Portfolio Major Research: B.S. in Communication Studies
Michael Friant
Professor Ruwe
Uni 201 807
4 November 2020
Portfolio Major Research: B.S. in Communication Studies
One of the most powerful tools a minority group has is effective communication. For example, the publicizing and execution of the historic “Capital Crawl,”(individuals with disabilities crawling up the steps of the United States capital) which led to passing of the Americans For Disabilities Act of 1990. This caused people to see the disability community as capable of doing anything that they set their mind to which in turn influenced laws, norms, attitudes, and the interactions between the minority group and the general community, thus, making the world a more equitable place for us all to cohabitate together. As a person with cerebral palsy (CP) who experiences inequality in our society and shares these instances on social media and occasionally in talks to groups, improving the effectiveness of current strategies of articulating and presenting arguments and learning new strategies will shape me into a more powerful advocate for myself and the disability community. This paper will discuss the meaning of communication, why I chose to major in communication, how my time at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) will benefit me in the future, the current trends of the communication major, and the projected outlook of the major.
To be an effective disability advocate, whether online or as a public speaker, an individual must know and apply the meaning of communication. According to Alison Doyle in the article entitled “Important Public Speaking Skills for Workplace Success,” an individual needs to have clear articulation, an engaging presentation style, to be able to assess the needs of their audience, and to have composition skills (Doyle, 2019). This is saying an individual should be able to construct words and present them in such a way which resonates with their specific audience in order to be successful. For instance, let us say that someone is opposed to a person with CP being allowed to zip line due to having to climb steps. This person pushes back implying that he is aware that there are steps to climb in such a way that persuades the individual to support him zip lining. An disability advocate who is able to apply these simple but powerful techniques will no doubt be able to influence their audience’s thinking and actions regarding the disability community.
As an individual with a disability who experiences both blissful ignorance and blatant discrimination, majoring in communication will equip me with the tools to be an effective advocate for myself. For example, let us say that I find myself in a predicament where someone is stating that it would not be safe for me to participate in an event. Instead of getting frustrated and speaking or posting on a whim, I can formulate a clear argument for why I should be allowed to participate in the event with the intention of persuading the person to in be in favor of me participating in the event.
Beyond the success of majoring in communication in my own life, I will be setting myself up for success when I have a larger platform. In the article named “Social Media and Advocacy Communication Research: Implications and Trends,” Oluwatoyin Latifat Kareem and Mofoluke Ibidunni states, “Advocacy is fundamental in building support for public policies. Effective communication is necessary for the success of advocacy and advocates need to collaborate with the media to publicize their activities so that there can be access to thousands/millions of concerned voices sharing information widely” (Kareem, Ibidunni, p. 41). The authors are saying that advocates with effective communication strategies have a greater likelihood of influencing policies and having the media publish their work which in turn would reach a larger audience. Learning effective communication strategies which will boost my chances of being featured by media organizations or influencing policies, which is vital to having my voice heard when it comes to issues regarding the disability community.
While having my voice heard when deciding policies and getting published by new organizations is an aspiration, I am actively raising my chances by taking classes at UNCW. For instance, being enrolled in Communication classes that will no doubt continue to teach me how to be an effective rhetor, through word choices and structures, ways to professionally deescalate tense situations, and ways to construct arguments, is preparing me for a career where I most likely will only have one opportunity to present my case and leave a positive impression on my targeted audience. Taking integrated marketing communication courses will equip me to know the best strategies to employ in my social media presence as to attract the attention of new followers and news organizations. Moreover, minoring in history will help me to understand which strategies other minority communities have effectively employed in their advocacy. My general university classes in social studies will help me to understand how the human brain works when encountering unfamiliar situations. Learning all of this information during my time at UNCW will undoubtedly set me up for success both as an advocate for the disability community and within any job opportunities within the communication field.
While I am attending UNCW with the intent of being an established paid advocate for the disability community, the current trends of the more established communication major field is positive. Dr. Emily Jones, an adjunct communications professor at UNCW states, “In general, communication studies majors are thriving currently. Organizations are realizing the importance of communication and relationships when it comes to maintaining an effective business and therefore there are lots of opportunities for communication related positions” (Jones, 2020) This is encouraging news for a communication major whose ideal job will take time to establish. In the meantime though, applying for job with an organization or nonprofit that does advocacy work for the disability community, with hopes of being hired, ought to be plentiful. In turn, this job would boost my resume and give me a platform to build my presence as an advocate for the disability community.
While the current trends of the communication major are positive, the projected growth of the communication industry is to expand. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics Website, “Overall employment of film and video editors and camera operators is projected to grow 18 percent from 2019 to 2029...” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). This is also very positive news for a communication major who is learning about integrated marketing strategies. By the time I graduate, there should be more opportunities to apply for jobs in hopes that I will get hired. If hired, I will be building on my skills as a video editor by collaborating with other editors and extending my professional network.
As a communication major who is motivated by my own experiences as an individual with CP to become a paid advocate for myself and the disability community, this is the ideal major to be in. Just as the disability advocates of the “Capital Crawl” effectively applied the communication strategies that they had learned, these years of expanding my own toolbox of techniques for effective communication strategies will only set me up for success to hopefully influence laws, norms, and people’s attitudes towards me and the disability community.
Works Cited:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, “Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators,” Occupational Outlook Handbook, 01 September 2020. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/film-and-video-editors-and-camera-operators.htm (visited October 25, 2020)
Doyle, Alison. “Important Public Speaking Skills for Workplace Success,” TheBalanceCarreer.com, 28 December 2019. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/public-speaking-skills-with-examples-2059697
Jones, Emily. Personal interview. 06 October 2020.
Latifat, Oluwatoyin & Ibidunni, Mofoluke. “Social Media and Advocacy Communication Research: Trends and Implications,” Badcock Journal of Mass Communication, 2019, p.37-52. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335293153_Social_Media_and_ Advocacy_Communication_Research_Trends_and_Implications