Do you need a speaker for a club or service organization meeting?

The UTM “Guide to Speakers and Sources” is an online guide to speakers and topics. This guide is designed to help the public with the wide range of human resources available at UTM. A variety of groups may find this guide useful in the selection of speakers or experts for various projects or meetings.

The guide, which can be accessed online through www.utm.edu/departments/univrel/speakers.php, is prepared in alphabetical order by general topic and divided into subtopics. It includes a professor that specializes in a specific area and has their office number in order to get in touch with them.

“This online guide is easy to comprehend for students as well as the general public in Weakley County and surrounding areas,” said Rita Mitchell, university editor. “Some news that is national affects us locally and with this list we can find someone quick in that area to maybe perform a speech and educate us on what is going on and how it affects us here in Weakley County.”

Mitchell said that there are a few things to take into consideration when booking people for an event. One of your top priorities should be to give them advance notice of the event. If at all possible, make this notice three weeks ahead of time. This way if they must cancel, that source could possibly redirect you in a way to find another speaker that specializes in that area so you could book another speaker.

Also, find out how many people are anticipated to attend the event. This way the speaker will be able to bring an accurate amount of handouts if necessary. You should also tell them how long they will be speaking so that they will prepare a speech accordingly.

Organizers should also ask the speaker if they will need certain technology, such as a computer and screen to make a PowerPoint presentation.

One important thing to be given to the speaker is directions to their speaking location. You do not want to have a crowd waiting to hear a speech and that person never show up because they could not find the location.

For more assistance in making contact with speakers, call the office of University Relations at 881-7615.