Students are gaining experience in public speaking thanks to a facility known as the Hauser Communication Research Lab available on the campus of The University of Texas-Pan American.
The lab is named in honor of the late Henry and Margaret Hauser, Winter Texans who contributed funding to the facility because of their desire to improve the oral proficiency of students.
UTPA graduate student Gil Castillo listens carefully as a speech coach goes over important tips that will help improve his oral presentation.
Castillo admits he’s come a long way.
He remembers how edgy and tense he would get when he’d have to talk in front of a group of people.
“I noticed when I would speak in front of people I would stutter a lot I would put my hands in my pocket," said Gil Castillo, UTPA Graduate Student. "You could tell I was nervous. But after I got training here, coaches here told me what I needed to work on. I saw a gradual improvement and my professor saw that as well.”
Castillo is getting the guidance he needs at UTPA’s Hauser Communication Research Lab housed in the Communication Arts and Sciences Building on campus.
The 675-square-foot facility which officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony, includes an area where students like Castillo are able to perform their presentations while being videotaped then get feedback from speech coaches.
Graduate research assistants who serve as the coaches have undergone 40 hours of training in communications and presentational speaking.
“We play back the video like we have on the screen than we walk the student through," said Dr. Timothy Mottet, Henry W. and Margaret Hauser Endowed Chair in Communication. "Here’s what worked here’s what didn’t work and then we ask the student to do it again. We can videotape it again and so we kind of do the old fashion drill in practice."
Students from all academic disciplines are encouraged to take advantage of the free training.
They will learn how to prepare oral speeches, communicate well in front of an audience and display confidence while conducting their presentations.
“Right now in the job market what people are looking for are people with good presentational skills, listening skills and so on and so forth so this is a great asset for people who are about to graduate and can add speaking, public speaking as part of their resume,” said Castillo.
The lab will also be available for faculty and graduate students to conduct communication research and to help professors learn how to conduct themselves in a press conference and answer questions from the media.
“Part of being a faculty member is being able to share your brilliance and your expertise with other people and if you cannot share your understanding of your content with your students, with the public, with your department I think you’re limited in your abilities,” said Dr. Mottet.
The lab will also be available to the public on a select basis.
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