Harper Speech & Debate is here to help students become successful communicators, competitors, and people. We emphasize teamwork, leadership, and scholarship as a means to competitive and academic success. We will work with any student who wants to improve their communication skills in a fun and exciting environment.
CONTACT: Bill Lucio wlucio@harpercollege.edu
Info & Examples here
Night BEFORE Nationals
Performance Night
TBA
Night AFTER Nationals Performance Night & Celebration
April 23 2025 4:30
BOX OFFICE
Why would I want to join the speech team?
Build the communication and presentation skills most employers are looking for, make new friends and have fun!
What will be expected of me?
Sign up for the team class: SPE-180. You must be enrolled in this class to be on the team. Team meetings are Mondays and Wednesdays. See Bill if there is a conflict.
Coaching & Practice:
Fall
M 3:30-5:30 Full Team Meeting
W 3:30-5:30 Full Team Meeting
F 10 am-3 pm- Friday Workshops 4-5 times this semester. Dates TBA
Spring
MW 12:30-4:30 Full Team Practice
Travel
4 tournaments in Fall. 6 Tournaments in the Spring
Tournaments are Friday/Saturday
Is the Harper squad successful?
For the last 35 years, the Speech & Debate team has been one of the nation's top 10 most competitive community college teams. In the same time period, team members have won more than 50 gold medals at the national tournament.
The Harper Debate Squad finish as GOLD national champs 2023 & 2024
2016 Mariner Award Winner,
The Mariner Award is the most prestigious prize in Community College Speech & Debate. The Mariner is presented to the team with the most points over time. Each year, a school’s points are added to their previous total. The team at the top wins and then their total is set back to zero. Harper joins an elite group. Only 18 different teams have won this honor over the past 40 years. This millstone speaks to the longevity, consistency and hard work of many people including; Coach Jeff Przybylo (20 years), Coach Margaret Bilos (10 years), Coach Josh Sunderbruch (15 years), Coach Marcia Litrenta (20 Years), Countless Alumni Coaches, Hundreds of Students and a Supportive Administration.
For me, what I'd like to see is a speech-and-debate club," he said. "I wanted two things when we started. I wanted boxing, and we kind of had that for a bit. And then I thought speech and debate. Because beyond learning in a classroom, beyond getting an A, B or C for a grade, when you go out into the real world and you go out for a job interview, your ability to transmit your thoughts to the person you're speaking to probably exceeds any letter grade that you got while you were in school.
--Chicago Cubs Manager Joe Maddon
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