Harvard invites national-champion Ļć½¶Ö±²„Debate Team for the Ivy League schoolās Magna Carta Celebration next week
Contact: Harriet Laird
STARKVILLE, Miss.āĻć½¶Ö±²„ās national-champion debate team continues its time in the spotlight next week after accepting an invitation from Harvard Law School to participate in its Magna Carta Celebration.
Spring graduates Hannah Daniels of Huntsville, Alabama, and Devin Hutchins of Hernando join sophomore Ben and freshman Sam Harvey, both of Starkville, for the eventās Mock Collegiate Intra-Team Debate on June 17 at 1:30 p.m. CT. The fourāmembers of MSUās 2024 and 2025 Collegiate Debate National Championship teamāwill debate the topic āThe Magna Carta remains a valuable guide for constraining the power of governmentā and join leading scholars from around the world in the daylong, virtual celebration. Those interested in viewing can find the livestream here: .
Their discussion honors Harvardās recent authentication of a 1327 original Magna Carta manuscript, first discovered in 2023 in the law school library. Purchased by the Ivy League institution in 1946 for just $27.50, itās worth millions today. The āGreat Charterā is one of Englandās, and the worldās, most historic legal documents which established the countryās kingāthe governmentāwas not above the law. It is believed to have significantly inspired the framers of the U.S. Constitution.
āThis invitation is an extraordinary honor for our entire program. We could not be more grateful to Harvard Law School,ā said Brett Harvey, Ļć½¶Ö±²„Debate Team coach. āAs national champions, these students are representing both Mississippi State and collegiate debate as an institution. For them to share the stage with some of the worldās most prominent legal scholars is an unparalleled opportunity and a tribute to the accomplishments of these four and the entire university debate program.ā
Ļć½¶Ö±²„team participant Daniels recently graduated magna cum laude in international business, while Hutchins is a summa cum laude graduate in philosophy. Brothers Ben and Sam Harvey are mathematics and biochemistry majors, respectively.
For more on Harvard Law Schoolās Magna Carta exhibit, visit . Information on MSUās consecutive collegiate debate national championships can be found at /newsroom/article/2025/04/msu-claims-second-straight-collegiate-debate-national-championship.
Ļć½¶Ö±²„ is taking care of what matters. Learn more atĀ .