Steele Viverette is a double major in Political Science and Global Communication and World Languages with an emphasis in French. He is also the SoC 2020-2021 SGA Representative and a member of the School of Communication Student Advisory Board. The SAB advocates for the needs of students in the SoC by serving as the student voice to the administration and generating and implementing programs and initiatives designed to enhance the student experience within the SoC. Have questions, concerns, or ideas about the student experience in the School of Communication? Let him know! 

Hello! My name is Steele Viverette and I am currently a junior here at Chapman, double majoring in Global Communication and World Languages as well as Political Science!

Growing up in Virginia, I was excited to use my transition to college as an opportunity to
adventure outside of my comfort zone and explore somewhere new. My primary goal while searching for a college was to find somewhere in Southern California that was warm and beautiful- two criteria that Chapman certainly meets. Chapman has emerged, however, as so much more than a beautiful campus close to the beach. This university, and specifically the School of Communication, has become a home to me and has given me not only countless opportunities for growth, but a network of friends and mentors that will remain with me for the rest of my life.

I began my Chapman journey as an undeclared student, housed in Glass Hall with my fellow peers who were still exploring their options in terms of the different schools within Chapman. Through my interactions with students across disciplines at Chapman, one school emerged consistently as a place that celebrates a strong community and a commitment to its students- the School of Communication. After one meeting with SoC Academic Advisor, Dr. Andrea Weber, I knew exactly what everyone was talking about and that I would be able to find a home in this school. I declared a major in Communication Studies that week and ever since have been growing more and more attached to this school. I eventually changed my major to Global Communication and World Languages in order to incorporate my passion for French into my studies, an incredible opportunity that was brought to my attention once again through SoC’s incredible academic advising program. 

The School of Communication has continuously provided me with more opportunities to gain experience and take on responsibilities that I never could have dreamed of before. My sophomore year, after meeting SoC professor, Dr. Megan Vendemia, I was offered the opportunity to work with her as an undergraduate research assistant. I continue to work with Dr. Vendemia to this day and the research that we have done together has been among the most rewarding experiences that I have gotten to be a part of throughout my time at Chapman. Our research on online dating during the Covid-19 pandemic even provided me with the opportunity to help author a research paper that has been submitted to a national conference and academic journal! 

The end of my sophomore year brought with it another incredible opportunity- an open seat for
Senator for the School of Communication within Chapman’s Student Government Association (SGA). I was fortunate enough to win that election and have had the incredible privilege of representing the SoC during the 2020-2021 academic year. My work with SGA has given me an opportunity to give back to this school that has given me so much. Furthermore, my position on SGA led to an offer to join the SoC Student Advisory Board as a liaison to student government. One of my first initiatives was to introduce a Diversity and Inclusion Training that would be available for SoC students as the start of an effort to address the issues of inequality and racial injustice that plague our nation. The training, which was a partnership with the organization Orange County Human Relations (OCHR) was an opportunity for students to come together and voice their feelings about their SoC experience and to brainstorm how we can improve as a school and a university. As a continuation of the conversation started during this training, we then established a SoC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force, which currently works to enact changes that aim to strengthen the culture, environment, and structure of our school to ensure it is a welcoming, safe place for all.

I have grown so much from my time within the School of Communication and I am thrilled to give back to it both as a member of SGA and of the Student Advisory Board. My hope is that all students within this school feel comfortable coming to me to voice any concerns or recommendations that can be used to make this wonderful place even better. To everyone reading this, please know that I, SGA, and the Student Advisory Board are here for you and we want to hear from you, so never be afraid to use your voice. Together we can do amazing things!