COVID-19 Notice: Meetings will be held online for the duration of the Winter 2021 semester. Click here for more details.
Welcome to
University of Toronto
Toastmasters
Calendar
Membership Form
To become a paid member, please fill out the membership form.
President's Welcome
Hello, and welcome to U of T Toastmasters! On behalf of the Executive Team and club members, we welcome you with open arms!
UofT Toastmasters is not just a club for public speaking, although that is undoubtedly a huge part of our identity. Above all else, we are a family, driven by our shared experiences and inspired by our common goals. We believe in the foundational truth that a person is not defined by what they originally are, but what they strive to become.
While my beginnings do not lie in the world of Toastmasters, this club certainly plays a big part in who I’ve become: not only as a public speaker, but a person. Public speaking isn’t just about being able to speak in front of a large group of people. It is about being able to persuade them, to entertain them, to help lead them, and most important of all, it's about being able to touch their hearts.
We believe that touching the heart allows us to not only unlock but to unleash the soul, revealing all its wonders. We believe in the idea of the Toastmaster: a shapeshifter, one who is able to morph from a master charmer to a deadly seductor, putting on the appearance of a politician yet able to transform into a comedian. The Toastmaster is what we all strive to be, and one we envision to achieve.
Our greatest hope, the thing that the executive team and myself work towards, is that we are able to unleash the Toastmaster in each and every one of you. We hope that we are able to help enlighten your path towards being the Toastmaster. It may seem daunting, even downright frightening, but remember this: all of us have the courage the moment we realize that our most pure, our most powerful form of expression and inspiration is that of the heart. The moment we realize that as public speakers, we must express our heart, not our soul, is the moment we begin our journey towards being that elusive shapeshifter.
Do you think you can be the Toastmaster? Come and find out, and we hope you learn and grow alongside us.
Adham Ragab
President, University of Toronto Toastmasters
About Us
At UofT Toastmasters, we aim is to create a supportive environment where everyone can improve their public speaking and leadership skills.
Established in 2004, we used to be UofT Engineering Toastmasters. Since then, UTT has helped hundreds of students rise above their fears, realize their dreams, grow into incredible speakers and live as stronger leaders. We've had many aspiring speakers realize their potential and you can ask about about their success stories in person!
Associated with Toastmasters International, we operate under the general guidelines for a Toastmasters club, but particularly provide a unique experience for our student members.
We are open to all guests and welcome every one to visit our regular meetings.
Meet the Executive Team
Alexi El Morr
VP Education
UofT_Toastamers/Execs> display_bio(Alexi)
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UofT_Toastamers/Execs> find_bio(Alexi)
Bio found! Would you like to display the bio as a string?
UofT_Toastamers/Execs> yes
The bio reads “ValueError: Bio not found”
Diallo Farquharson
Secretary
Bridges, Highways, and High rises… this pretty much sums up what he has studied in university. Diallo is an island guy, loves anything to do with the water. His discipline, self-motivation, and attention to detail yielded him a 4-minute breath hold. These characteristics remain true in all areas of his life as he loves to learn, listen, and lead.
Adham Ragab
President
Adham Software Update 2.0: President Edition
This update introduces the following items:
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Temporary patch to sleep deprivation issues
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Removes 2020 from system memory
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Includes Mandatory PPE
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Includes an additional sprinkle of optimism for 2021
Falak Navez
VP Membership
Falak has a lot to say but appears shy when you first meet her. Toastmasters has become a place she finds extremely warm and constructive for her public speaking practice. Raising awareness about important societal issues and bringing marginalized communities together is what she aspires to do. This is why she hopes that her speeches will become increasingly powerful throughout her time at Toastmasters. You can catch her after a meeting because she often stays behind to keep the pre-pandemic style socialization alive.
Jason Cai
Treasurer
Wild Jason’s Toastmaster Bio appeared!
What will Curious Reader do?
<Run>
You couldn’t get away!
Jason’s Toastmaster Bio uses Incredibly Well-Structured Joke.
It’s super effective!
Curious Reader fainted (from pure awe)!
Sneha Desai
VP Public Relations
Coming soon.
Monica Iqbal
Sergeant At Arms
About a decade ago, Monica was sitting in her grade 8 class and saw her teacher write “PUBLIC SPEAKING” on the board (yes, he wrote it in all caps). She freaked out upon seeing those words. Public speaking was terrifying for a quiet 13-year-old girl who buried her head in books too much. Years later, Monica discovered UofT Toastmasters. It impacted her life in ways she never thought possible that she decided to stay on after receiving her computer science degree from UofT!
FAQ
When do you meet?
We meet once a week during fall, winter and summer semesters, except exam seasons. The seasonal meeting days are posted on our Facebook and Instagram pages (as well as right below). We post about our weekly meeting and what we've done in them! You can follow who we are, what we believe in, and what we are proud to share as a family. If you want to see some of our speeches, then check out our YouTube Channel.
What topics can I speak about?
How can I join?
How is the club dealing with COVID-19?
We are still operating our meetings through Zoom, and will continue to do so until it is safe for us to gather in person. We are doing our best to preserve the spirit of our club! If you are interested in joining UofT Toastmasters, you are more than welcome to attend our online meetings. Please stay tuned on our social media and on this website for updated summer meeting days. Links and Zoom codes will be posted on our Instagram and Facebook accounts on meeting days.