Campus Connection

The UW-L Public Speaking Center in 251 Murphy Library debuted last year, and it’s already earning national recognition. The center’s training program for the peer consultants is one of 12 in the nation to be certified by the National Association of Communication Centers. The center’s 10 peer speaking consultants offer speech training and feedback to students of any major. We asked the peer consultants to recall some of their missteps when addressing audiences, and offer tips for effective speaking. Here is what they had to say. [caption id="attachment_36842" align="alignleft" width="200"] Bailey Benedict[/caption]

Bailey Benedict

“My best advice is to create a strong preparation outline. If one feels confident at the very root of their presentation, it is easier to feel confident during the delivery. When it comes time to deliver it, stand in front of the audience and scan the crowd. While doing so, remember that we’re all people. We all make mistakes and we all get nervous. Just try not to let those nerves get the best of you!”         [caption id="attachment_36844" align="alignright" width="200"] Christopher Farvour[/caption]

Christopher (Chris) Farvour

“In high school, I gave a speech to a group of about 500 of my peers. I made a big mistake when I didn’t properly check out the space where I would be presenting. I was speaking in an auditorium comparable to UW-L’s Valhalla. I wasn’t prepared for such a large room with such a delicate sound system. As a result, the room drowned out my message. I learned to scope out the room and the equipment before I speak. It’s more comfortable for me and gives my audience a better experience.”     [caption id="attachment_36847" align="alignright" width="300"] Peer Consultant Noelle Griffiths works with a student at the center.[/caption]

Noelle Griffiths

“During my first speech in college, I drew a blank in the middle. I had no idea what to say, so I decided to ask my audience a question to fill the awkward silence. I used that time to gather myself. It worked and I was able to recover. Now I often ask questions like, ‘How many of you have ever heard...’ before I bring up a new point. This lets me gauge what the audience already knows or what they may be interested in. Of course, I would prepare and practice, but this allows me to cater my speech to the audience.” [caption id="attachment_36850" align="alignleft" width="200"] Jeffrey Hill[/caption]

Jeffrey (Jeff) Hill

“One of the first times I spoke in a public setting, was in high school. We were supposed to read a story or historic document or speech to the class. I chose the Gettysburg Address. Instead of just reading it, I decided to memorize it. During my preparation I could recite flawlessly, but when I got up in front of the class, I started and then forgot a line. Luckily, I planned ahead and brought a copy with me on the lectern. I paused, found my spot and recovered. I then realized that if you stumble or stall in the middle of a presentation speech, as long as you keep calm, you can recover and proceed without incident.”   [caption id="attachment_36852" align="alignleft" width="200"] Mackenzie Ray[/caption]

Mackenzie Ray

“I gave a speech that required moving around for one of my classes. I got really nervous and started to shake badly. I could feel the audience could see/feel my nerves. But when I got to a point in the speech where I related a personal story I began to relax and things were smooth sailing after that. That being said, I believe that putting something personal in your speech will help you out as a presenter. It will help calm your nerves, not to mention engage your audience more.”     The Public Speaking Center is housed in 251 Murphy Library — the Murphy Learning Center — and is open every day except Saturday for a total of 50 hours per week.