John A. LaRue ’07 had just finished delivering a short speech on divestment last night when a woman strode forward carrying a yellow legal pad on which she had scribbled notes.

She energetically pointed out into the crowd, instructing LaRue to extend his eye contact to the far reaches of Emerson 105.

“Like you are tossing a ball of energy to the back corners of the room,” she urged.

He would appear more focused, more engaged, and more certain of his message, she said.

LaRue raised his chin higher and slowly rotated his head, sweeping the audience.

“That’s it!” she exclaimed, lauding the effort.

LaRue tried to take shelter behind the podium in his first run through, but his unofficial coach quickly dragged him out to where there was, she said, “nothing to hide behind.”

This advice was only the first of many public speaking tips that Nancy Houfek, a speech and voice coach at the American Repertory Theatre, offered to students during a seminar organized by the Harvard Rhetorical Society (HRS) last night.

The event took place in the spacious Emerson lecture hall, where a group of about 15 students sat scattered in the first few rows and watched as volunteers ventured onto the stage to deliver speeches and receive critiques.

HRS plans to host one or two similar seminars each month featuring professionals like Houfek, said HRS President Mark A. Hiller ’05.

“The purpose is to improve students’ public speaking ability on campus,” he said.

Seminar participants said they shared the desire to work on these skills.

“I want to use this seminar to develop myself and edify my ability to speak,” said Amadi P. Anene ’08, who was told to enhance his enunciation and project his voice after he delivered a speech given by former President Bill Clinton.

HRS Vice President Merve G. Emre ’07 stressed the importance of being able to speak comfortably to an audience.

“I think above all, if you can’t communicate ideas, then it doesn’t matter how good your ideas are,” she said. “I almost think it should be like Expos, that there should be a public speaking requirement.”