By The Keystone Newspaper On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the KU Communication Studies Department hosted Ignite KU
By Ava Bendetti
Ignite Talks are fast-paced and engaging public speaking events. Speakers have five minutes to present a topic they are passionate about, using 20 slides that automatically advance every 15 seconds. On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the KU Communication Studies Department hosted Ignite KU at 7 p.m. in Rickenbach Learning Center, Room 135.
Photo Credit: Dr. Megan O’Byrne
This semester’s event featured 23 students from Dr. Megan O’Byrne’s Advanced Public Speaking (COMM 214) course. From second-semester freshmen and first-term transfers to graduating seniors, the student speakers shared perspectives from majors like communication studies, sports management, marketing, English, and Spanish.
“In the freedom to choose what you want to talk about, you reveal a part of yourself that no one could possibly know,” Dr. O’Byrne said while discussing Ignite KU.
According to the Ignite Talks website, their ideology that constraints fuel creativity has put Ignite Talks on the map in six continents and more than 350 cities.
The topics at Ignite KU were as diverse as the speakers themselves. Presentations ranged from a touching story about a family’s pizza cutter to an analysis of the energy and moods associated with music.
Amanda Celentano chose “Hello Kitty: She’s Not Just a Cat” as her topic because of her lifelong connection to the character.
“My mom introduced Hello Kitty to me at a young age, and as I grew, so did my appreciation for her,” Celentano said. “I love telling people about Hello Kitty because so many know of her but not about her.”
Celentano prepared by outlining her ideas, incorporating feedback from Dr. O’Byrne and other students, creating her slideshow, and practicing her speech until the event.
“It was really fun to share with a room full of people something I love and hold so dear to my heart,” Celentano said. “I enjoyed watching my classmates present things they are passionate about.”
Dr. O’Byrne emphasized the long-term value of the event, saying, “It is going to help you in the long run because you gain not only the practice and experience but also the satisfaction of the reward, and seeing that reward come back is very important.”
According to Brady Forrest, co-founder and CEO of Ignite Talks, “Ignite enables people everywhere to share ideas and learn to communicate with confidence. The auto-advancing feature equalizes the playing field for speakers while making the talks exciting for the audience.”
Ignite KU takes place once each semester. The event continues to serve as an outlet for students to express their interests, stories, and personalities while building confidence in their public speaking skills.For more information, reach out to Dr. Emily Cripe at cripe@kutztown.edu.