Awards
From the inception of Boston College, elocution and oratory skill were among the most important assets that the school actively cultivated in its students.
The Fulton Prize Debate took place annually in Boston College Hall and attracted students and lay spectators from all over the city. The winner was crowned the best debater of the year and received a medal of gold. The prize was one of the highest honors that could be bestowed upon a Boston College student at the time.
Unmatched in garnering of acclaim for the university in the 19th and early 20th centuries, debates lured crowds from all across Boston and teams from across the globe. The intercollegiate debates strengthened bonds and set a sturdy foundation with colleges across the country for future sporting matchups.
In the early years of the Fulton Debating Society, before the College moved to Chestnut Hill, one of the highlights of the academic year was the annual prize debate. The first of these debates was held in 1890, and the debate has remained a Boston College tradition for more than 100 years.
When University Hall (now Gasson Hall) was dedicated in 1913, a special room on the third floor was dedicated to the Society. The ceiling of the room forms a Gothic arch, reflecting the building's architecture. The sloping ceilings on either side were, fittingly, adorned with six examples of or tributes to oratory: in Greek by Demosthenes, in Latin by Cicero, in Jerome's Latin rendition of St. Paul, in Italian by Paolo Segneri, S.J., in French by Louis Bourdaloue, S.J., and by Daniel Webster. Three of the quotations are from secular and three from sacred eloquence. From the vantage of the platform in the Fulton room the quotations from Cicero, Webster, and Demosthenes are on the left wall and those from Segneri, St. Paul, and Bourdaloue on the right.
The list of Fulton Medal Winners on the wall of the Fulton room contains the names of many great and some legendary Boston College graduates. Some standouts are Monsignor Michael J. Splaine, 1896, a revered churchman; Henry Foley, 1921, founder of a distinguished Boston law firm; James M. Curley, Jr., 1928, son of Boston's mayor, whose prospects were cut short by an early death; John J. Wright, 1931, later bishop and cardinal, possibly the quickest and wittiest debater in Fulton history; Lawrence J. Riley, 1936, a beloved auxiliary bishop of Boston; James J. Unger, 1963, long-time Director of Debate at Georgetown University; John J. Curtin, Jr., 1954, first Boston College alumnus and Law School Alumnus to be president of the American Bar Association; and Joseph M. McLaughlin, 1964 and 1965, a champion debater and master litigator. The first woman to win the Fulton Medal was Jane M. Osborne, 1973, an outstanding accomplishment in light of the fact that total coeduation had come to Boston College just three years earlier.
In the early years of debate at Boston College there were two separate debating societies--the Fulton Debating Society for upperclassmen and the Marquette Debating Society for underclassmen. The Societies functioned independently and each conducted a prize debate in the spring. While the Marquette become a part of the Fulton years ago, the Fulton remembers the Marquette Debating Society each year when it presents the historic Gargan Medal to the second best speaker in the Fulton Prize Debate.
In the early years of debate at Boston College there were two separate debating societies--the Fulton Debating Society for upperclassmen and the Marquette Debating Society for underclassmen. The Societies functioned independently and each conducted a prize debate in the spring. While the Marquette become a part of the Fulton years ago, the Fulton remembers the Marquette Debating Society each year when it presents the historic Gargan Medal to the second best speaker in the Fulton Prize Debate.
Year | Name |
---|---|
2022 | Ian McNabb |
2021 | Sophia Carter |
2020 | Sophia Carter |
2019 | Benjamin Dewhurst |
2018 | Benjamin Dewhurst |
2017 | Fisher Pressman |
2016 | Fisher Pressman |
2015 | Fisher Pressman |
2014 | Sean MacDonald |
2013 | Michael Holland |
2012 | Nora Lopopolo |
2011 | Grant Gendron |
2010 | Nora Lopopolo |
2009 | Sean O’Hara |
2008 | Ryan Malone |
2007 | Mandy Castle |
2006 | Mandy Castle |
2005 | Mandy Castle |
2004 | Allen Best |
2003 | James P. Smith |
2002 | Ben Bireley |
2001 | Christopher Schroeck |
2000 | Lisa Langdon |
1999 | Lisa Langdon |
1998 | Jared Fields |
1997 | David Staiti |
1996 | Gregory Connor |
1995 | William Macey |
1994 | Christopher Strunk |
1993 | Wenyu T. Ho |
1992 | Jennifer W. Paul |
1991 | Charles E. Morris III |
1990 | Jennifer R. Dowd |
1989 | Lisa Marie Ameden |
1988 | Christopher T. Gassett |
1987 | John I. Goodwin |
1986 | Andrea Rocanelli |
1981 | Jeffrey Corkery |
1980 | Daniel Feeney |
1979 | James Guerra |
1978 | Steve Malachowski |
1977 | Stephen Kelly |
1976 | Frank Roach |
1975 | John Hart |
1974 | John Meany |
1973 | John Meany |
1972 | Jane Osborne McKnight |
1971 | Mary-Ellen Raux |
1970 | Robert Baker |
1969 | John J. MacMillan |
1966 | Robert Halli, Jr. |
1965 | Robert Halli, Jr. |
1964 | Dennis M. McCarthy |
1963 | Joseph T. McLaughlin |
Year | Name |
---|---|
1962 | James J. Unger |
1961 | James J. Unger |
1959 | Kevin T. Byrne |
1958 | Brian J. Moran |
1957 | John Howard |
1956 | Terry Logan |
1955 | Edward J. F. Thomas |
1954 | Edward J. F. Thomas |
1953 | Frank Tannian |
1952 | John J. Curtin |
1951 | George H. Parsons |
1950 | William Falvey |
1949 | Donald W. White |
1948 | Lawrence E. Spellman |
1947 | William J. Murphy |
1946 | Paul E. Kelly |
1943 | John W. Moriarty, Jr. |
1942 | John W. Moriarty, Jr. |
1941 | Joseph A. Timpany |
1940 | Robert E Kopp |
1939 | Thomas J. Finnegan |
1938 | Paul Greeley |
1937 | John F. X. Gaquin |
1936 | Francis E. Sullivan |
1935 | John Donelan |
1934 | Lawrence J. Riley |
1933 | Mark J. Dalton |
1932 | Gabriel G. Ryan |
1931 | Joseph G. Brennan |
1930 | Joseph F. Rogers |
1929 | John J. Wright |
1928 | Harold P. Sullivan |
1927 | Henry M. Leen |
1926 | Paul R. Hinchey |
1925 | Francis I. Murphy |
1924 | Raymond S. Morgan |
1923 | Maurice J. Hickey |
1922 | Joseph M. Gavan |
1921 | Joseph G. Crane |
1920 | Henry Foley |
1919 | Eugene J. Sullivan |
1918 | Thomas F. McNamara |
1917 | Richard A. McShane |
1916 | Warren J. Clear |
1915 | Francis S. Quinn |
1914 | John J. Connolly |
1913 | Frederick W. Wennerberg |
1912 | Edward S. Farmer |
1911 | Edward A. Sullivan |
1910 | Vincent J. Hickey |
1909 | Thomas A. Flynn |
1903 | Daniel J. O'Hearn |
Dr. Joseph F. Quinn joined the Economics Department in 1974 after earning his doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He served as chair of the department from 1988 until 1994. Quinn was the highly regarded Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Boston College from 1999 until 2007, when he returned to the Economic Department and was named the James P. McIntyre Professor.
In recognition of his distinguished career as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and his longstanding support of Fulton Debate, Dean Quinn was honored at the 2007 Fulton Prize Debate with a Friend of Fulton Award. At that time, the Society also announced the creation of the Joseph F. Quinn Award for the Outstanding First Year Debater. The first recipient of the Quinn Award was Matthew Maerowitz '10, an economics major from Phoenix, Arizona.
The recipients of the Joseph F. Quinn Award for the Oustanding First Year Debater include:
Year | Name |
---|---|
2021 | Anderson Zhang |
2020 | Cross Conrad |
2019 | Sophia Carter |
2018 | Benjamin Dewhurst |
2017 | Conner Coles |
2016 | Jenna Bilak |
2015 | Harrison Kenner |
2014 | Ryan Carelli and Amanda Sie |
2013 | Ted Kontopoulos |
2012 | Alexander Carlman and Sullivan McCormick |
2011 | Michael Maerowitz |
2010 | Nora Lopopolo |
2009 | Gabriel Stacy |
2008 | Michael Stork and Kevin Walton |
2007 | Matthew Maerowitz |
At the culmination of the annual Fulton Prize Debate, the Society recognizes one member of the Boston College community as "Fultonian of the Year." This award may recognize a special friend of the Society, a gifted speaker who has used oratory for the greater good, or a teacher or administrator who has served Boston College with distinction.
Previous recipients of the "Fultonian of the Year" include:
Year | Name |
---|---|
2017 | Grace Peters |
2015 | Rita Rosenthal |
2014 | William Stanwood |
2013 | Patrick Waldinger |
2012 | Bonnie S. Jefferson & Wenyu Ho ('95) Blanchard |
2011 | John P. Katsulas & Dale A. Herbeck |
2010 | John J. Burns |
2009 | John L. Mahoney, Jr. |
2008 | Barbara Viechnicki |
2007 | Joseph T. McLaughlin ('65) |
2006 | Patricia DeLeeuw |
2005 | John Neuhauser |
2004 | Donald Fishman |
2003 | Howard Singer |
2002 | Joseph Quinn |
2001 | Dorman Picklesimer |
2000 | Kevin P. Duffy |
1999 | Carole Hughes |
1998 | Marilyn Matelski |
1997 | Gail McGrath |
1996 | Frank Campanella |
1995 | Margaret Dwyer |
1994 | Donald J. White |
1993 | Rev. Charles Donovan, S.J. ('33) |
1992 | Bernie O'Kane |
1991 | Robert Sherwood |
1990 | Rev. J. Donald Monan, S.J. |
1989 | Kevin P. Duffy |
1988 | John Neuhauser |
1987 | Rev. Joseph R. Fahey, S.J. |
1976 | Mary L. Kinnane |
The National Debate Tournament (NDT) began at the United States Military Academy in 1947. For the next 20 years, the NDT was organized and conducted by the academy. In 1967, the NDT entered a new era as the American Forensic Association, the national professional organization of forensic educators, assumed responsibility for the tournament. The NDT was moved from West Point and has been hosted by a schools across the United States. Boston College hosted the NDT in 1976.
At the first tournament in 1947, 29 colleges participated in five "seeded debates" and four elimination rounds over a three day tournament. Over the years, the tournament has expanded in size and 78 teams now participate at the NDT. Since 1970, it has been possible for a school to qualify two teams to attend the NDT.
Boston College first qualified to attend the NDT in 1962 and has been represented at the tournament by 38 teams. The Fultonians who have participated at the NDT include:
Joseph T. McLaughlin Award for Public Debate
The accomplishments of Joseph T. McLaughlin ’65 as a Boston College debater are unrivaled. He and his debate partner, James Unger, achieved remarkable success at the National Debate Tournament (NDT), which remains the gold standard for measuring debate success. In 1963, the BC duo reached the semi-finals of the NDT, where they lost a 4-1 decision to the University of Minnesota. McLaughlin and Unger improved upon their performance at the 1964 NDT where they lost the final round to the University of the Pacific on a close 4-3 decision. These two performances at the NDT were not surprising: McLaughlin and Unger were one of the dominant teams both years, winning elite national tournaments such as the Henry Clay Debates at the University of Kentucky in 1963.
After graduating from Boston College with honors, McLaughlin attended Cornell Law School, and then clerked for Chief Justice Joseph Tauro of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. For the next forty years, McLaughlin enjoyed a fabulously successful career as a litigator. A former partner at Shearman & Sterling, McLaughlin served as counsel at Bingham McCutchen, he taught international arbitration at Fordham University School of Law, and he served as a professional arbitrator and mediator with JAMS. McLaughlin passed away in January 2012.
In honors of his long and distinguished career, the Fulton Debating Society inaugurated the Joseph T. McLaughlin Award for Public Debate in 2010. The Award is presented to the Fultonian who has demonstrated a commitment to the Society's public debate series and has mastered the art of arguing before large audiences.
Past winners of the Joseph T. McLaughlin Award for Public Debate include:
Year | Name |
---|---|
2021 | Cross Conrad & Anderson Zhang |
2020 | Lauren White |
2019 | Van-Ado Jean-Noel |
2018 | Conner Coles |
2017 | Sean MacDonald |
2016 | Fisher Pressman |
2015 | Sean MacDonald |
2014 | Michael Maerowitz |
2014 | Alexander Tingle |
2013 | Patrick Allen |
2012 | Gabe Stacy |
2011 | Grant Gendron |
2010 | Ryan Malone |
Dr. Kevin P. Duffy served as Vice President of Student Affairs at Boston College from 1976 until his retirement in 1990. A strong supporter of student activities including Fulton Debate, the Society honored his exceptional career with the creation of the Kevin P. Duffy Award for Excellence in Debate. This award recognizes a Fultonian who has made an outstanding contribution to Fulton Debate while a student at BC.
Previous recipients of the Kevin P. Duffy Award for Excellence in Debate include:
Year | Name |
---|---|
2021 | Sophia Carter |
2020 | Louis Gleason, IV |
2019 | Noah R. Valdez |
2018 | Noah R. Valdez |
2017 | Fisher Pressman '17 |
2016 | Sean MacDonald '17 |
2015 | Ryan Carelli '17 |
2014 | Sean MacDonald '17 |
2013 | Sullivan McCormick '15 |
2012 | Brendan Benedict '12 |
2011 | Brendan Benedict '12 |
2010 | Brendan Benedict '12 |
2009 | Sean O'Hara '10 |
2008 | Matthew Maerowitz '10 |
2007 | Allen Best '07 |
2007 | Mandy Castle '07 |
2006 | Jeffrey Sullivan '06 |
2005 | Kevin Shatzkin '05 |
2004 | Ben Bireley '04 |
2003 | Christopher Schroeck '03 |
2002 | Kevin Hartzell '02 |
2001 | Jared Fields '01 |
2000 | Kevin Collins ‘00 |
In 2017, the Fulton Debate Hall of Fame began by inducting five members from the pre-World War II era. Subsequently, at least five new members will be enshrined each year until every decade is represented. Thereafter, nominations from alumni will be solicited for adding additional members.
Pre-World War II Inductees
1940's Inductees
1950's Inductees
1960's Inductees
1970's Inductees
1980's Inductees
1990's Inductees