NEWS

Megan Smith, alumna, communication instructor, and debate team coach at Louisiana Tech University, was named Debate Coach of the Year at the Southern Forensics Championship Tournament.

One coach is awarded this honor each year from Louisiana, Mississippi, or Arkansas. Coaches are nominated and are voted on by students from the schools in the three states listed above. 

“I returned to Louisiana Tech a few years ago to start working on my doctorate and was able to fulfill my dream of becoming the debate coach at Louisiana Tech. For the past two years I have been coaching the team, we have brought many accolades back to our university, but for me the joy of this job comes from providing students with access to an academic activity that changes lives,” Smith said. “Being part of a debate team allowed me to find my voice and find the courage to speak when I spent most of my life hiding and being scared.”

Smith has a great resume when it comes to debate team. She helped lead the University of Louisiana in Monroe win a national title and from there she started the first debate team at Texas A&M International University and advised a student to a national novice championship. She returned to Tech just a few years ago to begin working on her doctorate and has since been teaching communication classes and leading her debate team to competitions where she has had many of her students win individual awards and her team place high overall in competitions.

“She is such a great asset to our department, school and college. The debate team has grown tremendously in number of students involved, as well as in prominence since she became the debate coach,” said Dr. Amy Carwile, Coordinator of the Department of Communication and Media Studies.

“Winning the coach of the year was very exciting and quite a surprise. I dedicate so much time and energy to this job and to these students, but it really doesn’t feel like work because I love every moment of my work,” said Smith. “Winning the coach of the year was very exciting and quite a surprise. I dedicate so much time and energy to this job and to these students, but it really doesn’t feel like work because I love every moment of my work.”