Semester One: CAS 137H
A Rhetorical Analysis: Examining Barack Obama's "A More Perfect "Union" Speech
One of the first assignments of the year, we were assigned to analyze a speech, commercial, or any other form of rhetoric. An exercise in critical thinking, this served as a jumping off point for the rest of the semester. I chose to look at Barack Obama's groundbreaking speech on race, which he delivered in Philadelphia. In it, he asks Americans to unite, and work together in search of a "more perfect union."
A Paradigm Shift: Exploring Tobacco Advertising
An ambitious initiative, I researched tobacco advertising throughout the twentieth century. After sifting through dozens of advertisements, pages of academic and medical studies, I was able to draw and articulate a unique thesis. It's a work I'm proud of, as it displays skills in conducting research, deriving a thesis, and competence in formal writing.
Transforming the Paradigm Shift into a Multimedia Project: My TED Talk
I chose to continue my research of tobacco advertising by adopting it into an online, multimedia medium. In the form of a TED Talk, I restate the main findings of my paper, while exploring in more detail certain parts of it. A live, five minute talk in front of a camera and a group of peers has not always been my forte. However, as the year progressed, I improved.
A History of a Public Controversy: Tracing the Westboro Baptist Church
The culminating point of the first semester, I, along with a group of classmates, created a YouTube video that traced the origins of the Westboro Baptist Church. It was my first experience in voice recording and video editing. However, I had an excellent, motivated group, and I think the project turned out well.
Semester Two: CAS 138T
An Issue Brief: The Ineffectiveness of the D.A.R.E. Program
While the first semester focused on rhetoric and civic issues, the second looked to find ways to mend these issues in the form of advocacy. I chose to look at the popular drug-prevention education initiative, D.A.R.E. I found that the program in fact is not helpful, and can even be detrimental to its students. I highlight these findings, discovered through my research, and suggest ways to reform it.
I Believe in Making Podcasts (at least for this assignment)
Another exercise in vocal articulation, I created a "This I Believe" podcast. As you will hear, I believe in trying again (it's not as cliché as it sounds, I promise).