By Danilynn Welniak/ne news editor

NE Campus will host the Phi Rho Pi regional speech tournament March 13-15.

Lisa Benedetti, NE communication arts chair, was ecstatic when she caught news the event would transfer to her campus.

“This tournament came as a bit of a surprise to us because the school that was going to host it had a conflict when the tournament weekend was changed,” she said. “As a result, we were asked to host it, and the original school will run it here.”

Phi Rho Pi, the honor society for speech competitors at two-year U.S. colleges, is one of the oldest forensics organizations, founded in 1939. One of the largest in the nation, last year it hosted 76 schools and 600 coaches and students.

The organization offers community college students the only full-service national tournament with 11 events, three forms of debate and interpreter’s theater.

Anyone can come watch the competition.

“We will have acting events, public speaking events and debate events,” Benedetti said.

The tournament takes place Friday 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. For more information, contact Benedetti at 817-515-6986.