Stanford National Forensic Institute

The Stanford National Forensic Institute offers national caliber summer debate programs for students of any level of experience. The Two Week Lincoln-Douglas program is open to all students and is a comprehensive preparation for the upcoming year of competitive debate. Each lab is carefully constructed to maximize student’s ability to accelerate their skills in a highly educational environment. A strong student to staff ratio (7:1) and a minimum of 10 expertly critiqued practice rounds are a core feature of the two-week camp. The Three Week program adds an additional week to the standard Two Week program. The Third Week focuses on technique and practice rounds, and gives students the chance to fully integrate the skills they have learned during the first two weeks of camp.

Quality Instructors

SNFI knows that generally speaking, the best instructors are not the youngest instructors. We focus on hiring the most experienced instructors, and the most successful coaches of competitors. Our faculty has coached competitors to outrounds and championships at the most prestigious tournaments around the country including NCFLs, NFLs, and TOC. Our instructors know how to create champions at every level of competition. Some of the returning faculty include Tim Hogan (Apple Valley), David Weeks (Swarthmore), Mike Spirtos (The Meadows School), Nadia Arid (Presentation), Johanna Tyler (UT Austin), Beena Koshy (formerly of Sacred Heart), and Dan Meyers who serves as the Division Director for Lincoln Douglas (The Meadows School).

Carefully Crafted Curriculum

SNFI’s curriculum carefully balances lab time, practice rounds, mandatory lectures, and electives. All labs are led by our expert faculty with a special eye to balancing the skills of the instructors with the needs of each student. Each student will participate in a minimum of 10 critiqued practice rounds; most participate in more. Our lecture series focuses on providing students with solid foundations in both debate and philosophy. Labs then focus on implementation of those concepts so that students can see how to utilize each lecture. Our elective series allows students the freedom to choose an in-depth investigation of a skill or philosophy of their choosing.