One key quality that Baruch students are drilled to strive for is being an influential public speaker. Regardless of how well you can crunch numbers or conduct research, career success falls on your ability to sell yourself. Although Baruch offers classes geared toward coaching you on gestures, proper speech and confidence, there are other resources to help you sharpen those speaking skills.
Baruch Toastmasters is an organization that is one of 70 chapters in New York alone. Currently, the Baruch chapter has about 50 people and usually have meetings every Friday night at 6:15 p.m. that last for two hours. However, members often times get together after meetings at the Grand Saloon, on 23rd St. between Lexington and 3rd Avenue, for karaoke.
During each regular meeting, members conduct speeches on topics of their choice and are then given thorough feedback from fellow members. Evaluations of each speech include three things on which the speaker should improve and three things on which the speaker did well.
Also, before speakers conduct their speeches, they are evaluated by a member with similar standing (a member who completed five speeches can evaluate someone who delivered five speeches or less). This allows for more analysis of specific parts of the speech, like the objective.
"Usually, I am nervous. I always try to relate to people when I speak," said Nicholas Peters, a Baruch student and Toastmasters' current vice president of public relations. "The whole idea of speaking in front of people is completely nerve-wracking, but it's with Toastmasters' encouragement and my relatability goal that allows me to give the speech I intended to give."
Both students and New York City residents in the nearby area can join the Baruch chapter of Toastmasters and will learn how to communicate effectively, enhance presentation skills and become better group leaders. Members receive the Competent Communication Manual which contains speaking assignments created to teach students the basic principles of public speaking. These helpful guides range from eye contact, hand gestures, speech organization and other important basics that make students more effective communicators.
Peters has been a Toastmasters member for three years now and joined in the hopes of improving his speech deliverance and learning how to communicate through media. He describes the organization as being motivational and that each member adds a special touch to the greater whole.
"Each member provides [others] with inspiring words, laughter or the reality that the No. 1 fear of public speaking can be change," he said. "It feels great in that room; we are all bonded by a goal of improvement."
Although COM 1010, Baruch's introductory public speaking course, is required to be completed by all students, Peters suggests that the class alone "might not be enough."
"While the speech professors give grades and some good feedback, some students find it difficult or boring to deal with classroom requirements and may not want a place that has so much structure," he said.
Toastmasters International organization was started in 1924 at a local YMCA in Santa Ana, Calif. It is a nonprofit organization comprised of almost 220,000 members spanning 11,300 clubs internationally. Toastmasters International also have a Youth Leadership program that reaches out to junior and high school students in order to help them develop their speaking skills.
"Before Toastmasters I always said '"I'm not sure' and 'I'm going to fail,'" said Peters. 'Now I say, 'I am sure,' 'I will" and 'I can.' It's because I am a Toastmaster."
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