By leveraging the Department of Communication’s expertise, the University of Illinois’ new Speakers Workshop is furthering the university’s mission of producing graduates who exemplify professionalism, authenticity, and leadership.
The director of the workshop, Laura Stengrim, brings more than 20 years of experience as a scholar and practitioner in speaking and writing centers. She is tasked with expanding it into a widely used service for the entire campus community.
Stengrim, who spent eight years as the faculty director of the nationally recognized Speaking Center at the University of Southern Mississippi, rejoins the university (MA, 2003, writing studies; PhD, 2016, communication) as an associate teaching professor in the Department of Communication.
“Since I have connections on campus already, it turned out to be a really good fit,” said Stengrim.
The workshop was developed in collaboration with the university and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences to connect with as many campus units as possible. Inclusion is a key value of the workshop as it strives to create campus-wide opportunities.
So far this year, the workshop has already hosted several events with the University Library, including mental health-themed workshops on overcoming apprehension and anxiety in public speaking. Regular one-on-one consultations, mock presentations, and faculty development sessions are also offered for more tailored advice.
The workshop’s team also collaborated with the Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism to facilitate a workshop aimed at helping first year student-athletes develop professional communication skills. It has also provided programming for Student Affairs’ First-Generation Student Initiatives, students in the Grainger College of Engineering, the College of Fine and Applied Arts, and Illinois Extension, among others.
To ensure that the workshop’s services are accessible to everyone on campus, they have expanded and set up locations in the Armory building, Main Library, Grainger Library, and the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Funk Library. They also offer virtual consultations to make their services more accessible.
“It was a missing piece of the broader campus puzzle,” said Wallace Golding, a communication doctoral candidate.
In August 2022, Wallace directed the Speakers Workshop’s pilot program, then named the Speaking Center, which was created in partnership with the University Library. With support from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Stengrim and her team are tasked with expanding that program into a student success initiative aimed at serving the entire university community.
Wallace has been working alongside fellow communication PhD candidates Lauren Johnson and Nicole Campbell to lead outreach and administrative efforts.
Campbell explained that the workshop strives to provide the essential support that students need to aim high and pursue excellence, reflecting the university’s core values.
“We are creating the qualities that are going to help them reach that standard and have success beyond Illinois,” said Campbell.
While the workshop offers several services for all members of the campus community, the primary objective is for students to become confident and authentic public speakers.
“The heart of this kind of work is a safe environment and space for people to express doubts or fear, and also celebrate growth,” said Stengrim.
Stengrim explained that the Speakers Workshop is committed to pushing back against traditional assumptions and redefining what constitutes a good speaker. The workshop works to empower people of all backgrounds and increase representation across a broader range of gender, race, and ability in public speaking. It is staffed by a diverse team of graduate and undergraduate peer-consultants from a variety of majors, who participate in ongoing trainings on communication and peer-to-peer teaching and learning.
She hopes for current students to find a strong community, similar to what alumni appreciate from their years on campus — a place for individuals to flourish while making meaningful connections.
The role of the workshop, Golding explained, is not to fit individuals into a mold, but to mold individuals into their strongest selves by building on their existing skills.
“This is about helping students cultivate their own voices,” said Golding.
Editor's note: This story was originally published in our Fall 24 newsletter.