Finding Our Place

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As a college student and a Communication Studies major I know I have spent a fair amount of time imagining where exactly my skill set will fit in the workplace after college. Different students within the major will all take different things from each course as our perceptions and intentions will inevitably vary. We went around the classroom at the beginning of the semester like we always do in college, in order to introduce everyone and tell the class a little bit about ourselves. One of the things we were prompted to tell the class is what we wanted to do when we finish school. There were countless different responses and career fields that were mentioned; I told the class that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I mention this to provide some context as to how I interpret the class. If my interest were in PR, then I would be drawn toward different aspects of the course and the information it offered.

Through working together as a class to interpret our textbook and bring to life our definition of corporate communication, I was brought a lot of peace. It became more evident to me that the things we practice every day as Communication Studies majors are some of the things that have stood out in the progress made by excellent organizations, and likewise in their absence have contributed to the decline of good companies. I am talking about leading others, working in groups, and analyzing scenarios in order to not only identify problem areas but suggest sound, thought-out solutions. Being able to measure and interpret things which only exist within our day to day experiences is a skill that will no doubt set me apart as a valuable asset.

What do I know? How do I know it? How can I use it?

All questions that when implemented correctly can guide a company and a person to success.

Wade Boteler

Comments

6 responses to “Finding Our Place”

November 17, 2010

Erin Hamil

I agree with you that leading others, working in groups and analyzing various scenarios are all things that we get a lot of exposure to and practice with as Communication Studies majors. I think that these skills, especially by the time we graduate, are well developed thus making us very marketable and valuable to any corporation. However, our communication skills is just one thing that makes up our individual brands.

I liked the questions you asked at the conclusion of your blog: “What do I know? How do I know it? How can I use it?” These are questions we should ask ourselves when trying to determine our individual brands. What we know may be something that others don’t know or maybe we know it in a deeper context; being knowledgeable about that which others are not makes us stand out. How we come to know these things may be that we went to a university or have background exposure to such things; this experiences are often what makes us unique. Lastly, if we can utilize these tools skillfully and eloquently we are likely to draw followers, admirers and success; enrolling people to promote your brand and also managing evolution of your skill-set also contributes to your personal brad. I enjoyed your blog and found that it closely related to integrated marketing and branding.

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November 23, 2010

Brittany collins

Studying in the communication dept. has a lot to due with working with each other, being a leader and learning different aspects from different classes. I know that what I learn isn’t what someone body else is going to take and thats okay because I have a different view of what i want to do. Just like you, if you were more interested in something the chances of you taking more from that class is higher then you taking anything from a class you don’t care about.

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November 27, 2010

Ashley DiPaolo

This is my first semester at UNCW as well as my first experience with the Department of Communication Studies at UNCW. This semester has taught me a lot, and has helped me look at my day to day interactions in a whole new light. I am learning skills and concepts that i already had, but now it comes to life in my everyday world. What i think is really awesome is that we not only learn about ourselves, and those around us, but that the bigger world out there, the corporate world, is also made up of these experiences and concepts that we come in contact with everyday.

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November 28, 2010

Jessica Marsh

I really respected the fact that you admitted you were unsure what you wanted to do coming into college. I feel as though many people don’t but are scared to admit it. That is one of the reason I decided to become a COM major. There are so many different things you can learn and apply to your life from COM courses. Coming into college I chose COM studies because I knew there were many careers I would like to persue with a Communications degree but I was not sure exactly what I would be learning or what the Communications courses entailed. I had no idea how much I would learn or what the amazing professors in the COM department were going to open my eyes to. I’m about to graduate in May and honestly, I still am not sure what I want to do. But unlike the beginning of college, I know I am prepared for what life throws at me.

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November 30, 2010

Lee Faison

When I joined the communication studies department and decided to major in communication studies I had no clue what I wanted to do with it. The great thing about this major is that you can get a job in just about any field because every job needs communication. In taking a variety of the classes in this field I learned what parts of the department were more geared towards me. I have mainly began to focus on the production aspect of communications but taking classes like IMC have been a blessing in that it has opened my eyes to all of the other possible jobs related to the field.

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November 30, 2010

Stephen M. Deininger-Bell

I think this is a great blog post regarding the Communication Department here at Wilmington. I, like others, didn’t really know what I was going to do with my degree when I got out of college. Recently, however, I have been in countless situations where the skills that I’ve learned in my Communication Studies classes have benefited me greatly and set me apart from others. I just started a photography business here in town and every shoot that I go on requires “leading others, working in groups, and analyzing scenarios in order to not only identify problem areas but suggest sound, thought-out solutions,” just like Wade mentioned. Com Studies majors really are set apart from others and our ability to dominate a situation positively is a skill we will use for the rest of our lives.

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