The Speaking Center
The Oberlin College Speaking Center supports students and faculty with presentations, oral communication, and useful speaking skills across the disciplines.
The Speaking Center is open! We are offering in person appointments on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. You can view our full schedule and sign up at WCOnline.
The Speaking Center supports students in developing strong speaking and oral communication skills. We offer assistance with group presentations, honors/capstone presentations, science presentations, and more.
Students meet one-on-one in Speaking Center sessions with a trained peer speaking associate on all parts of the presentation process. This includes:
Beginning Stage
- Breaking down the assignment prompt
- Drafting an outline
- Assisting with PowerPoint/Google Slides presentation
Presenting Stage
- Walking through a presentation and giving feedback
- Providing pointers on visual aids and notes
- Sharing strategies to help mitigate speaking anxiety
The Speaking Center also aids students who are looking to improve their speaking abilities outside of class work. Drop by the Speaking Center or schedule an online appointment to receive helpful tips for all aspects of the speaking process.
In addition, we offer a range of workshops throughout the year on speaking in both academic and professional settings, such as conference presentations or job interviews. If you are interested in hosting a workshop for your course or program, fill out this request form at least 2 weeks prior to the workshop date, and we will get in contact with you.
Hours
The Speaking Center is open Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. You can make an appointment or drop in during these hours.
Location
The Speaking Center is located in Mudd 112A, Terrell Library, right by the Writing Center. If you're unsure where we are, you can come to the Writing Center and ask at the front desk.
Meet the Speaking Associates!
Speaking Associates facilitate speaking workshops for various classes and hold appointments in the Speaking Center. To schedule a meeting with a Speaking Associate, visit WCOnline and select Speaking Center in the white box to the right of your name.
Questions?
Contact:
Cortney Smith, Assistant Professor of Writing and Communication (on leave fall '23)
Ryo Adachi, Coordinator of the Writing Associates Program