There is a fear even greater than death.
It’s the fear of public speaking, said Samantha Catterton, vice president of public relations for Bulls Out Loud, a club that seeks to lessen the fear of public speaking.
To help combat this fear, the club focuses on building confidence by helping students organize their thoughts, and increases time management skills and ability to prepare for deadlines, according to Dr. Nina Schmidt, faculty advisor for the club.
“No matter where you go, you are always going to speak in front of people. From the lowest guy on the totem pole to the most well-known president, everybody speaks,” said Catterton.
Bulls Out Loud was formed to operate similar to a chartered Toastmasters affiliate. The meetings feature multiple opportunities to speak to an audience while receiving feedback. Participants gain leadership and communication skills. After obtaining 20 members, the club is expected to become the first Toastmasters charter at USFSP.
Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs, according to Toastmasters.org.
A typical club meeting includes a series of prepared talks by some club members followed by impromptu speeches by several other members. Then, the daily evaluators, fellow club members, provide feedback by highlighting what the speakers did well, in addition to addressing areas of improvement.
Club members reach milestones for delivering themed speeches and performing leadership functions.
“The ultimate goal is to become a distinguished toastmaster, which is earned after giving 50 speeches and accomplishing tasks such as running a meeting or being a facilitator,” said Thomas Skidmore, the club’s president.
Benefits of joining the club include superior communication skills, enhanced networking skills, and a strong resume booster while establishing lasting relationships in a supportive environment, according to Page Harris, vice president of education for the club.
“In my experience, we make the biggest strides in personal growth by stepping out of our comfort zone. While it might seem daunting at first to join something like Bulls Out Loud where you speak in front of people, it is a platform where you can really transform yourself and improve yourself in all areas of life,” said Harris.
The club is open to any student, faculty member or alumni of the university.
If you go:
Bulls Out Loud meets in Davis 130 at 4 p.m. every Monday, beginning on Jan. 26. For more information, drop by the club’s booth during Get On Board day on Jan. 14., visit the club’s Facebook page at https:#www.facebook.com/usfspeakabull, or contact President Thomas Skidmore at tskidmore@mail.usf.edu .
