I love this exercise because it forces students to truly get in tune with what they want to present and how they hope to present it. Hearing the varying styles that were used to present the elevator pitches allowed me to reflect on and gain a better understanding of some of the speaking aspects that we covered in class i.e., rhetorical situations & ethos.

With that said, I enjoyed listening to Ahmed’s elevator pitch because he dared to discuss a relatively touchy topic: suicide and depression. He skillfully began his pitch by asking a question. While I don’t recall what the question was, I remember the way it made me feel: awkward and inquisitive.

He then continued to develop his pitch by conveying statistics (if I remember correctly) and information about gun usage in suicides. Both aspects of his pitch invoked an emotional response, which fostered a connection to the material and arguments that he presented.

Between the rush of the period ending and technology, the class couldn’t view the artifact. However, Ahmed did mention that his artifact was a video that talked about gun use in suicides. I’m sure that the combination of imagery and auditory elements creates a powerful message that can be analyzed through a myriad of lenses.

In conclusion, Ahmed’s presentation fostered a connection between his listeners and his topic. Although his presentation provided a strong foundation of knowledge, I hope to learn more about the topic, and I can’t wait to read his paper!