Why I Became a Mass Communications Major

I am a Mass Communications major with a focus in TV/Radio. A common misconception is that people who don’t know what they want to do or what they want to major in go for something in Communications, or that all students with some form of Communications major aren’t driven and lack purpose. That statement couldn’t be more false.

I didn’t start out in Mass Comm- I thought I wanted to be a chiropractor! After working for one during my first two years at my junior college, I loved everything that they did and how they helped people achieve healthier and happier lifestyles. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or what I wanted to major in, but I knew that making people happier was in my heart, so I went for it!

After enduring the hardest science classes offered at the junior college and transferring to my four-year university, I realized that I was better off advocating for chiropractors than actually being one. It was back to the drawing board on “what I wanted to be when I grew up.” I analyzed my likes and interests, hobbies, skills- all I kept coming back to was theater and performance, but I knew that a career in the arts was going to leave me struggling for work, constantly searching for the next gig, and would be a rough and inconsistent lifestyle- not exactly the happy and healthy I had in mind.

I started browsing courses and thinking about a way I could incorporate my skills and talents into something more realistic, and that’s when the TV/Radio professional option of the Mass Communication field came into focus. I was taking classes on writing commercials for multiple different mediums; I was actually making segments and commercials; I even landed a host position on the university’s local TV show. I also compromised and ended up earning a minor in Theater & Dance.

The way I found my major wasn’t exactly traditional, but once I was there, I knew it was right for me. I truly loved going to class and creating so many projects that are still a part of my demo reel today- one being a documentary I produced and directed about a pro basketball player, a theater student, and an up-and-coming music artist and their journey of fame.

The thing about Mass Communications is that it’s such a wide field, which some find overwhelming, but I think of it as a large field that you can narrow down into exactly what you want and what you are good at. Advertising, Corporate Media, TV/Radio, and Journalism and Print were the four branches that made up the Mass Comm department, and I took at least one class in each branch to broaden my horizons.

Another great thing about this field is that the skills you acquire are something you can take to ANY job. I now work for a facility that hosts concerts, banquets, a Broadway Theater season, and is home to a professional hockey team and college basketball team. Even though I am in the marketing department, I use what I learned in my TV/Radio classes to write commercials and press releases for events, make behind-the-scenes videos, and advertise our shows and concerts to the media.

I love Mass Communications because it’s also extremely current and extremely fun! Have you ever wanted to take a class about social media? Mass Comm has that class. A class on editing videos? How to be a media manager? Laws of the media? How to write a script for a TV show? All Mass Comm.

This major takes you on a journey very different from other majors and gives you experiences that you won’t get from other classroom-based majors. I wouldn’t be able to say that as a student, I got to tour three major news stations in St. Louis, interview the DEA for a documentary, be a food photo and videographer for Feast Magazine, travel to 4 different countries as a photojournalist, and have my own morning show on a jazz station that reached over 200,000 people. Not only did I make myself happy, but I made others happy with the work I created that reached tons of people, getting positive feedback on my morning show and my inspirational documentary.  

If you aren’t sure what major fits you or what path you are destined to take in life, give Mass Communications a second look. At the very least, you’ll browse a course catalog and imagine yourself as the next Jon Stewart, the next Steven Spielberg, or the next creator for a Netflix Original Series. The possibilities are truly endless, and with Mass Communications as your major, you are one step closer to finding them.