Empowering Voices: A Holistic Approach to Enhance Public Speaking and Elocution Skills in Higher Education

Abstract

In an increasingly globalized academic and professional landscape, communication skills are central to student success. This paper reports on a seed money project implemented at Department of English (Aided), Nirmala College for Women, Coimbatore, titled Advancing Communication Skills: A Holistic Approach to Public Speaking and Elocution in Higher Education. With a modest budget, the project aimed to enhance English language proficiency, critical thinking, and selfconfidence among undergraduate students—particularly first-generation learners— through workshops, and competitions based learning. The outcomes reveal a marked improvement in students’ communication competency, confidence, and digital literacy, underscoring the feasibility and impact of low-cost, high-engagement interventions in higher education.