Star Wars Personal Statement

I grew up watching Star Wars. Some of my earliest memories were watching the original trilogy on VHS with my grandma. I vividly remember going to theatres to watch the prequels. Words cannot express the emotions I had seeing this worlds and characters come to life before my eyes. Ever since then, I knew that I wanted to make movies. Fast forward a decade or so, there is now a new Star Wars trilogy gearing up and I am going to college to get a degree in Communications.

I chose my major because I loved producing media and want to have a career in it. Expressing myself in an artistic and cinematic way is my reason for living; it is so much of who I am and how I define myself. I want to do that for the rest of my life and this degree will help accomplish that. I have loved my major so far. Prior to this year, I had only taken Introduction to Mass Communication. However, I am currently taking Video Production, Audio

Production, and Argumentation & Persuasion.
Most of my questions about my major was about what was in store for me. So, I asked two of my professors, Cathy Coomer and, department head, Dr. Jeffery Gentry about the
upper-level courses in the degree and what they entailed. Prof. Coomer stated that they were “more advanced either in research and/or production-driven.” Dr. Gentry added that “Although they tend to be more challenging, some students perform better in them because of their greater focus and perceived relevance.” I agree with both of my professors. I am currently taking one 3000-level course (Argumentation & Persuasion) and, while it is definitely more advanced and challenging that the others, I find the subject very interesting and I cannot wait to take more upper-level courses. Furthermore, I asked my professors about the Senior Capstone and what exactly happens with it. Prof. Coomer described it as “very intense, because the class represents everything you have learned while at RSU” and went on to say that you could do many different projects depending on your emphasis. Dr. Gentry stated that “students are surprised at the high level of work they are capable of.” I also got more information about the Capstone process, but I do not have the space to tell about all the valuable knowledge I gained from the interviews. However, I do know that I am eager to see the product that I make when that time comes.
For my research, I also interviewed a relatively recent RSU Communications graduate.

His name is Josh Gammon and he manages and creates digital content for Fox23.com and across its social media platforms. So, I asked him how his degree helped him get him to where he is today. And, Josh answered:

My degree gave me a broad insight into the media industry, how it operates and what the future could hold for it. Learning how to write effectively for quick consumption was invaluable because it is something I do at work every day. I think that skill helped me get to where I am because I was an effective writer and ready to go as soon as I started applying for media jobs.

I found it so cool that our degree could be used in such an interesting way, which was something that I was surprised about a lot while researching. A Communications degree is very versatile. This was very apparent when I asked my professors what careers past graduates of the degree have gone onto. Both rattled off tons of different jobs in the media and corporate sectors. I was very

surprised.
I asked all three of my interviewees what course would they recommend to non-Communications majors. This was tough for them to choose, but eventually they all came up with one. Dr. Jeffery Gentry chose Global Communication because it is “exotic.” Josh Gammon said that his favorite courses were Directing and Scriptwriting and would recommend them because “they were very beneficial in learning time management as well as managing others and being a leader.” Lastly, Cathy Coomer chose Video Production “because everyone, at one time or another, shoots with a camera” and they would benefit from knowing how to frame a shot. I particularly agreed with Video Production, because it is a great skill to have and, so far, it is an excellent course.
The sky is the limit with a Communications degree. It is a very versatile degree and many graduates play very active roles in media and corporate careers. I want to make films for a living and I think that this degree is a great step in the right direction.