Running head: REFLECTIVE SELF 1

Reflective Self Analysis

Miranda Pomiecko
COMM 46092
Kent State University
August 8, 2014

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Reflective Self Analysis
My strong passion for learning did not arrive until my sophomore year at Kent State
University, when my College Writing II instructor challenged me to think about the world in a
new way. In College Writing II, our class discussions focused on the idea of a pseudo
environment. I had never heard of this term before, so I was hesitant to join in class discussions.
Although hesitant, I was determined to figure out how I could share my thoughts on this subject.
As I did more research and attended class every day, I learned what this idea truly means.
According to the famous journalist Walter Lippmann, a pseudo environment is, The pictures in
our heads of the world outside (Lippmann, 1921). A pseudo environment is the result of the
information we receive from sources that describe what the world is like, but the sources can
only describe a small fraction of what the world truly consists of, unless we spend more time
learning about and experiencing the environment. After researching, discussing, and writing
about Lippmanns idea I was determined to learn as much as I could about the world. As a result,
I have written a variety of research papers, discussed complex topics with professors and fellow
students, lived and worked in Washington, D.C., and earned a Bachelors degree in
Communication Studies, and a minor in Political Science. In this paper, I will further explain
what I have learned from coursework and other training while completing my Bachelors Degree
at KSU.
As a freshman I was very uncertain of what career I wanted to pursue and which
academic major was right for me. I began my academic journey as an Early Childhood Education
major and was generally interested in the search for knowledge and helping others; but, I was not
reaching my full performance and felt unprepared for the work load of a full-time college
student. I quickly realized I needed to involve myself in activities that would help me discover
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my interests. I joined the KSU running club in order to clear my mind of distractions. This
helped me realize it was time to change my major to discover what interests me.
Marketing, visual design, advertising, business, communication, and journalism were all
areas interesting to me, but I was not sure what degree would allow me to practice all of those
areas of study. My academic advisors explained that there are a few majors that would allow me
to study my areas on interest. After much thought, I narrowed my decision down to Journalism,
Advertising and Communication Studies. I selected Communication Studies as my major
because it offered the potential to study and practice all of those subject areas, whereas
Advertising and Journalism seems to focus only a few of those areas, such as marketing,
branding and visual design.
I then selected Applied Communication as my concentration because it allows students to
study all areas of communication, including global, public, visual design, advertising,
organizational and communication campaigns. I was especially interested in creating visual
communication design pieces, but I believed a major in Visual Design would not provide as
much of a well-rounded experience as Applied Communication Studies would. As an Applied
Communication Studies major, I have learned a variety of information about written and oral
communication, communication theories, and research methods.
The Applied Communication concentration has also assisted me in becoming an
organized and driven individual. For example, Organizational Communication trained me in
writing technical documents, such as internal memos, business letters, brochures and newsletters.
This training enabled me to write professional internal memos and create brochures at both of
my internships. My ability to create both of these documents helped me stand out among other
interns, and as a result I earned more responsibility within the organizational environments.
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Organizational Communication also demonstrated the critical role communication plays in
almost every area of organizational life. Communication is a process in which creating,
exchanging, interpreting and storing messages occurs every day. Without this process,
organizational life would not exist (Modaff, Butler, and DeWine, 2012).
Visual Design for Media: Advanced was a highly influential course in my college career
because it increased my desire to be creative, and it allowed me to express myself in an artistic
way. The study of Visual communication design includes learning a variety of visually appealing
techniques. For example, repetition with variation is the process of adding the same shape or
image into a design piece while varying its size, placement, colors, etc. Kerning is adjusting the
horizontal space between letters. Although these terms are intuitive, they can be challenging to
demonstrate within a design piece. Visual Design for Media: Advanced revealed that a truly
appealing communication design piece takes creativity, time and patience to complete.
Another KSU course that increased my curiosity for learning was Introduction to
Philosophy. Not only did philosophy introduce influential leaders such as Jean Paul Sartre and
Albert Camus and their theories about the existence of humanity, but it aided me in
understanding what I think about the existence of humanity and what life is meant for.
Philosophy challenged me to create a meaningful life, and part of creating a meaningful life
consisted of theorizing, researching and writing about what others think about meaning and truth.
For example, many postmodern philosophers, such as Jean-Francois Lyotard, do not believe in a
universal truth, rather they believe individuals create their own truth and meaning. Although
individuals create their own meaning and truth, I believe it is important to listen to others
perspectives in order to obtain an objective view of any given situation. Philosophy has aided me
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in creating balance between finding my own truth and taking others opinions of truth into
consideration in order to reach a well-rounded understanding of the world.
I also discovered a strong passion for studying political philosophy, which discusses the
values and theories held within government. Political philosophers such as John Stuart Mill and
his study of cost-benefit analyses increased my desire to study politics and political theories.
Cost-benefit analysis is the process of evaluating whether an action is right insofar as it generates
maximum utility or happiness. After discussing my interest with my professor and advisors, I
declared Political Science as my minor shortly after taking the course.
One of my first political science courses, Public Policy, informed me about the dark and
self-interested side of politics, like the gerrymandering process, which often gives a political
advantage to a particular group. Public Policy also demonstrated politics and democracy as a
valuable and creative process for social harmony. For example, the policy process in our
democratic society demonstrates how government and non-government organizations work
together in order to achieve a social benefit, such as welfare or health care. In short, Public
Policy is what government chooses to do or not to do, and I believe it is up to the public,
especially students, to discover how our political system works in order influence decision
makers in the right direction.
Although the study of political science is fascinating, it has challenged me to understand
the social, geographic, political, and economic reasons why nations are structured both
effectively and ineffectively. For example, International Political Economy (IPE) challenged me
to think about why the 2008 global financial crisis occurred. My work on this issue consisted of
reading and writing a variety of research papers on the book, Boomerang by Michael Lewis.
Boomerang covers the many reasons why Europe and the U.S. suffered a massive amount of
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debt in 2008. The final research paper required a critique of Lewiss explanations for the debt
crisis. It was challenging to discover where Lewiss information was inaccurate, but it helped me
achieve a more objective view of the issue. Overall, the global financial crisis occurred due
bankers making poor financial decisions, such as acquiring billions of dollars in debt,
specifically in Iceland, the U.S., Greece, Germany, and Ireland.
Aside from the global financial crisis, IPE challenged me to understand some of the
reasons why the U.S. is still the most financially powerful nation and why the U.S. dollar will be
the worlds reserve currency for years to come. There is currently no better alternative to the
U.S. dollar because the U.S. market is large and reliable. Although IPE challenged me to explore
new and challenging topics, I am certain that this knowledge will lead to a continued desire to
increase my understanding of international political economy.
Throughout my experience as a political science student, I often heard about Kent State
Universitys Washington Program in National issues (WPNI). WPNI is a competitive academic
and internship program that involves moving to Washington, D.C. with other KSU students for a
spring semester. I was interested in WPNI from the first moment I had heard about it. Only a
select number of students are accepted to WPNI, so I made sure to begin my application process
the summer before the program began.
After writing essays and interviewing with WPNIs Director, Dr. Robyn, I was accepted
to the program. I was excited and nervous to prepare for D.C. because I knew it would be
challenging to do so while taking 16 credit hours, but after weeks of looking into organizations
and receiving internship descriptions from Dr. Robyn, I decided to apply for an opportunity at
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the Office of the Press Secretary
and Office of Communications. The opportunity was sent from the Press Secretary, Lauren
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Worley, a KSU alum who also participated in WPNI. After interviewing with Lauren, I was soon
accepted for the internship.
My focus and determination in the preceding semester is what helped me earn an
internship at NASA, and my focus continued throughout my time in D.C. Interning in the Office
of the Press Secretary at NASA was an extraordinary learning experience. I was assigned a
variety of projects, ranging from scheduling phone conferences to writing memos for new
projects, and taking notes for the Office of Communications staff during briefings on the Capitol
Hill. Our briefings were also life-changing experiences. Hearing from decision makers at
organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), The Government Accountability
Office, The State Department, The Washington Post, (etc.) aided us in understanding the
importance of these organizations, and we often received career advice from our briefers. WPNI
was the most valuable, challenging, and rewarding life experience that I have had yet. I look
forward to staying connected to those I have met in D.C., and the possibility of living there in the
future.
The training and experiences I have completed during my time at Kent State will guide
me throughout the rest of my life. The pictures in my head of the world outside have improved
tremendously, and I will continue to increase my understanding of what the world truly consists
of. Without Communication Studies and Political Science I do not think I would be where I am
today. Due to the guidance and training from KSU professors and courses such as,
Organizational Communication, Visual Communication Design, Introduction to Philosophy,
Public Policy, IPE, and WPNI, I am now prepared to begin my career and succeed as a
professional.

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References
Kakutani, M. (2011). Touring the Ruins of the Old Economy. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/books/boomerang-by-michael-lewis-
review.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Lippmann, W. (1922). Public Opinion. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, Inc.
Modaff, D. Butler, J. and DeWine, S. (2012). Organizational communication: Foundation,
challenges & misunderstandings. (3
rd
ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson Publishing Co.