Ian Lising, A man with vision

Dear all

Asia has contributed lots of talented Debaters and Debating Personalities for global debating communities. They are not only the assets of Asia but proven significant for the World. I would like to focus some of these Names who have always being a helping had for world debating movements. This is the first article on These Asian Debating Legends.

Ian Lising, A man with vision
Chair of World Universities Debating Council

In a comedy club one night in Singapore, a friend threw Ian Lising on stage unprepared. But to his good fortune there happened to be a producer from the Philippines where Lising was a professional stand up comedian, who offered him his own talk show.

“It was a cheapo rip-off of David Letterman,” says Lising which lasted only one season But now that he is married. He and his wife love exploring California as we as rest of the world. He has visited close to 37 countries for debating Tournaments and for different workshops.

Till now you got it right, this article is all about Ian Lising, The Current Chair of World Universities Debating Council. Lising was unanimously voted to head the World Debating Council in 2002 and he is the longest standing council chair to date.

Ian Lising has wise bespectacled eyes, a warm and inviting smile and an aura of peace and serenity. Despite his renowned status, he is ironically shy, extremely patient and completely humble, as victory is far from No. 1 on his list of priorities.

Lising’s passion for debate first sparked when he was a student at Carney High School in Carney, Neb. “I felt debate was a great form of finding balance,” Lising said. “Debate is the activity that helps us become more resolute in our actions and, more importantly, to understand our reasons for doing them.”

As a Debater in High school and college, Lising had plans to attend at low schools, but he founded to analyzing his opponents to debate. He loves to Coach rather found him self in the Court Room.

Ian Lising received his B.A. in Political Science from the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines. He received his M.A. in Education from the University of La Verne. He was a lecturer and Debate Coach of the Ateneo from 1994-1998. He also taught at the Ateneo High School from 1994-1997 and at the Assumption College from 1997-1998. He began coaching the ULV Forensics Team in the fall of 1999 and started teaching Speech Communication in 2000.

Professor Lising was the co-Founder, Chair and Coach of the Ateneo Debate Society from 1991-1998. He coached the 1st Asian Debate Champion team at the inaugural event in 1995. In 1999, he served as the Championship Director of the Worlds Universities Debating Championships (WUDC). Later that year, he coached the University of La Verne to the Grand Final of the Oxford Union International Intervarsity Debating Championship. He has also coached both the Ateneo and La Verne at the WUDC.

His teams have become World Octofinalists, Quarterfinalists, Semifinalists, and Grand Finalists. In 2003, the University of La Verne was the only American university to advance past the preliminary rounds.He has also been granted the honor of adjudicating the World Grand Finals for the last few consecutive years, which is a position reserved only for the best judges in the world.

At the University of La Verne, he teaches argumentation and debate, results-oriented interviewing, public controversy and criticism, and rhetorical theory

Lising’s manner of coaching is far more laid-back and less stringent than that of most coaches.

“Some coaches program their debaters,” Lising said. “I give them a plethora of experiences so they can make decisions independently.”

Brenna Lampson, senior double major in philosophy and speech communications and captain of the debate team, referred to Lising’s pressure-free method of coaching as “the sink or swim mentality.”

His infamous coaching technique has often improved his students’ autonomous thinking and problem solving skills, ultimately molding them into better people.

“I don’t have expectations or visions for (my students),” Lising said. “I help them to achieve visions for themselves. (The team’s success) is not a reflection of what I’ve done; it’s something the students have accomplished and I’m just lucky enough to be a part of that.”

His students, however, are quick to point their fingers in his direction.
?“Ian has really turned the debate program at ULV into a very large and successful team that can compete with the best at any tournament that we attend,” said Josh Martin, senior double major in speech communication and political science and debate team member.

“Ian is the foundation for our team,” said Allison Fernandez, sophomore double major in philosophy and speech communications and team member. “He challenges us to do our best and puts enough trust in us to know we’ll come (through) with our parts.”

Lising said he believes everyone has the potential for greatness in the debate field and he strives to bring this quality out in each of his students.

“Some say, ‘But I don’t speak very well’ or ‘But I don’t know very much about the world,’ and helping them to discover that they do is a challenge and ultimately my goal in life.” he added.

Lising also said his greatest triumphs have arisen from the individual successes of his students.

“My greatest successes haven’t been found in a debating chamber, but in how successful my students become in their lives,” Lising said. “Since debate is an interdisciplinary activity, they’ve been able to find success in the classroom, work place and society in general.”

Lising does not quantify his student’s successes according to anything beyond what they have learned and gained from their experiences thus far.

As a result, Lising has been an ongoing inspiration to his team.

“It’s really fun working with him,” Soria said. “When you work with someone who loves what they do, you yearn to be a part of it.”

Lising Belief subconsciously he always wanted to be a teacher. As a child “Star Wars” was a quite influential on him. While every young boy wanted to be Hans solo, Lising wanted to be Obe Wan Kenobe, the wise teacher. “I wanted to be the old guy” he jokes.

. Name: Ian Lising
• Age: 34
• Gender: Male
• Astrological Sign: Cancer
• Zodiac Year: Rat
• Industry: Education
• Occupation: Professor
• Location: La Verne : California : United States


Regards,
Rashedul Hasan Stalin
Contributor and Author
World Debate Website and Asian Debate Website

Source
Debate Coach Argues for Greatness
Jessica Bell can be reached at ledjessilin@yahoo.com.
Campus Times, University of La Verne
http://www.ulv.edu/ctimes/102805/lvlife.htm

Faculty List
Ian Lising
http://academic.ulv.edu/~cas/Faculty%20Pages/Ian%20Lising.html