What's the most impactful speech you've witnessed?

There is only so much more time until the Speaking Your Story Project ends for the semester. Do not miss your chance for your creative work to be showcased next semester and have the chance to be awarded a scholarship for your efforts. Deadline for submissions is this Friday at midnight- do not let this opportunity pass by! Visit Speaking Your Story Project for more!

As we near the end of 2020 and the Fall semester, some of our volunteers at the Speaker’s Center reflect on the question:
What is the most impactful speech you’ve witnessed? Most of our graduate assistants have taught public speaking in the past or they are currently amid grading your final persuasive speeches, nevertheless our wonderful patrons have seen some amazingly given speeches by our undergraduate students. Our public speaking classes are so important to us and we have the great fortune to watch our students blossom into their own speaking confidence.  ​

Enjoy some of our favorite moments and speeches we’ve witnessed as you finish up your finals week! ​

“I’ve been fortunate enough to teach public speaking for the last 5 years across two universities. Through this experience, I’ve gotten to see students share things they’re passionate about, or other aspects of their lives. I’d say that one of the speeches which really sticks with me is from a student who shared about a non-profit for their persuasive speech and really opened up to the class about why this cause meant so much to them. Seeing a student feel comfortable enough to not only overcome their public speaking fears, but also open up to their classmates was a really inspiring moment.”

-Bolton Morales, Volunteer

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"I’ve been teaching for 6 ½ years. So, I have literally listened to thousands of student speeches. During my time at SIUC, there are 2 student speeches that stood out. One speech was an informative speech on service dogs. The student taught us the differences between service animals and emotional support animals. Because the student trained service dogs, she also brought her furry trainee along with her to help demonstrate what to expect and how to (not) interact with a service dog. While I had heard another service animal speech before hers, the depth of information and clarity of her speech was strong. 
The second impactful speech was a persuasive speech on prenuptial agreements. The student argued that no matter what, everyone should get a prenuptial agreement. Her argument was clear and flowed well. Since was the 101, she adapted to the audience by addressing the concerns the average college student would have in relation to getting married someday. She convinced me that prenuptials are not about preparing divorce, but about having clear communication with your partner prior to getting married. 
Overall, these speeches stood out due to the unique idea presented, relevance for the listener, and the evidence shared throughout."

-Janine Armstrong, Volunteer

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"In the Fall of 2016, I had a student share their experiences of growing up in the foster care system. It was so long ago that I can’t remember if it was an informative speech or a persuasive speech. However, I do remember how much her classmates and I focused on her every word. Her speech revealed a reality and personal history that so many in the room were unfamiliar with. She explained the issues and challenges faced by children in the foster care system, as well as the resources available to children about to age out of the system. As a former volunteer for the Heart Gallery of Central (a non-profit which helps foster children with resources), I was familiar with the issues that faced older children in the foster care system. Free college tuition is available to children in the foster care system. However, many of these children do not understand how to apply for these benefits or are intimidated to attend college. 

​A startling fact that I learned from my time as a volunteer, and this speech, is that half of the children that age out of the foster care system will end up homeless or in jail at some point in their adulthood. Therefore, access to college and job opportunities is critical for adults transitioning out of the foster system. This student particularly addressed that experience and explained how she was able to attend SIUC because of these benefits. She demonstrated so much courage and strength in sharing this personal story. And because she had such a personal connection to the topic, she felt so comfortable yet passionate when presenting her speech."

-Dianah McGreehan, Volunteer

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"The most impactful speech I've witnessed was last fall when I first started teaching Intro to Public Speaking. The time was finals week and one of my students was not able to attend her speech day, so we rescheduled a time that worked before the semester ended. She decided to give a spoken word piece on her ancestry and her education of how to style her hair as a Black woman. My only regret is the whole class was not able to see the beauty in her lyrics, her strong posture as her voice shook, and the incredible connections she drew from her own truth. She turned them into words of empowerment. A true celebration."

-Madeline Wiles, Director

Leave us a comment below telling us the most impactful speech you've witnessed!

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