In early October, SLCC's Speech and Debate team participated in its first competition since the club's inception, placing third. Zachary Petersen, founder and President of the SLCC Debate Club, says he was surprised to learn that SLCC did not previously have one. His vision was clear: create a sustainable program that would launch immediately and continue for future Bruins.
The goal of the speech and debate team is to equip students with soft skills that they can apply beyond the debate club. Members learn to think critically, listen actively, conduct research, and communicate clearly, all while preparing them for any career path they may take.
The club has thrived under the guidance of Anne Canavan, the club’s advisor and the Associate Director of the Student Writing and Reading Center. Zachary mentions that the club could not have a better advisor, saying that her unwavering support and mentorship were instrumental in the team’s fast start. "Dr. Anne Canavan has been an incredible champion of the SLCC Debate team, and we could not have achieved this level of success without her support," says Zachary.
The journey to SLCC's first debate tournament could not have been any smoother, as per Zachary's recollection of the timeline. Not long after starting the club at SLCC, Zachary reached out to Dr. Duncan Stewart, an assistant professor at the University of Utah who also runs the university’s John R. Park Debate Society, for opportunities to compete. Zachary's efforts paid off. The debate team not only received an official invitation to participate in its first competition, the U’s 2026 Great Salt Lake Invitational, but Stewart also waived attendance fees — a generous act validated by SLCC’s third place.
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Interested in joining or learning more about the SLCC Speech & Debate club? It meets every Wednesday at 2:30 pm on the Taylorsville Campus in AAB, room 221. For additional information about the club, visit the SLCC campus groups at this link.