Did you know that if the photo attached to your presentation is larger than a sticky note, it will not create awareness—and it even looks unprofessional? Well, we didn’t know either, until Dasha Dollar-Smirnova delivered her insightful workshop, “Mastering the Art of Public Speaking,” at Mont Rose College on 21 October 2025.
The event drew over 70 students from various departments, all eager to enhance their communication, confidence, and presentation skills. The information gained from this session proved to be truly invaluable—offering techniques that can transform how students deliver academic presentations, professional pitches, and even job interviews.
Dasha Dollar-Smirnova is an accomplished communication coach with an impressive background in drama, advertising, and psychology. She trained at a leading London drama school, worked as an actress and producer, and later spent more than 15 years in advertising, co-founding Hogarth Worldwide and collaborating with global brands such as Apple and Mercedes. Holding an MSc in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health from King’s College London, she founded Frog Talk in 2016, combining creative performance techniques with practical psychology to help professionals and students alike become more engaging speakers.
Throughout the workshop, Dasha broke down the essence of confident public speaking, covering voice and breath control, body language, tone, pitch, and audience connection. Students learned about Monroe’s Motivated Sequence, a five-step approach to structure impactful speeches: Get attention, create a need, satisfy the need, visualise the future, and call to action. Her engaging style and real-life examples brought theory to life, making it vivid and memorable.
A particularly striking activity involved Dasha’s “sticky-note rule,” which reminded everyone that minimal visuals have a stronger impact than overloaded slides. She also guided students through live practice sessions, refining their posture, tone, and delivery. These hands-on exercises, combined with laughter and open participation, helped even the most reserved students step forward with confidence.
From breathing techniques and vocal warm-ups to managing nerves and crafting compelling stories, every element of the session reflected Dasha’s expertise in both the art and science of communication. Her focus on psychological readiness, self-awareness, and authentic expression resonated strongly with the Mont Rose College audience.
Students left the session with practical tools they could immediately apply, such as the “three-step body-language checklist”, voice-projection warm-ups, and the reminder that nerves are not the enemy but a sign of care and passion. Many participants reported feeling better equipped to face upcoming assessments, presentations, and future interviews.
The Student Engagement Department at Mont Rose College was proud to host this professional and inspiring workshop, which successfully blended self-development with employability skills. As one participant summarised, “It was not just about speaking, it was about finding my voice.”
In essence, the “Mastering the Art of Public Speaking” workshop, delivered by Dasha Dollar-Smirnova, was more than a learning session; it was a transformative experience that will stay with our students long after the classroom.
