Graphic designed by Evan Brooks.
Being involved in an organization takes dedication, patience and a love for what that organization embodies. Few organizations require as much dedication as the Forensics Speech & Debate Team of West Chester University (WCU). This organization both requires and gives a lot of love — you need to love the process of debates and giving speeches. You will be supported every step of the way by a team of your peers and a coach.
The new coach and Director of Forensics at WCU is Nicholas Prephan, a professor of Communication Studies. Professor Prephan has been at WCU for two years now — working with the Forensics Speech & Debate Team during the virtual academic year, and now with the team back in person. Professor Prephan helped keep the organization active during the virtual academic year, ensuring that virtual tournaments were lined up and that everyone on the team was prepared for each event.
The Director of Forensics, although only being with the university for two years, has been involved in the activity of Forensics Speech & Debate for 16 years. Professor Prephan has a wealth of knowledge that he uses and imparts to all his students, making the organization of great benefit to all those that join.
Professor Prephan stated that the organization is “a competitive speech and debate team that travels across the country to tournaments.” The team competes “in a variety of different categories ranging from Debate to Poetry Performance.” The organization offers a vast selection of opportunities for each team member, sharpening their skills in whichever category they compete in.
Forensics is a fascinating field that uplifts and adds to whichever major you are studying at WCU. Professor Prephan further explained how “the name, forensics, is derived from an old definition of the word meaning ‘The search for truth’— through these types of performance, we seek to better understand ourselves and the world around us.” So forensics as a whole allows those that study it to better capture the meaning of our everyday interactions.
In terms of what brought the current coach to WCU, he stated how he “wanted to be the coach at WCU because of the history of excellence this program had maintained.” The WCU Forensics Speech & Debate Team has had long standing success.
The long-tenured previous coach of this organization, Mark Hickman, was a friend of Professor Prephan, who “was truly honored to be able to carry on” Mark Hickman’s legacy here at WCU. Overall, the organization has been able to succeed through the outstanding coaches that run it, and the dedicated students that make up the team.
The general experience you will face when entering this organization is one of positivity. You will join what Professor Prephan describes as “hard-working,” and “intelligent” peers that are “open to new ideas, which is all [he]can ask for.” The community is open-minded, accepting and will provide you plenty of opportunities to grow on a personal level. The Forensics Speech & Debate Team of WCU is both prestigious and grounded through the learning environment it cultivates, and the excellence it strives for.
Instagram- @wcupa.4n6
Ramconnect Page- https://ramconnect.wcupa.edu/feeds?type=club&type_id=19806&tab=home
Website- https://ramconnect.wcupa.edu/wcuforensics/home/
Evan Brooks is a fourth-year Business Management major with minors in Economics and Civil and Professional Leadership. EB916132@wcupa.edu