You’re about to give a presentation for a class or a job. As you head to the front of the room, you feel everyone’s eyes on you. Your heart races. Your hands turn clammy. You wonder why you agreed to this. When you open your mouth to speak, you pray your voice won’t tremble, betraying your nerves.
Sound familiar?
Public speaking is a common fear. Just the idea of presenting to a roomful of people can be anxiety inducing. But University of Washington Professor Matthew McGarrity and a team of student consultants offer guidance that can help.
McGarrity, teaching professor of communication, offers courses in public speaking (COM 220) and advanced public speaking (COM 320) and is director of the University’s Center for Speech & Debate, where students receive public speaking coaching from trained peers. The courses and Center are based in the Department of Communication in the UW College of Arts and Sciences.
“Everyone gets nervous about public speaking,” McGarrity says. “But with experience and helpful tools, they can learn to navigate that.”
To read the full article from the College of Arts and Sciences continue here.