Hinds Countian takes 2005 MSU Toastmasters honor

Contact: Sammy McDavid

STARKVILLE, Miss.--A Jackson graduate student at Mississippi State is the recent winner of an annual challenge sponsored by the university chapter of Toastmasters International.

Byron J. Williams, who is seeking a master's degree in computer science, was judged to be the best among five members in preparing and delivering a 15-minute presentation during the Bulldog Toastmasters' 2005 Showcase program.

Toastmasters is a non-profit organization established in 1924 to help all interested persons learn, in highly organized small-group settings, to speak more effectively. The training is designed to build leadership skills while specifically equipping members to organize activities, conduct meetings and speak in public.

A 2004 MSU computer science graduate and the son of Leittia Crawford [39206], Williams currently serves as the campus organization's membership vice president.

Chartered in 2001, the 15-member Bulldog Toastmasters is among more than 1,000 chapters located at corporations, community groups, universities, and other entities throughout the United States.