What the Students—and Student Teachers—are Saying

“On behalf of the Women in Science at Rockefeller (WISeR) group at The Rockefeller University, thank you! We loved our workshop, which was designed to help women in science feel more confident when giving talks and to offer strategies for addressing implicit biases directed at women speakers in a male dominated field.”

--Alice Gadau, Vice President of WISeR,  Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics, The Rockefeller University

“You truly have given me a priceless gift. Throughout time, the head was revered as the holding place of sacred thoughts and wisdom, the heart as the keeper of love and and emotion, but in the middle of these points of the body lies the throat, the maker of speech, the combination of mind and heart, and one of the most valuable ways we make ourselves known in this universe. I want to thank you with every fiber of my being for helping me on this journey to tap into the power that speech yields. You've made such an impact on me, and the skills I have learned in this class are so invaluable. I will never forget my time in this class.”

–Nada Elshaari

“This class has been the most transformative class I have ever taken here at UCSB. It pushes me out of my comfort zone and encourages me to use my skills I already have while developing new ones. Thank you for this course and for guiding and teaching me how to use my skills effectively. Thank you for also emphasizing authenticity, because I learned how to remain me and use my voice in any situation.”

–Melody Yang

“I must say this class was not just about learning about the art of rhetoric or learning what characteristics make a speech effective, but it was a place for me to practice conveying a message. It served as a way for me to deliver a weekly speech that was of importance to me. It was a way to see what worked and what didn’t work when trying to make an impact on the way people thought about something. And it was a place where I could learn from other people about their opinions, and be moved by their message to me. I am grateful for this class, but specifically for the way my fellow classmates have taught me so many new and different viewpoints.”

–Diego Cobos

“Everyone has a choice to make: to let his or her voice be heard or to be quiet. I am glad that I chose to let my voice be heard. The most tragic thing in life is that there are so many beautiful words left unsaid because people choose not to say them. This is why public speaking is so important. Overall, this was a great and fun learning experience. Some of the skills that I learned here, I am sure I will continue to use throughout my life. I am glad that I chose to take this class. I am glad that I raised my voice.”

—Karen Ha

“The structure of the class—synthesis and application—has really honed my skills. I say that because I have noticed improvements in my debates with friends, in the way I get my words out, and in how I am in front of a crowd. Looking back, I accomplished what I set out to do and more.”

—Ashriful Dulla

“In my time as a graduate student, the most rewarding pedagogical experience was being a Teaching Assistant for the public speaking program. Strengthening students' communication competency is invaluable for helping them thrive across disciplines and beyond the classroom. As an educator, it was immensely gratifying to facilitate students' skill and confidence building."

—Annika Speer, Ph.D., former TA, now Lecturer of Public Speaking at UC Riverside

“Having had this amazing experience and being exposed to many intelligent peers who were learning to build themselves as speakers as well, I must say that this class has molded me for the better with skills I will use for the rest of my life. I can confidently recognize that my voice counts no matter what and with that comes great power. Thank you for helping a young woman find her voice.”

–Paige Derby

“In the past ten weeks I have learned more in this class than any other general requirement. Not only have my public speaking skills developed but I also feel much more confident in how to present my opinion and argument. This course was challenging; but it has given me great practice in writing with purpose because there is no room for fluff during a timed speech. I have also never felt such camaraderie with my fellow classmates in both section and lecture. Public speaking is a great skill to poses and I’m glad that I have the confidence to add this to my resumé.”

–Alexander Valentin

“I see the classes that comprise the Public Speaking Initiative as absolutely essential courses for an undergraduate student.  When students craft and deliver articulate speeches as well as learn to recognize what makes for effective oratory, they are practicing skills that are vital in today’s world.  Responsible global citizens understand the political and ethical dimensions of language; such an understanding is one of the key learning objectives in a course like Introduction to Public Speaking.  As a teaching assistant in Professor Enders’s Introduction to Public Speaking class I witnessed the transforming power that comes with learning rhetorical theory and then putting this theory to work to create speeches.  Students (and teaching assistants!) leave this course empowered and ready to apply their newfound rhetorical prowess in a number of professions and fields.”

–Beth Wynstra, Ph.D., former TA, now Assistant Professor of English, Babson College

“I now envisage a future in which I pay a greater degree of detailed attention to every aspect of my public speaking. This includes the diligent research that must go into preparing an informative presentation, as well as the diligent practice that is necessary to ensure a consistently compelling delivery. But on an even broader scale, the skills that I have learned during lecture have strengthened my understanding of professionalism; and the collaborative growth that was fostered by my time in sections has strengthened my ability to learn through constructive criticism. The combined value of these two environments is one that will certainly affect me in a positive way during the remainder of my time at this university and beyond.”

–Victoria Penate

“My time in Public Speaking and Advanced Public Speaking was some of my most formative at UCSB. The curriculum perfectly balanced a study of theory with weekly practical applications. The courses affected the remainder of my time at UCSB; increasing my confidence in classroom discussions, political debates, and job interviews. To this day, I continue to apply lessons I learned from the public speaking curriculum to my professional life.”

—Alexander Moore

“Teaching a peer mentoring section of the Public Speaking class was life changing. It was inspiring seeing my class work hard and become better rhetoricians, and I learned so much about myself as an educator along the way! I am so thankful I had the chance to learn and grow alongside my students!”

–Rachel Bromberg, Peer Mentor

“One thing that I learned in this class that I didn’t expect to learn was just how cool everyone in my section was. I genuinely enjoyed getting to hear what everyone had to say each week. Public speaking is a truly powerful platform that I’ve come to respect through this course. I think society as a whole would benefit if we all listened to other people’s opinions and had respect for them.”

–Sarah Bay

“I found that the speeches I enjoyed the most were the controversial ones; the ones that offered a different point of view with supporting evidence. In a world obsessed with social media and the number of likes on a picture, I think we have devoted too much of our time to pleasing an audience. Even if the topic created division, a passionate speech was better remembered.”

–Fiona Chrystal

“The biggest lesson I have learned over ten weeks is that the speech is not intended for the speaker, it is solely for the audience. I had always focused on myself rather than on the audience. I now think of my audience while preparing my speeches. What are they to gain from my speech? What is the main takeaway?”

–Kevin Nunnelly

“I like knowing that I can separate myself from what others might see initially through my skills in public speaking. It has given me the confidence boost that I sought in the beginning of this endeavor to delve back into this world of public speaking.”

–Pia Delosreyes

“Completing and delivering a speech nearly every week has helped me improve upon my ability to think quickly and develop ideas. In fact, I really began enjoying doing the one-minute speeches because they pushed me to be concise and consolidate the complex ideas I wanted to express. It was a challenge that forced me to learn how to keep ideas as simple and persuasive as possible instead of trying to squeeze a bunch of ideas into a small time slot.”

–Stella Gianoukakis

“Throughout the quarter I was challenged to think outside the box, I was challenged to be creative, and I was challenged to speak about something that I am passionate about. It’s really easy to listen to a phenomenal speech but extremely difficult to write and deliver one. A lot of hard work and thought goes into writing a great speech, a lesson in knowledge and an experience that will enhance my life because it has given me the tools to move, teach, and persuade.”

–Andrew Larson

“Taking the introductory public speaking class opened up a new world for me. After that, in Advanced Public Speaking, writing speeches every week about issues that are close to my heart and getting extensive feedback from both the Professor and my peers in such an intimate setting, helped me become the confident and strong advocate I am today. And nothing compares to being chosen as a peer mentor for English/Writing 18, where I discovered my love for teaching but where I also strengthened my own abilities as a public speaker. I learned so much from being on the other side of the classroom experience, and it was truly a delight to help my peers discover their unique abilities as rhetoricians!"

–Lena Neuner, Peer Mentor

“Speeches are a balancing act. Each week became more like solving a puzzle and showing the final product to an audience—a thrill I greatly enjoyed. A final take-away: public speaking can enact change. When one of my classmates gave a powerful speech on a controversial subject, I left section thinking, 'Wow, I never thought of it that way,' and my viewpoint changed. Keep doing what you are doing.”

–Candice Nahigian

“The knowledge and experience I have gained from this class have also given me the confidence and courage to share my thoughts and speak up at will. Just today, prior to raising my hand in class, I thought to myself: What am I trying to convey? Why does it matter? What premises must I include? And what proof might I need? This kind of on-the-fly speaking is by far the greatest skill I have developed in the past 10 weeks. In finding answers to these questions I was able to raise my hand, speak up, and clearly move from one point to another in a well constructed argument.”

–Nicolas Paige

“I can never listen to a speech in the same way ever again. The terms used to define rhetorical practices have become so engrained in my thought process that they are no longer dismissible. Just last week, someone stood up to make a speech at a formal dinner and I could not help but think to myself: 'Hey would you look at that, she’s using anaphora! Nice. Invention is decent, but could probably be enhanced by using more pathos. Oh no, her arrangement is lacking towards the end. Wait, where is my peer feedback form?' It was not until the applause of the audience set in that I snapped back to reality. Clearly, the rhetorical analysis that was discussed in lecture is here to stay in my head, whether I want it to or not.”

–Brandon Yoon

“Now, every time I write a speech and get to my conclusion, or call to action, I check to make sure that everything I have said before logically leads to it. This way, I avoid gaps in reasoning that I would find in my previous speeches and writing. Before, I was purely focused on content. However, the way in which the content is presented is just as important. This class introduced me to inductive and deductive reasoning, and helped me understand that starting a speech with a specific example or anecdote and proceeding to end with a more broad conclusion, can be a very effective arrangement. All things considered, English 18 helped me increase my confidence and develop my ability to speak in public. When seeing Professor Enders speak, I have admired how she can so easily change tones, incorporate humor, adjust according to the audience’s response, and all throughout maintain a command of the room. So, when I consider what my goals are in regards to public speaking, I’d say they are to be as comfortable and versatile on stage as Professor Enders.”

–Coya Quispe