In the words of the famous clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson, there is no greater trait of professionalism and competence than being excellent in the art of eloquence and public speaking: “Being able to express your ideas with clarity, precision and conviction makes you the master of the future and the architect of your destiny”.
Public speaking skills were once merely considered “Soft Skills.” Their importance has since grown exponentially and they are highly demanded by companies and organizations for those who might fill their key positions. This set of highly sought-after personal skills are now more accurately called “Power Skills,” and they are one of the educational pillars of CIS University, reinforced through extracurricular activities such as the Debate Club or the Language Exchange Program.
CIS University held its first public speaking and eloquence competition, called the Speech Contest, to promote and enhance the development of rhetorical skills among students.
Mastering the art of public speaking.
This first edition of the CIS University Speech Contest brought together first-year students who, after weeks of preparation, demonstrated their public speaking skills in front of peers, professors and deans. Participants had to adhere to two key rules: their speeches had to last exactly three minutes and, if they used slides, they had to be text-free.
The judging panel consisted of Speech Skills teachers Karyn Suarez, Tracy Wood, Deirdre Miller and Lauren Giera. The judges focused on speech content, personal conviction, body language, vocal intonation, and other aspects, such as filler words.
Despite very intense competition, the winners of this exceedingly close contest were:
- Gold Medal: Lucas Murphy
- Silver Medal: Chris Martin Plantey
- Bronze Medal: Carmen Crespo
The event culminated with a few words from Dr. Steven DiSalvo, President of Endicott College, who praised the quality of the speeches as well as the atmosphere and sportsmanship during the competition.
CIS University reaffirms its commitment to preparing its students to successfully face the challenges of the professional world through this event by applying the skills and strategies learned in class.
Thus ended this incredible event, where students had the opportunity to apply the skills and strategies they learned in class, and demonstrate the art of public speaking.
Congratulations to all participants and we look forward to seeing you next time!
