Meredith Granmayeh is a Communication Studies and Creative Writing double major and member of the School of Communication Student Advisory Board (SAB). 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 School. Have questions, concerns, or ideas about the student experience in the School of Communication? Let her know!

Hello! My name is Meredith Granmayeh and I’m currently a Junior Communication Studies and Creative Writing double major from Houston, Texas. I am also a part of the Honors Program. In addition to being a Student Advisory Board member, I’m the Secretary for Chapman Feminists, Co-president of Sigma Tau Delta, and a member of Lambda Pi Eta.

When I first started college, the path I expected myself to take was not one I ended up sticking to. I entered Chapman my Freshman year as a Psychology major with the intention to become a licensed therapist after I graduate. This dream future was one I had thought would eventually be my reality after deciding so in eighth grade, but that all changed once I began classes at Chapman. A month into my second semester, I realized that psychology wasn’t for me as I was not interested in processes within the brain and how the mind affects people on an individual level. Instead, I desired to learn more about human interaction as well as the process of sending and receiving messages. After I went through Chapman’s catalog, I determined that Communication Studies was for me, and I sent in an application to change my major.

Once I was accepted, I turned in a major change form into the registrar’s office within hours of finding this out. My feelings of joy were crushed the next day when students and faculty received an email that the rest of the semester would take place online due to the Coronavirus pandemic. My focus, then, had to shift to moving back home as soon as possible and adjusting to this new format of school.

When fully online classes continued into Fall of 2020, I was anxious about the fact that my first communication classes would take place on Zoom and Canvas. I wouldn’t be able to learn in a classroom environment or interact with my fellow classmates in person. All of my nerves went away once I began the semester as I loved the content taught in my courses, had great relationships with my professors and classmates, and I became a part of a consistently supportive community. Attending school online did not hinder my enjoyment of communication, but rather helped to foster the enthusiasm I have for my major and the School of Communication.

Because of how positive of an experience I had switching majors and starting my communication classes online, I chose to apply to be a member of the Student Advisory Board. I wanted to join the board because this group prioritizes the needs of students while also working to maintain good relationships between students and faculty members. To add on, I appreciate this group for its efforts to actively improve the School of Communication. The board listens to those who are a part of the communication community and implements their suggestions which I admire.

For some other information about me, I like to spend my free time reading books, writing stories and journaling, traveling around Orange Country, and spending time with my cute cat, Inky. Also, I hope to become a full-time professional writer after I’m done with my studies. I’m not sure what I want to write as I am pretty open to anything.

Overall, I’m so grateful for the opportunity I have been given to be on the board. I can’t wait to start helping and representing other communication students!