Facilities

The speech and theatre education major is based in the Center for the Arts, an interdisciplinary facility that brings together theatre/dance and the visual arts in a 60,000-square-foot space. Features include the Jewel Theatre, a 225-seat flexible theatre; a fully equipped scene shop; a large costume construction area; a spacious dressing/make-up room; two studio spaces, the Sunnyside Café, and numerous comfortable lounge areas for students to study and gather. Special classrooms include studios for pottery, computer art, drawing/painting, photography, and fiber arts.

Speech and theatre majors also learn in the classrooms of the education and communication studies departments in Koren Building and Main Building, respectively.

The communication studies department also supports a speech lab, which serves any student preparing an oral presentation for a class, co-curricular organization, or outside group.

The speech lab is staffed by specially trained, upper-level communication majors who can provide expert advice in speech preparation and delivery. These advanced students will consult on:

Audience analysis
Topic selection
Thesis development
Organization and outlining
Use of supporting materials
Presentation aids
Effective delivery

Speech lab staff will also videotape the speaker as he or she practices the presentation, and will review it with the speaker to give constructive feedback and tips for improvement.

The speech lab is located in Main, Room 116B and is open Sunday through Thursday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. No appointments are required or accepted, but students are served in the order of arrival. Therefore, students are encouraged to come to the lab early in the evening. Students should bring their own standard VHS videocassette to the lab if they wish to have their taped speech for personal review after leaving the lab.