Testimonials
What Forensics Has Meant to Me: Hailey Sheldon
Debate left me with a habit of empathy - a perspective that walks a mile in the shoes of everyone I meet. And from that ever-shifting and ever-growing perspective grew my professional success and my personal peace. Long live debate.
- Hailey Sheldon 2011 BA Political Science, Robert D Clark Honors College
What Forensics Has Meant to Me: Areeb Alam
I credit a large part of my educational and professional accomplishments to Mock Trial. In my last year at Oregon, members of the mock trial team showed up to sit in on an ASUO meeting for three hours, asking for emergency travel funds for the next tournament on the road to the national championship. I remember every member of the ASUO senate was amazed at the turnout of our dedicated members—noting that no other student org had such a presence of not just board members and leadership, but ordinary members demonstrating the important role of mock trial in their college experiences. I’m certain Mock Trial has left such a deep impact on members since then, and that those members are more committed to the program than any other student for any other student org.
- Areeb Alam 2019 Economics & Accounting
What Forensics Has Meant to Me: Donald Chalmers
My careers have benefitted greatly from my participation.
- Donald Chalmers 1971 Political Science
What Forensics Has Meant to Me: Sujala Chittor
UO Mock Trial has made me feel like I finally belong and fit in at UO. For the time I was in the program, I met like-minded people and improved my public speaking, critical thinking, reading comprehension and analysis skills as well as teamwork skills (skills that I will take into grad school, my career, and beyond)
- Sujala Chittor 2024 Advertising
Shaping My Career Beyond UO: Zoe Breitigan
I took Professor Jacobsen's Oral Advocacy class through the Clark Honors College and had the opportunity to participate in a tournament as a student. The class sharpened my public speaking skills in an environment of supportive classmates. My experience at a tournament gave me confidence to continue to put myself out there and sign up for new experiences in college.
- Zoe Breitigan 2028, Accounting
Building My Academic and Intellectual Core: Zoe Breitigan
Forensics like no other educational opportunity I've experienced, teaches you to learn both sides of a topic. Success in forensics is dependent on being able to argue both sides of an argument well. This core concept of debate taught me to value politicians that are able to see both sides of an issue, contradictory to the polarization that is glorified in American politics.
- Zoe Breitigan 2028, Accounting
How I Found My Way to UO Forensics: Zoe Breitigan
As a high school debater I participated in numerous debate competitions hosted by colleges. A majority of tournaments were moved online due to the pandemic and ceased to operate in-person afterwards. College tournaments were the exception to this trend. In-person tournaments were always more engaging and fun and really fueled my passion for debate. In fact, during the college selection process I researched university's forensics programs as a determinant of my choice. I was thrilled when I saw Oregon had a robust forensics program. As an out-of-state student, I didn’t attend UO competitions in high school, but the fact that Oregon’s program caught the attention of a high school senior from Kentucky gives me confidence that the pipeline from students who participated in UO-hosted competitions is strong.
- Zoe Breitigan 2028, Accounting
Building My Academic and Intellectual Core: 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. 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 helped create 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 Clark Honors College, 2012; Cum Laude; Political Science and Internal Studies Majors (Departmental Honors), Cum Laude
How I Found My Way to UO Forensics: Whitney Wilson
I chose to come to the University of Oregon primarily to participate in the speech and debate team
~ Whitney Wilson Clark Honors College, 2012; Cum Laude; Political Science and Internal Studies Majors (Departmental Honors), Cum Laude
What Forensics Has Meant to Me: Karin Yorke
Life altering , challenging, engaging, humbling -and provided an immediate sense of community and belonging even though I was terrible at it.
- Karin Yorke 1985 -at UO Rhetoric and communication (no longer a major)
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