Growing up, I had the worst stage fright. Despite playing the flute and performing onstage for seven years, I was terrified of speaking in front of an audience. As a graduate student, public speaking was still a fear of mine, but it was a challenge that I was ready to face. 

I used to think that a good public speaker had to be poised, professional, and perfect. One advice that Professor Mankad gave us early on: just be yourself. I was so relieved to hear that I didn’t have to change anything about myself to resonate with an audience. That’s not to say that the process would be easy. For a four-minute speech, Professor Mankad recommends that we set aside at least ten hours to prepare–and he wasn’t kidding. I spent hours mulling over how my ideas fit together, and how they should be expressed. Then came the task of practicing the delivery of the speech, first to myself, then to my close family and friends, and finally, to my entire class. For me, the hardest part was relaxing. I didn’t think I could do it right and enjoy myself in the process.

This is where community comes into play. My class was small, a total of twelve to be exact. Most of us were first-year students and barely knew each other–but that didn’t last long. Throughout the course, Professor Mankad constantly pushed us to speak in front of our peers and share our thoughts. He created a safe space that fostered growth through a combination of feedback, office hours, and workshops with our groupmates. Fast forward to six weeks later, those same twelve faces were my family at Friedman. 

My group and I called ourselves “Team ATM,” in reference to the initials of our first names. We met every week to go over our speeches and celebrate our performances, both individually and as a team. It was inspiring to watch Martha grow into a more confident person who actively participates in class. It was humbling to watch Amy open up about a tragedy in her past and come out a stronger person. For my part, I learned to handle my stage fright with Peggy Noonan’s words: your audience brings no intensity. When I walked to the front of the class to give my last speech of the semester, I reminded myself of how supportive my classmates are, and how everyone in the room is rooting for me to succeed. I quietly made eye contact with every person in the room and, in those brief moments, connected with so many friendly faces. Professor Mankad often says that hard work and preparation will allow us to craft a speech “that will make [our] grandchildren proud.” I don’t think that I would’ve been able to do that without the support of the faces of my community. 

I’ve spent many walks home on Thursday evenings reflecting on the Arts of Communication. This course has pushed me to be vulnerable, inspired, humbled, and so much more. As a student entering the field of nutrition and public health, I take every opportunity to connect with my audience, my community. Most importantly, I try to just be myself, because in doing so, I’m able to be my most authentic self and have fun in the process. I hope that this book, and the 90 faces behind these speeches, empower you to look within and find your voice. Because we all have a story to tell, and we’re all here in the audience, rooting for you to tell yours. 

[593 words]

[Friedman School, Fall 2019]