Resources at Barnard: Speaking Center

Language makes up such an integral part of how we communicate with others, build community and understand ourselves in the world. With this in mind, Barnard classrooms engage different forms of communication, giving students the opportunity to express themselves and learn from each other in a number of ways. Papers, discussion posts and other written materials quickly come to mind. However, verbal discussions and presentations also make up a large portion of how Barnard students engage in academics and campus life, which is where the Speaking Center comes in! (For reference, there is also a complimentary Writing Center to support all of your written endeavors.) 

I was first introduced to the Speaking Center during my First-Year Writing course, which is standard for many first-years at Barnard. A few Speaking Fellows visited my class to describe their role in supporting students’ speech on campus, and explained how we can make appointments on their scheduling website. They also host sessions in different classrooms about a variety of topics including participation in classroom discussions and debates. Speaking Fellows are “trained peer-to-peer educators who collaborate with students on any form of speech communication,” as they share on their website. They can help with any point in the process from organizing ideas for a thesis, structuring a presentation, crafting effective visual aids, all the way to polishing the delivery and style. 

Something I love about the Speaking Center is how accessible it is, and how the central mission is grounded in dismantling the idea that there is only one form of acceptable speech or communication. We all arrive at Barnard with different personal communication histories and styles, and having a Speaking Center which recognizes this is so crucial. Speaking Fellows also support students in many domains outside of the classroom. Students can meet with a Speaking Fellow to practice for an interview, come up with strategies to participate in office hours, and discuss how they can improve their self-advocacy, which all ties into the College’s mission of self-empowerment.

Both the Speaking and Writing Centers also host a number of events that are open to the community. Last spring, I attended a lecture on “The N Word in the Classroom,” by Dr. Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor, an Associate Professor of History at Smith College, which was hosted by the Susan Ratner ‘86 Writing and Speaking Pedagogy Series. The Center has also hosted a dialogue series with the Collective Advocacy Project on exploring personal and political expression and self-care in partnership with Well Woman.

 The Speaking Center is one of many campus resources available to Barnard students to make their college experiences more fulfilling and meaningful. I encourage you to check out the Speaking Center’s website to see everything they offer!