Ms. Judith M. Reagan

Judith Reagan's class helps you overcome your fears. MORE >

Judith Reagan's class helps you overcome your fears.

Judith M. Reagan, B.A., M.A.

Judith Reagan Photo by Mark Meier
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Students of Judith Reagan's oral presentation class learn to speak clearly and effectively in public. They do vocal and physical exercises, practice tongue twisters and perform monologues on stage. Reagan teaches them to enliven texts for listeners by nurturing "a willingness that will grow into a desire to be speaking to people" and by strategically replacing bad habits with good ones to achieve "conscious utterance."

Since college, Reagan has pursued drama and teaching simultaneously. During a Peace Corps posting in the Philippines, she trained elementary school teachers while directing a Neil Simon play with an amateur theater group during her off hours. Later, she realized how to meld her two passions when she substituted for an actress who trained law students in oral argument at Georgetown University.
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Keeping that in mind, Reagan not only teaches students but also assists faculty in the craft of oratory as associate director of the Teaching Resource Center. Academia requires a lot of public speaking, from lectures to conference presentations to seminar debates. Many students will enter fields such as business or politics that require eloquence. "Yet a huge percentage of the population has disabling anxiety when faced with public speaking," says Reagan. "They get heart palpitations and sweaty palms. It is the number one fear."

For effect, Reagan will intentionally bungle the introduction to workshops. She shuffles papers. She fails to enunciate. She does this to demonstrate that audiences are very forgiving. "People are rooting for you," she explains. "They want to grasp your message."

The academic environment often values intellectual content more highly than presentation skills. But sometimes the message can get lost if it isn't communicated clearly. Luckily, Reagan can help. "A lot of our gifted people suffer blocks," she says.
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Judith Reagan's class helps you overcome your fears.

Judith Reagan, an expert in the world of public speaking, had us perform many odd, but effective, exercises to practice positive public speaking skills.

Our last speaker for the day was Judith Reagan, an actor and Associate Director of the University's Teaching Resource Center.Ms. Reagan spoke on public speaking skills and strategies.As might be expected from a public speaking expert, Ms. Reagan's lively and demonstrative session showed firsthand the do's and don'ts of effective speech.Ms. Reagan identified some key pitfalls that befall public and took the group through several improvement exercises.Her most important piece of advice was that someone looking to improve his or her public speaking out to focus on one area at a time,over time small changes would become noticeable improvements.With Ms. Reagan's talk concluded, the Sorensen session at Darden was over.

Our last speaker for the day was Judith Reagan, an actor and Associate Director of the University's Teaching Resource Center. Ms. Reagan spoke on public speaking skills and strategies. As might be expected from a public speaking expert, Ms. Reagan's lively and demonstrative session showed firsthand the do's and don'ts of effective speech. Ms. Reagan identified some key pitfalls that befall public and took the group through several improvement exercises. Her most important piece of advice was that someone looking to improve his or her public speaking out to focus on one area at a time-over time small changes would become noticeable improvements. With Ms. Reagan's talk concluded, the Sorensen session at Darden was over.

I contacted Judith Reagan, assistant professor of drama at the University of Virginia, for localized feedback.I will leave you with her input:

Judith M. Reagan, B.A., M.A.

JUDITH REAGAN, UVA