Blinn College District Communication Studies Showcase highlights the art of public speaking

April 2 event features guest speaker Chris Marrs and the finals of the Speak Up! Speak Out! contest

March 21, 2025

The Blinn College District invites students to experience the power of public speaking at the annual Communication Studies Showcase at noon on Wednesday, April 2. This year’s event will occur live at the Blinn RELLIS Administration Building Banquet Room and will be streamed to the Brenham Campus (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Innovation Building Room 105) and Bryan Campus (Student Center Room F-120).

Sponsored by Blinn’s Communication Studies Program, the showcase will feature an inspiring keynote speech from Chris Marrs, Blinn’s Executive Dean of the RELLIS Campus and retired U.S. Navy Aviator. Marrs’ presentation, “Balancing Confidence and Humility: Building Authentic Teams,” will explore how the leadership principles he applied in the Navy can be used to build high-performing, authentic teams in any field. Drawing on his extensive experience both in the military and in academia, Marrs will provide real-life examples of how confidence and humility work together to create effective leaders and cohesive teams.

Following Marrs’ presentation, finalists from the Speak Up! Speak Out! public speaking contest will take the stage. These top students from the Brenham, Bryan, and RELLIS campuses will present their best speeches in front of a live audience, demonstrating their public speaking skills and competing for the top prize.

Attendees can enjoy complimentary pizza and drinks while networking with fellow students and celebrating the achievements of Blinn’s Communication Studies students.

The Blinn College Communication Studies Program equips students with essential skills for success in professional and academic settings. Through coursework and hands-on experiences, students learn to communicate effectively in various contexts, preparing them to transfer to leading universities, including Texas A&M, Sam Houston State, the University of Texas at Austin, and many others.

For more information about Blinn’s Communication Studies Program, visit www.blinn.edu/communication-studies.