When I first entered college, I was confident about what I wanted to do with my life. I was studying political science with the intent to go to law school following my undergraduate degree. As I was moving in that direction I began to reconsider whether it was the best fit for me and my developing interests. I felt passionate about political science, but I saw the advantage of having a less specific major that would allow me to pursue more diverse career options. Following some careful review and exploration, I chose to double major in communication studies for its wide applicability.

I applied to the School of Communication at the end of my first semester and was so excited to have been accepted. This was a chance for me to expand my education and be a part of a new and growing community. Shortly after beginning my communication classes I was pleased to discover that I was not only interested in the study, but that the classes were universally relevant to what was happening in my own life. There were a lot of intersecting themes and concepts between my political science and communication classes which allowed me to make stronger connections in the material and be a more successful student.

Now, I am enrolled in a political science and communication studies combined section class called Media and Politics. The focus of this class is how the media affects the political atmosphere of the country. It highlights the ways the different forms of media have evolved to become major sources of political influence for voters and the merits and drawbacks to the various platforms. I found the overlap between politics and communication enlightening. Learning about the political process and how much influence, and ultimately control, the media has over it gave me a new perspective on American politics and led me to be more critical of the media sources I choose to put value in.

My experience as a Communication Studies major has been overwhelmingly positive. I am fortunate to have been able to enter this program and explore a new field of study. I am optimistic about my path and am looking forward to developing more in this program in the semesters to come.