Communications.

I came to Cornerstone University as a young woman longing to change the world. I had big ideas and so many passions I wanted to pursue. I was determined to narrow them down and decide what my major and minors would be as soon as possible.

Throughout my Freshman year I changed my major several times. I started as a social work major because of my passion for social justice, but realized after taking the intro class that social work was not for me. I was advised to try a business major because of my executing and organizational strengths, so I declared an International Business major. This combined my business oriented strengths with my love for other cultures and travel. However, I just couldn't see myself as a businesswoman.

Over the summer leading into my Sophomore year I tried to create an interdisciplinary degree combining my interests in communications, ministry, creativity, and Spanish. Through that process I found that I could major in strategic communications and minor in Spanish and ministry and still potentially graduate early. I decided to go this route and have loved it ever since.

Strategic communications is a major that has all of the elements of general communications but includes opportunities to learn about marketing, specific varieties of communications, and media skills. This field of study helps me to enhance my natural communications skills as well as develop areas I would not seek to learn about otherwise.

As soon as I decided to pursue communications it became obvious to me that I had always been and was meant to be a communicator. Every one of my passions aligns with the field of communications.

I love public speaking and feel most confident when sharing in front of a group of people. I have had opportunities to speak at my university, in public speaking competitions, church, classes, as well as speaking weekly at the on-campus ministry I co-created.

I am a writer. I have written short books for pleasure, had a personal blog at every stage of my life, and now intern as a student blogger at my university.

I participated in theatre throughout high school and developed communications skills through improv and performance.

I highly prioritize relationships and interpersonal communication. I am passionate about making connections and developing them.

I am an advocate. Because of my passion for social justice I sought out that initial major in Social Work, but have found that my skills fit elsewhere.

I believe that communication is not a static field, but is constantly developing and changing. I want to be one of the bearers of change, to seek innovative and new ways to communicate. I cannot wait to see how these skills develop as I move from university into my career.

I am so grateful to my friends, family, faculty and staff at my university that helped me realize I am a communicator and have supported me in my decision to pursue the communications field.