September 21, 2004
A new program in forensics will
be offered at Hesston College beginning with the 2005-06 school year.
Denice Bruce, director of forensics,
says that between now and then, she and Admissions staff will recruit
students. "We know that many high school students are involved
in forensics. I'd like to see a team of as many as 10 next fall. Our
goal is to find them and we'll do everything possible to make it happen.
Forensics involves competition
in either public speaking, where students create original works, or
oral interpretation involving non-original works. "Sometimes
students gravitate to one or another," Bruce said, "but
some students excel in both."
Students may receive one credit
hour per semester of involvement. "The credit(s) should transfer
when students move on to a four-year college or university,"
she emphasized.
According to Bruce, forensics
fills a niche at Hesston College. "Not everyone participates
in a team, like music or athletics," she said. "This allows
students an opportunity to be involved in a purely academic team."
"Like any other team, forensics
provides some social dimensions," she continued. "Students
bond together, travel to competitions at other colleges, and have
fun together."
"For the individual student,
forensics offers enrichment and experience that will be invaluable
regardless of the profession he or she enters," Bruce said. "For
those students who aren't involved in speaking for living, they benefit
personally."
Bruce says forensics will also
be good for Hesston College. "These highly-motivated, high achieving
students will represent the college," she pointed out, "which
will be good public relations."
According to Bruce, Hesston College
students will compete against students from four-year colleges. "Given
the quality of students Hesston attracts now, and will attract with
a forensics program, the four-year school competition is where we
need to be," she said. "We may not make much of a splash
as a team, because we'll be up against schools with teams of 25 or
more members. However, I believe that individually, our students can
do as well or better than students from four-year institutions."
For the present school year, Bruce
foresees some beginning forensic activities. "We have at least
four students who are excited to participate on some level,"
she said. "We need to meet as a group to determine what their
level of involvement will be."
Next year, Bruce has another goal.
"To have students compete at the national tournament in April
would be huge," she said. "They would be competing against
the best college students in the country."
Students qualify for nationals
through rigorous competitions held until March. "Depending on
their interest and time available, we have students this year who
could qualify for the national tournament," she said.
Prospective students interested
in the forensics program at Hesston College should contact Denice
Bruce at 620-327-8185; e-mail: deniceb@hesston.edu. Or contact Admissions
at 800-995-2757 (800-99-LARKS).