USC undergraduates are required to take a rigorous regimen of general education classes. Arts, sciences, technology, cultures and social issues are covered along with a decent dose of instruction in writing and composition. However, there is one important skill that is not addressed in the G.E. curriculum and which most students manage to neglect: the art of speaking in public.

“No matter what field you go into, at some point you will have to speak in front of other people,” said graduate student Tiffany Knight. “Learning to speak in public is an important part of self-development, both personally and professionally, whether you’re majoring in business or gerontology or mechanical engineering.”

Where can students go to fill this educational void? One option is the USC Student Speakers Bureau.

Each semester, the Student Speakers Bureau conducts a free five-week seminar open to all undergraduates enrolled at USC. The program familiarizes students with the basics of writing and delivering an engaging and effective speech.

Members of the bureau must select an academic topic of general interest and then develop a five-to-10 minute speech on that subject. Speeches can be motivational, informative, humorous or all of the above – as long as they are intellectual and stimulating. “In the past few years, we’ve had speeches that have touched on just about every subject,” said Knight, who teaches the seminar. “The American health-care system, the fundamentals of foreign policy, the multicultural Greek system at USC. The talks are interesting because they span the academic universe.”

The bureau meets once a week. Students devote most of their time to sharing and critiquing each other’s speeches-in-progress. Students also discuss what makes their favorite speakers so captivating, and they occasionally attend events on campus to see talented speakers in action.

The seminar ends with a dinner at the University Club where students present their talks in front of faculty moderators and guest, thereby gaining the experience of speaking in a formal setting and receiving professional feedback.

Student interest in the program has grown in the three years since its inception. Beginning with a small class of students in 2004, the bureau now accepts 60 students a semester and must regularly turn away latecomers. This semester, the program concludes with a public speaking competition, which may become part of the new Festival of Scholarly and Creative Work.

Do you know of someone who takes undergraduate research and learning beyond classroom walls? If so, please e-mail Professor Mark Kann at mkann@usc.edu to suggest a feature for this column.