Presentation Skills Seminar

By: Emil Kalloor

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” -Dale Carnegie. First-year students of the University of Iowa Master of Healthcare Administration program had the pleasure of having Shane Cerone and Chris Klitgaard, both alumni of the program, come help us improve our presentation and speaking skills. 

After breakfast and an introductory session, Mr. Cerone and Mr. Klitgaard each took half the class for an interactive, hands-on workshop on presentation skills. Our respective alumnus gave us tips and answered our questions before moving onto our first exercise, a 90-second introduction of ourselves. Each student’s presentation was recorded and after the entire group was done presenting, the recordings were played back. 

 As each student’s recording was being played back, Mr. Cerone and Mr. Klitgaard, along with fellow students in the group, gave them valuable feedback on their strengths and areas for improvement. After a short break, we moved onto our second exercise, a 2-3 minute persuasive argument on a topic we had picked and done some preparation on. 

Using feedback that was given on the previous exercise, everyone really shined during this presentation. Students gave persuasive arguments on topics ranging from investing to why dogs are better than cats. Regardless of topic matter, everyone made significant strides in a matter of an hour, which was a real testament to how effective the workshop was. After a second playback session and receiving more feedback, we thanked Mr. Cerrone and Mr. Klitgaard for taking the time out of their busy schedules to come help us. We learned the importance of honing one’s presentation skills for young professionals, as it requires constant practice and maintenance.