My time in the communication discipline has brought me nothing but fond memories and a lifetime of knowledge. Coming into college, I originally was an Education major and switch to the Communication and Media Studies major my sophomore year because of the wide possibilities I could do with it after graduation. Throughout my studies, I learned a wide variety of communication processes such as interpersonal communication, social identity communication, family communication, and many more. Not only have my studies impacted me personally by providing me with the ability to see the world from new perspectives, but it has also taught me foundational skills that will support me in any role professionally.
As a student in Communication and Media Studies, I had the opportunity to specialize in a specific concentration. During my time, I chose to specialize in Communication. In doing so. I studied topics such as conflict communication, small group communication, and communication theory. Most of the scholarly perspectives I engaged with were social science research, as I mainly studied human behavior. After graduation, my interests lie in event planning. Whether this be in a business company setting or even as a wedding planner, my background in Communication and Media Studies will help me succeed.
In addition to my studies, I was able to gain experience with job opportunities outside of St. Norbert College. For two summers I was the Playground Coordinator for the City of Appleton where I oversaw the summer playground program which had over 1,000 children signed up. I also was responsible for overseeing a staff of 30 high school and college-aged individuals. This role allowed me to use my interpersonal skills, group communication, and conflict management skills that I had learned from class to use. Another job I had was as a Leadership Development Student Coordinator for Greek and social life at St. Norbert College. This job required me to work with campus officials and students. Through this job, I was able to practice what I had learned in my mass communication class and interpersonal communication class.
Overall, I believe that the Communication and Media Studies department at St. Norbert College does a phenomenal job of preparing students for life after graduation. Whether students are able to directly use tactics in their professional lives, or even learn new skill sets for their personal life, the topics we learned are easily adaptable to our lives. I feel that I was able to grow personally and I am grateful for the experiences the Communication and Media Studies major provided me with during my four years at St. Norbert College.
