L.E.A.D. Toastmasters
Texas Tech University just launched the newest club in District 23: L.E.A.D. – Launching Engineers into the Art of Discourse.
The club is specifically for Texas Tech University students enrolled in the Whitacre College of Engineering as well as professional engineers in the community who want to join.
By the spring of 2015, a company that hires Texas Tech students informed Mackenzie Hamilton, Assistant Director of Career Services for the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech, that some students were struggling with verbal communication and presentation skills. Around the same time, she met Cliff Colvin and Tracy Thomason who were on campus giving presentations during E-Week (National Engineers Week.)
“I discussed the situation [Cliff and Tracy] and they suggested that the College of Engineering could have a club. We had further discussion and decided that the spring of 2016 would be a great time to charter!” said Mackenzie.
Lubbock Toastmasters Keith Waters and Robyne Vaughn came on board as sponsors to help the students build their club.
After a single launch meeting led by Cliff, the club had over 30 members fill out charter membership applications. It took a few weeks to sort out the finances for the club and during that time some students discovered that their class schedules would not allow them to attend the regularly scheduled meetings on Wednesday nights. On April 26, 2016, the club chartered with 24 members.
Mackenzie credits several students with providing much of the leadership and enthusiasm needed to create this club.
L.E.A.D. Officers for 2016-2017 – Muhammad El-Qasem, Ahmed Bukhamseen, Vedrana Martinčević, Brenda McGovern, Jordan Al-Naser, Landon Breeding, Daniella Kenmoe, Ryan Hutchinson (not pictured)
“I have three students that went above and beyond to charter and make this an actual student organization. They are Brenda McGovern (Student Org President), Shivani Vyas (SORC and Secretary) and Vedrana Martincevic (Student Org VP and Treasurer). Also, I would like to recognize the Engineering Opportunities Center and Jamie Perez, Associate Director for sponsoring the first student memberships.”
Congratulations L.E.A.D. members and welcome to the Toastmasters family!
