As job recruiters place a greater emphasis on public speaking and presentation skills, Penn State is offering students an opportunity to refine their abilities.

The Center for Public Speaking and Civic Engagement at Penn State offers students a resource to hone their communication skills, such as speaking situations in job interviews, conferences, and matters of civic concern such as deliberations on increased parking costs and education reform.

The center is working with the Department of Marketing in the Smeal College of Business Administration, the College of Engineering, and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences to help students prepare their presentation skills, said Michael Hecht, professor of communication arts and sciences and administrator for the center.

"Where do you go for help on presentations? We want to be that place," Hecht said.

The center's goal is to give students the ability to be engaged, active members of the community and to speak out about matters of civic concern, Hecht said.

The center, located in 7 Sparks Building, offers tutoring in public speaking, which mirrors similar services offered by the math and English departments. Students can take their speeches to the center and deliver them to a tutor who will work with them to improve the speech.

"We can help with anything from picking a topic to fine tuning and delivery," said Steven Carter (senior-speech communication), a public speaking tutor.

Besides tutoring, the center offers videotape analysis, which allows students to record themselves while speaking and then view the tape to analyze their performances. Students also can learn how to analyze different audiences and tailor their speeches to the needs of the audience.

Anyone can use the center, not just students taking a public speaking course.

"The center is so helpful because otherwise you're practicing in front of a mirror, and you don't know if it's good or not," said Tiffany O'Brien (junior-speech communication), a public speaking tutor.

This fall, Rosa Eberly, a former journalist and associate professor of rhetoric at the University of Texas at Austin, will come to Penn State to head the center. Eberly said she believes the center is not just about giving a speech, but gaining general knowledge about the practice of public speaking.