For our incoming Freshmen, summer means preparing to enter our Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP) and rigorous academics this upcoming school year. The students spend the first week of their orientation learning about the CWSP, and throughout the training, volunteers come in to assist students in the process. This year one of our business partners, IDEX, sent seven generous volunteers to coach our students on verbal interactions in a corporate setting.
Students and volunteers were split into two rotating groups. The students in group one practiced the fundamentals of public speaking, and the second group worked on creating elevator pitches about themselves to present to the class. For both groups, the volunteers assisted the students in coming up with what to say and how to present themselves and helped them rehearse for the speeches they would give in front of the class. In the public speaking session, pointers included making eye contact, speaking loudly and clearly, and not fidgeting. For the elevator pitches, the students worked on how to articulate their speeches on the spot and how to present themselves.
CRSM genuinely appreciates these seven IDEX volunteers who made the time and effort to work with our students to help prepare them for the professional world of work.