Cal Poly Toastmasters will be opening up its club during an open house session on Feb. 7 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Facilities Building (BLDG 70), room 110.
According to their website, Cal Poly Toastmasters fosters an environment in which members can develop leadership skills and improve their communication abilities. They encourage their members to grow by awarding the best impromptu speeches at each meeting. The club aims to prepare its members for the professional world and provide a place where people feel comfortable to expand their skill set.
According to the Jan. 24 issue of the Cal Poly Report, the event will be similar to other meetings where there is public speaking practice, but there will be some fun twists, including impromptu speeches and practice presentations. New members who join in February will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win gift cards.
Chapter President Francis Sze was part of the original group when the club was founded in 2023 by Eumi Sprague, Cal Poly’s past Director of Information Technology. Sze works as a network analyst at Cal Poly, and he joined Toastmasters to increase his public speaking skills and his overall confidence.
“Toastmasters is basically a place where you get to hone your skills, kind of like a sandbox where you can improve your skills,” he said.
Sze said that the club is a combination of Cal Poly students and faculty as well as San Luis Obispo community members. He enjoys the supportive environment that the club fosters.
“It’s never too late to want to make changes for yourself or others to think about, and it’s something that gives me more confidence when I’m doing meetings,” he said.
Chapter Vice President Emily Jenson is a graphic designer for Cal Poly Career Services who decided to join Toastmasters to build confidence while speaking in front of crowds. Jenson has a speech impediment that she is working through, and she said that public speaking is her strategy to tackle it.
“Toastmasters has such a supportive group of people that over time my fear of speaking lessened,” she said in an email. “I found myself more excited to speak up in front of people and more confident when I do.”
According to Sze, this is the first open house for the club, as it is still relatively new on campus. It will run like a normal meeting so that attendees will know what to expect in the future. Guests will be challenged to try their hand at giving short, impromptu speeches. No registration is required for attendance.
Sze hopes that this event will showcase how welcoming the club is. He is proud of the growth that the group has experienced over the past months, and he wants prospective members to experience the inviting space that Toastmasters creates.
“We’re not judging you. We’re just here to help you on your own journey,” Sze said.