Speech Team
About
The Prairie State College Speech Team is a great opportunity for students who love
to perform and communicate with others to hone their communication and speaking skills.
The Speech Team is a competitive activity where students compete at both virtual and
face-to-face tournaments in a number of competitive speaking events:
- Debate (International Public Debate Association)
- Interpretation (Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Poetry Interpretation, Programmed Oral Interpretation, and Prose Interpretation)
- Limited Preparation Extemporaneous Speaking and Impromptu Speaking)
- Public Address (Communication Analysis, Informative, Persuasive, and Speech to Entertain)
Prospective Students
The Speech Team meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 2612 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Students
who are interested in the speech team should contact the coaches:
- Professor Joshua Green (Office #2180) – jgreen18@prairiestate.edu
- Professor Dana Trunnell (Office #2185) – dtrunnell@prairiestate.edu
- Forensics Office – Room #2193
- Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/PSCSpeechTeam
Earning Class Credit for Speech Team Participation
Now you can be a part of the Speech Team AND earn a credit hour too. When you enroll
in Comm 196, 197, 198, or 199, you are automatically a part of the Speech Team. While
you practice your events and attend the speech tournaments, you will also earn one
elective credit hour
Learn More about Forensics
- Illinois Intercollegiate Forensics Association - http://iifa.us/index.html
- Phi Rho Pi - http://www.phirhopi.org/
The Prairie State College Forensics Team was begun by retired professor of communication Ed Schwarz during the 1996-1997 academic year and has continued to impact hundreds of students over its 25+ year history. Over the years, the team has been coached by Ed Schwarz, Elighie Wilson, III, Dave Naze, Joshua Green, and Dana Trunnell.
During the summer of 1998, Schwarz worked with Homewood-Flossmoor High School Coach Tom Sweeney to establish the Summer Speech Camp, which has been held each summer since – even going virtual during the summers of 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The team is nationally recognized by our national organization, Phi Rho Pi, where
we have been successful:
- 2006 – 3rd Place (Bronze Award), Hindman Division
- 2021- 3rd Place (Bronze Award) in Overall Sweepstakes, Hindman Division
- 2021- 2nd Place (Silver Award) in Individual Events, Hindman Division
List of past students and coaches
Coaches
- Ed Schwarz
- Elighie Wilson, III
- Dave Naze
- Joshua Green
- Dana Trunnell
2022-2023 Forensics Schedule
*We are not sure of the exact modality of each of the following tournaments.
McHenry County Community College Saturday, October 15, 2022
Moraine Valley Community College Friday, October 28-Saturday, October 29, 2022 (IE and IPDA)
Prairie State College Saturday, November 12, 2022
Elgin Community College Friday, December 2-Saturday, December 3, 2022 (IE and IPDA)
Virtual RAFL IPDA Saturday, December 17, 2022
Virtual RAFL Friday, January 6-Saturday, January 7, 2023
College of DuPage Friday, January 20-Saturday, January 21, 2023
Oakton Community College Friday, February 3-Saturday, February 4, 2023
Harper Community College Friday, February 17 - Saturday, February 18, 2023
Illinois Intercollegiate Forensics Association State Tournament
- Friday, February 24-Saturday, February 25, 2023 (Debate) ( Hosted Virtually - We will compete from Prairie State College).
- Friday, March 3-Sunday, March 5, 2023 Friday, March 3-Sunday, March 5, 2023 ( Hosted at Northern Illinois University).
Region IV Tournament Friday, March 24 - Saturday, March 25, 2023 Hosted at McHenry Country Community College
COMM Day Tuesday, April 4, 2023 (Time TBD)
Phi Rho Pi National Tournament April 9-15, 2023
Hosted in Bethesda, Maryland.
Nationals Results
2003
- Matt Churilla, Bronze Award in Dramatic Interpretation
- Matt Churilla, Bronze Award in Prose Interpretation
- Kerry Luckett, Bronze Award in Dramatic Interpretation
- AJ Hall, Bronze Award in Dramatic Interpretation
- Kerry Luckett, Bronze Award in Programmed Oral Interpretation
- Kerry Luckett, Bronze Award in Impromptu Speaking
- Kerry Luckett, Silver Award in Poetry Interpretation
- Felicia Wilkins, Silver Award in Poetry Interpretation
- Felicia Wilkins, Gold Award in Dramatic Interpretation
- Suzann Leonard, Bronze Award in Prose Interpretation
- Felicia Wilkins, Silver Award in Dramatic Interpretation
- Brandon Freye, Silver Award in Dramatic Interpretation
- Freye-Razavi, Bronze Award in Duo Interpretation
- Franklin McFadden, Bronze Award in Poetry Interpretation
- Justin Russell, Bronze Award in Persuasive Speaking
- Favian Apata, Gold Award in Prose Interpretation
- Felicia Ditmars, Gold Award in Dramatic Interpretation
- FFranklin McFadden, Bronze Award in Informative Speaking
- Josh Razavi, Gold Award in Programmed Oral Interpretation
- Josh Razavi, Gold Award in Speech to Entertain
- Thaddeus Carr, Bronze Award in Informative Speaking
- Thaddeus Carr, Bronze Award in Prose Interpretation
- Thaddeus Carr, Bronze Award in Speech to Entertain
- Felicia Ditmars, Gold Award in Prose Interpretation
- Felicia Ditmars, Gold Award in Persuasive Speaking
- Jimmie Johnson, Bronze Award in Informative Speaking
- Etta Oben, Bronze Award in Impromptu Speaking
- Thaddeus Carr, Bronze Award in Prose Interpretation
- Adrianna Carr, Bronze Award in Prose Interpretation
- Nadia Crawley, Bronze Award in Communication Analysis
- Nadia Crawley, Bronze Award in Persuasive Speaking
- Nadia Crawley, Bronze Award in Informative Speaking
- Hannah Grasse, Gold Award in Persuasive Speaking
- Kelli Campbell, Gold Award in Persuasive Speaking
- Adrianna Carr, Gold Award in Prose Interpretation
- Adrianna Carr, Silver Award in Informative Speaking
- Kelli Campbell, Gold Award in Persuasive Speaking
- Adrianna Carr, Gold Award in Prose Interpretation
- Adrianna Carr, Silver Award in Informative Speaking
- Jasmine Ross, Silver in Persuasive Speaking
- Nick Williams, Gold in Poetry Interpretation
- Nick Williams, Gold in Speech to Entertain
- Nick Williams, Gold in Programmed Oral Interpretation
- Nick Williams, Gold in Persuasive Speaking
- Jasmine Ross, Silver in Persuasive Speaking
- Kelly Crescendo, Bronze in Persuasive Speaking
- Kelly Crescendo, Silver in Prose Interpretation
- Colin Gallagher, Bronze in Persuasive Speaking
- Allysha Nobles, Bronze in Dramatic Interpretation
- Allysha Nobles, Gold in Prose Interpretation
- Patrick Sheard, Silver in Prose Interpretation
- Patrick Sheard, Bronze in Informative Speaking
- Dan Blewitt, Gold in Prose Interpretation
- Patrick Sheard, Bronze in Prose Interpretation
- Destin Patton-Warner, Bronze in Dramatic Interpretation 2019
- Cahron Cross, Bronze in Poetry Interpretation
- Elijah Leake, Gold in Communication Analysis
- Esmeralda Manzo, Bronze in Informative Speaking
- Danielle Turner, Bronze in Persuasive Speaking
- Cahron Cross, Bronze in Poetry Interpretation
- Elijah Leake, Gold in Communication Analysis
- Esmeralda Manzo, Bronze in Informative Speaking
- Danielle Turner, Bronze in Persuasive Speaking
- Andrew Malone, Gold in Poetry Interpretation
- Andrew Malone, Gold in Speech to Entertain
- Andrew Malone, Gold in Dramatic Interpretation
Welcome back to our alumni! Please keep in touch by sending your updated contact information to Dana Trunnell at dtrunnell@prairiestate.edu. We hope to begin sending updates to our alumni in the near future.
Please also take a look at our page to help us fill in some of the blanks. Look for misspellings, errors in dates, and missing nationals results information. Please send any updates to Dana Trunnell at dtrunnell@prairiestate.edu.
The Prairie State College Foundation provides over $150,000 in tuition and book scholarships to PSC students each year. The Foundation also provides funding to enhance opportunities for students to make the very most of their college experience. The Department of Communication has joined with the Foundation to establish a Communication Scholarship and Program Fund which will be used for scholarships and other program needs that will enable and encourage communication students to reach their personal and career goals.
If you would like to contribute to this fund, your donation will be deeply appreciated. You may contact any of the Communication Faculty about making a donation, or contact the PSC Foundation directly at (708) 709-3631 or PSCFoundation@prairiestate.edu and specify that your contribution is for the Communication Scholarship and Program Fund. The Foundation is a 501 (c)3 not-for-profit organization, EIN: 36-3437785. Your gift may be tax deductible; please consult your tax advisor.
Thank you for considering a gift to benefit Communication students at Prairie State College.