Yasmin Arenas
Why did you decide to be a CCM major?
I decided to major in CCM because I was fascinated by rhetoric and how present it is in our everyday life. This was the first department in which I felt supported and welcomed. I genuinely look forward to going to class and being challenged by something new.
How have you applied the knowledge and theories from your coursework?
In CCM we’re constantly writing, thinking and critiquing public discourse. This aspect of the department has really made me question and deeply analyze what is being presented. Recently, I’ve really been into critical theory and incorporating that into class assignments.
How do you think your CCM knowledge will serve you post-grad?
CCM has taught me so many applicable tools, in the future I think this will serve me tremendously in any career path. Personally, I really like cooking and building community through food. I wish to open up a restaurant of my own and effectively market it with my CCM degree. Until then, I’ll be preparing for graduate school to pursue business management.
Sarah Connor
Why did you decide to be a CCM major?
I decided to be a CCM Major because it is a perfect tie between my passions for collaborating with others and creating change in society.
How have you applied the knowledge and theories from your coursework?
Besides applying graphic design knowledge to marketing material I have created for the CSL office on campus, I have reached out to companies to expand my marketing abilities. I have applied the knowledge of persuasion and how readers respond to the marketing techniques I use in the jobs I have held, or how I approach explaining things to friends/coworkers.
How do you think your CCM knowledge will serve you post-grad?
Since many of the classes are very applicable to real-world situations, I believe I will be more set up to enter the workplace than students of other majors full of specific knowledge. We have a chance to solve real problems and understand how to interact with others, something that serves individuals very well when getting a job, or doing interviews post-grad.
Claire Pockell-Wilson
Why did you decide to be a CCM major?
CCM combines many different aspects of things I am interested in and communicates teaching in a way that both makes sense to me and helps me understand how to apply concepts in the real world. Many courses I have taken have given me the vocabulary to communicate ideas that I had a harder time describing before.
How have you applied the knowledge and theories from your coursework?
I’ve applied multiple concepts from CCM to jobs outside of the department. Natalie Roadarmel and I (along with some other wonderful collaborators!) worked to create a coalitional newsletter that focused on streamlining sustainability on campus and in Salem. I have also used a variety of intersectional theories to my work at the SOAR Center. One of the best things about CCM is the applicability and interconnectedness of ideas.
How do you think your CCM knowledge will serve you post-grad?
Currently, I am doing lots of marketing work, and CCM will definitely be helpful to this work, especially looking at how certain phrasing and words can impact different audiences.
Mary Wang
Why did you decide to be a CCM major?
I became a CCM major because I realized that I could not learn the concepts anywhere else. With more technical STEM majors, while complex, I could learn the content through following textbooks and videos. Learning CCM requires discussion with your peers to help unpack the complexities of the theories. If I learned about CCM outside of the classroom setting, I would not capture the other perspectives that people bring from their diverse backgrounds.
How have you applied the knowledge and theories from your coursework?
This past semester, I've been learning about creating discursive spaces to center marginalized identities. There is this term that I resonate with, "border being", referring to a person that lives on the edge of two cultures or geographic areas. I've used the knowledge that I've gained to process my own experiences being Taiwanese-Mexican American, allowing me to understand my identity better.
How do you think your CCM knowledge will serve you post-grad?
I can definitely see how my CCM knowledge will allow me to effectively communicate ideas and concepts to various audiences post-grad. I also have the presentation skills that will allow me to keep an audience engaged with the material.