For Immediate Release
Sept. 9, 2011
Contact: Anika Mitchell Perkins
(662) 329-7124
aperkins@pa.muw.edu

Stand Up-Speak Up Toastmasters Club receives 747 award at leadership institute

COLUMBUS, Miss. – In addition to going through training at the Toastmasters Leadership Institute, Mississippi University for Women’s organization received the 747 award for having all of its officers present for training.

Approximately 40 participants from local and surrounding Toastmasters organizations were on campus recently for the training which included educational breakout sessions and networking opportunities. Officers from Jackson as well as Arkansas were on-hand.

Dr. Kishore Sasthiri, District 43 lieutenant governor of marketing and Distinguished Toastmaster, said, “Toastmasters International--where leaders are made has been proved once again when the officers of the newly chartered club, The Stand Up - Speak Up Toastmasters, rallied behind their President Terence Nicholson, took the responsibilities of hosting the Toastmasters Leadership Institute. I was very excited to see this emerging leadership in the largest division of our district and also thankful to the university authorities for providing such an excellent facility for the event."

Club officers who represented the Stand Up-Speak Up Toastmasters organization at MUW were Terence Nicholson, president/sergeant at arms; Anndrea Gibson, vice president of education/secretary; Wesley Garrett, vice president of membership, and Tiffany Cromity, vice president of public relations/treasurer.

The 747 award was founded in January 2008 by past District 43 Gov. Mary McClendon, who attended the leadership institute held on campus. The award was started because there was a Toastmasters Leadership Institute for District 43 that took place in Jackson and it was snowing on that day. Although the weather was bad, 54 people attended the event. Since there were club officers who attended despite the weather, the district thought it should do something to reward the clubs that were present. If a club has all seven club offices represented, it can receive the 747 ribbon. The Toastmasters Leadership Institute is held twice a year.

District 43 is made up of North Mississippi, Arkansas and Western Tennessee.

Nicholson, founder of Stand Up-Speak up Toastmasters Club, said, "The Toastmasters Leadership Institute was a huge success. Everyone who attended seemed to enjoy the event while learning at the same time. This event was a great opportunity for individuals to come out and learn more about Toastmasters International and what it has to offer. It also was wonderful that the Stand up-Speak up Toastmasters Club could host this event on the campus of MUW for the second time. This is a great internationally recognized organization, and I think everyone should know how it has helped thousands of people become better communicators and leaders."

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of meeting locations.

Headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., the organization has more than 270,000 members in over 13,000 clubs in 116 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people of all backgrounds become more confident in front of an audience.