Mission Statement
As a woman, a communicator, a student, a sister, and a friend, I am committed to doing my part to make the world better for myself and others. I value honesty, commitment, hard work, thoughtfulness, and concern for those around me. I will demonstrate these values in my personal and professional life by:
· Taking into consideration the best interest of everyone, not just of myself.
· Dedicating myself fully to what I do, whether it be a project from work or putting something together for my loved ones.
· Spending ample time to plan or research before making a decision.
· Creating work that I can be proud of not only because it is truthful, but because it “the best I can do.”
By keeping in mind these guidelines, I am confident that I will excel at future professional endeavors and will find happiness in life and in those around me.
In my time at Alverno, I have grown as a communicator by improving skills I already knew I had and by discovering those I had yet to uncover. I take pride in being able to comfortably address an audience. I am able to convey my confidence and knowledge of the topic matter to the audience, and I can create effective, eye catching visual aids that support my presentation. I’m a strong writer, but my writing is versatile as well. I can create a serious, factual piece, but I can also use words and tone to evoke emotion and connection between the reader and my subject. Communicating on an interpersonal level is important to me as well. I listen to what the other person has to say, and I respond after making sure I am clear on the message they are trying to send me. I make eye contact, I speak clearly, and I use body language, facial expression, and tone of voice to connect with the person and make sure they understand my point. Clarity and understanding are the most important aspects of communicating a message, no matter what medium is used, and I feel that I display them and use them to my best advantage.
As a student, Alverno is my greatest support in my professional development. This summer I will be working with the staff at Voces de la Frontera, a bilingual newspaper located on Milwaukee’s south side. I look forward to the experience I will gain through working with professionals at a well known publication. I hope that I will get the opportunity to write for the newspaper; based on the feedback I received from the Assistant Director on my writing samples, I think this will be a possibility. I have also been recruited by Alverno staff to work with college level students in the Alverno Writing Center. I anticipate many opportunities in the near future to utilize my skills in writing and in other forms of communication.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Feature Story
*As part of my Professional Communication coursework, I wrote this hard news story. This has not been published in any place other than this blog.
8th Grade Students Learn to Improve Their Community
It’s early Friday morning, about an hour and a half after sunrise, but there is no sound to be heard. Standing on a street corner at the top of the hill is a figure in all black. Blue and green strands of hair stand out against the black hat keeping the face from view. A large, dark bag sits at his feet. He stands motionless for a few minutes until a loud rumbling begins. He grabs the bag by the strap, throws it over his shoulder, and steps forward. A school bus pulls up. Silence is quickly replaced with loud chattering and laughter, and the boy is greeted with a loud, “Hi Grant!” from a seat towards the back of the bus.
Today is the day the 7th and 8th grade students from Fernwood Elementary leave for their trip to Camp Matawa, in Southeast Wisconsin. They will spend five days at the YMCA camp participating in various activities. Representatives from the YMCA boast that it is “a great place to make new friends, learn about nature and have fun.” There’s more to the camp than just fun and games, though.
Grant and his friend Essavier, both in 8th grade, went to Camp Matawa last year as well. “Camp sounds fun, but we actually do a lot of work,” Grant explained, “[Last year,] we re-shoed the horses and cleaned up after the cows [at a nearby farm].” Grant also feels that combining service work with recreation will help to give adults a positive perception of people his age. “I know a lot of adults think we just start trouble and act stupid, but maybe if they knew about the good stuff we do, they’d see us differently,” Grant said.
Matthew Ray, Grant’s teacher, feels similarly. He and his students also have a project, begun in 2007, in which the students built and continue to tend to a greenhouse on the school grounds. “You hear about ‘going green,’ but kids don’t always understand what that means. Tending to these plants and learning about the environment really give them a concrete example of why we should take care of our planet,” Ray explains.
“Working in the greenhouse makes me feel like we’re doing more than just going to school,” Grant said, smiling. “It feels like the greenhouse is mine, so I really like that,” he continued.Students take part in caring for the plants year round. Fernwood is a neighborhood school, so it is easy for children to attend summer programs and keep an eye on their project during the summer as well.
8th Grade Students Learn to Improve Their Community
It’s early Friday morning, about an hour and a half after sunrise, but there is no sound to be heard. Standing on a street corner at the top of the hill is a figure in all black. Blue and green strands of hair stand out against the black hat keeping the face from view. A large, dark bag sits at his feet. He stands motionless for a few minutes until a loud rumbling begins. He grabs the bag by the strap, throws it over his shoulder, and steps forward. A school bus pulls up. Silence is quickly replaced with loud chattering and laughter, and the boy is greeted with a loud, “Hi Grant!” from a seat towards the back of the bus.
Today is the day the 7th and 8th grade students from Fernwood Elementary leave for their trip to Camp Matawa, in Southeast Wisconsin. They will spend five days at the YMCA camp participating in various activities. Representatives from the YMCA boast that it is “a great place to make new friends, learn about nature and have fun.” There’s more to the camp than just fun and games, though.
Grant and his friend Essavier, both in 8th grade, went to Camp Matawa last year as well. “Camp sounds fun, but we actually do a lot of work,” Grant explained, “[Last year,] we re-shoed the horses and cleaned up after the cows [at a nearby farm].” Grant also feels that combining service work with recreation will help to give adults a positive perception of people his age. “I know a lot of adults think we just start trouble and act stupid, but maybe if they knew about the good stuff we do, they’d see us differently,” Grant said.
Matthew Ray, Grant’s teacher, feels similarly. He and his students also have a project, begun in 2007, in which the students built and continue to tend to a greenhouse on the school grounds. “You hear about ‘going green,’ but kids don’t always understand what that means. Tending to these plants and learning about the environment really give them a concrete example of why we should take care of our planet,” Ray explains.
“Working in the greenhouse makes me feel like we’re doing more than just going to school,” Grant said, smiling. “It feels like the greenhouse is mine, so I really like that,” he continued.Students take part in caring for the plants year round. Fernwood is a neighborhood school, so it is easy for children to attend summer programs and keep an eye on their project during the summer as well.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Yes, I am in love. With whom, you ask?
Photoshop.
As soon as I began my digital photography course this semester, I knew it was love at first sight.
I'm not the most experienced when it comes to computer programs; there are a few I know inside and out, but I haven't been in the habit of exploring new programs unless I need to. Over the course of this semester, I've been playing in Photoshop. I've been trying to figure out how each tool works and how I can make the best of the photos I have taken.
Over the Easter weekend, however, I realized just how much I love it. I'm on the email mailing list for Walgreens, and they had a special price on 4x6 prints. I never get around to printing them, so I figured I'd take advantage of the deal and go through all of my photos from the past few months. I planned to open photos, upload photos, and print photos. It didn't work that easily. Every photo could use a little cropping, a little lightening, a little brightening. These weren't for class; they were for me! Why should I strive for perfection? Because I can.
I have become an addict, and I don't mind one bit. What I do mind is that my trial period has expired. My laptop is no longer able to feed my Photoshop hunger. For the time being, I'm limited to school computers to work on my masterpieces. Photoshop could be an investment worth making.
(Does this sound like one of me previous posts?)
Photoshop.
As soon as I began my digital photography course this semester, I knew it was love at first sight.
I'm not the most experienced when it comes to computer programs; there are a few I know inside and out, but I haven't been in the habit of exploring new programs unless I need to. Over the course of this semester, I've been playing in Photoshop. I've been trying to figure out how each tool works and how I can make the best of the photos I have taken.
Over the Easter weekend, however, I realized just how much I love it. I'm on the email mailing list for Walgreens, and they had a special price on 4x6 prints. I never get around to printing them, so I figured I'd take advantage of the deal and go through all of my photos from the past few months. I planned to open photos, upload photos, and print photos. It didn't work that easily. Every photo could use a little cropping, a little lightening, a little brightening. These weren't for class; they were for me! Why should I strive for perfection? Because I can.
I have become an addict, and I don't mind one bit. What I do mind is that my trial period has expired. My laptop is no longer able to feed my Photoshop hunger. For the time being, I'm limited to school computers to work on my masterpieces. Photoshop could be an investment worth making.
(Does this sound like one of me previous posts?)
Monday, March 30, 2009
Photography. It's much harder than you think.
We are well into the semester now, but most of us are measuring the days until the end, not the days since the beginning. Being in all 300 level courses, I understand that there will be challenges in my coursework. That being said, I can genuinely say that I'm enjoying nearly everything I'm working on in my courses. That seems to be the beauty of not being in high school anymore; I only need to study what I want (more or less).
The writing projects for PCM 300 have been fun, and no, I'm not lying. Of course, only those who like to write could read that sentence and not tilt their heads to the side, making an expression of pain mixed with confusion. SLC 303 is a relatively positive experience, and in PL 385, my course in Ethics, we are beginning our final project.
The other two courses are PCM 320 and 364, Advanced Media Studies and Digital Photography, respectively. PCM 364 has really fed the perfectionist in me. I find myself working on a picture for what seems like forever, just to tell myself, "It's not good enough!" (Amelia can vouch for this.) I get frustrated because some pictures, though I like them when I take them, seem to be unable to yield any decent product. Some turn out okay, like one I finished last Friday. I thought it looked good, so I printed it. It was a minor problem, but there was some pixelization in the sky in the photo. I thought, "I'll fix this up quickly." I made a second layer, blurred the bottom layer, and started erasing the sky on the top layer. Then I got closer to the tree trunk and zoomed in for accuracy. I started seeing more and more flaws I hadn't noticed before! What I thought could have taken a minute or two took almost an hour.
Now that you know this, I want to explain our latest (and final) project for PCM 320. We need to make a 1-3 minute video of our choice. I had no idea how to go about choosing a topic, but one of the other students was doing a kind of instructional food video. "I like baking," I thought. "I could just do a 'how-to' video." I taped my video on Sunday, but I haven't brought it up into the computer yet to see it on a screen larger than 2". If fixing a single frame is that difficult, what will I do when I have 24 frames per second?
I better start a pot of coffee. This'll be an all-nighter.
The writing projects for PCM 300 have been fun, and no, I'm not lying. Of course, only those who like to write could read that sentence and not tilt their heads to the side, making an expression of pain mixed with confusion. SLC 303 is a relatively positive experience, and in PL 385, my course in Ethics, we are beginning our final project.
The other two courses are PCM 320 and 364, Advanced Media Studies and Digital Photography, respectively. PCM 364 has really fed the perfectionist in me. I find myself working on a picture for what seems like forever, just to tell myself, "It's not good enough!" (Amelia can vouch for this.) I get frustrated because some pictures, though I like them when I take them, seem to be unable to yield any decent product. Some turn out okay, like one I finished last Friday. I thought it looked good, so I printed it. It was a minor problem, but there was some pixelization in the sky in the photo. I thought, "I'll fix this up quickly." I made a second layer, blurred the bottom layer, and started erasing the sky on the top layer. Then I got closer to the tree trunk and zoomed in for accuracy. I started seeing more and more flaws I hadn't noticed before! What I thought could have taken a minute or two took almost an hour.
Now that you know this, I want to explain our latest (and final) project for PCM 320. We need to make a 1-3 minute video of our choice. I had no idea how to go about choosing a topic, but one of the other students was doing a kind of instructional food video. "I like baking," I thought. "I could just do a 'how-to' video." I taped my video on Sunday, but I haven't brought it up into the computer yet to see it on a screen larger than 2". If fixing a single frame is that difficult, what will I do when I have 24 frames per second?
I better start a pot of coffee. This'll be an all-nighter.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Hard News Story
As part of my Professional Communication coursework, I wrote this hard news story. This has not been published in any place other than this blog.
February 26, 2009
MILWAUKEE - A computer was reported stolen from a Southside Milwaukee home late Wednesday afternoon, according to Milwaukee County Police.
The MacBook belonged to Rebecca Miller*, the mother of the household. She last remembers seeing it around 7:00 am, when she says she coiled up the cord and left for work. Her son noticed it was gone at 3:30 pm when he returned home from school.
According to Miller, the computer was often left on the coffee table in the living room. Her daughter noticed the empty breadboard on which the laptop was kept at 1:00 pm. “I figured it was in my brother’s room,” she said. “It never occurred to me to wonder about it.”
Police suspect it was taken by someone who was familiar with the house. Officer Hart of the Milwaukee Police Department initially suggested one of Rebecca’s three children may have taken it and sold it. Miller and her husband strongly disagree.
“We all use the computer,” Miller explained Wednesday evening. “It wouldn’t make sense for them to sell it.”
Previous incidents and missing items lead police to believe it is a chain of thefts.
The family is limiting non-family members’ access to the home and plans to change the locks.
Miller has not yet decided whether informing their homeowner’s insurance carrier would be beneficial.
*Names have been changed
February 26, 2009
MILWAUKEE - A computer was reported stolen from a Southside Milwaukee home late Wednesday afternoon, according to Milwaukee County Police.
The MacBook belonged to Rebecca Miller*, the mother of the household. She last remembers seeing it around 7:00 am, when she says she coiled up the cord and left for work. Her son noticed it was gone at 3:30 pm when he returned home from school.
According to Miller, the computer was often left on the coffee table in the living room. Her daughter noticed the empty breadboard on which the laptop was kept at 1:00 pm. “I figured it was in my brother’s room,” she said. “It never occurred to me to wonder about it.”
Police suspect it was taken by someone who was familiar with the house. Officer Hart of the Milwaukee Police Department initially suggested one of Rebecca’s three children may have taken it and sold it. Miller and her husband strongly disagree.
“We all use the computer,” Miller explained Wednesday evening. “It wouldn’t make sense for them to sell it.”
Previous incidents and missing items lead police to believe it is a chain of thefts.
The family is limiting non-family members’ access to the home and plans to change the locks.
Miller has not yet decided whether informing their homeowner’s insurance carrier would be beneficial.
*Names have been changed
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Could my Alverno skills be paying off already?
As some of you may know, I've been looking for a new job. I've been waitressing at this restaurant for four years now, and I feel that it's time for me to move up from this entry level position. In my job search, I'd been trying to avoid positions in food service; I think I've had enough of it for the time being. I know I'll be moving towards an actual career when I begin my internship either this summer or fall, but I just need a transition between what I have now and what I will have. I wasn't aiming for it to be at all related to my field of study, but I wanted to take a step up from the kind of job any 16-year-old can walk into a restaurant and get.
Last Sunday, I saw an ad in the paper for open interviews for a new restaurant opening at Mitchell International. I figured that because I have experience in a restaurant setting, it wouldn't hurt to check it out and see what comes of it. I went to the hotel conference center, where the interviews were being held, to find that everything was happening in one large room. People would come in and fill out applications at one of the tables, then their names would be called one at a time for an interview with one of the two managers at either end of the room.
After I sat though an hour of listening to everyone else's extensive interviews, my name was called. My interview went surprisingly fast, but I was a little worried. Although she was friendly and seemed to like me, she didn't ask nearly as many questions as she did for others.
Lo and behold, I got a call Thursday to set up a second interview at the airport.
They always tell you to arrive early for interviews; I'm glad I did. The location had been changed, and I got to the correct place just in time.
Lisa, one of my interviewers, was already seated at the table. She shook my hand and asked me to sit. She looked over my application, and I offered her my resume. She looked happily surprised and looked over my resume, commenting on how she wishes all applicants would bring resumes; they're so much easier to read than applications.
"Oh! You're a Communications major! What do you want to do with that?"
I told her a bit about my coursework and my upcoming internship, and she went on about what a wide array of options Communications majors have. , Elizabeth, the other interviewer, arrived as we spoke, and the interview officially began. As they asked questions and I answered them, they seemed pleased with what I had to say.
The 15 minutes flew by. As I stood up to leave, shaking each woman's hand, one made the comment, "That's the best handshake I've had all day!"
I smiled to myself, thinking back to Amy Fritz's PPS 129. We gave considerable effort to choosing majors and careers, but we also practiced interview etiquette. One day, we introduced ourselves to one another, practicing a firm handshake and eye contact. It was funny at the time, but now I can tell that it was definitely a valuable lesson.
Now I'm beginning to see the practicality of everything I learned in that course. I hope that it will aid me in landing not only this job, but future jobs as well!
Until my phone rings, my fingers will be crossed.
(Cross yours for me too!)
Last Sunday, I saw an ad in the paper for open interviews for a new restaurant opening at Mitchell International. I figured that because I have experience in a restaurant setting, it wouldn't hurt to check it out and see what comes of it. I went to the hotel conference center, where the interviews were being held, to find that everything was happening in one large room. People would come in and fill out applications at one of the tables, then their names would be called one at a time for an interview with one of the two managers at either end of the room.
After I sat though an hour of listening to everyone else's extensive interviews, my name was called. My interview went surprisingly fast, but I was a little worried. Although she was friendly and seemed to like me, she didn't ask nearly as many questions as she did for others.
Lo and behold, I got a call Thursday to set up a second interview at the airport.
They always tell you to arrive early for interviews; I'm glad I did. The location had been changed, and I got to the correct place just in time.
Lisa, one of my interviewers, was already seated at the table. She shook my hand and asked me to sit. She looked over my application, and I offered her my resume. She looked happily surprised and looked over my resume, commenting on how she wishes all applicants would bring resumes; they're so much easier to read than applications.
"Oh! You're a Communications major! What do you want to do with that?"
I told her a bit about my coursework and my upcoming internship, and she went on about what a wide array of options Communications majors have. , Elizabeth, the other interviewer, arrived as we spoke, and the interview officially began. As they asked questions and I answered them, they seemed pleased with what I had to say.
The 15 minutes flew by. As I stood up to leave, shaking each woman's hand, one made the comment, "That's the best handshake I've had all day!"
I smiled to myself, thinking back to Amy Fritz's PPS 129. We gave considerable effort to choosing majors and careers, but we also practiced interview etiquette. One day, we introduced ourselves to one another, practicing a firm handshake and eye contact. It was funny at the time, but now I can tell that it was definitely a valuable lesson.
Now I'm beginning to see the practicality of everything I learned in that course. I hope that it will aid me in landing not only this job, but future jobs as well!
Until my phone rings, my fingers will be crossed.
(Cross yours for me too!)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
One step closer to "real life"
Recently, I've been giving quite a bit of thought to what I'll do after graduation. When I chose to study Professional Communication, I didn't have a specific career path in mind. I'm working to narrow my options down to a more specific range of careers, which is becoming easier as I continue with my Professional Communication coursework.
The next step, besides registering for the next set of courses for the upcoming fall semester, is deciding on an internship. Internships are part of the curriculum here at Alverno, and I'm coming to the point in my education where an internship is essential. I'm ecstatic about being able to enter the field of work to get a realistic idea of what careers are available to me after graduation. A bachelor's degree in Professional Communication leaves my options wide open; I could do whatever I want, so to say.
This morning, I met with my advisor and instructor, Jill. We discussed some different internship options for me, and the real-life examples of what my degree can translate into really helped to get me in the right mindset. The most appealing idea at this point is to get an internship at a publication company. I enjoy writing, and to get a foot in the door with a publication company would make it much easier to build a career in that same field. We contacted editors at two Milwaukee-based publications to ask about internships; I hope to hear back from them soon.
I think I'll learn a lot from this experience, and I'm sure it'll take me in the right direction.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!
The next step, besides registering for the next set of courses for the upcoming fall semester, is deciding on an internship. Internships are part of the curriculum here at Alverno, and I'm coming to the point in my education where an internship is essential. I'm ecstatic about being able to enter the field of work to get a realistic idea of what careers are available to me after graduation. A bachelor's degree in Professional Communication leaves my options wide open; I could do whatever I want, so to say.
This morning, I met with my advisor and instructor, Jill. We discussed some different internship options for me, and the real-life examples of what my degree can translate into really helped to get me in the right mindset. The most appealing idea at this point is to get an internship at a publication company. I enjoy writing, and to get a foot in the door with a publication company would make it much easier to build a career in that same field. We contacted editors at two Milwaukee-based publications to ask about internships; I hope to hear back from them soon.
I think I'll learn a lot from this experience, and I'm sure it'll take me in the right direction.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!
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