The William and Grace Dial Center for Speech and Communication Studies at UF prepares students, faculty, and staff with the communication skills necessary to share ideas, convey information, and interact with others effectively in their social and professional environments.
A key focus of the Dial Center’s mission is to provide UF students, faculty, and staff with opportunities to communicate information within their individual disciplines to a variety of audiences, as well as to critically analyze social interactions in their myriad forms and contexts, such as those found in public communication, debate, online life, corporate and intercultural spaces, and interpersonal relationships.
We foster these experiences in the classroom through a dynamic minor in Communication Studies. Outside the classroom, we provide opportunities for engagement through our Ambassador Leadership Program (ALP), UF Speech and Debate Team, Public Speaking Lab, and with our UF partners across campus and in the community.
The ability to convey and accurately interpret meaning represents a major asset for those who require expertise and skills to navigate the 21st century and its constantly evolving work and community settings. The Dial Center equips individuals with the communication tools to take on tasks involving conflict management, networking, group decision making, interviewing, consultation, persuasion, and communicating with and through technology. With support and instruction from the Dial Center, our students, faculty, and staff leave UF with greater confidence in their abilities to smoothly manage their personal and professional spaces and advocate for their interests and that of others.