Speech and Debate (Forensics) Team

Develop your communication skills with the LAVC Forensics team!

What is the Speech and Debate Team?

The LAVC Speech & Debate Team (also known as the Forensics Team) is one of the oldest student organizations on campus with more than 40 years of success in intercollegiate speech and debate competition. 

The term forensics comes from ancient Greece, used by the philosopher and teacher Aristotle to describe one of the types of oratory. In ancient Greek "the forensic" translates roughly as "that which seeks the truth".

On the LAVC Forensics team students research and prepare a variety of speeches, performances, and debate topics for competition against other community colleges and universities in Southern California (with occasional travel to other parts of the country). Members of the team learn to develop their voice and advocacy skills in speaking out on important social issues.  The team is connected to the COM department with many professors having a background and experience in speech and debate.

Past team members have translated these skills into successful transfer to every major UC/CSU school along with other elite universities like USC and Harvard (often with full scholarships).  Speech and Debate also provides a great resume builder for the fields of education, law, broadcasting, theater, business and more.    Team members often form lifelong bonds with one another as well as students from across the country, creating lasting personal and professional networks of success.

The team sponsors both competitions with other colleges and on-campus speaking events.  

Interested in getting involved and learning more?

Enroll in COM 106 Forensics -- You can get additional transferable units for being a member of the team.  Options for both competitive and non-competitive participation.