Hillsdale College offers three distinct opportunities for students interested in pursuing speech at the level of intercollegiate varsity forensics competition: the debate, individual events, and mock trial teams.
Hillsdale’s Debate, Individual Events, and Mock Trial teams travel thousands of miles across the country each year, attending as many as 25 tournaments. They share an educational focus, and compete together whenever possible, though they often travel in different directions. Engaged in service as well as competition, the teams have hosted high school tournaments for home-schooled students annually since 2003.
Hillsdale College Debate
Nationally recognized in collegiate debate, Hillsdale’s program has been a growing force since it originated in 1983. In 2016, the team earned the 8th Place Sweepstakes Award for its participation in the National Forensics Association national tournament. Hillsdale also earned a 4th place speaker award in Lincoln-Douglas debate at the same tournament. Hillsdale has won 3 national championships in Debate at the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament and Convention,(add) a biannual event (2009, 2011, 2013). Hillsdale debaters won national championships in Discussion, International Parliamentary Debate Association, and Public Forum in 2013. Hillsdale was ranked 5 of 372 competing institutions in the National Parliamentary Debate Association in 2009-10.
Hillsdale debaters don’t conform to one mold; they are students of disciplines from art to chemistry to economics, bringing with them multiple levels of experience.
Hillsdale debaters participate fully at the national level in Lincoln-Douglas (National Forensics Association), Parliamentary (National Parliamentary Debate Association), and Public Forum (Pi Kappa Delta).
Mock Trial
Climbing its way up the national rankings, Hillsdale’s Mock Trial team is young and driven to succeed. Founded in 2010, the team received its first bid to National Opening Round Championships in 2013—and has received a bid annually.
Mock Trial, as sanctioned by the American Mock Trial Association, is a co-curricular competitive activity developing competitor skill in leadership, public speaking, rhetoric, and persuasion through a legal forum. Currently, approximately 650 teams from over 350 universities and colleges compete in AMTA sponsored tournaments. Unlike the world of sport, there are no divisions: Hillsdale competes against them all.
At competition, a mock trial team consists of three attorneys and three witnesses, expert and lay, on each side of the case. The attorneys deliver an opening statement, conduct direct and cross-examination and offer closing arguments.