Richmond Debate Institute

The Richmond Debate Institute (RDI) is a summer program that provides training and instruction in competitive debate for high school and middle school students. The 1-week institute is held annually at VCU and offers a variety of courses and workshops to help students improve their debate skills. The program is designed for students of all skill levels, from novice to advanced, and includes instruction in both Public Forum debate and Lincoln-Douglas debate. The curriculum is taught by experienced debate coaches and college debaters and includes lectures, drills, and practice debates. RDI also offers a variety of extracurricular activities and social events to help students build a community and make new friends.