At Midland University, we take the position that Speech and Debate is more than just a co-curricular activity that allows students to compete in speaking events and debate tournaments; it is also a participative laboratory experience where students are exposed to and experiment with interdisciplinary ideas, concepts, and literature.

We believe forensics represents a high impact learning experience which allows the educational practices we teach to be actively engaged by our students both within and outside the classroom. Through collaboration with teammates, peers at other institutions, judges, and coaches; our students receive feedback which opens up opportunities to understand, explore, and pursue the limits of one’s own potential.

Ultimately, we believe that forensics is an activity which is central to the University’s mission to inspire students to learn and lead in the world with purpose. We will constantly, and unapologetically, push our students to be better: better students, better competitors, better citizens, better people.

Why Speech and Debate at Midland?

• Enter a community where passionate discourse is not only accepted, but encouraged!
• Travel with zero fees for food, travel, and tournament registration.
• Have the ability to compete in all 11 individual events (speech).
• Pursue argumentation and debate skills through parliamentary debate.
• Learn and actively practice the communication skills today’s employers seek.
• Enjoy the opportunity to test your ideas and thoughts against your peers throughout the country.
• Join a forensics family where you will be forever supported you as you grow and change as a student and scholar!

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With more than $40,000 awarded annually in scholarships, participation in the Speech and Debate team can help you pay for college! Consider applying for one of our Speech and Debate scholarships, renewable for all four years of your career at Midland!

To get started, simply apply for admission to Midland University.

To learn more about how financial aid works at Midland, click here.

What if my event from high school is not available in college?

While some events on the high school level do have collegiate counterparts, many events are slightly different in focus and mission. Regardless, the skills and talents that you learned in high school will serve you well regardless of which events you choose in college.

What if I don't have experience in Speech and Debate?

No problem. Whether you competed in Speech and Debate at the highest levels in high school, or you are just looking to sharpen your communication skills, the Speech and Debate team at Midland is open to backgrounds.

How many events does one person compete in?

This largely depends on the level of commitment from the competitor. Some students compete in the same 2-3 events all year, while veteran competitors can compete in up to 6 events during the course of the year!

Can I do other activities besides Speech and Debate?

Of course! Like any other competitive activity, students who participate in forensics have talents and passions that range from music and theatre, to student government and campus political organization.

How often does the team travel?

The competitive forensics season runs from the end of September to the first weekend in April. During this time the team will travel to 4-6 tournaments a semester. No student is expected to travel to every tournament every semester, but most do travel to 3-4 weekends!

How will participation in Speech and Debate impact my grades?

As a co-curricular organization, the primary goal of participation in forensics is to actually make you a better student regardless of your major. In addition to learning vital interdisciplinary research and writing skills, students who participate in speech and debate enjoy 4 years of guidance and mentoring from the coaching staff and their peers.

To learn more about our program, please click on the link below and fill out the form: