Speech & Debate/Forensics
Forensics at George Fox University
The George Fox forensics team is a member of the Northwest Forensics Conference, representing colleges and universities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah and California.
Our award-winning speech and debate team offers you the opportunity to compete on a national level with other colleges and universities in both individual events (persuasion, informative, extemporaneous, and impromptu, etc.) and British Parliamentary Debate.
Each year, the team attends six to seven tournaments to compete in speech and debate events, presents public performances, and meets once a week for two hours to practice.
Check out our results page to see our track record.
An Emphasis on Travel & Experience
Our goal is to take students into competitive experiences in as many different places as we can. We have debated in the Oregon State Penitentiary for an outreach program with inmates, in Washington, D.C., to debate in front of NASA astronauts and scientists about the potential ethical concerns of space exploration, and in many classical competitions around the U.S.
How to Get Involved
No experience is necessary to be involved in forensics. Some members of George Fox’s team have extensive high school training, but a large number of students come only with the goal of improving their public speaking skills.
The team travels regionally, and, when possible, nationally. For more information, contact Kevin Jones, chair of the communication department, at kevinj@georgefox.edu, or check out one of our practice sessions on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in Hoover 208.
Benefits
Forensics is ...
- An unmatched distinctive. Each year, thousands of students graduate from our nation's colleges with high GPAs, but few of them are able to present their ideas while adapting to audience feedback. No resume looks worse because "Debate Team" was added to it.
- A great way to develop confidence, along with skills in critical thinking/listening, organization, research methods, and public speaking.
- A vital component of career preparation. All professions require skills in language, whether it be in the form of writing, thinking, reading, speaking or listening.
- A way to empower students for participation in all facets of life. You'll develop the skills that help you as a community and church leader, "kitchen table" problem-solver, and ethical citizen.
- Fun! Through forensics you'll develop friendships with students from George Fox and other colleges and universities. With teamwork and cooperation, the forensics team succeeds and team members enjoy their experiences.
Still have questions? Visit our FAQ page to learn more.
