How did you find Communication Studies?
I found Communication Studies after beginning college undeclared. I was trying to discover a field of study that would not only bolster my qualifications for law school, but that I would also find applicable and enjoyable. My first semester I took COMM 101 and was sold. By the time Monday of finals week rolled around I had declared my two majors.
What do you like most about being a Communication Studies Major?
One of my favorite things about being a Communication Studies major is being able to experience the wide variety of courses that our major has to offer. I like the fact that I could go the traditional route of taking classes like Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking to learn more about how to talk in front of others. Yet I love that we are given the opportunity to go deeper into what we are specifically interested in. In undergrad alone, I could learn about the art of persuasion in Theories of Persuasion, or learn about how to rally people around a cause in organizing social change, or learn about bridging barriers in intercultural communication. Our field of study is focused on the act of communication, with a personal emphasis on the people who are communicating.
What is your favorite class?
My favorite class has been COMM 486 Communication Organizational Culture and Power. Throughout my participation in student organizations and workplaces, I have always been fascinated in how the cultures of organizations not only differ from place to place, but also in how subcultures differ from one another and change over time. In this course, Dr. Krone enhanced my awareness of the topic and gave me a better set of tools to analyze and talk about organizational culture.
What cool experiences have you had as an undergraduate student here at UNL?
I have had quite a few amazing experiences throughout my time at UNL. Limiting it to two, I have had the opportunity to represent UNL in Model United Nations at our annual conference in New York on three separate occasions. In these conferences, I had to research and emulate the diplomatic policies of Afghanistan, Sudan, and Azerbaijan. The conferences would conclude with a visit to the United Nations Headquarters. Additionally, during the summer following my sophomore year, I took the leap and studied abroad in Brussels, Belgium. Here I got the chance to practice my French while taking a course on the history of the European Union and participating in an internship with a small law firm.
What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation I plan to take a gap year or two to work and otherwise prepare for law school.
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