The St. Cloud State Speech & Debate team captured a national championship to go along with other awards at the 2023 National Online Forensics (NOF) National Speech & Debate Championship Tournament on March 23-26. NOF National Championship is a comprehensive, online, culminating, national forensics tournament.
Students competing at NOF Nationals included senior El Julius, freshman Sid Allen, junior Spenser Norling, sophomore Nirman Karki, sophomore Lilly Rhodes and freshman Hope Jude.
SCSU claimed the national crown in Team Parliamentary Debate in a team comprised of Julius and Karki, while five other SCSU students brought home awards at Nationals:
- National Champions — Team Parliamentary Debate (Julius and Karki)
- 2nd Place — Debate Speaker (Sid Allen)
- 4th Place — Team Parliamentary Debate (Allen and Spenser Norling)
- 6th Place — Debate Speaker (Norling)
- Communication Analysis — Julius
- Prose Interpretation — Lilly Rhodes
- Prose Interpretation — Hope Jude
- Persuasive Speaking — Allen
- Extemporaneous Speaking — Norling
- Impromptu Speaking — Julius
Over the upcoming weeks, SCSU Forensics will host a 25-hour Play and Talent Show and sponsor a Spring Showcase Debate.
Participation in Forensics teaches students important public speaking, research, organizational, leadership, group work, and critical thinking skills. The activity is open to any student in good standing. The St. Cloud State Speech & Debate team is coached by Scott Wells.
St. Cloud State Forensics is one of nearly 200 student organizations at St. Cloud State that provide students with leadership, management, and volunteer service/learning opportunities and which foster an active campus community.
