frequently asked questions
- Why should I join the team?
- I've never competed in speech or debate events before and don't have much experience in public speaking. Can I still join?
- What kind of time commitment are we talking?
- How much do I pay?
- Are scholarships available?
- What are tournaments like? Do I need to prepare a lot?
- How much time does a tournament take?
- How do I join?
The Macken Speech & Debate team provides an outstanding opportunity to meet and work with great people--both at SMC and other universities--while competing in events that help you develop excellent communication and critical thinking skills. The friendships you make on the team are sometimes the best you'll make while going to college, and the skills you hone will take you far after graduation. Competing for the team can be one of the most enjoyable and satisfying parts of your undergraduate experience.
I've never competed in speech or debate events before and don't have much experience in public speaking. Can I still join?
Absolutely! Prior experience is not a prerequisite for doing well or learning how to do speaking events or debate. There have been many members of the team, such as our sponsor and SMC alum, John Macken '62, who came to the team as an undergrad without any experience and gained the training he needed to communicate his scientific ideas to a wide audience. Our training sessions, practice rounds, and frequent traveling will give you plenty of opportunities to practice and improve.
And, any major can benefit from competing with the team: from Anthropology to English to Integral to Politics, different majors bring different and welcome knowledge to the team from which we all benefit.
What kind of time commitment are we talking?
There are meetings once a week, which all team members are required to attend. Besides this, we schedule practice sessions, and team members compete in at least 2 tournaments per semester, taking at least 2 events to each. There are also community service requirements for team members.
You earn .25 upper-division credit as a member of the team who is enrolled in COMM 190/Forensics. (That .25 credit is without charge--it is in addition to the .25 credit course already included in your tuition.) Enrollment in COMM 190/Forensics is required for all team members.
Nothing. Zilch. Zero. To make team membership as accessible as possible, our sponsor, John Macken, has made economic barriers next to none. When traveling, the team pays for travel, lodging, and most food. The team also picks up the tab for attending summer debate camps for those team members qualified, and the team pays for various social events throughout the year.
Yes. View the scholarship information here.
What are tournaments like? Do I need to prepare a lot?
A tournament consists of 2-8 preliminary rounds per event (depending on the event and the tournament). You can click on any of the following links to find a description of the event, what you'll learn from each, and the approximate preparation necessary to compete:
- Parliamentary Debate
- Policy Debate
- Persuasive Speaking
- Informative Speaking
- After Dinner Speaking
- Communication Analysis
- Impromptu Speaking
- Extemporaneous Speaking
- Poetry Interpretation
- Dramatic Interpretation
- Prose Interpretation
- Duo Interpretation
- Program of Oral Interpretation
How much time does a tournament take?
Tournaments are held on weekends, usually starting on Friday and ending on Sunday. Be prepared to leave on Thursday night or Friday afternoon of the scheduled weekend and to return on Sunday evening. Team members are excused from Friday afternoon classes by SMC policy.
