Let's Talk Student Success!

This episode examines Student Success and Speech Communication Skills.  As we hopefully transition out of Covid, I believe that students will need even more help than they did before Covid.  As we all know, Covid kept us isolated and so many of us had fewer chances to practice public speaking skills.  Imagine just graduating high school and beginning college during Covid.  This is what happened to many of my students. Until recently, they have not set foot in a college classroom and some are now in the second year of college!  Zoom or other forms of video conferences helped, however, I believe that Zoom did not take the place of true, face-to-face personal interactions. 

During the fall of 2021, I taught my first face-to-face public speaking course in over a year and a half. Many students expressed their relief to be in a physical classroom.  Not surprisingly, they seemed to crave personal interaction.  I found that the students were more eager than my previous students to get up and speak in front of a live audience.

In September 2021, I was privileged to collaborate with Career Services to conduct a Career Fair Boot Camp Workshop, to help students find gainful employment.  Students were provided with interviewing skills training to help them to do succeed with their on-the-spot, Zoom interviews.  I provided an Elevator Pitch mini-workshop to help students quickly and succinctly, supply information to busy employers.  During the day of the Career Fair (live Zoom session), I listened to and watched student interviews with prospective employers.                                                                                  

Now that it looks like we will be back face-to-face (mostly), what can we do to help strengthen speech communication skills for students and employees?

So, Let's Talk about Student Success and Speech Communication Skills  -- as we hopefully see the end of Covid.

For some students, success is harder to come by!  Listen to Destine Harrison Williams as he discusses his difficult journey to student success, although he doesn't believe he's successful yet.  However, in this episode, you will hear how much this young man has overcome, so far on his academic journey. His inspirational story takes us from a small town in Alabama to inner-city Miami.  Destine is currently a peer advisor and student at Broward College who has a 4.0-grade point average and is finishing up his Associate of Arts degree next term. He is contemplating a transfer to an HBCU where he may receive a partial scholarship or an Ivy League where he may receive a full scholarship. 

In this episode, in honor of Veteran's Day, you will hear from Dr. Leander M. Singletary who is the Director for TRIO SSS Students with Disabilities at Broward College in South Florida. He is a retired U.S. Army Veteran with 30 years of active military service as a Mechanic and Military Musician. Dr. Singletary is originally from Fort Lauderdale, FL, where he graduated from Dillard High School.

Dr. Singletary is a first-generation student who became a life-long learner through military training and higher education. He earned an Associated Degree in Management from El Paso Community College, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Resource Management from Troy University, A MBA from Baker College Center for Graduate Studies, a Masters of Arts in Higher Education Leadership from TUI, and a Doctorate in Leadership from Valdosta University. He is a graduate of the esteemed U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, Class 55. Dr. Singletary is also a Certified Veterans Service Provider.

Dr. Singletary enjoys Sci-fi movies, the Arts in all forms, and sudoku. As a Disabled Veteran, he understands the challenges of his students and is compassionate about making sure that they have the resources, tools, and support to overcome any of life’s challenges that may create a barrier to graduating from college. Dr. Singletary does not believe that a disability is a limitation but is an opportunity to unleash your superpower.