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texas 4-day great debates

About the 4-Day Texas Great Debates

About the Texas 4 - Day Great Debates For over three decades, first-year NHI members have come to harness the power of their voices and engage with perspective-changing ideas. The Great Debate offers a rigorous learning experience for high-achieving, high-ability 9th-grade youth who aspire to community and civic leadership roles in the future. NHI's Great Debate is a communications and leadership development program for ambitious and courageous young people. If you are or know a young person committed to making meaningful change in the world, and are driven toward building up our community, NHI and the Great Debate experience is a must. The Texas 4-Day Great Debates serve as an opportunity for students from NHI's biggest regions to gather and prepare for the experience. While the programs are held in the summer, our four-day model engages students locally throughout the spring to train and develop their skills. These programs are the result of months of community-building, personal growth, and collective preparation. Students leave knowing they’ve contributed to something greater than themselves and taken the first step in a lifelong journey of leadership.

TEXAS GREAT DEBATE

JUNE 2026

Austin College 

Sherman, Texas 


2025 Participating Cities:

Austin, El Paso, Houston, Monterrey, México, North Texas (DFW), Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, and Tip of Texas

Students admitted on a first come first served basis


Local Training season: Mid February - Early June 2026 (varies per city)

Travel transportation plans and fees vary per city. 

Space is limited to 42 participants per city.

About Austin College

Austin College

Austin College is a private, residential, co-educational college dedicated to educating undergraduate students in the liberal arts and sciences. Also offered are select pre-professional programs and a graduate teacher education program. Founded in 1849 by Princeton-educated Presbyterian missionary Dr. Daniel Baker, Austin College enjoys a place in early Texas history and remains a recognized leader in higher education for innovative programs, a strong faculty, and dedicated students. Austin College was granted a charter signed by Texas Governor George Wood in November of 1849. Modeled after those of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, that charter remains in use today, making Austin College the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under its original name and charter, as recognized by the State Historical Survey Committee. (From www.austincollege.edu)

TEXAS AMBASSADOR GREAT DEBATE

SUMMER 2026


 Texas, USA


2025 Participating cities:

Austin, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Guadalajara, México,

Houston, San Antonio, and Tip of Texas

Students admitted on a first come first served basis


Local Training season: Mid March - Late June 2026 (varies per city)

Travel transportation plans and fees vary per city.

Space is limited to 36 participants per city.

About our 2025 Host: St. Mary's University

St. Mary's University

St. Mary’s University in San Antonio is a private liberal arts school and the oldest Catholic university in Texas. Through small classes, close student-faculty relationships and an engaged community, teaching and learning flourish at St. Mary’s. They offer a variety of academic programs in humanities, sciences and business and options to pursue graduate, doctoral and law degrees. Our students engage in learning and social opportunities through undergraduate and graduate research, internships and community engagement. As a nationally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, St. Mary’s has a diverse student population of more than 3,000 of all faiths and backgrounds. Students experience a nurturing and vibrant community rooted in the University’s Catholic and Marianist commitments to providing a holistic education in a faith-centered, family-spirit environment.  (From: https://www.stmarytx.edu/about/)

APPLY HERE

recommended candidates & Requirements

Who should apply:



 Students who are enrolled

When you apply: 



Great Debate Tuition & Information

What Does Tuition Cover?

  • Four days on a college campus in dorms
  • A full meal plan
  • Private access to training areas
  • College Day exclusively for program participants
  • Staff-student ratio of 1:15
  • Supplies and materials
  • Commemorative program T-shirt
  • Certificate of participation
  • Highly motivating curriculum

NHI Membership

Students who complete the Great Debate are granted full NHI membership — including access to future leadership programs, volunteer opportunities, and faculty development — as long as they remain in good standing.

2025 Tuition & Fees

  • Application Fee: $25 (non-refundable)
  • Great Debate Deposit: $150 (non-refundable)
  • Great Debate Tuition: $695 (balance after deposit)
  • ** Great Debate Tuition may change for summer 2026.

    Payment & Support

    Upon official acceptance, a $150 deposit secures your student’s spot. Families manage tuition in a variety of ways:

    • Payment plans
    • Sponsorships
    • Online fundraising
    • Community grants

    NHI will provide a payment schedule upon acceptance and works with each family individually to ensure a smooth process.

Where Leaders Begin...


Explore bold ideas, challenge perspectives, and build community with your team your team—but real leadership goes even further. It’s about using your voice to build something bigger than yourself. Through regional practices, team challenges, and shared wins and losses, you’ll build friendships grounded in trust, laughter, and growth. These connections become a lasting network of support, inspiration, and future opportunity.

Manage yourself in

Global Environments

You'll challenge ideas, grow as a leader, and form friendships that extend far beyond the tournament. This is more than a debate—it’s the beginning of a shared journey. Don’t miss your chance to be part of it.

Represent your Community 

Join peers from across your city to train and prepare for an unforgettable experience this summer.  Join a year-long membership that uplifts and challenges you to represent your community. By the time you step into the Great Debate, you won’t just be speaking for yourself—you’ll be representing a team that helped shape your voice every step of the way.

Communicate your Ideas with StrategyPassion

Communicate your vision with strategy, and heart. When you speak with purpose, your voice becomes a tool to inspire and lead real change.  It's at places like the Great Debate where real influence is born.


National Hispanic Institute

P.O. Box 220
Maxwell, Texas 78656

+1 (512) 357-6137


Contact Us 



Hours of Operations:

M-F, 8:30am - 12:00pm; 1:30pm - 5:30pm CDT