Communication Club's "Night at the Museum" event shows applications of public speaking and brings community together.
By: Ellie Steller
Truman State University’s Communication Club hosted its eighth annual “Night at the Museum” event Monday, Nov. 13 to show practicality of communication outside the classroom.
This year, the club’s event focused on mostly famous movie speeches. The speeches were performed by 90 students in Communication Professor and Communication Club Advisor Barry Poyner’s COMM 170 classes. The purpose of the event, according to Poyner, is practical applications of communication. It also is an event that brings the Kirksville community together.
Poyner said the purpose of the Communication Club putting on the event is to make communication fun and to show applications, which he believes is important for students in public speaking. The event is an opportunity for public speaking students to apply the skills they have learned outside of the classroom.
“It’s an exercise in declamation, … which is an ancient rhetorical tactic practice where you perform the works of another,” said Poyner. “... [The students] deal with a little bit more of rhetorical analysis and criticism.”
In the past, Poyner has had a combination of both COMM 170 undergraduates and Communication majors. However, this year there were 90 undergraduates from three sections of his public speaking classes that participated. Poyner said this was the largest group of students he has ever had performing. This is due to Poyner having their performance take place of their midterm.
Barry Poyner. Poyner is a professor of Communication and the advisor to Communication Club. He helped plan and put on the "Night at the Museum" event.
A quote from Barry Poyner about the event being an exercise in declamation for public speaking students.
Hannah Higbie, one of Poyner’s COMM 170 students, performed Coach Boone’s “Speech at Gettysburg” from Remember the Titans at the event. She said there is a benefit to participating in the event.
“I think the point of public speaking is to work on your ability to speak in front of people,” said Higbie. “And so taking a midterm isn’t gonna practice those skills, but standing up in front of an audience and giving a speech definitely will.”
A quote from Hannah Higbie about her view on the benefit of the event.
Hannah Higbie. Higbie is a COMM 170 student who participated in the event, performing a speech from Remember the Titans.
Communication Club president Bethany Spitzmiller helped plan the “Night at the Museum” event. Spitzmiller said that the event allows for people to get together and be involved in public speaking.
“It’s not like giving a speech in a classroom setting in front of your peers, and that’s a different experience,” said Spitzmiller. “Talking in front of people that are older than you can be scary, and so putting yourself in that situation is beneficial.”
Poyner applied for an innovative internal grant from Truman for the club’s event, which would be a prize of $250. Also, Poyner and Spitzmiller both said the club is hoping to strengthen their application to be Chapter of the Year for NCASC, or the National Communication Association Student Club, with the success of this event.
A quote from Bethany Spitzmiller about the benefit of the event for students.
Bethany Spitzmiller. Spitzmiller is the Communication Club President who helped plan and put on the "Night at the Museum" event.
Kelsey Lieberman. Lieberman performs the "Cowardly Lion Speech" from The Wizard of Oz.
Katelin Mathis. Mathis performs Hillary Clinton's "Address to the United Nations on Status of Women."
Nathan Mittelberg. Mitterlberg performs "Bluto's Speech" from Animal House.