Center News

Mariah, Managing Consultant

During the summer of 2013, I was enrolled in my first internship at the Speaking Center. During the internship I completed consultations, workshops, and community outreach. I had the opportunity to fulfill my community outreach at the Glenwood Library in Greensboro. I assisted with the English Conversation Club at the library on Tuesday nights and on Saturdays mornings.

The English Conversation Club is an intermediate class that allows participants to put their English speaking skills into action. Each week I would attend the class with activities that incorporated useful information such as figurative language, spelling and new vocabulary.

There were two great aspects about this experience. The first was the amount of appreciation I was showered with during and after each class. The participants were always receptive to any new information I shared. After all questions were asked and answered I was always showered with a warm “Thank you” that made me feel appreciated but also made me feel comfortable and as if my efforts and contributions were useful and meaningful.

The second aspect about this experience is the project I collaborated with our Graduate Assistant, Shaquana, to complete. We created a video that highlighted the objectives of the English Conversation Club at the Glenwood library. My favorite portion of the video is the personal accounts by the Conversation Club participants which we captured. Overall I had a great community outreach experienced. I felt as if the participants found the Conversation Club to be valuable and worthwhile but the amount of growth I experienced while being in a new environment and simultaneously helping others even when I wasn’t confident in my abilities at first.