“More Of A Writer Than A Speaker”?

By: Dalia Abdelwahab
Audio Producer, Editor, and Photographer

“From what I have seen on your résumé, you seem more of a writer than a speaker. How are you going to deal with the Office of Student Life and with fellow members or the high board of the club?”

That was the question I was asked in an interview for the position of vice-president at an esteemed student-run organization at AUC in Spring 2020.

I immediately knew that I would not get the job.

I have always been dubbed a “talented” writer by acquaintances, friends, teachers, and professors, but no one has ever commented on my public speaking abilities. I myself never wondered whether I’d make a good public speaker or otherwise.

That all changed once I took the Audio Production course in the Journalism and Mass Communication department – a class that changed my perspective on public speaking and made podcasting, essentially a form of it, close to my heart.

No one likes to hear their own voice on tape, and I am, of course, no exception to this rule. But this course pushed my shyness and the insecurities I had about my tone of voice, pitch, and accent aside, though, as I had to navigate through various fun projects using – you guessed it, my voice.

An audio diary, an audio feature, a weekly podcast, you name it, I did it.

Now, fast forward to today. Besides being an editor (after my semester as a reporter ended) for The Caravan, I am now an audio producer for both The Caravan and a startup based in New York, NY. So much for “being more of a writer than a speaker”.

So, to that individual who interviewed me, I’d like to thank you for challenging me to step out of my comfort zone and become one of the audible narrators of news in and around AUC on a weekly basis.

And to my wonderful audio production professor, I will forever be indebted to you for teaching me how to challenge any and all insecurities related to my voice through putting it out there in podcasts, which you made me fall in love with.