CSUF Forensics Team

 

Intercollegiate Forensics, including debating and individual speech events, can be one of the most rewarding experiences you are likely to encounter in college.

For over fifty years, Cal State Fullerton has been committed to using forensics activities to enhance students’ critical/analytical research, and communication skills. Beyond these skills, students learn about the importance of teamwork, responsibility, and leadership. Without a doubt, forensics is one of the most empowering activities that students can participate in.

Forensics provides an opportunity for students to participate in intellectual competition in both individual events and debate. Members of the Cal State Fullerton Forensics Squad engage in competition with students from other colleges and universities at both regional and national tournaments. Whether you're an incoming freshmen with experience in high school speech and debate, or a transfer student from another college or university's debate team, or even if you've never participated in forensics before in your life and think it might be fun to try, there is still a place for you on our team - and a staff of coaches who will work hard with you to reach your potential.

Students who participate in forensics learn skills and gain confidence that stays with them for a lifetime and that can apply to any profession. 

Many of our current team members and alumni have gone on to achieve the highest levels of success in college forensics. Many of them are professors, lawyers, and owning or managing their own businesses. For those students with aspirations of competing at the regional and national tournaments, CSUF Forensics provides excellent tournament travel opportunities. A typical season includes trips to UNLV, Arizona State University, Wake Forest University, University of Southern California Pepperdine, Northwestern University, and even Harvard.

Students also have the opportunity to participate in the squad's outreach program, the Southern California Urban Debate League. This unique program provides mentoring while teaching responsible advocacy through academic debate to students attending under-served high schools. Additionally, each year, we host multiple tournaments including a high school speech and debate tournament in October.  An average turn out for this tournament is 1000 competitors from 64 schools.

If you are interested in joining Intercollegiate Forensics contact Erika Thomas, Donny Peters or the Department of Human Communications Studies, or simply enroll in the course HCOM138 next semester.

 Each year we have contact with alumni, many of whom are well established in successful careers, and we are continually struck with the almost universal sentiment that speech and debate were the most rewarding experiences of their college career.

I'm positive that you will say the same.

From Rachel, a 1999 graduate:

"I had to tell you something kind of funny. My clinical professor (who teaches us how to be therapists) has us debate everyday this quarter. You can imagine how excited I was. He randomly calls on us, so we always have to be prepared. Well, he called on me the first day, and I started debating. I was honestly trying to hold back as to not scare a non-debate crowd, but there was still quite a reaction and alot of talk that sort of spread throughout the student populace. My professor then asked if he could hand out copies of what I had typed up in preparation to the rest of the class. Anyway-I thought you would appreciate this and the fact that the debate was the most fun thing I have done in grad school-academically-thus far."