InfoRegistration
Registration for the December 2025 workshop is open!
Workshop Overview
The Professional Speaking: Delivering Powerful Presentations workshop is designed to provide expert tips and takeaways for public speaking and presentations. Participants will have an opportunity to apply learned skills and practice them in an energetic, experiential learning environment. Through this highly interactive session, attendees will learn how to craft compelling messages for a variety of audiences, cultivate dynamic delivery, and calm public speaking anxiety. This session is designed for any professional who regularly networks or has the opportunity to present informative or persuasive presentations to both internal audiences and outside organizations. During the workshop, participants will develop and deliver a concise presentation and learn how to spontaneously verbalize ideas as they appear confident in front of a crowd.
Available Dates:
- December 4, 2025 – In-Person
- Location: University of Alabama campus at University Hall, 275 Kilgore Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Pricing:
- Early Bird Fee: $298 (available until November 3, 2025)
- Standard Workshop Fee: $350
- UA Employee: $298 (call Registration Services at 205-348-3000)
- Register 3 or more: $250 each (call Registration Services at 205-348-3000)
- Custom pricing available for private groups
Cancellation Policy
A cancellation charge of 100% of the registration fee will be assessed on cancellations occurring within seven (7) days of the start of this session. Refunds will not be granted after the program has begun. The University of Alabama reserves the right to cancel, postpone or combine class sections, to limit registration or to change instructors. Contact the Registration Services department at 205-348-3000 or registration_services@ua.edu to cancel your registration. View the OTIDE Cancellation Policy.
Special Accommodation Requests
Note: The University of Alabama is committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Requests for accommodation of physical and/or dietary needs should be made at least 30 calendar days in advance of the program date. Please email your request to professionaldevelopment@ua.edu. A portion of the invoice amount for this program will go to the Capstone Lifelong Learning Foundation to support activities of The University of Alabama and the Office of Teaching Innovation and Digital Education.
Need our STAARS Vendor Number? Please use VC000118827 for UA Office of Teaching Innovation and Digital Education.
Who Should Attend:
Are you a professional who regularly networks or presents informative, persuasive or sales presentations to a variety of clients? If so, the Professional Speaking Workshop was designed with you in mind! During this one-day interactive workshop, you will develop and deliver a concise presentation and learn how to spontaneously verbalize ideas while appearing confident in front of a crowd. You will learn to speak more fluidly, maintain eye contact, and control body language as you improve your communication skills and present your ideas in a coherent and organized manner.
You Will Learn To:
- Add Energy and Enthusiasm
- Appear Confident in Front of the Crowd/Non-verbal communication
- Body Language
- Deliver Confidently without Notes or Visual Aids
- Design a World-Class Presentation in Minutes
- Design Concise Presentations (Powerful three-point talk)
- Develop Effective Examples and Stories for Key Points
- Engage the Audience
- Get Results and Achieve Goals
- Give and Receive Feedback
- Handle Questions and Discussions
- Overcome Nervousness and Anxiety
- Physical Relaxation Techniques
- Prepare Mentally
- Pro Tips to Wow Your Audience
- Think on Your Feet (Spontaneously Verbalize Ideas)
- Verbal Fillers
Workshop Outline
| Session Outline | Title | Overview |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic Preparation | Clarifying with Examples and Storytelling Design your Message Using a Three-Point Approach | |
| Cultivate Delivery | Delivering Confidently Without Notes or Visual Aids Energy and Enthusiasm Gestures and Body Language | |
| Calming Anxiety | Handling Questions and Discussions, including Negative Discussions Physical Relaxation Techniques Preparing Mentally | |
| Powerful “Pitches” & WOW-ing your Audience | Engaging your Audience Getting Results and Achieving Goals Pro Tips to WOW your Audience |
Unique workshop offerings
- Action-learning activities for individuals via group work and practice of delivery and closing
Workshop Lead
Shanna Ullmann, Ph.D.
Shanna Ullmann specializes in employee learning and development programs empowering clients to be more successful in all aspects of their business engagements. She has worked with a wide range of professionals teaching them the art and practice of effective interactions and communications with clients and between colleagues.
Ullmann has over 25 years of hands-on human relations, executive education, and corporate training experience advising global corporations, universities, the U.S. military, and U.S. federal government organizations on leadership development, cross-cultural communications, diversity and harassment, professional etiquette and protocol, business communications, and mediation and workplace conflict resolution, among others.
Program Manager
Mary Patterson
CPA, SHRM-CPPhone Number: 205-348-7049
Email: professionaldevelopment@ua.edu
Mary Patterson works in the Office of Teaching Innovation and Digital Education at The University of Alabama as Program Manager, where she assists the OTIDE team in designing and implementing professional development and training programs, industrial training programs, and executive education programs. She is a certified public accountant, as well as a certified professional in the Society for Human Resources Management. She works closely with HR departments to design custom training to enhance work objectives, increase productivity and build a positive culture.
