Grand Oral

Yesterday was my big presentation to determine if I get a diploma from this school or not. Sounds like a lot of pressure huh? Here’s how the thing is set up. There are 327 topics that are put into a box and I picked out three. Then I have to pick from one of the 3 to present. I picked “Internationalization of an enterprise is a necessity”. Then I had one hour to prepare my notes and a transparency, overhead projector style. I bring nothing with me, so everything has to come out of my well-stocked brain. I didn’t think it was too bad and felt pretty well prepared. Then the “jury” (two professors at the school) came and got me and I presented for 15 minutes (the allotted time, and I was right on the nose, they said if I didn’t finish in 15 they would stop me, so I kept it short and sweet). My presentation was followed by questions from the two teachers, which I handled pretty well except the one about Mintzberg and his theory. I couldn’t recall Mintzberg’s ideas for the life of me. But, as you all know, I can talk til the cows come home, so I was fine. Then it was over! I have no idea how it went really, but it is graded on an A-FX scale. So, A,B,C,D,E,F,FX. E and above is passing. All I need to do is pass. If I don’t, I have to come back again. Right. Not gonna happen.
Now, some clarification. I did do this entire thing in English, which for some reason the French students think makes it easier for us than them. I kindly remind them that they are French, thus presenting in French shouldn’t be more difficult than me speaking my native tongue. Their other argument is that the teachers will be more lenient on us because they aren’t going to force us to come back next year. What a cop out. It is just as difficult for us to present in a spontaneous manner as it is for them. And, I’d like to think that we “English” speakers aren't graded more leniently, but really do have the ability to present ourselves and our topics in a manner that gives us passing grades. If not, sorry Charlie, there isn’t a darn thing I can do about it.
On a whole though, I think the presentation went well and I have absolutely no qualms about not passing. Not because I’m American or an English speaker or because the professor who was in my jury had me for 3 other classes in which I participated actively, but because I’m an intelligent person who is able to think on my feet and present myself professionally. I’m just sayin.