A 'toast' to public speaking

Every Thursday night, a group of about thirty students gather on campus and tackle a fear greater than death -- public speaking. \nAt 7:30 p.m. in SPEA 278, the IU chapter of Toastmasters meets on a weekly basis to discuss the news, tell jokes, give speeches and get to know each other. \n"Good evening, this is Toastmasters," Ed Yin, vice president of membership, said as he opened the meeting. "If you're in the wrong room -- get the hell out."\nCommitted to improving oral communication, Toastmasters is a world-wide organization with clubs in more than 90 countries, according to the organization's Web site. Sponsored by the Kelley School of Business, the club is one of five chapters in Bloomington alone. \n"We have alumni ranging from senators to CEOs," said Kaz Hussain, president of the Toastmasters of Indiana University. "This is more like a speaking society than a club." \nToastmasters is open to everyone, however, and an interest in public speaking is not required. \n"We try to keep it relaxed," said Hussain. "It helps people get through something that can be difficult." \nFocused on providing practical application, Toastmasters of Indiana University helps students prepare to answer on-the-spot interview questions by working on improvisation. \n"Recruiters see Toastmasters on your resume and they get excited," said Hussain. \nVice President Emily Davis encourages students of all majors to attend a meeting. \n"A lot of people have a hard time speaking in public," Davis said. "I think it's really important to practice in a comfortable setting." \nEach meeting lasts about an hour, and members tell jokes and give speeches about anything and everything -- last week's discussions included iPods, last year's Super Bowl halftime show, proper use of the word "über" and the theft of historical landmarks. \nFirst-timer Affia Dhaduk, a senior, had no trouble participating in the discussions. \n"I've known about Toastmasters since middle school," Dhaduk said. "I'm just at a point now where I want to get really good at public speaking, because I'm going through the interview process." \nTo help students improve their speaking skills, members offer evaluations and constructive criticism to each speaker. In addition, every time a speaker says "uhh" or "umm," a coin is dropped in a jar to remind members to avoid these conversational crutches. \nHussain says the atmosphere is supportive rather than critical. \n"We're here for a purpose, but we like to have fun," he said. \nThose interested can attend a meeting free of cost, and membership to the organization is $39 each semester for new members and $23 for old; these fees pay for a manual that outlines a sequence of speeches. After giving 10 speeches, a speaker is given the title "competent toastmaster." \nCamaraderie is also an essential component of the club. \n"We're pretty close as a group," said Hussain. "We go out to dinner. We're friends outside of the organization." \nWhether for the companionship or the skills, Davis believes there's something in it for everyone. \n"If you can get up there and sell yourself, you can sell anything," she said. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.