Full-Length
Testimonials
Zachary Wu
2x Harvard Congress National Champion
4x Illinois Congress State Champion
"The first time I had the opportunity to work with Sumeer was 2017 -- when I was 11. He was brought in to coach me on 48 hours notice before a tournament on an entirely new resolution I hadn't seen. Since that day, I can say with absolute confidence that Sumeer possesses the most ridiculously intuitive understanding of argument and strategy of anyone I've ever met. His ability to anticipate how debates are likely to go and what arguments will be the most compelling has supplied me with a supreme level of preparedness entering the highest echelon of competition that hardly any of my peers could boast. Together, we were consistently able to produce the most persuasive and unique argumentative positions, immediately propelling me to the top of most rounds I was in.
Sumeer very astutely identifies the features most relevant to the heart of any debate, and how to best frame arguments to capture such features. Just a twenty minute conversation with Sumeer right before the final round of the national championship provided me with a roadmap for precisely what I needed to argue and the arguments I needed to deal with to have a winning performance. I cannot understate just how instrumental having Sumeer in my corner over the course of my long career has been. I owe much of my success in the debate space to his insight and tutelage."
Kali Froh
2012 Illinois Lincoln Douglas State Champion
"I’m thankful to have spent countless hours studying debate with Sumeer as both a co-worker and a friend. What I appreciate most is his judgment-free reception of new information, counter arguments, and even criticism. Sumeer has the maturity to take down the temperature of a heated classroom and the whimsy to spark a child’s excitement for debate education. His years of teaching experience are demonstrated by his students’ dedication to the craft (and their success)!
Whether you are a student looking to begin your critical thinking journey or an adult trying to stay sharp, I could not recommend Sumeer enough."
Dean Weede
Parent
"My son worked with Sumeer while on the debate team at Buffalo Grove High School. Sumeer made a very positive impact on my son's mental and social development in addition to helping him to think broader of the world around us. Sumeer's strengths are many, but in the context of helping young adults to learn to think critically, there is nobody better that I've seen in my lifetime.
Sumeer teaches by guiding with thought provocation rather than telling the student what to think. He encourages the student to really form thoughts and opinions on a range of subjects. The way Sumeer thinks about underlying assumptions and facts of a topic or an argument is a result of his life experience and education. He is patient and kind - and those attributes are crucial for effective teaching to young adults."
Michael Maley
2013 Illinois Lincoln Douglas State Champion
"Sumeer is a fantastic debate coach and was instrumental in my ability to prepare for and eventually win the Illinois LD debate state championship. He has a clear command of debate structure and encourages his students to critically think through and evaluate their positions. He is effectively able to communicate complex philosophical constructs and make them comprehensible to new beginners and seasoned debaters alike. I can't recommend him enough."