Forensics (Speech)
Forensics (Speech)
Doane Forensics is a nationally ranked perennial power that competes alongside some of the best young minds this nation has to offer. That said, competition is not our primary focus. We help students find their passion and use the stage as an outlet for their unique voice. Students are not valued based on the number of trophies they earn but the energy, work, and camaraderie they bring to our team and the community.
Why Forensics (Speech)?
Speech is the practice of providing evidence through the spoken word — our association researches and trains in the global skills of argument and public advocacy. Doane Forensics focuses on improving students and preparing them to be agents of change. Members are frequent finalists and award recipients in the Fulbright and JET programs. Alumni of the team hold a vast range of essential positions in academia, government, and business.
Doane Forensics students attend over 30 competitions annually. At competitions, students enter preliminary rounds with students from different schools. A coach from another team or a hired judge watches all performances and ranks them. After preliminary rounds are ranked, top students move to elimination rounds. In elimination rounds, a panel of judges rank the competitors, and final placings are determined. Individual placement adds points to a team’s total score. The total team scores determine the top teams at the tournament.
American Forensic Association National Speech Tournament (AFA-NST)
Speech students represent the best qualities of Doane and are known for their professionalism, friendliness, and competitive excellence. Students conduct in-depth research on innovative, controversial, and vital subjects. They spend their weekends listening to competitors from across the country. The knowledge students bring back to campus, and their willingness to engage in conversations enhances Doane’s culture.
Doane Forensics students attend over 30 competitions annually. At competitions, students enter preliminary rounds with students from different schools. A coach from another team or a hired judge watches all performances and ranks them. After preliminary rounds are ranked, top students move to elimination rounds. In elimination rounds, a panel of judges rank the competitors, and final placings are determined. Individual placement adds points to a team’s total score. The total team scores determine the top teams at the tournament.
American Forensic Association National Speech Tournament (AFA-NST)
Speech students represent the best qualities of Doane and are known for their professionalism, friendliness, and competitive excellence. Students conduct in-depth research on innovative, controversial, and vital subjects. They spend their weekends listening to competitors from across the country. The knowledge students bring back to campus, and their willingness to engage in conversations enhances Doane’s culture.
Forensics (Speech) Auditions
Forensics attracts high school speech and debate competitors of all levels. However, you do not need previous speech experience to audition. Any student with a passion for performance and advocacy can become a Doane Forensics champion.
- The Doane Forensic (High School Speech Tournament) is held annually. Want to learn more, please contact us.
Forensics (Speech) Scholarship
The Forensics program has the ability to award scholarships to students who participate. We encourage students to do their own research to determine which financial pathway is best suited for their needs and below are a list of scholarships students may qualify for.
Related Doane Majors
Doane offers students multiple ways to elevate and engage others through speech. Programs that offer focused learning and application include Strategic Communication and New Media.
Strategic Communication
Our strategic communication major focuses on learning the theories behind public speaking, interpersonal communication, political rhetoric, and public relations. Students may apply their understanding of communication strategies toward careers as communication consultants, marketing managers and public relations directors.
New Media
Our New Media major focuses on content creation for broadcast, digital, print or visual media. Students working towards careers as broadcasters, filmmakers, journalists, social media strategists, and more will learn media production through hands-on experience and one-on-one mentoring.
Doane Forensics students develop their speaking and acting abilities while learning how to write and edit, research across disciplines and analyze all genres of literature. A typical Doane Forensics student will work on 2-6 yearlong research projects on a range of topics.
During their time on the team, one student tackled topics including: space law, the harms of cobalt mining, the danger journalists face around the world and the impact that has on free societies, etymology and digital identity formation, the danger of digital surveillance used as a parenting tool, and how YouTube’s algorithm facilitates radicalization.
Another student tackled topics including: the “Stop and Frisk” policy, U.S. agriculture’s over-dependence on corn, the impact of digital intervention on literacy projects, quotation approval in journalism, the appropriation of feminist rhetoric by men’s rights extremists, video game therapy, unpaid internships, the failures of Title IX policy, and declassified CIA documents.
Students conduct deep research on innovative and controversial subjects. Then, they present to peers and professors from around the country to test their expertise in subject matter while also being judged by their ability to present and perform. Students learn how to manage and best utilize constructive criticism. They’re exposed to some of the best minds around the country and learn about new topics every time they compete. And their willingness to engage in conversations in and out of the classroom enhances Doane’s culture as they bring those experiences back to campus.
Often, speech research becomes inspiration for future graduate research, a career path, or implementations on campus. Every speech performed by every student on our team is heard by hundreds of individuals, creating literal connections on campus, around the region, and across the nation.
Doane Forensics students apply the knowledge they’ve acquired and the skills they’ve learned to their academic program’s courses, campus activities and future careers. Doane Forensics students are leaders across numerous campus in programs like, sharing their knowledge and effective communication skills with their peers.
Alumni go on to receive advanced degrees and hold an impressive range of positions in academia, government, business and beyond. Some positions currently held by alumni include: District Judge for Nebraska’s Sixth Judicial District, Communication & Media Strategist for Werner Enterprises, Director at Lincoln Food Bank, Market Researcher at Mutual of Omaha, Director of Human Resources at Doane University, K-12 teachers for Lancaster, York, Douglas, and Kearney counties and professors at Hastings College and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Doane Forensics students develop their speaking and acting abilities while learning how to write and edit, research across disciplines and analyze all genres of literature. A typical Doane Forensics student will work on 2-6 yearlong research projects on a range of topics.
During their time on the team, one student tackled topics including: space law, the harms of cobalt mining, the danger journalists face around the world and the impact that has on free societies, etymology and digital identity formation, the danger of digital surveillance used as a parenting tool, and how YouTube’s algorithm facilitates radicalization.
Another student tackled topics including: the “Stop and Frisk” policy, U.S. agriculture’s over-dependence on corn, the impact of digital intervention on literacy projects, quotation approval in journalism, the appropriation of feminist rhetoric by men’s rights extremists, video game therapy, unpaid internships, the failures of Title IX policy, and declassified CIA documents.
Students conduct deep research on innovative and controversial subjects. Then, they present to peers and professors from around the country to test their expertise in subject matter while also being judged by their ability to present and perform. Students learn how to manage and best utilize constructive criticism. They’re exposed to some of the best minds around the country and learn about new topics every time they compete. And their willingness to engage in conversations in and out of the classroom enhances Doane’s culture as they bring those experiences back to campus.
Often, speech research becomes inspiration for future graduate research, a career path, or implementations on campus. Every speech performed by every student on our team is heard by hundreds of individuals, creating literal connections on campus, around the region, and across the nation.
Doane Forensics students apply the knowledge they’ve acquired and the skills they’ve learned to their academic program’s courses, campus activities and future careers. Doane Forensics students are leaders across numerous campus in programs like, sharing their knowledge and effective communication skills with their peers.
Alumni go on to receive advanced degrees and hold an impressive range of positions in academia, government, business and beyond. Some positions currently held by alumni include: District Judge for Nebraska’s Sixth Judicial District, Communication & Media Strategist for Werner Enterprises, Director at Lincoln Food Bank, Market Researcher at Mutual of Omaha, Director of Human Resources at Doane University, K-12 teachers for Lancaster, York, Douglas, and Kearney counties and professors at Hastings College and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
