How prepared am I to be responsible/informed consumer and skilled producer of communication processes and mass media messages in the 21st century?

     When I started at Worcester State in September 2014 I didn't set off to become well-versed in feminist theory, and I certainly did not expect to find myself feeling alienated among friends and coworkers who didn't seem to understand just how pervasive gender stereotypes are for both men and women in society. However, three years later here I am struggling with the knowledge I have gained over the past three years as a student at Worcester State University. I have always wanted to change the world, and I never had an idea of what that looked like until I started taking communication courses, I had no idea that it could be possible for me to alter the way the world views women and what they are capable of. I didn't choose to major in Communication because I wanted to produce mainstream media, however I have always connected well with others and I knew whatever career I chose I needed to possess effective communication skills. 

     I found the Communication Department as I headed into my Senior year at Worcester State, and all of a sudden everything started to fall into place for me. Starting in childhood, teachers and friends alike told me my communication skills surpassed those of my peers, so studying communication processes seemed like a natural fit. I started at Worcester State as a Psychology major and switched majors four times before choosing Communication. I have been reassured by the quote in Lean In where Sheryl Sandberg states, “Careers are a jungle gym, not a ladder. There's only one way to get to the top of a ladder, but there are many ways to get to the top of a jungle gym. The jungle gym model benefits everyone, but especially women who might be starting careers, switching careers, getting blocked by external barriers, or re-entering the workforce after taking time off "(Sandberg, 2013).  

     Considering I have a double minor in Psychology and Health Education, as well as a concentration in Women’s Studies I feel I have been well prepared to become a producer and consumer of mass media in the 21^st century. Given my diverse academic background, I have been afforded the privilege of studying the various impacts that advertising have on the population as a whole, and particularly how negative stereotypes impact minority communities; women, women of color, LGBTQIA, and low-income families.  

     I took Introduction to Advertising, which sparked my interest in the field of marketing and market research. I had never understood the extensive work that went into creating advertisements that saturate our televisions and radios. Being given the opportunity to create Integrated Marketing Campaigns for hypothetical businesses within the classroom showed me how a marketing team would work together in a business setting, and shaped my ability to work creatively within that setting. By studying the various facets of marketing and advertising, I feel I am capable of producing effective messages that will reach consumers and be effective in a responsible and ethical way.