For so many Americans, public speaking is a fate worse than death, at least according to the surveys. And it’s not hard to imagine why. It’s your turn to give your presentation. Everyone turns to look at you as you get up and walk to the front of the room. Your palms start to sweat, maybe your hands begin to shake. You envision 100 different ways you might embarrass yourself. You glance down at your note cards, take a deep breath, and pray you’ve taken a class with Ashlie Klepper. Klepper teaches full time at Queensborough Community College as a lecturer. And if that weren’t enough to keep her busy, she also teaches as an adjunct at a few schools: Montclair State University and Marymount Manhattan College. She teaches several courses, but her specialty is public speaking.
In 2007 Klepper went to SUNY Potsdam with a major in Elementary Education. But before long she changed tracks. “My first semester of college, my advisor signed me up to take Public Speaking (a class I thought I would hate) along with a bunch of other education courses. I ended up having an amazing professor, Dr. Knopf (who I still am in touch with), who got me to fall in love with the subject. Because of that I switched majors and began to study Communication.” Klepper said.
And at Potsdam she put this new major to good use. Her freshman year she pledged her sorority, Zeta Gama Sigma, and rose to the level of president. At which position she did a lot of work with the school as well as with Habitat for Humanity. And, in addition to all this she served as the Public Relations Chair for the All Greek Council.
But Klepper really found her career goals when she started working as a TA for Survey of Human Communication. “My senior year I thought I may enjoy teaching college after I graduated but I wasn’t sure. So I approached one of my professors at the time, Dr. Youngblood and asked him if I could be his TA. My last semester of college, I TA’d his class: Survey of Human Communication.” She told me. “It was one of the largest courses offered at Potsdam with over 100 students. I did everything from grade quizzes, to take attendance to help prepare the lesson plans. It really allowed me to get first hand experience and Dr. Youngblood was an amazing mentor. I can honestly say that internship is the reason I became a college lecturer.”
But grading papers and preparing lesson plans is not her favorite part of the job. In fact, Klepper says her favorite part of the job is meeting her students for the first time. “I love learning and I loved college. I think what got me to enjoy it the most was the professors I had in undergrad and graduate school. They genuinely cared about me and took the time to get to know me. I try to follow in their footsteps in my own classroom,” she explained. ” I love meeting new students and learning about them. I love knowing that I helped make a difference even if it’s very small. I always get so excited for the first day of the semester when I get to meet them for the first time.”
Klepper graduated from Potsdam in 2011 and immediately went on to study communications in graduate school at the College at Brockport before beginning her teaching career. And her favorite class to teach? Well, public speaking of course. “I love teaching Public Speaking and it’s for the same reason why I thought I would hate it. Most students go into the class terrified of the idea of giving speeches. I always share with them how I had the same fears and that makes them feel better.”
She uses fun hands on activities to spice up the class. One such activity is called “Duck Tales.” This requires each student to draw a rubber duck from a bag and tell a story about it. Each duck is as unique as the stories the students tell so it really allows for a fun and playful way to practice something scary.
All-in-all, Klepper has a lot of advice to give students. But to sum it all up, she thinks students should get to know their professors and get involved!
“The beauty of SUNY schools is that they are small. Take advantage of that. One piece of advice is to really get to know your professors. Use them as resources!
I am still in touch with most of my professors from Potsdam and Brockport and always make it a priority to see them when I am in town visiting. I can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am without them. That’s not something you can get at bigger schools. These relationships can really help you in the future. Whether it’s applying for jobs, seeking an internship or even just asking for advice,” she says.
“Also, get involved. Keep yourself busy with clubs and organizations. SUNY has an amazing array of extracurricular activities that not only will look great on your resume when you are applying for jobs, but will allow you to meet some of your best friends. This weekend I was a bridesmaid in one of my best friend’s wedding. We lived right across the hall from each other freshman year and joined our sorority together. I have SUNY to thank for that. Oh and the students loans, they were worth it!”
