UTS PSS: Behind the Voices

BEHIND THE VOICES OF

MARCH 2024

ISSUE. 01

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE 2023 PSS COMPETITION CHAMPIONS

EVENT RECAP

2023 ACTIVATE UTS CLUB AWARDS

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

The UTS PSS acknowledges the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of this land We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MARYAM OTHMAN

PHOTOSHOOT TEAM SUPPORT

MONELI LYARI

HANNAH TOUMA

INSTAGRAM COVER DESIGNER

SIREEN ELGAFI

EDITORIAL REVIEWER

ALISHA HUANG

ON THE COVER

PARIS LAY-YEE (LEFT)

SOPHIE GREINER (MIDDLE)

MARIA MUBEEN (RIGHT)

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UTS WOMEN IN PUBLIC SPEAKING Behind The Voices of

THE RESONANT VOICES OF UTS PSS CHAMPIONS SPEAK OUT

BY MARYAM OTHMAN

On 8 March 2024, for International Women's Day, Sophie Greiner, Paris Lay-Yee, and Maria Mubeen, winners of the 2023 UTS Public Speaking Society (‘PSS’) competitions, share inspiring stories behind their TEDx Talk-style speeches, empowering women in search of their voices.

The UTS Public Speaking Society (‘PSS’) experienced significant growth last year, marked by its achievement in securing the title “Rookie Society of the Year” at the ActivateUTS 2023 Club Awards. Much credit for this milestone goes to Gianluca Percora, who was honoured as “Executive of The Year”.

Through its engaging workshops, prestigious competitions, and lively social events, PSS fosters an inclusive society where all students are encouraged to express themselves freely and overcome the fear of public speaking (“glossophobia”), ranked as the world's #1 fear.¹

In support of its objectives, PSS offers an active competition program, including the inaugural ‘Best Pitch’ Competition in Semester 1 (in collaboration with UTS Startups) and speeches on 'Social Justice and the Law' in Semester 2 (in collaboration with UTS Law Student Society)

Not all battles are visible when transitioning from competitive to university life For many students, the internal turmoil of impostor syndrome and the fear of judgment is 100% real If you’ve ever pondered, “What if I'm not qualified for this?”, “I'm scared of looking foolish and being seen as incompetent” , or "I avoid sharing my ideas because I fear criticism and rejection" –chances are the person next to you may be experiencing similar fears and doubts.

Impostor syndrome, though not a medically recognised syndrome or diagnosis, was coined in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes ² They observed high-achieving women who felt undeserving of their success, believing they had deceived others.³ While subsequent research indicates that impostor

can affect individuals irrespective of gender or profession,⁴ gender continues to be a significant predictor of its prevalence ⁵

“Womenand marginalisedgroups areconsistentlymore susceptibleto experiencingfeelings of‘impostorism’ comparedtotheir malecounterparts”.⁶

A Harvard study found that women often avoid public speaking due to ‘fear of looking or sounding bad, appearing inexperienced, or not sounding confident’ ⁷ In professional settings, societal expectations and gender biases often work against women Despite demonstrating competence, women may face criticism for

exhibiting traits such as confidence, whereas men often receive praise even when displaying overconfidence a double standard that perpetuates gender disparities in the workplace ⁸

Sophie, who placed first in the ‘Best Pitch’ Competition and founder of Dome app, believes women's representation in business leadership is vital for gender equality. Special initiatives like the 'Female Founders' season on the Australian Financial Review's Rich List podcast called ‘How I Made It’ highlight ongoing gender biases While progress is being made, Sophie looks forward to a future where women in business leadership are the norm, not the exception.

Jahan Kalantar announces the winner of the Brennan Speeches and the Law Competition held at UTS Brennan Moot Court, Faculty of Law Building

ACTIVATE UTS 2023 CLUB AWARDS Rookieof theYear

Photograph by @torihylandcreative

Reps. Maria Mubeen, Sophie Greiner and Paris Lay-Yee photographed at UTS Photography Studios, Building 6 on 6 March 2024.

“I would love to get to a point where it isn’t especially exciting for me to hear a female speak on these successful business podcasts."

- Sophie

Meanwhile, Maria, winner of the Brennan Speeches, receives praise from Jahan Kalantar, a renowned TEDx Speaker, for her potential to speak at a TEDx stage Maria navigates multiple identities as a woman of colour in public speaking, focusing on authenticity With her project 'Live Love Law,' she aims to connect diverse women in law and mentor students facing law school challenges.

UTS Public Speaking Society: Congratulations on your success in our Competition! Could you please tell us about the topic you spoke about and what inspired you to choose it?

SOPHIE GREINER: “Thank you for the congratulations! I was super excited. I spoke about fan culture, tracing its history from Beatlemania to today's 'fandoms.' I've always been passionate about sports and entertainment and the sense of belonging they offer. I'm developing Dome, a social media app that revitalises genuine connections through fandoms The UTS PSS competition was a great opportunity to practice pitching Dome ”

MARIA MUBEEN: “My chosen topic was discrimination against women, inspired by my experience as a woman of colour in law. Despite laws against such acts, discrimination persists Throughout my course, I've been passionate about advocating for the rights of all women, particularly diverse women in law”

Maria, alongside Dean of Law Professor Anita Stuhmcke, at the 2023 Brennan Speeches Competition.

"Ithinkit’swonderfultoseethepublicspeaking landscapechangeandbegintoincludemore diversestoriesandexperiences”-Paris

PARIS LAY-YEE:

“My topic was about racial bias in medicinean issue that’s extremely important to me as an AsianAustralian with immigrant grandparents I first started researching this issue when my grandfather had a medical complication that doctors disregarded ”

UTS PSS: Winning such an award requires much effort and dedication. Could you walk us through your preparation process leading up to the competition?

SG: “When the competition was announced, I had taken a break from university to focus on building Dome and immersing

myself in the world of fandom. Drawing from my research and passion as a serial fan, writing the speech felt effortless Fan culture is a topic I could endlessly engage with, making the writing process a joy As for public speaking, it's a skill I've always enjoyed, and my parents encouraged me to develop it from a young age. I knew that to pitch Dome effectively, I needed to hone my speaking skills, so I welcomed the opportunity for practice”

MM: “Winning first place at the Social Justice and the Law Competition was truly an honour My preparation involved extensive drafting and editing to ensure my

speech suited my speaking voice. Practising in front of the mirror with friends and family helped me become comfortable with my delivery Despite sounding like a brief process, I dedicated countless days to editing and practising, ensuring I was well-prepared for the big day!”

PLY: “Since this topic was so close to my heart, the writing and ideas came very easily. The effort came with putting aside the time to practice and perfect the speech whilst also juggling studies and work”

For those aspiring speakers who feel hesitant due to impostor syndrome or

fear of judgment, the PSS champions offer empowering advice:

SG: “Everyone feels nerves; practice is key. Start small, don't let fear hold you back.”

MM: “Trying is free; not trying will cost you more Speak your truth; be enthusiastic and proud ”

PLY: “Fear of public speaking is common Start by writing down experiences, sharing with friends, and then a live audience Everyone's story is worth hearing.”

Happy International Women’s Day from The PSS Team featuring Moneli Lyari, our 2024 Girlboss President! Let's celebrate by embracing the power of our voices in public speaking—empowering, inspiring, and leading the way to change ♡

REFERENCES

1

2

PerformZen (n d ) Fear of Public Speaking - The Number One Fear [Online] Available at: https://performzen com/fear-public-speaking-numberone-fear/

CW Authors (n d ) What is the Imposter Syndrome in academia? [Online] Available at: https://www cwauthors com/article/What-is-the-ImposterSyndrome-in-academia.

Ibid 3

Ibid 4

5

The Unite Group (n d ) A Fraud Amongst Us: How Imposter Syndrome Can Impact University [Online] Available at: https://www unitegroup com/articles/a-fraud-amongst-us-how-imposter-syndrome-can-impact-university-

Ibid 6

7

Janicek, K (n d ) Speak Up: Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking [Online] Available at: https://www linkedin com/pulse/speak-upovercoming-fear-public-speaking-kathryn-janicekicjdc#:~:text=It%20suggested%20women%20avoid%20public,to%20grab%20too%20much%20attention

8

Harvard Business Review (2022, October) How Confidence Is Weaponized Against Women [Online] Available at: https://hbr org/2022/10/howconfidence-is-weaponized-against-women?trk=article-ssr-frontend-pulse little-text-block

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