Introducing Shelby L. Holliman, D83 blogger as of December 1, 2018

Toastmaster Shelby L. Holliman, member of Talk of Monmouth, (she currently serves as their VP of Membership) and Shore Speakers Toastmasters, honors District 83 by answering the call to serve as District 83 Toastmasters blogger effective Friday, December 1, 2018.  Shelby has earned her Competent Communicator and Competent Leader awards. 

Margarita Estrada, D83 Public Relations Manager, conducted an interview with Shelby.  Also present at that interview were:  Manny Reyes, DTM, District Director, Lynda Starr, DTM, Program Quality Director, and Begonia Reyes, Division I Director.

Shelby, when did you become a Toastmaster?

I became a Toastmaster on July 1, 2016.

What is your profession?  Why did you become a Toastmaster?

I am a lecturer on Public Speaking at Rutgers University.  I felt that it was important to strengthen my craft as a public speaker so that I could be the best leader, advisor, and coach on the subject matter.  My professional development is very important to me.  By constantly working and developing my craft, I can be a living example to my students.

What is your new goal?

I am always striving to improve.  This year, my goal is to challenge myself by honing my skills on the Pathways Learning experience.

What are your future goals?

My future goals are 1) to mentor a club and 2) to become part of the prison ministry at Rahway Prison, a project spearheaded by George Phillips, member of Princeton Toastmasters.

Shelby, we are looking forward to your contributions to our blog.  One last question.  What is your favorite quote?

Life is forward and understood backwards, by Soren Kierkegaard

About Toastmasters District 83:

District 83 includes 155 clubs, with close to 4,000 members, in Metropolitan New Jersey, Staten Island, and Rockland County, New York. For more information, please visit the District 83 website, http://www.tm83.org.

About Toastmasters International:

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Founded in October 1924, the organization currently has more than 300,000 members in 16,500 clubs in 141countries. Each week, Toastmasters helps more than a quarter million people of every ethnicity, education and profession build their competence in communication so they can gain the confidence to lead others. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit http://www.toastmasters.org.

For more information about Talk of Monmouth Toastmasters, visit:  https://4843227.toastmastersclubs.org/

For more information about Shore Speakers Toastmasters, visit: https://shorespeakers.toastmastersclubs.org/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I Learned from Apex Toastmasters, NC

Its not easy to have consistently practice a discipline, but some clubs are great at this mantra. While I was on vacation in Apex, North Carolina, I dropped into Apex Toastmasters. From the moment I stepped in to the room, I felt the energy of positivity and achievement. I can’t explain the energy in words, but I can surely share the observations that stuck in my mind after the meeting.

* Greet everyone like its the first time – No, not just the new members. Everyone greeted each other like they saw each other for the first time. Its safe to say that all members were emulating the role of a VPPR.

 

* Be on time – I am the first culprit as I didn’t practice this fully and completely to this very day in my club as a past club president. We were at least 5 seconds late. Apex Toastmasters started on time. When I say on time, I meant 7.15 pm sharp. The sergeant-at-arms did a marvelous job by saying… 3 minutes more, 2 minutes more, 1 minute more…lets take our seats.”

 

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