Why do people join?
Nearly all members joined WPUNJ Toastmasters initially to develop and practice their presentation skills. Many members apply these skills in their professional lives when delivering lectures, conducting meetings or trainings and by selling ideas.

What if I have no experience at public speaking or making presentations?
We all had to start somewhere. All clubs have a range of abilities within their membership. During any given meeting, there will be some very experienced speakers as well as new members with very limited experience. Perhaps the biggest fear many people have is speaking before a group. One of the objectives of Toastmasters is to help members to understand this and to provide them with the "laboratory" to bring this fear under control.

Why do members continue with the organization?
Members stay with the Toastmasters program to continually hone their communication skills. Unlike seminars in public speaking that last 3 to 5 days, Toastmasters provides members with regular speaking opportunities with constructive feedback on their effectiveness, throughout the year. Members select their own pace. Toastmasters also provide opportunities to develop leadership skills through club and District leadership roles and training.

How much does it cost?
Clubs charge dues to cover training materials, the Toastmaster magazine, supplies, and room rental. The dues to join WPUNJ Toastmasters are $50 per year (prorated depending on the month in which you join the club) collected in two installments in October and April. In addition, there is a one-time charge of about $20 to cover initial new member materials.

Can I come as a guest?
Guests are always welcome to attend. There is no limit on the number of times you can attend as a guest. You may be asked to participate during the meeting, if time permits, but there is not requirement (or pressure) for you to do so. And besides, we are always happy to have a larger audience to speak to. Of course, to get all the benefits of Toastmasters, you should consider joining.

When and where does the club meet?
The first and third Wednesdays of the month at 4:45pm on-campus. During the summer months (from May through August) our meetings begin at 5:30pm. Please refer to the calendar to obtain exact times and locations. Special meetings called "speakouts" are sometimes held on the fifth Wednesday of the month.

How do I get more information about Toastmasters?
You can call Toastmasters International at 800-9WESPEAK, or call a contact for WPUNJ Toastmasters at 973.720.3021 or 973.720.2612. Toastmasters International maintains a complete listing of all clubs in the US and Internationally.

The Speeches

How many speeches do I have to make?
Just as many as you want! The great thing about Toastmasters is that we all move along at our own pace. Initially, you are challenged to make ten speeches to achieve what is called the CTM, or Competent Toastmaster level. Some members achieve this in a year or two, others take more time. Once you have earned your CTM, you may work toward achieving other awards focusing on enhancing your speaking or leadership skills.

What do I talk about?
The sky is the limit within normal standards of taste. You decide what you want to talk about. The manual gives you techniques to focus on, such as gestures or vocal variety, and you will choose a topic that best allows you to work on the highlighted speaking skills. While all speeches that members give are evaluated, they are evaluated on the presentation and effectiveness alone and not the content. We are not a debate organization, so members do not comment on what a speaker says, only on how it was said with an emphasis on improving its effectiveness.

What is the first speech about?
The first speech is appropriately called the Icebreaker. The purpose of this speech is for the group to learn something about you while you get a taste of speaking in front of an audience.

What if I need some help preparing my first speech? Whom can I go to for advice?
WPUNJ Toastmasters has instituted a mentor program. Each new member is assigned a mentor who is responsible for helping him or her through their first few speeches, or until that new member feels comfortable. However, any member of our club is available to give advice and is happy to do so.

How It Works

How does the program work?
Toastmasters is peer driven and club oriented. Members are provided with training materials through Toastmasters International. In the club environment, new members are assigned an experienced member, or mentor, to guide them through their first three speech assignments from the Communication and Leadership Program manual. At each step of the way, the member gets an individual assessment of how well he or she performed against the objectives of their speech. All members continue to receive feedback on their speaking performances. Clubs are organized under Districts which provide oversight to clubs, including training, to assure that high standards are maintained in the club environment.

How do I get scheduled to speak or fill a role such as Evaluator, Timer or Table Topics Master?
The Vice President of Education is responsible for scheduling all the meetings. Typically, you will be sent a schedule that is emailed, so be sure to take a good look at it! Also located in your manual is a detailed description of the job you are scheduled to fill, whether it be speaking, evaluating or so on. The VP of Education usually schedules three meetings at a time, so you will have plenty of advanced notice in order to prepare. If you have a specific goal in mind, be sure to let the VP of Education know; he or she is also responsible for helping you to achieve your speaking goals!

What if I can’t make it to one of the meetings?
Everyone has outside responsibilities that make it impossible to attend every Toastmasters meeting. If, however, you are scheduled to speak or fulfill another role and you cannot make the meeting, you must tell the Toastmaster of that meeting. Be sure to call the Toastmaster (his or her name and phone number are on the schedule) as soon as possible and offer to help to get a replacement. You will want to alert the Toastmaster before finding your own replacement because he or she may know of someone who is ready and eager to speak, and can therefore save you a lot of effort.

Who is on the executive board and how were they elected?
The executive board is currently comprised of seven positions: Sergeant at arms, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President of Public Relations, Vice President of Membership, Vice President of Education and President. They are nominated each year by the nominating committee and voted in by the members. If a member who was not nominated by the committee wants to run for an office, he may nominate himself.

How is Toastmasters organized?
Within Toastmasters, the club is the fundamental and most central unit. Our club is William Paterson University Toastmasters. Next in the hierarchy is the Area. William Paterson and three other Passaic County clubs comprise Area 12. Then there is the Division (we are in Division A). Ten Divisions make up a District. Our District – District 46 – includes clubs in New Jersey and Metropolitan New York. And finally, districts are organized into Regions. You may be interested to know that Toastmasters International has 9 regions, 75 districts and 174,000 members in 63 countries throughout the world!

As a member of Toastmasters, you are invited to attend Area, Division and District level contests. And you may even find yourself at the International Convention, an exciting annual event held in a different city every year. If you attend this convention, be prepared for something special because Toastmasters has some of the best speakers you will ever hear!