The Moraine Valley Community College Speech and Debate Team followed a winning fall semester with all first-place finishes and a second consecutive national championship in spring 2023.
In January, Moraine Valley took the overall gold medal in Team Sweepstakes at the Phi Rho Pi Region IV Affiliated Forensics League Tournament to start the spring semester. The team competed at the College of DuPage Tournament later that month and took first place among four-year universities, including Northwestern and the University of Illinois Chicago.
Members of the national championship Moraine Valley Community College Speech and Debate Team include (from left) coach Natalie Jurcik, coach Damian Samsoniwicz, Kandyce Swain, Julian Zubrzycki, Gabe Dunkle, Oswaldo Ocampo, Aidan McGuire (team captain), Lydia Garcia, coach Krista Appelquist, coach John Nash, coach Jeff Rieck and Chayse Mueller.
“Unlike many community college teams/activities that only compete against other community colleges, speech and debate does not have divisions. Moraine Valley was the only community college to place in the varsity competition, and we won,” said John Nash, co-coach and Moraine Valley communications professor.
They added another first place trophy to their collection at the Harper College Speech and Debate Tournament in February, surpassing several four-year colleges and universities from around the country. Oswaldo Ocampo, of Burbank, was the overall top speaker, and team captain, Aidan McGuire, of Mokena, placed third in the overall competition.
The team hosted the Phi Rho Pi Region IV Tournament in March, which welcomed colleges from seven states in the region. Moraine Valley won the overall gold medal. Ocampo was given the Don Haggarty Student Fellowship Award, which is voted on by students for one who best represents the ideals of forensics.
They capped the season with a consecutive national championship at the Phi Rho Pi National Speech and Debate Tournament for the first time in Moraine Valley history and the sixth time in tournament history in the last 17 years. They came on top over 55 community colleges. Six speeches won gold – McGuire; Ocampo; Lydia Garcia, of Justice; Gabe Dunkle, of Tinley Park; and Kandyce Swain, of Blue Island. Ocampo also won the Warren-Dahlin Student Fellowship Award for best representing the ideals of Phi Rho Pi.
Moraine Valley students on the team include Dunkle; Garcia; McGuire; Chayse Mueller, of Worth; Ocampo; Swain; and Julian Zubrzycki, of Chicago.
“The day before the national tournament, I took the team to see the White House and the D.C. Holocaust Museum. We talked about the importance of having a voice and what might happen when a person’s voice is silenced. I think this fueled them. They began to realize that public speaking is not about winning. It is about using your voice to make a positive change in the world,” Nash explained. “I am so proud of the team for believing in their messages and sharing their talents this year.”
For news media inquiries, contact Maura Vizza, Moraine Valley communications specialist/sport information coordinator, at (708) 974-5742 or Vizzam@morainevalley.edu.
