Large crowd turns out for Toastmasters kickoff (Photo by Austin Kilgore, The Daily Campus.)

Another year of success is in store for the SMU Toastmasters Club and Speaker Series. Last night’s fall kickoff attracted a large crowd in the Ernst & Young Gallery and provided information on the club’s upcoming year.

In addition, keynote speaker Jim Key entertained the audience with his speech “Hitting the Mark: The Quest for Excellence.”

Many first-year students and other potential members attended the kickoff in hopes of discovering more about the club and its purpose, as well as to hear one of Key’s world-renowned speeches.

Officers of the club and other faculty members were present to aid students in the membership process.

“I had heard good things about the Toastmasters club,” first-year Will Fletcher said. “I decided to come to hear the speech and decide if the club was really something I wanted to be involved in.”

At the beginning of the kickoff, Toastmasters Club President Chase Hassan delivered an introduction to the keynote speaker. Hassan spoke about the reasoning behind the founding of the club, as well as the importance of communication skills in the business world.

Immediately following, Key spoke about striving for excellence. “Decisions and actions can drive you to excellence or mediocrity,” he said.

In addition, he spoke about the importance of believing in oneself and one’s own potential. Key also included personal stories about his encounters and setbacks while trying to achieve the title of Toastmasters World Champion Speaker.

The event closed as Ernst & Young presented the Cox School of Business and the Toastmasters Club Speaker Series with a $5,000 check.

Brian Brachman, a representative from Ernst & Young, presented the check to Pam Conlin, the director of Donor Development for the business school. Since the club’s founding, Ernst & Young has been the main corporate sponsor for the Speaker Series.

“Ernst & Young has been there every step of the way to see our vision become a reality,” Hassan said. “Their donation is truly a testament to their confidence and belief in this club’s past, present and future success.”

Gifts were not only given to the club but the guests as well. A raffle was held and door prizes were awarded to attendees from the club’s sponsors, which include Barnes & Noble and Stomboli Café.

As for the upcoming year, Hassan has a bright outlook.

“As a result of our popularity and success we are striving to spawn other clubs off the original,” he said. “We are presently in the process of starting a Meadows Club, Law Club and Engineering Club.”