Shown here is team member Kristen Landino and President Raj Krishnan. I had to give a speech in front of 200 people with no advance warning, but I think I pulled it off. That's the kind of real world impact that impromptu speaking has taught me. Public speaking is a great skill to have in life, say members of MIT's Debate Team. Parliamentary debate, with its emphasis on impromptu speaking, develops excellent communication skills and teaches you to think on your feet.
Students say they love it because they learn to analyze issues and come up with solutions.
They learn organization and clarity, how to persuade and how to listen. Debate also teaches the tricks of the trade eye contact and effective gestures and teaches students poise, presence, and confidence. Senior Amit Roy interned last summer on Wall Street. Having been on the debate team definitely came in handy during my job interview at Goldman Sachs. After a long break in the '80s, the debate team was revived in 1991.