Devil’s Advocates will be a Club of Toastmasters, an 82-year old international organization that has helped thousands of people in improving their communication and leadership skills. This group’s main purpose is to provide a forum in which students can systematically, following the Toastmasters program, practice and get feedback on speeches of different lengths and various topics. This group also gives members practice with off-the-cuff speaking, expanding their vocabulary, listening skills, meeting management, and listening skills.
“The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth. In order to carry out this mission, this
club shall:
- Help its individual members improve their abilities to communicate effectively;
- Provide for its individual members’ instructions, educational materials and opportunities which will give them skill and experience in the preparation and delivery of speeches;
- Encourage its individual members to read and to listen analytically;
- Provide for its individual members’ fair and constructive evaluation of their efforts toward self-improvement;
- Increase its individual members’ knowledge of the rules of parliamentary procedure and their skills in conducting meetings and participating in group discussions;
- Afford leadership training for its individual members; and
- Provide opportunities and encouragement for its individual members to appear before audiences and to express their thoughts creditably.”
Contact Pauline Poon,
President pppoon@syr.edu