The heartbeat of the Speaking Center is the student staff. Through their roles as
consultants, senior consultants and program assistants, these students provide campus-wide
support to help peers prepare for, practice and polish their public speaking. Learn
more about the Speaking Center student team here!
The Speaking Center recruits and trains selected undergraduate students to serve as
peer consultants in the center every fall and spring semester. Consultants hold regular
office hours staffing the Speaking Center and take part in a weekly seminar class
on public speaking, communication skills development, facilitation and consulting.
Speaking Center consultants receive academic internship credit for their time commitment.
We will recruit consultants for the Spring 2027 semester in the middle of the Fall
semester.
Details and a link to the application are posted on the Internship Opportunity webpage.
We welcome inquiries about the position! Talk with a current consultant or send an
email if you have any questions.
Senior Consultants
Senior Consultants are undergraduates who serve in a variety of roles that incorporate
oral communication skills development. They support first-semester consultants and
help staff the Speaking Center while also providing outreach to the campus community.
When available, senior consultants facilitate workshops about oral communication and
presentation skills to a variety of audiences including student organizations, student
leader groups, classrooms and others.
The Speaking Center senior consultants have all served at least one semester as a
consultant and have successfully completed the Speaking Center consultant seminar.
Program Assistants
Students who have successfully completed both the consultant and senior consultant
roles have the opportunity to serve as Speaking Center program assistants. These students
support senior consultants and also facilitate a variety of outreach and programming
initiatives to assist in the Speaking Center's support of students' public speaking
success.
Meet the Fall 2026 Speaking Center student staff team!
Consultants:
Andrew Fredric Dungca, Consultant
Andrew Fredric Dungca
Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Biology
Hometown: East Meadow, NY
Why are you working as a consultant? I've always loved the idea of presenting information to a crowd, being able to share
knowledge and opinions in a concise and effective manner, so when I heard that I could
help others do the same, I just knew that I had to get in on this organization.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center is a wonderful way to get an unbiased opinion on whatever public
speaking material you have to present. With the advice of the consultants on duty,
students can improve their presentations and get crucial feedback to help get their
point across in the best way possible.
Public speaking advice: Find a way to close the gap between you and the audience! Engagement is key.
Arjun Mouron, Consultant
Arjun Mouron
Consultant
Year: Sophomore
Major(s)/minor(s): BS in Biological Sciences, Scholars
Hometown: South Brunswick, New Jersey
Why are you working as a consultant? I want to help my peers be better presenters through 2 main goals: improve their
presentation fundamentals and embrace imperfection overall.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? No matter where you go in life, you're going to have to speak to someone important
at some point. Here at this wonderful university is a FREE resource to serve YOU and
your individual presentation skill needs! Why WOULDN'T you stop by?
Public speaking advice: Honestly, just care. As long as you pour passion into what you're presenting, everything
else will fall into place.
Benjamin Gerskowitz, Consultant
Benjamin Gerskowitz
Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Biology
Hometown: Wyckoff, NJ
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to join the speaking center because I believe that I can use my past experiences
to help people overcome their fears of public speaking. I believe that having strong
public speaking skills can help you succeed in almost all aspects of your life. I
can personally understand the struggle of talking to a crowd and I want to use what
I learned over my time here to help others. Also, I want to be more involved in the
91社区 community!
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? I believe every student at 91社区 should visit the speaking center at least once.
Its a great place to get constructive advice on your presentation and speaking skills.
Its also very low stress and welcoming to students of all speaking levels.
Public speaking advice: One tip I'd like to share is to take a deep breath before publicly speaking. Even
something as small as controlling your breathing can help you calm the nerves of speaking
in front of a crowd.
Derrick He, Consultant
Derrick He
Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Sociology, Digital Data Studies
Hometown: Wuhan, Hubei, China
Why are you working as a consultant? I want to be a Speaking Center Consultant because I love to hear everyone鈥檚 presentations,
I would like to learn more about their presentations and contribute honest feedbacks
and suggestions to them. It鈥檚 a honor to be a consultant to interact with many student
participants during the appointments, and I hope to support them in developing their
presenting skills and bringing out their potential on presenting.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit speaking center because it鈥檚 an opening space for students
to practice their presentation with personalized support and take chance to find out
their strengths on presenting.
Public speaking advice: Take a deep breath before the presentation and feel confident about what you鈥檙e
presenting.
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to become a Speaking Center Consultant because I enjoy helping others grow
their confidence and communication skills. Public speaking can be intimidating, and
I like being able to support students in a way that makes it feel more manageable
and rewarding. It is also a great opportunity for me to continue improving my own
speaking and listening skills while making a positive impact.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because it provides a supportive, low-pressure
environment to practice and improve their presentations. Whether someone is nervous
or just wants feedback, the center helps them refine their ideas and delivery.
Public speaking advice: One of the best tips I can give is to focus on clarity over perfection. The goal is
to communicate your ideas clearly and confidently. Practicing our loud, even a few
times, can make a huge difference in how natural and comfortable you feel during your
presentation.
Jacob Rubbo, Consultant
Jacob Rubbo
Consultant
Year: Sophomore
Major(s)/minor(s): Mathematical Science: Actuarial Science and Economics
Hometown: Holbrook, NY
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a Speaking Center Consultant to be a part of an organization that
aids students in diminishing the widespread fear of speaking publicly that manifests
in our generation. Through peer-to-peer coaching, I hope to be a resource students
come to to improve their ability to speak calmly in front of others.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center as it is a warm, welcoming environment
that supports all levels of speakers equally. After visiting the Speaking Center for
the first time, I learned exactly what I needed to work on, bolstering my confidence
to speak publicly.
Public speaking advice: One important tip is to slow down and speak at a comfortable pace. Pause, take a deep
breath, and refrain from trying to fill in pauses with "like" or "um."
Lily Sharkey, Consultant
Lily Sharkey
Consultant
Year: Sophomore
Major(s)/minor(s): Biology
Hometown: Queens, NYC
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a Speaking Center Consultant to help my peers feel confident in their
oral communication skills for school and career presentations. Speaking in front of
an audience can be intimidating but its one of the most important life skills to learn
in college. As someone who has completed the same presentations, I want to share my
tips and tricks so everyone who walks into the Speaking Center walks out feeling a
little more confident!
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center is an amazing free resource for developing the skills that will
be crucial for effectively communicating in college and beyond. A visit to the Speaking
Center will leave students feeling more comfortable with public speaking and ready
to succeed in their presentation.
Public speaking advice: Write the main ideas of your presentation on separate flashcards; when your giving
your presentation, mentally move through each of the flashcards to make sure you've
hit all the key points. Physically writing out the presentation will also help you
memorize it!
Monica Lapman, Consultant
Monica Lapman
Consultant
Year: Sophomore
Major(s)/minor(s): Biochemistry
Hometown: Yorktown Heights, NY
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a Speaking Center Consultant because I am passionate about helping
students build confidence in their communication. Strong speaking skills are important
not only for academic success but also for life after graduation. I want to be part
of a resource that helps students build these vital skills.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center to get support on presentations, interviews,
speeches, or any communication skills they need help with. This is an important resource
to use to help practice and get feedback from consultants to develop their public
speaking skills.
Public speaking advice: Practice is what is going to help bring more confidence to your public speaking
skills. Don't give up and take the feedback to use for growth.
Olivia Lahm, Consultant
Olivia Lahm
Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Human Development Minor: Digital Data Studies
Hometown: Bergen County, NJ
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a Speaking Center Consultant to help other students in the 91社区
community improve and feel more confident in their public speaking skills.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? I wanted to be a Speaking Center Consultant to help other students in the 91社区
community improve and feel more confident in their public speaking skills.
Public speaking advice: Take deep breaths and be yourself.
Reema Kaur, Consultant
Reema Kaur
Consultant
Year: Sophomore
Major(s)/minor(s): Financial Econ
Hometown: Queens, NY
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to become a speaking consultant because I found the role to be a learning
my experience for me, as I have trouble with public speaking, as well as, bring support
to those who experience the same.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the soaking center to solidify their standing on the presentations
with our help.
Public speaking advice: Always prepare the speech and memorize the lines. Also, try looking at the general
direction of the audience but focus on the surroundings so it appears as if eye contact
is involved.
Sakthi Jagannath, Consultant
Sakthi Jagannath
Consultant
Year: Senior
Major(s)/minor(s): Political Science: Global and International Affairs
Hometown: Albany, NY
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a Speaking Center Consultant because I believe effective communication
is one of the most valuable skills a person can develop. I wanted to help my peers
grow in their confidence and abilities while also continuing to strengthen my own
communication skills in the process.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because whether you are preparing for a
class presentation, a job interview, or any other speaking opportunity, having a dedicated
space to practice and receive personalized feedback makes a real difference. The Speaking
Center is a judgment-free environment where you can build confidence and refine your
skills at any level.
Public speaking advice: Confidence is key! Even if you are nervous, standing tall, speaking clearly, and
trusting yourself can transform how your audience receives your message. The more
you practice, the more natural that confidence will feel.
Senior Staff:
Emily Habrylo, Senior Consultant
Emily Habrylo
Senior Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Biology
Hometown: Queens, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? I wanted to be a Speaking Center Consultant because I empathize with those who struggle
with speaking in front of crowds, and I want to ensure students get the proper feedback
they need in order to flourish.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the center because it is a free resource on campus that serves
as a safe space for students to work closely with the consultants in order to improve
their communication.
Public speaking advice: Practice makes perfect! Preparing an outline of your speech beforehand and practicing
with that structure can ease your nerves, and help you understand the material better.
Aliya Moss, Senior Consultant
Aliya Moss
Senior Consultant
Year: Senior
Major(s)/minor(s): Political Science
Hometown: West Hartford, CT
Why are you working as a consultant? I want to be a Speaking Center Consultant since I value the power of communication,
which allows people to connect and build confidence. Through my work with the 91社区
CCE and in other experiences, I have seen how active listening and speaking can create
understanding across diverse perspectives. I want to support people to present their
ideas with clarity and confidence
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Visiting the Speaking Center provides a supportive, low-pressure environment where
students can improve a key skill: effective communication. Whether you're nervous
about public speaking or want to refine a class presentation, the Speaking Center
offers peer guidance tailored to students' needs. It is a valuable resource that helps
students speak clearly, confidently, and authentically in any situation
Public speaking advice:One of my favorite public speaking tips is to pause and take a deep breath. Whether
you're starting a presentation or mid-sentence, a deliberate breath helps you refocus,
steady yourself, and re-center on the message you want to convey. While it's a simple
tip, it can make your delivery feel clearer and calmer.
Victoria Melendez , Senior Consultant
Victoria Melendez
Senior Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Human Development with a minor in Speaking and Hearing Sciences
Hometown: Bronx, New York
Why are you working as a consultant? As someone who wants to pursue speech pathology, I felt that becoming a speaking
center consultant would allow me to catch a glimpse of what a future in that career
path might look like. Additionally, I have wanted to get more involved in 91社区's
community and felt this was a perfect way to both help others and learn new things!
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the speaking center if they want constructive feedback on their
public speaking abilities and wish to practice and perfect their presentations before
the time comes to present in class.
Public speaking advice: If you struggle with making eye contact, try looking towards the back of the room
or people's ears!
Katarina Sirianni, Senior Consultant
Katarina Sirianni
Senior Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Psychology and Global Public Health & Minor in Spanish
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Why are you working as a senior consultant? I believe that public speaking is a vital skill for students regardless of what career
path they choose to pursue. I have always greatly enjoyed public speaking and the
opportunity to be able to communicate to an audience effectively. As I have experienced,
public speaking takes time and preparation for anyone to feel confident in themselves,
and their abilities. Therefore, I wanted to become a Speaking Center consultant to
help instill the knowledge I have gained through the public speaking courses I have
been involved with. This will allow them to build the confidence they need to succeed
in their own presentation skills.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the Speaking Center because it is a great resource that is open
to everyone and can provide feedback for a wide variety of projects. Wherever students
are in the process of their presentations, interviews, or speeches the center can
provide the support needed for them to excel in their work. The center provides a
very comforting environment where students will be able to see their practice turn
into progress in real time. Additionally, feedback from the consultants can support
the students in developing different strategies to improve their presentation skills,
many of which they may not have considered at first.
Public speaking advice: Find what excites you the most about the topic you are presenting and don't shy away
from it! Passion allows our personalities to shine through and leads us to be more
confident in what we are presenting. Plus, the most memorable speeches are the ones
that are dynamic and personable!
Why are you working as a program assistant? To improve my teaching and communication skills
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? The Speaking Center is a great way to practice public speaking in a low-stakes environment,
and to get feedback from people who are trained to give it.
Public speaking advice: Make eye contact and don't be afraid to pause. These behaviors not only project confidence,
but they also help ground you in the present moment. If you get nervous, pausing can
give you the chance to recollect yourself, and looking at the audience helps redirect
your focus from inward to outward.
Joseph Costa, Senior Consultant
Joseph Costa
Senior Consultant
Year: Junior
Major(s)/minor(s): Computer Science
Hometown: Greenlawn, NY
Why are you working as a senior consultant? I wanted to be a speaking center consultant to help others improve their public speaking
skills. Public speaking is a crucial skill, including for many classes offered at
91社区. I want to help others get over their fear of giving presentations, while
also improving my own public speaking skills.
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Student should visit the speaking center to receive feedback on their presentations!
The consultant will pick up on things you don't realize, present them constructively,
and allow you to enhance your presentation.
Public speaking advice: Be confident in yourself and bring energy to your presentation! Project your voice
and don't be afraid of pausing to regain your train of thought rather than using filler
words.
Santiago Perez, Senior Consultant
Santiago Perez
Senior Consultant
Year: Senior
Major(s)/minor(s): Business Administration
Hometown: 91社区, New York
Why are you working as a program assistant? Communication skills are some of the most important skills in every day life and it
seems like a great opportunity to improve my own, and help others with their skill
as well!
Why should students visit the Speaking Center? Students should visit the speaking center because it's a valuable tool for feedback
and help with presenting which is something practically everyone has to do.
Public speaking advice: Practice can help make you more comfortable once you start presenting, making you
appear more confident and knowledgeable. Some good hype up music is also crucial prior
to any big presentation.
