Virginia Peninsula Community College students recently joined others from William & Mary to exchange ideas in a Public Square Debate on “Is social media a threat to democracy?”
The Feb. 27 event at W&M’s Sadler Center also included high school students from Williamsburg-James City County Schools and community members.
Public Square debates help participants explore democracy and how to strengthen it, according to the W&M Civic and Community Engagement team, which organized the on-campus event. Using the Braver Angels debate format, participants voiced ideas, aiming not to win but to understand different perspectives.
Students representing VPCC were Keri Brown, Ezeckiel Dela Cruz, Jocelyn Gonzales Cruz, Ron Hicks, Julian Parker, Jallal Moslih and Chris Winn. Of those, some are active in campus clubs and organizations, including the Student Government Association, Presidential Ambassadors and Phi Theta Kappa honor society. Recent VPCC graduate and W&M student Molly Grazier also participated in the debate.
Grazier and Parker took the floor with brief speeches, stating their stances on the topic and answering questions from the audience. Of several speakers, Grazier was first and said when used “in the right way,” social media is not a threat to democracy.Parker, the final speaker, held social media is more of a tool than a threat. He stressed self-discipline and accountability are vital.
Daniela Cigularova, VPCC’s vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Success (EMSS), along with fellow VPCC administrators LaRhonda Johnson and Tracey Wright, served on the planning committee for the event. Cigularova said the debate was a valuable experience for students.
“I think one of the greatest benefits was having high school students, community college students, and William and Mary students come together in a civil forum, sharing perspectives and ideas in a well-facilitated helpful manner, being able to speak their opinions and also actively listen and learn from each other,” noted the EMSS vice president, who was also joined at the event by VPCC faculty and staff members Dr. Marjorie Newman and Professor Amy Anderson Horton.
Public Square debates are taking place college and university campuses across Virginia, helping celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence and Virginia’s role in American history. Making history come alive for participants, sparking a civics renaissance and celebrating democracy, they are built on collaboration among the VA250 Commission, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Virginia Department of Education, the College Debates and Discourse Alliance, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni and Braver Angels.