Michael is a Senior Communication Studies and Global Studies double major, with minors in Political Science and German.
How did you find Communication Studies?
I took a communication class as part of my ACE courses and really enjoyed it. I always thought of myself as being a good communicator so when I felt like I needed to add something to help market myself for jobs in the future, Communication Studies seemed like the best option.
What do you like most about being a Communication Studies major?
The part that I like the most is that we learn about everyday situations. Some of the stuff we learn, on the surface, seems so fundamental and obvious, but when we look closer and start to see patterns emerge it starts to change your perspective. We observe how situations can be handled differently with various styles of communication and it really helps in everyday life with how I view the world and interact with people. It has made me more aware of the common mistakes people make as well as more aware of how relationships work on an interpersonal level and the best way to maintain relationships.
What is your favorite class?
My favorite class was the Theories of Persuasion. It was one of the more difficult classes that I took within the major, but it was also one of the most thought provoking that I have had in college. Looking closer at what influences people was really interesting and insightful. It was also very practical because we influence people all the time without even knowing it and, maybe, more importantly we are influenced all the time without knowing it. Studying the inner workings of those two dynamics was extremely interesting as well as practical.
What are some of the cool experiences you've had as a student at UNL?
I have been involved in a variety of things on campus. I have been the Vice President of my fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, as well as a senator in the student government. I am a member of the Student Conduct Board as well as the Arts and Sciences Student Advisory Board. I have interned for the AARP as an Advocacy Intern as well as being an intern for United States Senator Deb Fischer. I was also able to study abroad in Germany for 7 weeks and backpack around Europe for a month afterwards.
What are your post-graduation plans?
After graduating, I am going to law school. I am not sure which school I want to attend yet, but I am interested in either Criminal Law in hopes of being a public defender and potentially a prosecutor or International Law working with International litigation.
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