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Changing someone’s mind can be a near-impossible task, but five undergraduate students competing on the UF Speech and Debate Team rose to the challenge. Channeling the power of verbal communication, the students placed in state and national level tournaments this spring.

Christian Chase, Kendall Lindsay, Dylan Phan, Thomas Vincent, and Sophia Williams claimed titles at state and national tournaments, bringing home awards in events spanning from prose to persuasion.

Behind the scenes, many hours of practice built up to the students’ success. The William and Grace Dial Center for Written and Oral Communication, which houses the UF Speech and Debate Team, offers a coaching staff of communication experts who assist in the development of the students’ skills. “Working with the coaches on the team significantly strengthened my skills as a public speaker and storyteller,” said Phan.

“These students represent some of the best that the University of Florida has to offer; coaching them is always the highlight of my career and watching them grow close as a team brings a joy that many faculty never get to experience,” said Amy Martinelli, assistant director of forensics and associate director of the Dial Center.

Competitive speech and debate, often called forensics, gives students a chance to stretch their analytical and critical thinking muscles. In a lecture hosted at the University of Georgia in 2017, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson said her experiences as a competitive speaker also taught her how to “lean in despite the obstacles, stand firm in the face of challenges, work hard, be resilient, strive for excellence, and believe that anything is possible.”

The students involved at UF echo similar sentiments. “Debate is a form of intensive education,” said Lindsay, a first-year botany student. “Every round offers a new perspective to embrace, a new life story to hear and a great opportunity to learn.”

Debate, for Lindsay, is a way to think critically and creatively about topics not traditionally discussed in classrooms. “It also allows me to express my long-held opinions on issues I am familiar with, but it also challenges me to articulate arguments that I disagree with or that I had to form on the spot with a topic I had not previously considered,” she said.

This year, Lindsay placed at highly distinguished tournaments. She was Finalist/2^nd Place in Varsity IPDA at the Florida Intercollegiate Forensics Association State Championship, advancing to Semifinals in Novice IPDA at the Southern International Public Debate Association Championships, and Double Octofinalist in Junior Varsity IPDA at the International Public Debate Association Nationals.

The tournaments, held online for a second year in a row, offered a different set of challenges given the virtual format. “Students who have stuck with competition under these conditions deserve a wealth of praise for their ability to maintain excitement and dedication to these events, despite the typical immediate gratification of a standing ovation,” Martinelli said.

“I have learned so much about speaking, delivering arguments and being who I am proudly,” said Chase, captain of the Speech Squad. As a mathematics and statistics double major with a minor in communication studies, Chase credits much of his academic success to involvement on the team. He graduated magna cum laude this spring and will complete his master’s in management at UF, with long-term plans to go to law school.

Chase earned statewide and national recognition this year, placing 1^st in Dramatic Interpretation, 2^nd in Persuasive Speaking, 3^rd in ADS, and 5^th in Impromptu Speaking at the Florida Intercollegiate Forensics Association State Championship. He was also a Quarterfinalist in Impromptu in the American Forensics Association National Speech Tournament held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Phan, a first-year student majoring in political science with a double minor in theatre and communication studies, is a novice to the team. He competed and placed in two distinguished tournaments: Top Non-Advancing Novice in Prose at the Asynchronous National Speech Championship and 3rd Place in Prose at the Florida Intercollegiate State Championship.

Phan selected a piece for competition in the Prose category that resonated deeply with him through its reflections on Asian American experience. “I was able to reflect on my own identity and connect more with my culture,” he said.

The team environment cultivates meaningful social bonds between members. “Being on the UF debate team means being a part of a competitive, caring family,” said Vincent. “We are more than just a group of students deciding to debate — we are a community.”

After working for his county’s economic development council, Vincent, now a third-year political science major with a minor in public leadership, transferred to UF. He ran for city council and looks forward to continuing his service to the community in the future. Vincent placed as a Double Octofinalist in Varsity IPDA at the International Public Debate Association Nationals.

Williams, a first-year student majoring in theater with a minor in sociology and African American studies, earned the 2021 National Speech and Debate Association Champion title in Program Oral Interpretation. She placed in two distinguished tournaments this year: 1^st Place in POI at the Southeastern Championship Tournament and 1st Place in POI at the Asynchronous National Speech Championship.

“It’s not about the rank or the trophy for me,” Williams said. “It is about knowing that I have touched, whether it be one person or an entire audience, with my message.” To continue to share her voice, Williams hopes to pursue her dreams as an actress after completing her undergraduate studies, citing speech and debate as the activity that defined her career plan.

“I have one voice, but whenever I get on stage, I become a representative of my community and it brings me great joy,” she said. “With each performance I give, I am giving a voice to the voiceless.”

Learn more about the UF Speech and Debate Team and the Dial Center’s initiatives here.