- Oxford Academia at:
- 2026 Sessions:
July 3–16, 2027
July 31–August 13, 2027
- Eligibility:
- Typical Seminar Size:
For the absolute beginner as well as the experienced debater, this seminar focuses on every aspect of public speaking from voice, posture, and projection to research and argumentation. Students practice speaking every day and gain exposure to extemporaneous speaking and improv, seminar presentation, team debate, and Oxford-style debating. Visit and take inspiration from the Oxford Union, where debate has shaped politics and culture for more than 200 years. Whether building confidence or studying the techniques that define the most famous orators and speeches in history, students in this course will learn skills, tips and tricks that will help them in every situation.
FEATURED FACULTY
Wesleyan University, B.A., Neuroscience and Theater
Pablo is a Jamaican Rhodes Scholar who recently completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Oxford. Prior to Oxford, he attended Wesleyan University, where he pursued a double major in neuroscience and theater, along with a minor in chemistry. During his time at Wesleyan, he was actively involved in student theater and starred in a faculty production of The Laramie Project. He also competed on Wesleyan’s A-team in mock trial, earning All-American honors in 2020. In 2021, he was selected as the student speaker for TEDxWesleyan, where he presented his talk, “Seeking Solace and Success in Solitude.” At Oxford, Pablo’s theater credits include three productions at the Oxford Playhouse, most recently Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona, directed by Sir Gregory Doran, former artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company. He also performed the titular role in Othello and played George in The Great Gatsby. This will be Pablo’s third year teaching the Debate & Public Speaking seminar at Oxford Academia.