Speech & Debate Team at Wayne State University

05/13/2026

Hello everyone! We are hosting a Public Forum Debate Camp at Wayne State University, from June 22-26, 2026, where you will be able to meet and work with top coaches in their fields! Let the staff that has built national champions guide you!

05/04/2026

Looking for a fun way to grow and develop new debate skills, then look no further!
The Wayne State Forensics Union is running a Public Forum camp this summer! This program is being offered for grades 5-12.
The same staff that has helped shape Wayne State into champions is now at your access to help you!

Link to details - https://cfpca.wayne.edu/k-12-summer-programs -126440

Link to register - https://onstage.wayne.edu/ChooseSeats/16801

04/22/2026

SPEECH TEAM PLACES 4th IN THE NATION AT NFA -- BEST FINISH IN WAYNE HISTORY

The Wayne State University College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts Wayne State: Department of Communication Speech & Debate Team at Wayne State University intercollegiate competitive speech team finished a program-first fourth place in team sweepstakes out of approximately 70 schools from around the country at last weekend's National Forensic Association championship (a tournament we hosted on campus last April with approximately 500 students). The partnership of Reggie Wayne (second year) and Mason Lloyd (1st year) won a national title in Duo Interpretation, while Mason (pictured) won the individual sweepstakes title by cumulatively finishing the best in the nation in five different events. That is likely a program first by WSU and maybe the first time a freshman has ever won the award at nationals. It's also a program first to have three top 10 individual sweepstakes finishes, with Reggie finishing in 6th and Jetmir Mezini in 10th. Jetmir also had a 4th (extemp) and 5th (POI) place finishes. We had many students in the deep elimination rounds.

04/12/2026

What a way to end a season!! The Warriors repeat as the National Champion Sweepstakes Team for the 2025-2026 NEDA season and earned numerous team and individual awards along the way.

2026 —NEDA Nationals Awards
Quarters - Varsity Rapid, Chris George
Semis - Varsity Rapid Dean Hindley
Semis - Novice Rapid, Maty, Parsa
Semis Novice PF - Lily and Ariel
Novice Rapid 2nd Speaker - Parsa Nematollahe
1st Speaker - Maty Diop
1st Varsity Rapid Speaker - Chris George
Novice PF 4th Speaker - Nick Burke
Novice PF 1st Speaker Lily Tubbs
2nd Tournament Sweepstakes
1st Place - 2025-2026 Team Sweepstakes
Iron Judge - 1st Jessica Schmidt, 2nd Torie George, 3rd Finnley Culhane

04/08/2026

This Giving Day, Thursday April 9, we are raising money to expand the Angela Cowan Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship truly exemplifies the spirit of Wayne State Debate.

Angela walked onto the debate team in 1993 with no previous experience. She thought the activity would be good for her resume. She immediately became an integral member of the squad, earning top speaker in the novice division at her very first tournament. During her tenure at Wayne State, she maintained a near perfect grade point average, worked multiple internships that included one at the White House, and continued to thrive in debate. Her senior year, she reached the elimination rounds of the NDT. That same year, she scored in the 98th percentile on the LSAT and earned acceptance into all 12 of the top law schools in the country. Tragically, just weeks before she was to leave for law school she passed away unexpectedly. We give this award to a student who best exemplifies Angela’s spirit to support their continued progress in debate and higher education. Someone who, despite a lack of experience, has excelled at the activity during their time on team.

Our goal is to build the capacity of this fund so that the annual award is worthy of Angela’s legacy in the program. Chris LaVigne and Meredyth Childress are providing a dollar-for-dollar match for gifts to the Angela Cowan Memorial Scholarship in Speech and Debate - up to $7,500!

Share this fundraiser and tell others what this fund means to you
https://www.givecampus.com/s/di9ha4

Donate to the Angela Cowan Memorial Scholarship
giving.wayne.edu/donate/CFPCAgivingday

03/26/2026

Save the Date!

92nd Annual WSU Forensics & Debate Alumni Banquet
DSR / TKA - Wayne State University Chapter
Saturday, May 9, 2026 @ 11:00 am
The Hilberry Gateway Lobby
4715 Cass Ave
Detroit, MI 48202

Featuring Guest Speaker:
Melvenna Fant-Jones, M.A., C.P., C.S.A.T., D.V.T. is a senior supervising certified paralegal with over 19 years of experience, holding 17 certifications across multiple areas of law, and serving clients throughout Southeastern Michigan. She is a nationally recognized survivor-advocate and the Founder and Executive Director of Women Healing Eternally and Transforming (WHEAT), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting women and families impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and homelessness.

A former member of the Wayne State University Debate Team (2000–2005), Melvenna has built a career rooted in advocacy, resilience, and systems change. Under her leadership, WHEAT has served over 10,000 families, providing trauma-informed, wraparound services including housing support, legal advocacy, financial empowerment, and crisis intervention. Many of the survivors served through WHEAT have gone on to become paralegals, attorneys, and even members of the judiciary, reflecting the long-term impact of her work.

Melvenna’s innovative, survivor-centered service model has received national recognition, including the Innovations in Advocacy Award, highlighting her development of accessible, technology-driven pathways for survivors to safely engage in services.

She has been honored with numerous awards for her community impact, including the Corporate Citizen Outreach Recognition Award from the Detroit Bar Association, the Shining Star Award from the State Bar of Michigan, and national recognition through the Honda Inspiration Award.

In addition to her nonprofit leadership, Melvenna serves as a Council Member and former Chairperson within the State Bar of Michigan’s Paralegal Section and remains an active voice in multiple coalitions focused on survivor advocacy, trauma-informed care, and ending homelessness.

Above all, Melvenna is a survivor whose lived experience fuels her mission to empower others to heal, rebuild, and thrive.

RSVP by April, April 30, 2026
https://www.givecampus.com/schools/WayneStateUniversity/events/92nd-annual-wsu-forensics-debate-alumni-banquet

Team Member Admission $25.00
Alumni, Family & Friends $40.00
A portion of the proceeds will cover the cost of the event
The remainder will be donated to the
George Ziegelmueller Forensics Endowment Fund
We look forward to seeing you and celebrating the WSU Forensics and Debate Team

WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION
COLLEGE OF FINE, PERFORMING & COMMUNICATION ARTS
Dr. Ron Stevenson, Director of Forensics
Dr. Sydney Pasquinelli, Director of Debate
Dr. Pradeep Sopory, Department Chair
Dr. Kelly Young, Interim Dean of the College

Please contact April Hazamy with any questions or concerns. [email protected] or 561-860-3297

02/19/2026

10/05/2025

Meet the Wayne State Debate and Speech Team 2025. Special thanks to Megan Dombrowski for taking the photos

03/28/2025

https://www.givecampus.com/schools/WayneStateUniversity/events/nfa-welcome-dinner-and-wsu-91st-annual-forensics-and-debate-alumni-banquet

Wayne State University’s College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, Department of Communication and  the Forensics and Debate Programcordially invite you to theNational Forensics Association (NFA) National TournamentWelcome Dinner andthe 91st Annual WSU Forensics & Debate Alumni Banq...