Contact: Robbie Ward
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Tommy Thompson stood in a McCain Hall classroom a few years ago and told an audience how music has defined generations. He also talked about deep-sea fishing, a famous Hawaiian surfer, investing money and the day music died.
While studies show many people are less afraid of death than to speak in public, Thompson volunteered to speak to the weekly crowd. He looked forward to each speech so he could learn to become a better speaker.
While majoring in mechanical engineering at Mississippi State's Bagley College of Engineering, Thompson served as an active member in the university's Bulldog Toastmasters. The campus group is associated with Toastmasters International--a national, non-profit organization begun more than 80 years ago to foster better public speaking.
Thompson, now working for Exxon Mobil's development division in Houston, Texas, said he appreciates the investment in honing his public speaking skills. During each of his job interviews, a potential employer always asked about Thompson's experience with Bulldog Toastmasters, he added.
Thompson often speaks to large groups during meetings and other business functions. He anticipates longer speaking opportunities as his career advances. Toastmasters helped him see the importance of how speakers deliver their message.
"What you say and how you portray yourself when you speak says a lot about who you are," said Thompson, a Decatur, Ala., native. "If it says the wrong thing, you're off on the wrong foot at the beginning."
Thompson and dozens of other Toastmasters at MSU share the desire to improve their public speaking with more than three million other fellow Toastmasters worldwide. More than 1,000 corporations, community groups, universities, associations, and government agencies use the organization for public speaking and leadership training.
Bulldog Toastmasters allows MSU students to strengthen public speaking skills in a supportive environment. Open to all students, members give prepared speeches during each weekly meeting. They also receive evaluations outlining strengths and opportunities for improvement, and practice speaking with little notice in short "table topics," when members respond to a question for about a minute.
Alexis Powe, a Bagley College technical communications instructor who advises Bulldog Toastmasters, has seen many students increase their confidence in public speaking after participating in the program. She said most in Toastmasters get used to speaking to strangers because they've practiced what it takes to deliver a strong speech.
"The substance of the presentation is important, but if you can't deliver it clearly, your audience isn't going to pay attention," Powe said. "You have to get their attention and keep them."
Dustin Bailey has never been accused of being shy. He has always enjoyed speaking, whether to friends or otherwise. But Bailey, who earned an industrial engineering degree in 2004, understood the importance of further developing his speaking skills in Toastmasters while a college student. He appreciated the constructive criticism on how to improve his speaking and knew more practice would help him improve.
Bailey now gives a minimum of five speeches a month between his many jobs in the Jackson area. He owns several businesses, while working both as a network manager for construction at BellSouth and for Hinds County.
Whether he's discussing a project's potential with executives, providing the financial outlook for a plan or motivating employees, Bailey said his Toastmasters experience helped him become a more polished speaker. He said he believes everyone could benefit from Toastmasters--especially college students.
"Anyone who wants to do anything in a commercial or public situation in life needs to do it," he said. "Toastmasters helps establish credibility."
Bulldog Toastmasters encourages interested students to visit the club to see if they want to join.
"For a lot of reasons they become better communicators," Powe observed. "After they've been in Toastmasters for a while they're not afraid to speak to anybody."
NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For additional information, contact Ms. Powe at 662-325-4240 or apowe@engr.msstate.edu.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.