How did you find Communication Studies?
When I first came to the University, I was just a Criminal Justice major; I didn't have any declared minors. I was apart of the Speech and Debate team and they explained how Communication Studies overlaps with some of the work we do with the team. I decided to take some of the Speech and Debate classes for credit, and after that I just wanted to learn more about rhetoric and how to be persuasive so I thought adding a minor in Communication Studies would be a good fit for me.
What do you like most about being a Communication Studies minor?
One thing I really enjoy is looking at the faculty that are involved in the Communication Department. I have yet to meet someone in the department that I find to be either unintelligent or even of average intelligence. They are all above and beyond what I normally expect of a professor. I also find the ways in which communication can be used to be extremely interesting, and I love being able to understand it further. I specifically enjoy learning more about persuasive techniques that can influence us, not only as people but also as consumers and employees.
What has been your favorite class in Communication?
So far, my favorite communication class has been Aaron Duncan’s Theory of Persuasion. I thought it was very interesting to look at the ways in which companies use advertisements to persuade us as individuals. We were also asked to use these techniques to create a social movement for a project. I found that to be a very interesting take and structure of the class.
What cool experiences have you had at UNL?
Being on the Debate Team has really opened up a lot of avenues for me, not only in terms of competitive success, but also the connections I can make within that community. These connections have created the opportunity for me to teach and be apart of the Justice Debate League, where I go into prisons and teach debate to inmates.
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