By Kseinya Reyes

I originally joined to get more comfortable speaking up in meetings at work, but it’s become so much more than that. Toastmasters gave me the confidence to not only speak in these roles, but also to lead the meetings comfortably. I even got promoted! Toastmasters of course gets full credit. There have been surprising benefits that have bled over into my personal life as well, I’ve gone back to school for my masters degree and have used the skills learned in Toastmasters for multiple classes. On a more silly note, after a year of Toastmasters I had gained the confidence to compete in a coding competition. My second time competing, I won! Toastmasters has been invaluable to me. While I can’t say I’m a professional speaker by any means, I’m miles better than the red-faced stuttering ball of nerves I used to be.