Forensics

 

The Director's Welcome

Welcome to WKU Forensics!
 
Whether you are a seasoned competitor or discovering the activity for the first time, I am happy you are interested in learning more about this incredible activity! 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.
 
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.
 
Our students are not only leaders in forensics, they are also leaders in our campus community. Our diverse team of 40 individuals represent 14 states and 24 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 Scholarships Winners, 2 Gilman Study Abroad Scholarship Earners, 1 Boren Award for International Study Recipient, and a Truman Scholarship Finalist, and 3 Fulbright Scholars. 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, provided 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. In addition to these efforts, this year the team volunteered with Lost River Cave’s restoration project.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