Why did I choose to study Communication and Media Studies? There are many reasons for my decision, but one stands out: Communication is important because connection matters. Further, virtually everything we do in our daily lives today is influenced by media technologies, from the way in which we are taught and work, to the way we bank, shop and date. Communication and media studies allow people to gain a deeper understanding of the world around them, from civic engagement to consumer behavior. They prepare us to be future leaders and problem-solvers, and they challenge us to think critically and question everything around us. I was considering majoring in either communications or teaching. The thing I enjoy most in life is educating others and working with people. While in high school, I babysat extensively, so I was accustomed to working with children. However, I have always been intrigued by the media and how it shapes the world in which we live. Communications is one of the fastest growing fields in the current job market, which is one of the reasons I chose this career path. Several of today’s jobs did not even exist fifteen years ago. All organizations today require skilled communicators to reach their audiences.
My class activities, interpersonal interactions, and work experiences have helped me become a better communicator when I communicate with people and via social media. Through taking classes, I gained knowledge and skills that could be practiced and then applied to class projects. When I was interacting with friends, I was able to put those skills I learned in the classroom into practice. As a result of taking the class and practicing the skills, I have been able to form stronger bonds with my co-workers and put those skills into practice in a professional setting.
Communication was my area of concentration. This translates into offering me a valuable skill-set, applicable to any career path. Proficiency in a range of areas, including professional writing, public relations theory, marketing, and visual communication. During my time working on projects for my degree, I engaged with social scientific research the most. However, I did have a few projects that focused on critical research as well.
I had originally intended to attend the internship opportunity with the Washington Media Institute, however Covid altered my plans. At the moment, I envision myself being a business owner or project manager in 20 years. For the time being, I am looking for a job as soon as I graduate to begin paying back some of my college loans and to save some money for my eventual plan to go to graduate school. I’m still interested in educating people and social media has not changed. I have been involved in media projects since high school, whether it is filming and editing videos or examining the effects of social media. Some experiences outside of the classroom that I’ve had helped me learn along the way include some of the clubs I am a part of, my classmates, and some of my part-time jobs.
