Brentwood, NY - February 22nd, 2014 - The Suffolk County Community College Board of Trustees and College Administration commended the Michael J. Grant Campus’ Speech and Debate Team for taking home a collective seven trophies at the 2014 New England Forensics Championship at Suffolk University in Boston on February 8th. Several team members will now compete in the national championships later this spring.

“The Suffolk County Community College Board of Trustees congratulates the Speech and Debate Team. The team’s skill and ultimate placement at the 2014 New England Forensics Championship will now see several team members advance to the National Championships in Michigan. We are exceptionally proud of our students, staff and this notable achievement,” said Dafny J. Irizarry, Chairperson of the Suffolk County Community College Board of Trustees in presenting an award from the Board of Trustees to the DebateTeam at the board’s monthly meeting on February 20, 2014.

Professor and faculty advisor Christopher Holfester was also commended for his dedication and 15 years of work with Suffolk’s debate teams.

The Suffolk Community College Grant Campus Speech and Debate Team has earned a trip to the national championships nearly every year since 1999. The team can boast to having three individual national championships and two New York State team championships.

Suffolk’s team is the only community college to ever win the New York State Team Championship in the 59 year history of the event and won in consecutive years, 2002 and 2003.

Team alumni include seven practicing attorneys and four professors, two of whom teach at Suffolk County Community College.