We Made It!

Is this it? Is this really the ending of my time at UNCW? I can’t believe it. It feels like I was just in my first summer semester class with Coach Honeycutt, PE 101, the last “basic studies” class I needed to take before I could begin my journey of courses in the Communication Studies Department. I was a transfer student from Carteret Community College and although I was a Junior, my experience at a university was more like beginning as a freshman. I can remember the nervousness of starting that Fall semester 2009, I mean I had the experience of being on campus from the summer class but I had never been use to so many people. Especially COM 105, there was somewhere around 140 students (a number not so overwhelming now). I still am amazed at how well Dr. Weber commanded attention to the students and captured my interest, impressively it was his first semester teaching that class, and it wasn’t until the end of the semester that I found that out. I owe Dr. Weber a lot of respect and gratitude for how well he guided me that semester and continued thereafter. Without his direction and the many daily visits to his office, I’m not sure I would be graduating right now. After all, I did drop out of UNCG in my freshman semester. However, because Dr. Weber personally continued to remember my name throughout my time here at UNCW, offering leadership and advising, it allowed me to become more comfortable within the Com Department. And that’s the thing right there. Almost every professor in the Com Department can remember my name, that’s amazing! Especially with all the students that come through their class doors. Never before have I experienced such a large collection of professors who truly cared about me as a student and on a personal level. And I’ve attended 2 other colleges. They’ve made me feel very special and honored to be a part of UNCW.

I owe a special and kind thank you to Dr. Brunson, who only had me in one summer class, but even so gives a friendly smile to me in passing and still calls me by name. Out of all the required Core classes I enjoyed her class, Communication Theory, the most. The warmth and kindness she has expressed really made me wish I could have  had her as a professor for COM 490, but I have tremendously enjoyed professor Kelly Dixon this semester. Kelly (as she likes to be called) taught Interpersonal Communication in my first full semester and the confident yet jovial attitude she expresses every single day, even now in COM 490, always makes me want to attend her classes. No matter how dry the lecture, Kelly always made the concepts and terms fun. I’ll never forget her fav. expressions like “devastated”. And I don’t see how I could’ve relaxed through all of COM 490 without her positive upbeat attitude.

I also would like to recognize Dr. Persuit; and not because she’s my professor now and oversees this blog; and not because I want to flatter her and get some kind of bonus credit or something; but because I’ve never been so challenged at UNCW by someone who has not only such a hard work ethic, but is possibly one of the most intelligent professors I’ve ever heard lecture. And that’s saying a lot because all of our professors in the Com Department are highly intelligent. At the beginning of this semester one of our classmates said they were intimidated of Dr. Persuit (and this is someone who is very confident), and I can agree solely because I’ve never wanted to let her down or disappoint her. Ever. Yet I always feel like I will, or something. But I want to thank her not because of all of those things; but because she truly motivates me to do better. Back in the day, I had a high school teacher that once said, “Good, better, best. Do until your good is better and your better is best.” I’ve always wanted my best to come through in her classes, and in all the 3 classes I’ve had with her, I hope I’ve accomplished at least this much. But it’s such a relief to know that a lot of stress is almost over and that I will graduate. However, bittersweet. I have truly enjoyed my time at UNCW and the Communication Studies professors have made my experience here one of the best in my life.

-JC Salter

Holy shit, I’m graduating from college!  Not the most proper way to convey my feelings, but I can think of no other words that adequately describe my thoughts on this monumental experience.  A few short weeks ago, I uttered the same phrase with fear and uncertainty.  I’ve been a student for most of my life, and soon I wasn’t going to be.  What was I going to do?  The thought terrified me.  However, I now embrace graduation and I am SO ready for it.  I know I’ve been working toward this goal for the past four years, but now it’s a reality and I couldn’t be more excited and optimistic for what my future holds.

During my time at UNCW I have grown and learned so much, both in and out of the classroom.  The people I’ve met have enriched my life in ways that I never thought possible.  It hasn’t always been a walk in the park (Com 200 memories anyone?), but I wouldn’t trade my college experience for anything.

I came into UNCW with the intentions of being a Communication Studies major, and although I thought about switching, a few times I am so glad that I stuck with it.  I found the major that works with my brain; everything I’ve learned makes sense and I can see it applied in real life.  This is probably due to some of the awesome professors I’ve had.  Kelly Dixon made Interpersonal, Organizational and my Capstone classes that I enjoyed attending and has given me some of the best advice outside of the classroom.  Dr. Persuit fostered my love (and sometimes hatred) of IMC and corporate communications, and introduced me to the world of Public Relations, the field I have chosen to go into when I graduate.  Jennifer Chin further drove home the concepts of PR, and let me know how it was going to be in the real world.  These three women really made my time at UNCW something I loved and enjoyed, and for that I cannot thank them enough.

-Eliza Wadson

Graduation has snuck up much quicker than I had expected.  How is it possible that my college career is almost over?  Surprisingly, my attitude towards graduation is bittersweet.  The excitement and hype of graduating is unreal, but I wish I could experience college for a little longer.  I’m sure most of us graduating seniors agree, right?  This is the same feeling I had when I graduated from high school.  The idea of entering into another world, so to speak, gives me a broad range of emotions.  Where do I go from here?  What new people will I meet?  Will my friends and I stay in contact with one another?

Only time will tell….

I’ve changed immensely over the time I have spent at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.  I have met people from different areas in the country, had my fair share of long nights followed by early mornings, spent hours on end in Club Randall, and drank an incalculable amount of iced caramel macchiatos to say the least.  However, all of these things only led me down the path that got me to where I am now.

I will leave UNCW with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies and a large amount of gratitude goes out to all whom helped me achieve this.  Yes, there were times when I just wanted to blow off a paper or do the least amount on a project, but my conscience wouldn’t have it.  If I would have done that I wouldn’t be graduating with honors and I would have more than likely let down members of my group.  To all my fellow COM majors, you know what I’m talking about when it comes to group work and how much time is spent in basically every COM class each semester with a group.  For those of you in COM 200 or on the verge of taking COM 200 (or whatever it is going to be called next year due to the renumbering of the course list), that is only the beginning of group work.  My advice?  Strap-in, work hard, be a team player, prepare for all obstacles regarding conflicting opinions and handle them the most ethical way possible.

I know that in my future career of public relations and integrated marketing communication, I will look back on my time at UNCW and refer to the advice and knowledge that all of my professors bestowed upon me.  They are well-educated in what they teach and make an impact on the lives of their students.  I see myself a year from now in the workforce with a specific project thinking…what would Dr. Persuit or Jennifer Chin suggest that I do?  All in all, I know that I’ll find myself hearing a song or being put in a certain situation that will take me back to my days at UNCW and remind me of all the good times that I had.  These are the days that, although frightening, I look forward too.

-Danielle Dorantich