About Demosthenes

Speech is one of the most powerful mediums we have to express our thoughts, ideas, and feelings. We speak to each other every day – whether its interviewing for a dream job, presenting research to an audience, or talking to a coworker in an elevator. However, not many people practice their speaking abilities; some think it is scary to practice, some think it is awkward, some think they can already adequately get their points across, and others don’t know how to practice.

At Demosthenes, we value public speaking as both a personal and professional skill.

We recognize any concerns and perceptions people have about public speaking, which is why we created this organization as a non-competitive and encouraging space for students to be more confident in their speaking abilities through engaged and supportive practice. We also value diversity and individuality. We recognize that everyone has their own unique style of expressing themselves, and we encourage members to further explore their own unique styles.

Demosthenes aims to provide platforms to our members that match their desires, from no audience to a world stage.

It is our intention that as a speaker’s confidence grows, we can fulfill their aspirations to present their ideas to broader audiences. Demosthenes plans to hold an Agora once a semester in which Demosthenes provides a stage for members to speak in front of all community members at Cornell. If members want, we also provide platforms to record their prepared work and distribute it across our networks.

We sincerely hope you can come check us out!

The Demosthenes Team