WHY NORTHWESTERN?

  • Why Northwestern
  • The Northwestern University Speech Team
  • What Faculty Say
  • What Students Say

While there are many other summer speech Institutes offered throughout the country, Northwestern University will offer unique opportunities for individual event preparation for the upcoming high school forensics season. We have invited a nationally recognized faculty of former Forensic Champions in all areas to join us this summer. They all remain dedicated to the value of forensics in every genre. For more information on NU’s Tournament of Champions, log on to www.tocextemp.com.

Each season our team continues to grow as one of the top speech/forensics programs in the nation. We stress quality over quantity in building our national profile and you will see that reflected in our summer Institute. We look forward to welcoming you to what will most certainly be a unique and rewarding experience for anyone who is dedicated to the education and the work that is involved in being a successful speech competitor.

The Northwestern University Individual Events Team maintains a stunning tradition of success year after year. With a focus on quality over quantity, the Northwestern team has overcome a small team size to still place as one of the top ten teams at nationals six of the last ten years. Currently, the Northwestern University Individual Events Team is the two time defending Division 1 National Champions of the National Forensics Association National Championship Tournament.

speech team

The tradition of the team is incredibly impressive given that the team travels with around eight to ten students to nationals. On average a top ten team at college nationals will travel with around thirty students, the largest with over forty. The Northwestern team overcomes this disadvantage with a constant pursuit for excellence and an insistent desire to be the best. Regardless of the skill level that any student begins with, working with the NU team means that you will become the excellence we pursue.

This has paid off with a myriad of award winning speeches. Over the past decade the Northwestern University Individual Events Team has had speakers reach the National Final round 49 times, winning 10 Individual Event National Championships and 3 Lincoln Douglas Debate top speaker awards. The past two years have been specifically impressive with NU speakers reaching National Quarter-Finals or better 40 times, National Finals 15 times, while winning 4 Individual Event National Championships. All of this occurred with only 8 students in 2009 and only 11 students in 2010. Without question, the Northwestern University Individual Events team is well regarded for its quality as one of the absolute top speech programs in the nation.

The team is also well known for its work coaching high school students at the National High School institute as well as for hosting the annual Tournament of Champions in Extemporaneous Speaking. For more information on this tournament please see http://www.communication.northwestern.edu/learn/student_activities/speech/toc/.

WHAT FACULTY SAY

“The Speech summer Institute will involve weeks of intensive study, research and fun among a diverse and talented group of individuals committed to the excellence that forensics participation ultimately evokes.”

“ NHSI Speech Division empowers students to develop the skills necessary to communicate effectively in any setting, and to be more effective speakers, thinkers, and citizens.”

“A powerful performance is honest, nuanced, and focused; learning those qualities is about shedding inhibition and assuming control. At NHSI we provide the necessary components to achieve that performance”

WHAT STUDENTS SAY

“This program has been so challenging. I have grown so much as a person, student, performer and competitor.

I will definitely be back next year. GREAT TEACHERS.“

"I wanted to let you know that I placed first at the Illinois state speech competition in extemp. It was honestly the most exciting moment of my entire speech career; I was never more thrilled in my life. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to succeed; I have no doubt that everything I learned at Northwestern's Speech Institute helped me to do well."

“I can not believe how hard I worked, but everything I did was 100% worthwhile. I was excited to come to class everyday. The instructors were excellent.“