The Director's Welcome
My life forever changed through my participation in forensics at WKU and I have seen the activity have similar impact on thousands of students across the nation. I am happy you are interested in learning more about this incredible activity.
Forensics, or competitive speech and debate, offers students ranging from junior high
to college age the skills necessary to confidently and effectively communicate in
any situation. This activity teaches students to research, write and deliver valuable
messages. By participating in forensics, students follow current events, become exposed
to a wide-array of fiction and non-fiction literature, engage in critical discourse,
and learn how to become wise consumers of persuasion.
But forensics does so much more than that.
It gives students an opportunity to share their experiences. Forensics is a forum
that exposes participants to diverse perspectives and ultimately, encourages the recognition
of our shared humanity. For this reason, students in the activity are not only impressive
in job interviews, but also tend to be more engaged in social issues and civic life.
Forensics at WKU has a long and storied tradition. We are the oldest and most successful
student organization on campus. Our program has won more national forensics titles
in the last ten years than any other team in the country. WKU is the only team to
win the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament Team Championship,
the National Forensic Association Individual Events Team Championship, and the National
Forensics Association Debate Team Championship all in the same year, a benchmark the
team has set nine times.
34 MEMBERS | 11 STATES | 18 MAJORS
Our students are not only leaders in forensics, they are also leaders in our campus
community. Our diverse team of 34 individuals represent 11 states and 18 different
majors. Team members serve the university in a variety of capacities. Current team
members work as official university ambassadors, hold positions in our Student Government
Association, and several members serve on the Dean’s Council of Students.
Since 2012, WKU Forensics has produced 2 Critical Language Scholarship Winners, 3
Gilman Study Abroad Scholarship earners, 2 Boren Award for International Study recipients,
1 Foundation for Global Scholars recipient, 1 Lifetime Experience Grant, 2 Truman
Scholarship finalists, 3 Fulbright Scholars, and 2 Fellowships for Princeton in Asia.
Since 2009, 28% of our graduates have graduated from WKU’s honors college, and we’ve
retained 89.7% of all of our recruits. Our graduates have gone on to earn master’s
degrees in a variety of fields, PhDs, EdDs, and law degrees (with one recent graduate
scoring in the top 1% in the nation on the LSAT). Our alumni have gone on to become
Harvard Law students and Hollywood actors, Supreme Court defenders and Buzzfeed editors.
All of our graduates know that no matter where they end up, they forever have a home
on the Hill.
WKU Forensics also realizes the importance of giving back to the community through
outreach initiatives. Our program hosts large non-profit junior and senior high school
tournaments, provides scholarships for students in need of financial assistance, provides
an annual non-profit summer camp for students across the nation, worked with local
inner city schools on campus beautification projects, hosted canned food drives, and
hosted cultural events. The WKU Forensics team believes in helping students of all
ages achieve academic distinction, and in the importance of giving back to our community.
We thank you for taking the time to learn more about this life-changing activity and
we encourage you to share it with others in you community! Please let me know if there
are any questions about our program I can answer.
Sincerely,
Ganer Newman
Contact Info
Ganer Newman
Forensics
1906 College Heights Blvd. #51084
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1084
ganer.newman@wku.edu
Phone: 270 745 6340
Fax: 270 745 6341
all photos: Sur la Lune Photography
Member:
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