Testimonials
How I Found My Way to UO Forensics: David Ross
I started in forensics in high school at Willamette High School, & the UO high school forensics invitational was always the highlight of the year. It was a hub of engagement & excitement for the community across the region, & it played a significant role in my plan to attend & graduate UO.
~ David Ross 2013 - Computer Science
What Forensics Has Meant to Me: Whitney Wilson
The University of Oregon Debate Team is critical to attracting high-achieving students, equipping them with the tools to succeed, and fostering a sense of community that inspires them to give back.
Today, I serve as General Manager for DoorDash, overseeing our U.S. marketplace business for the West Coast. I am also a Harvard MBA (Class of 2021), a former Presidential Scholar, and a graduate of the Clark Honors College (2012). The UO Debate Team played a defining role in that journey. In fact, it was the deciding factor in my choice to attend UO, as I wanted to continue speech and debate after high school.
My experience on the team not only shaped me personally but also motivated me to give back. For example, while at Deloitte Consulting, I established a direct recruiting pipeline from UO to Deloitte, enabling more graduates to launch successful careers. I firmly believe this instinct to invest in others came from the supportive, ambitious community I found in debate.
I attribute much of my accomplishments today to the Debate Team. It gave me critical reasoning, problem-solving, and communication skills that I use every day. More importantly, it provided the support system I didn’t otherwise have growing up. Forensics gave me both a family and a foundation - and without it, I would not be where I am today.
For me, the UO Debate Team is not just another program. It is deeply personal. It represents opportunity, growth, and community.. the very things that make a university education transformative. Cutting it would take away one of the most powerful engines for student success that UO has to offer.
- Whitney Wilson 2012 Political Science, International Studies
Forensics and My Path to Leadership: Tommy Douglass
Forensics broadened my worldview and sharpened my understanding of systemic inequality in the United States through continuous research and debate. Educational inequity was a recurring focus during my four years at UO, and the work I did on that topic directly inspired me to pursue a career in teaching. That research not only led me to join Teach For America but also motivated me to dedicate the past three years to teaching exclusively at Title I schools, where I work every day to address the very issues I first confronted through debate.
~ Tommy Douglass Economics and Political Science and UO CHC '23
Shaping My Career Beyond UO: Tommy Douglass
Forensics has undoubtedly made me a stronger educator. It served as the cornerstone of my résumé and played a key role in my acceptance into the Teach For America program. I now use the same style of argumentation in the classroom, but instead of convincing a judge to vote for my side, I am persuading seventh graders to believe in their ability to do math. Debate also prepared me to lead professional meetings, facilitate parent-school conferences, and analyze student data trends through the evaluative skills I developed while competing.
~ Tommy Douglass Economics and Political Science and UO CHC '23
How I Found My Way to UO Forensics: Tommy Douglass
Forensics was transformative in my life. It shaped my love of learning, expanded my career aspirations, and provided me with a community that became like family. Beyond connecting me with lifelong friends, debate was essential to my academic success. It pushed me to consider new perspectives, investigate issues outside my immediate worldview, and refine the skills of research, writing, and advocacy. I learned how to engage meaningfully with people of differing viewpoints on issues of civic importance, an experience that continues to inform both my professional and personal life.
I can say with certainty that I would not have graduated from the Honors College, defended my thesis, or been accepted into Teach For America without the skills I honed through debate. Today, as a seventh-grade math teacher at a Title I school, I use the same persuasive strategies that once helped me win tournaments to inspire my students to believe in their ability to succeed. Debate did not just make me a stronger competitor; it made me a more effective communicator, educator, and advocate.
Equally important, UO Forensics made higher education accessible to me. Growing up in rural Oregon in a middle-class family, I was able to attend the University of Oregon because of the scholarship support that debate provided. My coach guided me as a thesis advisor, wrote recommendations for my post-college plans, and gave me opportunities to travel across the country. Competing at world-class tournaments allowed me to experience firsthand the issues we researched and debated.
After four years in high school debate and four years competing at UO, I have seen what strong, successful programs look like, and UO has always been at the forefront. Debate was the reason I chose the University of Oregon, and I will remain forever grateful for the skills, opportunities, and community it gave me.
~ Tommy Douglass Economics and Political Science and UO CHC '23
How Forensics Elevated the University of Oregon: Brad Krupicka
Competing and successfully competing in forensics prepared me for both law school and for law schools.
~ Brad Krupicka 2006, Political Science and History, Honors College
Forensics and My Path to Leadership: Brad Krupicka
I was a captain on the debate team for multiple years. It was a great foundation for me in my career as I am now the managing partner for a local office of a large national law firm.
~ Brad Krupicka 2006, Political Science and History, Honors College
Shaping My Career Beyond UO: Brad Krupicka
I owe everything to my speech and debate career and success in law school, the legal profession, and trial experience.
~ Brad Krupicka 2006, Political Science and History, Honors College
How I Found My Way to UO Forensics: Brad Krupicka
I attended the UO Summer Debate Camp during high school and was enamored with the team, collegiality, and excellence of the program. After taking Fifth in the Nation in the high school nationals and winning the UO tournament I joined the team.
~ Brad Krupicka 2006, Political Science and History, Honors College
Shaping My Career Beyond UO: Shelby Malstrom
I credit my strong speaking and presentation skills to forensics. In my position I’m often communicating with executives, board members and private equity firms to gain investment in companies.
~ Shelby Malstrom 2012-Political Science and Women’s and Gender Studies
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