The National Collegiate Speakers Association

We believe that the invitation to speak publicly is a humbling request. We will, to the best of our ability, seek to speak with integrity, respect for the dignity of all people, and with a message of inspiration and hope for the audience.

We understand and affirm, without reservation or equivocation, that we are the messengers, not the message. We aspire to a higher and nobler truth than the advancement of our own careers. As we hold dear to these principles, we will pledge ourselves to the empowerment of others to make character-driven decisions.

Our goal is to use speech and public oratory to create genuine human community through the power of the spoken word. We affirm the idea that language creates reality and we promise to use words and the power within them for the promotion of the common good.

We recognize that our ability to move people affectively and speak effectively is a gift to be used for the betterment of the world. We will work hard and in concert with others to continually embrace and enhance this gift.

We are committed to mentoring and crafting the next generation of collegiate speakers. It is our hope that we will enjoy an honorable reputation and a peace of conscience that comes from saying what we mean, and doing what we say. This is our Declaration of Intent and the raison d’etre for the National Collegiate Speakers Association.