Marshall University graduate student Irfan Khan took first place at the Mountain Division Table Topics speech contest, a Toastmasters International-sanctioned event, Oct. 27 in Charleston. Irfan has now qualified to compete in the District 40 contest in Cincinnati on Nov. 3. At the district level, Toastmasters from West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky compete for the title of Best Speaker.
“Table Topics is about developing your ability to organize your thoughts quickly and respond to an impromptu question or topic,” said Monica Horter, vice president for public relations of the Huntington Centennial Toastmasters Club, at which Irfan practices his public speaking. “At a meeting, Table Topics usually begins after the prepared speech presentations. The Toastmaster of the meeting will introduce the Topicsmaster, who will walk to the lectern and assume control of the meeting. The Topicsmaster will give a brief description of the purpose of Table Topics and mention if the topics will carry a theme. The Topicsmaster will state the question or topic briefly and then call on a respondent. Each speaker receives a different topic or question and participants are called on at random.”
The Huntington Centennial club is open to the public and welcomes visitors, Horter said. The next meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, at the Central Christian Church at 1202 5th Ave. For more information, call Horter at 304-542-6721 or e-mail mhorter1@gmail.com.
