A big congratulations on behalf of all of us at New York University Toastmasters to Cassandra Bizzaro who earned her Competent Communicator (CC) Award on February 26th, 2019.
Cassandra is a longtime member of NYU Toastmasters who helped to get the club off the ground when it was first founded. Although she had to take breaks on her journey to earning her CC, she never gave up and through perseverance and discipline was able to reach this important milestone. She is an inspiration to us all. Below you can read more about Cassandra’s story– what Toastmasters means to her, how she was able to stay motivated, and some tips for new members.
Congratulations, Cassandra!
How did you motivate yourself to keep working on the Toastmasters program?
“It was really my fellow community of Toastmasters who kept me motivated! When I had a large gap between progress in speeches they would reach out with a genuine message to see if they could help in some way or offer some words of encouragement.”
What have you gained from Toastmasters?
“My favorite part of NYU Toastmasters has been getting to know new people across the University. We are such a large institution and I enjoy hearing the stories of my fellow colleagues while we are all working together on professional development.”
Any advice for members who are worried they don’t have time to come to meetings or do speeches?
“If you don’t have the time to dedicate to making speeches yet you can still gain a lot by just attending the meetings to watch and listen. Don’t be surprised if you get asked to serve in some sort of role! It’s a great learning opportunity and such an easy lift. For example, when you serve as the Table Topics Master you are gaining experience speaking in front of a group and facilitating a discussion. When you are the Toastmaster you gain that same experience but are also refining your skills of organizing and executing effective meetings. Every role gives you that much more experience which directly translates to your job and even into your personal life.”
