Noel Studio Celebrates Public Speaking at Third Competition

A speech combining leadership with occupational safety won the third semi-annual Noel Studio Public Speaking Award Competition on Thursday, October 11.

The competition is hosted by the Noel Studio for Academic Creativity, sponsored by Pearson, Inc., and open to students from across the disciplines at Eastern Kentucky University.

William D. Strait III, an Occupational Safety major, won the competition. His speech “Safety: A Principal of Leadership” addressed the negative connotations associated with a Safety Professional and offered the concept of leadership as a solution.

“Leadership basically means influence, so your leadership is based on your influence,” said Strait. “As I enter my career as a Safety Professional, my goal is to change an unsafe behavior that an employee could be making that would result in an injury or death.”

“Negative connotations diminish the influence of a Safety Professional in changing an employees’ unsafe behavior. Thus, changing the negative connotations' of a Leader by displaying the care and concern for others would equate a happier, more productive, committed employee.”

“What employer would not want that kind of culture?” he said.

Strait’s speech was nominated by Ron Dotson a professor in the Department of Safety, Security & Emergency Management.

In addition to winning the award for best speech, Strait also won a tablet computer provided by Pearson, Inc.

The competition began last year as part of the Noel Studio’s recognition of the importance of oral communication skills.

“We are thrilled to see interest in this competition from a wide range of academic disciplines,” the Noel Studio’s Communication Coordinator, Dr. Shawn Apostel. “Oral communication plays an important role in a student’s academic experience, and the Noel Studio is here to offer feedback and advice on making all forms of communication as rhetorically effective as possible.”

Noel Studio Research Coordinator Trenia Napier, EELI Instructor and former Noel Studio Technology Associate LeAnn Stokes, and Apostel served as judges for the event.

The Noel Studio will host the competition again in spring 2013. Check www.studio-old.eku.edu for more information about future events.

Published on October 12, 2012