What was missing
At the University of Toronto, I was deep in the Toastmasters community. I grew in it, and coaching there made a real difference in people’s lives. I wanted to bring that to the University of Birmingham’s Dubai campus, and it had no Speech and Debate Society.
What I started
We were in COVID, and public speaking is an in-person skill. We opened the club anyway, with about five founding members, and made it official with the university.
How people came together
COVID restrictions meant no real membership, no competitions, and one event all year. That first year was about setting the foundation.
What lasted
The next year I founded the ACM chapter, so I handed the club to Srinwas, a new president who was just as excited to run it. The society is still active.