College does a funny thing to people.

Whether the individual

notices it or not, it changes them. Good or bad, the self the core of
ones being is morphed, influenced, reborn or whatever youd like to
call it, but the individual is inarguably a different person by the time
they exit college from the time they entered it. The end result is looked
at as a stark, and noticeable comparison, even though the fascinating
and sometimes arduous process occurred over four years.
Self-reflection plays an important role in knowing whom you are
now compared to where you were previously, which of course is what
this e-portfolio is all about. For me, the concept has been a constant in
my college career and will continue to persist with me through time, as
I continue to grow as a human being.
Coming into Carroll University my first year, I was a determined
aspiring Photography and Journalism double major with fire in my heart
and a desire to be the next Henri Cartier-Bresson. I had a passion for
people: for knowing how they worked, how they communicated, whom
they were and how I could depict that. Photojournalism made sense; it
was a way of showing people other people, portraying my vision of the
world. However, as I took more classes both in and out of my
disciplines this vision of the world changed.
My passion for the human element of the world remained, but I
came to the understanding that not everything was the way it seemed.
So, holding tight to Paul Strands idea of, You have to have something

to say about the world, I delved into Sociology and Communication as

my new double majors, taking what I had learned in my previous
programs and bringing it forth to add to the new knowledge I was
gaining. But what is it that Ive learned up to this point?
My strengths have lied heavily in journalistic writing and style
through the beginning of my college career through now because of
my involvement in the New Perspective (the campus newspaper). I
have a strong understanding of AP style, and can easily construct a
news article that accurately, and in a timely manner, informs the
public. Through my journalism courses, I also came to have a firm grip
on communication ethics.
Another strength gained through the Communication program
was intercultural competence. I feel that because of COM207:
Intercultural Communication, I am better able to enter into a culture
and look at it through its own lens, and understand it as its own entity,
not a contrast to my own culture. Not only can I note that with different
countries or areas come different cultures, but I realize that each
individual person has a unique culture. Because of this understanding
that has been engrained into my daily life, I can confidently, and
modestly communicate with people outside of my own bubble of
comfort. I have learned the skills necessary to interact harmoniously
with people as a whole.

Along with journalistic communication and intercultural

communication, Ive attained numerous other strengths that I didnt
realize I had. For example, Im an effective communicator because I
have a good understanding of conflict: how it comes about and how to
best deal with it while maintaining interpersonal relationships that may
be affected. I know the intricacies of said interpersonal relationships
and that these relationships are inescapable and a necessary part of
humanity. Both verbal and non-verbal communication are crucial
components, the building blocks, for all communication. The list of
principles and aspects of communication go on and on, and in the end,
they all work together in an intricate, invisible diagram that affects
everything we do in life. These strengths often seem non-existent to
most of us who are Communication majors because they are so
embedded into our lives. When you begin to break them down and
analyze what youve learned, you realize that the strengths you hold
are invaluable and help to make you an asset in whatever path you
choose to follow.
My passion for people led me to journalism and photography,
then to sociology and communication. Now, as I prepare for my
graduation, my passion is leading me to cultural anthropology,
something I never would have discovered had I not been introduced to
the programs I am currently in. Cultural anthropology, referred to by

Michael Angrosino as, all things human, requires one of the most
basic human needs: communication.
So, though journalism ended up not being the path I chose to go
down, it is something that I believe will continue to help me in the way
that I gather information. Ive learned the importance of building
rapport, asking the right questions, actively listening and upholding an
ethical standard. The Communication program has also prepared me to
know that what is ethical to me, may not be in another culture and that
I have to be willing to accept that.
At one point in my college career, I received a piece of advice,
Dont plan anything, because you might miss or take for granted the
unplanned. Though I dont know how comfortable I am with not
planning for the future, I see the value in the words offered. Its not
necessarily about how you get to your end goal, because there are so
many paths that can lead to the same outcome. Instead, have the
skills to achieve your goals, that way, if the plan changes, you can
adapt and accomplish them. The principles of communication will
continue to be present in my life and in my future profession. They will
be the skills, the tools that I use to accomplish my ever-changing
ambitions.