In 1885, just three years after Hastings College opened its doors, it hosted the inaugural Nebraska Collegiate Oratorical Association state tournament. While the College has hosted the tournament several times since then, and the organization became the National Intercollegiate Forensics Association (NIFA) in the 1920s, the state tournament — the 140th — is back in Hastings this Saturday, February 8.
The NIFA state tournament allows students from colleges and universities across the state to showcase what they’ve worked on throughout the year. In addition to bragging rights as the Nebraska state champion, the tournament also determines Nebraska representatives for the oldest national speaking tournament in the country, the Interstate Oratory Association Contest.
This year, Kansas schools are allowed to join the tournament to double as their state tournament. As such, the tournament will determine the Kansas representatives for the Interstate Oratory Association Contest.
“We’re excited to host this year’s state collegiate speech tournament, especially given the history of the competition,” said Hastings College head forensics coach Jordan Johnson. “It’s going to be a great competition and gathering of talented Nebraska and Kansas forensics students.”
Schools that are expected are University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Nebraska Omaha, Doane University, Concordia University, Midland University, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Wayne State College, Kansas State University and Bethel College. Additional schools are expected to attend and be finalized later this week.
The tournament, headquartered in Morrison-Reeves Science Center, will be held across campus. Hastings College last hosted the tournament in 2017.
Hastings College is a four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. Discover more at hastings.edu.
