CCU Speech and Debate Team
The CCU team is a full-service program. We compete in debate and in all forms of individual events, including limited preparation, platform, and interpretive events. We typically compete in 8 tournaments each year, and we travel all over the country.
Historically, the team has been very successful. We have won numerous national championships at the National Christian Colleges Forensics Invitational and at the IPDA National Tournament, and we have placed in the top five in the nation at Pi Kappa Delta Nationals.
The team usually has between 12-16 competitors. Our members are from all over the country and represent a diverse group of college majors. No previous speech and debate experience is required to be on the team. Some of our best competitors did not do speech and debate in high school.
Our students go on to prestigious graduate study and successful careers. For example, we have placed alumni at Notre Dame Law, Northwestern Law, and University of Virginia Law. Related to this, we enjoy a close partnership with CCU's Moot Court team. We have many students who are members of both teams.
The program is fully funded. All of the travel, lodging, food, and registration costs are covered by the team. Most students on the team receive speech and debate scholarships ranging from $500 to $4,000 each year.
Events We Offer
The CCU Speech and Debate team is a full-service program. We compete in both individual events and debate. In individual events, we compete in limited preparation events (Extemporaneous, Impromptu), platform events (Persuasive, Informative, Communication Analysis, After Dinner Speaking), and interpretive events (DI, Prose, Poetry, POI, Duo). In debate, we compete in International Public Debate Association (IPDA) style debate. IPDA is a limited preparation, one on one debate style (think of one on one Parliamentary Debate). It focuses on persuasion, rhetoric, and depth of argumentation, and it does not involve technical jargon, speed, spreading, etc.
About the Coach
The CCU Speech and Debate Team is coached by Stephen Scheffel. He competed for four years on CCU's Speech and Debate Team and coached Notre Dame's Parliamentary Debate Team for two years while in law school. Stephen is currently the Deputy District Attorney for the First Judicial District Attorney's Office. Please contact Coach Scheffel at Stephen Scheffel sscheffel@ga.ccu.edu