About

From an early age I was taught that to be successful you needed to apply yourself and earn that “A”. After earning my only “C”, in third grade math, I became focused on my education and on earning the highest scores I could. In 2009 I graduated from West Geauga High School summa cum laude and top five in my class. Even with these high accolades I lacked a direction as I entered my first year at the University of Cincinnati as an undecided/exploratory student.

During my first year of college I explored different curriculum, searching for the drive and passion that would carry me through college and into a career. For a brief time I considered Communications as a major before discovering and falling in love with Electronic Media.The Electronic Media division offered something that other majors around campus did not. I knew that I was good at math, science, english and the traditional academic subjects, but they did not offer the challenge that E-Media could.
My first year in E-Media was a whirlwind of new information. I was able to work with and learn about technology that was foreign to me such as web, video and audio editing. This new major challenged my creativity and forced me to adapt critical thinking, that I learned through science and math, for use with technology. During my classes I realized that these new skills did not come as easily as the traditional subjects had. I found myself putting in more and more time practicing my skills, where before I had breezed through assignments. E-Media was not easy but it was, and still is, challenging and gratifying.

Through these lessons I learned the value of hard work and was able to become an asset to the many teams I would join in and outside of the classroom. After three months as a general member of Bearcast Radio, UC’s student run internet radio station, I became the assistant training director. I was excited to gain even more responsibilities within the organization when I became the promotions director the following year.

While Bearcast has been my biggest extracurricular achievement, I have been very involved within the major. I have worked with MEISA, an audio club, CCM Tribunal, the political group for the College Conservatory of Music, served as a tour guide for E-Media, updated the E-Media website and pitched in courting prospective students for the major.

Now a recent graduate I have been honored by the E-Media faculty by being selected as the 2012 John and Joan Strader Outstanding Senior Scholarship Award recipient and graduating Magna Cum Laude. Everyday I still give 100% to develop my skills and relationships and to stay current in Electronic Media.

Looking back, I realize I could have easily chosen a major that would pay the bills quickly, but would not have satisfied my need for a challenge. I know that every day I spend in the field working on my E-Media skills I will be learning, adapting and most of all I will be happy.