Speech Center offers new way to learn

speech_webBy Courtney Swessinger

A Speech Center opened at Ankeny DMACC Campus on Monday, January 27. The center is being coordinated by Judith Vogel, a speech professor at the Ankeny Campus.

According to Vogel, the reason behind opening the center is because the college provided good resources in other subject areas such as math and science, but there was not any resources for students to specifically practice their speeches.

“There are a number of students who are apprehensive about giving speeches, and not just in speech classes, but in other classes,” Vogel said.

The Speech Center is a way of reducing speech anxiety and becoming more comfortable with giving their speech.

Vogel said, as according to a poll from one of her books, “42 percent of people were afraid of giving speeches, while only 28 percent of people were afraid of dying.”

The Speech Center also has ways for students to record their speeches.

Sarah Setnes Dale, a consultant for the new Speech Center, said that students can bring in their cell phones to record their speeches. They also have an iPad that allows students to record their speeches. There is also a way to hook up a laptop to a television so students may practice with PowerPoint presentations as well.

Students also are allowed the option of not recording themselves.

The staff requests that students bring in their assignment sheets so they know about specific instructions regarding the assignment.

Walk-ins are welcome but the center is on a first-come, first-serve basis, so there will be a sign-up sheet available for help.

For more information students are asked to email Judith Vogel at javogel@dmacc.edu or go to the DMACC Speech Center website.

The hours for the Speech Center are for Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The center is also open on Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The room is also available outside the hours for students to practice their speeches.

 

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