Honors Institute

Lauren Popell Velasco was raised locally, graduating from Gunn High School and, later, Stanford University. Her undergraduate years were spent at Bates College, where she competed on the national and international speech and debate circuits, and ultimately graduated with Highest Honors in Rhetoric. She and her debate partner were the 4th-ranked Team of the Year in the United States for 1993-94. Throughout the years, they were selected to compete in three North American and two World Debate Championships. Mrs. Velasco also competed in one World Individual Speech Championship and participated in the World Summit on Women in Debate, held in Australia. She has independently produced six documentary films and videos, three of which have been shown on television and featured in local, national and international film festivals. While a graduate student at Stanford, she served as Interim Director of the Women's Center and and co-taught Public Speaking in the University's Technical Communication Program. Also an FCC-licensed disc jockey, and a Level 1 certified archery instructor, she has been teaching communication full time at Foothill College for nearly two decades, and coached its award-winning Speech and Debate Team for 10 years.