Major: 
Media Arts and Studies (2016), MA Communication
Year Graduated: 
2021
Hometown: 
Lexington, KY
Current City: 
Lexington, KY
Current Employer: 
Assistant Director for WRFL FM, University of Kentucky
Top played song on your playlist?: 
‘Sound of Muzak’ by Porcupine Tree
Where has your CI degree taken you?: 

My Media Arts and Studies degree gave me the foundation I needed for both the professional positions I have held so far in my career. The coursework on audio production, policies and regulation, and the media industry was immensely helpful in the job I got after graduating from undergrad – I was the Program Director for WLXU at RadioLex, and School of Journalism and Media faculty recommended me for that position! When I came back to school to work on my master’s, I had the desire and opportunity to work a lot more with communication theories, which in turn has helped me be able to think critically about a lot of aspects of college/community radio itself as well as student involvement (both within and outside of a media context – mass communication may have been my focus, but those interpersonal theories and models have certainly contributed to my approach to advising students!).

What is your favorite thing about your job?: 

There are a lot of things that are great about both working in radio and working in student programming, but I would say the most rewarding aspect is that I am constantly surrounded by people who enjoy talking about music as much as I do. Even though our tastes vary widely at WRFL, it always makes me smile to hear people get excited about a new album by their favorite artist or give each other recommendations of who to listen to. Those interactions are at the heart of our identity as a radio station and as a student organization on campus, and they keep me connected to what I’m most passionate about even though my daily tasks do not always involve music.

What¹s the most valuable thing you learned in CI?: 

The most valuable thing I learned in CI is to always remain curious and ask questions! Everything about the way we communicate and the way we engage with media is constantly changing, especially with the technological advancements of the past couple of decades. Because of that, it is so important to keep our eyes open, make observations and be curious enough to ask ourselves how these experiences impact our daily lives, our work, our systems, our society, etc. Communication is at the core of everything, and therefore it is extremely important to continue to study it.

What advice would you give to current CI students?: 

Don’t be afraid to carve your own path and to let what you’re passionate about guide you!