GET TO KNOW OCC CONSULTANT Zachary Price
February 25, 2026
By Emma DeSantis
Zachary Price
Junior, communication major on the media and digital track, a member of the coaches video staff for the Maryland Terrapins football program, first semester as a peer consultant with the OCC.
Why did you choose to become a part of the OCC?
“So I chose to become a peer consultant at the OCC because of many reasons. One, I just love public speaking. Public speaking is something that I've kind of done at my former university a lot, and something I've always kind of wanted to keep improving on, because I always feel like you're never 100% good at it, you only keep improving.
So I transferred to the University of Maryland and I actually chose to reach out to the OCC as I learned that it’s something I could do for my major, and it turns out that I can not only learn public speaking, but I can also teach other people skills that I learned from my former University.”
What is your favorite movie?
“So I actually have two favorite movies. I am a huge horror fan. The Scream franchise is my favorite, but Scream 4 specifically. My other favorite one is Terrifier. I have the little villain from it, Art, on my keychain. Really cool, I love the movies. You know, I just think it's really funny watching a lot of people just run around in circles.”
What would you say is your worst habit when presenting/speaking publicly?
“I'd say pacing, 100%. I am a known pacer, whether it is on the phone or public speaking. Everything kind of revolves around the same one, but that is something I'm improving on because I know it is 1,000% a distraction to the audience. But just kind of learning to stay more, you know, more like a statue and really focusing on my words and slowing down.”
How do you think an OCC session is more beneficial to a client than practicing on their own?
“I think that is very beneficial, because you get to hear somebody give you feedback in person, right? That's something that you really don't find a lot, especially since we are the only type of thing on campus. There's no other thing like us. But you really get that unique feedback from people that have been in your shoes, and that can 1,000% help you, with whatever you’re trying to figure out.”
What would you say to a client who says that they’re embarrassed to practice their presentation or speech with you?
“I think everybody's been embarrassed in some form. At my former university I've presented about so much and a lot of it I don't really have a personal connection to. Therefore, it's kind of weird stepping into that class of people, and you know, I don't feel heart set on a conversation to talk about.
But, I think just everybody's been in that position, and if you come to the OCC, we're not going to judge. Like I said, everybody’s been in that situation. So really giving you good feedback and stuff you can really build off of is what I’ve got to say.”
What is the tip that you give to almost every client?
“So I think a tip that I'd give anybody coming to the OCC is really knowing your own speech. A lot of people come in and they're very scared of per se, messing up a word or putting a lot of filler words. A lot of that has to do with your pace, but a lot of it also has to do with your confidence. Everybody in the audience doesn't know what you're talking about. They know the topic, but they don't know word for word.
Something I learned from choir for the ten years I was in it is that not everybody has the same music as you. In the audience they’re not going to know what you're talking about, they're just going to enjoy your speaking or, you know, singing.
It really relates to public speaking because it's the same exact thing. You're not going to know what you're saying next. So in the event you're stumbling and you feel like you're about to stop and you don't want, you know, the audience know, just keep moving on to the next conversation. Worst case scenario, you know, they somehow get it, but most of the time they're not because they don't know exactly what you're going to say. But your professors are really going to like that because you kept going as opposed to standing there for two minutes trying to figure out your next word.”
With guidance from OCC Peer Consultants like Zachary, you can gain the tools and confidence to shine. Visit the OCC and see what you can accomplish!
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