Speakers Workshop

Join us for a lively presentation, discussion, and practice session focusing on public speaking skills! We will provide tips about how to practice for common situations like conferences, poster sessions, interviews, and elevator pitches. 

Dr. Laura Stengrim is the Founding Director of the Speakers Workshop and Specialized Faculty in the Department of Communication at the University of Illinois. She joined the Speakers Workshop in 2024 after eight years as a faculty member and director of the Speaking Center at the University of Southern Mississippi. She holds a Master's degree in English (Writing Studies) and a Ph.D. In Communication from the U of I. Her research interests include rhetorics of globalization, trade, and war, political histories, international and multilingual students in U.S. higher education, and writing and speaking pedagogies. Throughout her career, she has enjoyed mentoring and working with students in writing center and communication center spaces, and watching them build confidence as they step into their unique and wonderful selves.