March Newsletter

Hey Speak,

Struggling to start a conversation or keep one going? You’re definitely not the only one. This month at Speak, our focus was small talk and making friends, everyday skills that can feel tougher than they should. Whether you want to feel more confident meeting new people or just get better at keeping a convo flowing, Speak is here to help 💜

Last month, Speak hosted our flagship event of the semester, Speak Soirée. It was a wonderful opportunity to engage in small talk and make new friends in a low-pressure environment with snacks and games. Our second event of the month was an Art Swap collaboration with the Arts & Humanities Student Council. The social was a fun way to meet new people and make friends in a relaxed, creative setting. We ended the month as a collaborator for The Makers Mission: Build-A-Thon, a three-day innovation design challenge hosted by the Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship.

As our last order of business, BIG THANK YOU to Shan Mapp for starting Speak Western and leading the organization through incredible growth for the past two years. And a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to our incoming president, Sterling Wu. We are so excited to see where you take Speak next year :)

Breaking News in Communication

Mastering small talk can open doors to new friendships and professional connections. An article from Time highlights strategies like reframing conversations as opportunities to discover shared interests and asking open-ended questions to create engaging discussions.

Recap - Speak Soirée

On March 13th, we hosted the Speak Soirée. With relaxing music, low-pressure icebreakers and delightful treats, it was a lovely evening filled with light-hearted conversation, meeting new people, and trying out short toasts.

SPEAK MILESTONE: We filled ALL 50 spots! Big thank you to everyone who came out :)

Recap - Art Swap

On March 25th, our lovely VP Marketing Saeedah Baksh hosted an Art Swap collaboration event with the Arts & Humanities Student Council. Alongside offering an opportunity to practice your artistic skills, the social was a great way to meet new people and make new friends!

Recap - The Makers Mission: Build-A-Thon

From March 28th to March 30th, the Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship hosted a hands-on innovation challenge, The Maker's Mission: Innovative Build-A-Thon. It was a high-energy 3-day design sprint where teams tackled real-world problems, learned technical skills, and competed for top honors. Huge congratulations to the winning teams!

Message from the Incoming President

Hi everyone!

I'm Sterling, and I'm excited to serve as the president of Speak for the 2025-2026 school year! I love public speaking, but never really found a community for it in high school. That's why I was so happy to discover Speak during my first year. I remember messaging Shan on Instagram about how glad I was that a club like this existed and asking if I could get involved. A year and a half later, watching the club grow with more unique events, new participants, and our expanding team has been remarkable, and I'm grateful to have worked alongside such talented people to make it happen.

I'm excited to build on this momentum as we move into the coming year. Looking ahead, I have three key priorities for Speak. First, I want to create more diverse events, exploring different approaches to public speaking - from creative storytelling to technical presentations. Public speaking is a skill used in every discipline, and that's why, second, I'll work to increase our campus presence by partnering with various clubs across various disciplines. Finally, I want to foster a strong team atmosphere, building bonds while respecting peoples’ busy schedules.

I'm looking forward to meeting you all and hearing your ideas as we continue to grow together. I hope to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute their unique voices and talents to our community. If you ever want to chat or share thoughts about the club, please don't hesitate to reach out! :)

Sterling Wu, Incoming President of Speak Western

Thanks for reading :) And thank you for an amazing year and best of luck on your exams!