-solving and taught skills like critical thinking, having a comprehensive understanding of issues, and communicating effectively. “I enjoy the challenge of breaking down complex issues, thinking on my feet, and finding the most effective way to communicate an idea – skills that have shaped my career,” said Caporal.
Zemel currently works as a Deputy District Attorney in Portland, Oregon, and prosecutes violent crime cases with a focus on sexual assaults. Zemel agrees that skills like argumentation, oral advocacy, and research are used constantly in his job as a prosecutor in court.
Through debate, Zemel learned that he thrives in a competitive environment. “[Debating at MSU] had a direct impact on my job today because, although my job comes with a significant amount of stress and time, I know that I do well in environments that include wins and losses in court,” explained Zemel.
Both Zemel and Caporal remember their time with MSU Debate as being about the competition but also the comradery that came from preparing, competing, and being on a team.
“I look back fondly on a number of hard-fought victories, winning tournaments, and receiving a first-round bid to the National Debate Tournament my senior year,” said Caporal. “Outside of competition, my favorite memories are all the highs and lows I shared with former teammates that I now have lifelong friendships with.”
Zemel particularly enjoyed the time spent preparing for the season in advance of the academic year his first year on the team when students came to campus early to start practicing. “We had a big freshman class, so it was a great bonding experience for us and great to acclimate to campus before class started. I really valued the time I got to spend with people who I am still friends with today.”
By Miaomiao Zi