| Dominguez
Hills Speaks: Campus Toastmasters Regains Official
Charter
The campus chapter of Toastmasters
International (TI), “Dominguez
Hills Speaks,” received its charter on Jan. 12.
This followed a yearlong campaign to acquire the 20
members necessary to earn official recognition from
its world headquarters in California.
Enola Thompson-Logan, support
services administrator, Student Health and Psychological
Services and president, Dominguez Hills
Speaks, hopes that the organization’s presence
on campus will encourage CSUDH staff to take advantage
of the confidence building benefits of membership.
“Toastmasters can be a morale
booster as well as a challenge to move from one plateau
of achievement to the next,” she states. “It
reveals to your manager or supervisor that you are
willing to expand and enhance your professional growth
through self-motivation, which can prove to be beneficial
to your department. Your accomplishments in the
organization are always forwarded to your supervisor
through correspondence from Toastmasters International.”
 TI District One Governor Donna Oja presented Thompson-Logan
and the group with the official charter certificate,
as well as certificates for each of the 20 charter
members.
Tina Lee, assistant director,
Human Resources Management, extols the result of her
TI membership as “a positive affect on mobility
at my job.”
“Toastmasters has provided
me with the self-confidence to speak professionally
and socially to individuals and groups and with the
skills to prepare to speak and make presentations."
Thompson-Logan has presented Toastmasters
to several classes on campus, encouraging students
to invest time and effort in overcoming nervousness
when speaking in front of large groups.
“As a member, a student is
encouraged to meet his or her fear of public speaking
head-on,” she
says. “A
mentor is assigned to help them with the process and
they can work at their own pace. The experience
helps students think quickly on their feet and how
to network, with the opportunity to meet professionals
in different fields from all over the world with the
common thread that they are all Toastmasters.”
 Those who are already comfortable speaking in public
also stand to benefit from involvement in Toastmasters,
according to Marcus Vincent, evaluator,
Admissions and Records.
“I have always thought my public speaking style
and delivery were beyond reproach,” he laughs. “I’ve
come to realize that is not the case since my short
association with the Dominguez Hills Toastmasters Club. I
hope to acquire new knowledge and skills to hone my
delivery so that my public speaking skills will be
on a level comparable to my arrogance.”
Combating shyness in social situations is a common
goal for many Toastmasters.
Crystal Jackson, technician,
Accounts Payable, found her artistic voice in a talent
for sculpture but clammed up when confronted with
presenting her work at galleries.
“At work I am very comfortable with
my co-workers so it's easy for me to talk with them,” she
notes. “With Toastmasters, I’m working
on my self-confidence outside of the office, learning
to look people in their eye and smile and speak first.
When I would speak, I always felt like no one
could hear me or I spoke so fast that they didn't
feel my thoughts. The group’s feedback allows
me to know what they heard, increasing my confidence
to speak again and know that people cannot harm you
with their reactions.”
Sabrina Warrington, manager,
Information Technology Help Desk, has been a Toastmaster
since 1993 and echoes Jackson’s sentiments.
“Toastmasters is a wonderful way for shy people
to come out of their shell,” she says. “I’ve
seen people join Toastmasters and never give a speech
but just attend the meetings and periodically participate
in table topics, where a few people are given a topic
and then they speak for a minute or two. It’s
a great way to socialize and ease into getting comfortable
speaking in public.”
 Administrative support coordinator Argie
Grimshaw, Admissions, underscores the support
of fellow members as “helpful to know that
I am not the only one to be nervous and to make mistakes.”
“No one is going to laugh at you because you
are nervous or you said too many ‘ahs,’ ‘ums,’ and ‘you
knows,’” she says. “We learn by playing
different roles during the meetings, giving speeches
and, by observing our colleagues’ performances.
It is a little bit easier because we are not in a speech
class, and our performance, good or bad, will not receive
a grade. I’ve noticed that it has become easier
for me to make comments and express ideas and
it has become more natural and less scary to express
myself in public.”
Former academic advisor, Educational Opportunity
Program Jane Garrett delivered a talk
on meeting your potential regardless what others say
and with the support of one’s friends, a common
theme within Dominguez Hills Speaks.
“We have what we need to be successful,” she
says. “With each other’s help, we will
all be what we want to be.”
-Joanie Harmon
Photos above: Donna Oja, District One
Governor (left), Toastmasters International, presents
Enola
Thompson-Logan,
president, Dominguez Hills
Speaks with its charter; photo by Joanie Harmon
Danielle
Brinney,
academic advisor and information
technology coordinator,
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)and vice-president
of public relations, Dominguez Hills Speaks,
addresses her fellow Toastmasters. (L-R) Enola
Thompson-Logan, Linda
Brown, office manager,
University Student Union, and Jane
Garrett,
former academic advisor, Educational Opportunity
Program; photo by Joanie Harmon
Sabrina
Warrington,
manager, Information Technology Help Desk and
charter member, Dominguez Hills Speaks, is congratulated
by Donna Oja.
Marcus
Vincent,
evaluator, Admissions and Records, keeps
an eye on the time for
Argie Grimshaw, administrative
support coordinator,
Admissions and Records, as she presents her speech;
photo by Joanie Harmon
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