Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of meeting locations.

Headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, the organization has more than 250,000 members in more than 12,500 clubs in 106 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people of all backgrounds become more confident in front of an audience.

At Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment. There is no instructor; instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved. A typical Toastmasters club is made up of 10 to 30 people who meet once a week for about an hour or two. Each meeting gives everyone an opportunity to practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role.  The roles can be conducting meetings, giving impromptu speeches, presenting prepared speeches, offering constructive evaluation and serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian

Carnegie Mellon University Symposium Toastmasters club is a part of Toastmasters International. TM's success and growth is due in large part to the continued development of its educational programs. The organization has come a long way since the first speech manual, Basic Training, was developed more than 50 years ago. The current manual, now called Competent Communication, was most recently updated in 2006. After members of Toastmasters complete all 10 speech projects in that manual, they may apply for their Competent Communicator (CC) award and then choose from any combination of 15 advanced manuals.

Additional educational materials include the Success/ Leadership and Success/Communication Series, The Better Speaker Series, The Leadership Excellence Series, and the High Performance Leadership program. Toastmasters International's education system includes both a communication track and a leadership track. The communication track award progression features the CC, Advanced Communicator Bronze (ACB), Advanced Communicator Silver (ACS) and Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG); the leadership track award progression includes Competent Leader (CL), Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB) and Advanced Leader Silver (ALS). The Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) is the highest award.

In addition to the various educational materials available through the Toastmasters International Supply Catalog, members receive the monthly publication, The Toastmaster magazine. Club and district officers receive via e-mail a bimonthly publication, TIPS, and district officers receive the District Newsletter each month.

Experienced professionals and beginning speakers alike can benefit from our practical, face-to-face learning program. Whether you're speaking to the board of directors, your customers, your co-workers or your kids, Toastmasters can help you do it better. You'll learn and practice in a friendly, comfortable environment with people who are there for the same reason you are to become better communicators.