Dr. Frank M. Thompson Jr.
Dr. Frank M. Thompson Jr. is an award-winning former professor and director of The University of Alabama Forensic Council. Thompson began his career at UA in 1980 as an instructor in the College of Communication and Information Sciences (C&IS) while completing his doctorate in the College of Education. For the next 33 years, he would become one of the most successful forensics coaches in the nation and an integral member of the C&IS faculty.
From the time he first began directing the Alabama Forensic Council, the program achieved remarkable success, including more than 6,500 regional awards, 800 national awards and 100 national championships in individual events. Thompson brought notable visibility to the program by creating and hosting forensic tournaments on campus, including the Crimson Classic College Forensic Tournament and the Hall of Fame High School Forensic Tournament, as well as DSR-TKA and AFANIET district and national tournaments. These tournaments provided learning opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students, recruitment opportunities for the College and promotional opportunities for the University as a whole.
Thompson’s career-long dedication to forensics is well known and respected by his peers in the forensics community. He has received countless awards in recognition of his leadership and service in forensics, including the Delta Sigma Rho – Tau Kappa Alpha National Honorary Forensic Society Distinguished Service Award, the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament Distinguished Service Award and the Alabama Forensic Educators Association Hall of Fame. He also received the Outstanding Coach Award from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, the Excellence in Coaching Award from Tulane University, the Coach of the Year Award from Florida State University, Excellence in Forensic Coaching from Berry College and the Outstanding Forensic Recognition from Clemson University. For his excellence in teaching, Thompson was awarded the Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award given by The University of Alabama Alumni Association, the C&IS Outstanding Alumni Award, the Knox Hagood Award and the Morris L. Mayer Award. He also served in national leadership positions including President of Delta Sigma Rho – Tau Kappa Alpha National Honorary Forensic Society and National Chair of the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament.
Thompson retired from The University of Alabama as a Professor Emeritus in 2011. He resides in Gulf Shores, Alabama.