It takes dedication, charisma, and a gift of handling responsibility for any president of an organization to succeed. These exceptional students are the ones that help our favorite groups prosper–and that is why Her Campus took extra notice of second-year, Grace Eichler, president of Forensics, Miami University’s speech and debate club.
HC: How does something like Forensics fit into your major?
GE: I’m actually a Zoology major, but I’m working on a Communications minor, which probably fits into the speech and debate mindset more easily. But it really helps to have a science background in order to add different levels of thinking.
HC: How did you first get involved in Forensics?
GE: I’ve been doing speech and debate since my freshman year of high school, when I saw performances from varsity members at an open house. I competed throughout high school as a member of the National Forensics League, and now that I’m at Miami, I’m a part of the National Forensics Association.
HC: Why the name Forensics?
GE: Forensics comes from the ancient Greek word forensia, meaning proof in court, which at the time was done via oral argument. it really has nothing to do with dead bodies.
HC: Tell us your favorite part about your leadership role.
GE: Being President as a sophomore is a really unique position. Since all of our varsity members graduated last year, the five sophomores have to take on roles of mentors. Our coaches, Dr. Todd Holm, Ian Hopkins and Justin Foote have been huge assets to us. They’ve been able to help us prepare our own events, as well as help introduce the novices to the skill. My favorite part of being president would have to be collaborating with the novices and varsity members in order to make sure everyone has the smartest, most articulate scripts they can have.
HC: How much succeess has MU Forensics achieved?
GE: As a team, we placed within the Top 10 at Nationals last year with a team roughly half the size of the other Top 10, and have had 22 national champions.
HC: So we know you’ve got public speaking down…what else are you into?
GE: Outside of Forensics, I’m on the Exec Board of Stage Left, Miami’s only student-run musical theatre group. Working on stage, backstage, and behind the scenes for theatre is a huge time commitment, but I love every minute of it. Stage Left and Forensics (as well as trying to survive OChem!) takes up a good majority of my time.
HC: What are you plans after graduation?
GE: After Miami, I’m going to be (hopefully) attending dental school, and then continuing into orthodontia. It’s all a surprising mixture of interests, but my love of performance and communication should be able to help separate me from other applicants and, eventually, other orthodontists!