The Oakland University Speech Team (or Oakland Forensics) will offer students the opportunity to develop research, critical thinking, organizational, persuasive and oral communication skills.  As a member of this competitive intercollegiate speaking and acting team students will not only spend quality time strengthening communication skills, students also get to see, hear and compete against some of the strongest communicators in the nation.

Students can enhance theatrical and public speaking skills, while learning worthwhile organizational and pre-professional strategies that will allow for positioning to receive potential networking connections for future alignment in a multitude of professional fields.

History

Oakland University’s Forensics Team was founded by Karen Seelhoff, whom was the team’s director and coach from 1979-1985. In 1981, the team’s 3rd year, the team went to their first national tournament. Oakland University attended the National Forensics Association’s national tournament for the first time with a 14 student contingent. In 1986, charter member Kathryn Kent Rhadigan took over as director and coach, assisted by former member John Rhadigan. In the first ten years, the team had 45 quarter finalists, 19 semifinalists, and 6 finalists at the National Forensics Association’s national tournament. In addition to these individual accomplishments, the team placed 7th overall in the nation in the years 1986 and 1988.

The Oakland University Forensics program continued competing through the 1990s. The team began to take a more active role within the Michigan Intercollegiate Speech League, hosting tournaments and creating a reputation for themselves around the state. In 1997, Lisa Campbell took over as director and prepared to lead the team into a new century. Lisa coached the program for over 10 years and led multiple students to success at an array of State and National competitions.

In June 2012, Charlie Rinehart began directing the team and is currently running the program, which has been rebranded as the Oakland University Speech Team. The current team, as it is organized presently, continues to grow and prosper under the leadership of Charlie. The team has taken multiple state champions in individual categories since the year 2012. On the national circuit, the team has had a strong showing since 2013, increasing the number of student participants, events and improving on the overall team results. The Oakland University Speech Team looks forward to continuing the almost 40 year reputation it holds within the national forensics community.