Media, Self, & Society: Perspectives

Read what Media Scholars have to say about the program:

"In Scholars, I felt that I was part of a small group where my presence and my opinions mattered, but I also found colloquium to be an important learning experience. Before scholars, I knew that the media had a tremendous effect on American society, but I was unaware as to how many areas of the media truly affect us. From our discussions about media ethics and conglomerate control to our in-depth-study of the American family through the television media to our exploration of the symbiotic relationship between politics and the media, I was inspired to think about subjects that I had previously ignored. I found that even after colloquium ended, I was still pondering the questions raised in class by Dr. Chadha. I think that I learned from her guidance, but my thinking was also inspired by my classmates’ remarks. I think that I benefited from both my peers and my own enthusiasm about the subject. In Scholars, we weren’t spoon-fed a professor’s notes and ideas on a topic; rather, we were given subjects to consider and encouraged to learn from our own thoughts and experiences."

—Emily Feldman, junior, english

"College Park Scholars is a great tool to help create a successful college career. I think Scholars has helped me set a path to the career that I want and has taught me many things that I will be able to keep with me for a long time… College Park Scholars is what you make it to be. You can either use the tools that this program lays at your feet, or you can stay in your shell and not embrace all the benefits that this program can offer to those who are open to change."

—Jahmal White, junior, government & politics

"Something that really intrigued me was the immense difference in opinions of the students in class. Everyone in Media Scholars (for the most part) came from different backgrounds and had different life experiences. It was this that set the grounds for many interesting debates and discussions. Something as simple as deciding whether or not a certain picture should be placed in the newspaper could be discussed for the whole class. It was this experience that truly opened my eyes to the world around me. I knew that many people held different views about certain things, but as consumers of the media, it was incredible to see how different aspects of the media affected people around me."

— Andrew Nacht, junior, business

"Scholars opened up countless social networks for me on campus. Because of Media, Self & Society, I could hardly walk to any class without seeing at least one familiar face. This is so important for a new student at a large university. The fact that I felt like I knew so many people made the vast campus seem less daunting. I realized that it was very possible for me to find my niche here at the University of Maryland. I not only made friends with fellow Media Scholars, but also with their friends and so on ..."

— Mallory Hanfling, senior, psychology and family studies

"The Media, Self & Society Scholars program provided an interactive environment for open discussion on issues relating to the media such as the decisions on the part of editors or producers regarding what kinds of stories or pictures should or should not be printed or aired, the number of media conglomerates and how they have shaped the way in which news is presented, issues of sensationalism in the media, the power of advertisers to shape the thoughts and perceptions of the average consumer, as well as the ever-evolving face of sitcoms and dramas and their reflection of social norms or social ills. For me, the discussions were a way of gauging the different sides of the issues, which was important for me personally as they were not necessarily issues that I had ever given much thought to before, even as a journalism student. The discussions ultimately emphasized the need to be a competent and inquisitive media consumer … Essentially, it taught me to be more aware of the impact of the media today on societies and the individual."

—Solia Kem, junior, journalism

"From an academic perspective, between the colloquia and the specific classes required for a citation in the program, Scholars proved to be well balanced and extremely fair both in the expectations of our faculty and associate directors and with the types of tasks assigned to us. Coming into the program, I was worried that the living/learning curriculum was going to be extremely rigorous and potentially a burden on my other academic classes. I could not have been more wrong. Not only was the program a reasonable and pertinent supplement to a full course load, but it also provided a weekly chance to reflect on interesting media-related themes in a supportive and nurturing environment. The types of assignments that we did receive were very thought provoking but not so strenuous as to foster negative feelings of dread and worry toward the class. In actuality, for me, the assignments allowed me to be thoughtful about my major and, if nothing else, reaffirmed my interest and increased my desire to be involved in a media-related field. Therefore, the academic piece of the program was very positive for me and I feel as though, in consideration of the program, it is a very proportionate, fair and fecund collection of academic expectations."

—Kendall Spera, junior, journalism

"It really does make the University of Maryland feel like a small community. Having two professors know your name on the first day of class makes you feel great! And there were immediately 75 other freshmen in this program who were going through similar experiences, many with similar majors, all living together on the 7th and 8th floors of Cumberland. Immediately, there was a sense of family within the group ... Scholars really becomes a family away from home. I consider the people I have met through Scholars my best friends not just here at the university, but also in my life. The great thing about having 12 distinct Scholars programs is that you can find the one that is your perfect fit and meet people with common goals and interests within that group. The people I met in Media shared more than just a love of journalism and communication with me, but common passions of music, careers, art, and all kinds of other random stuff. No matter what your interest, it is guaranteed that someone in your Scholars program has the same passion."

—Erin Ruberry, senior, journalism and government & politics

"Scholars, more specifically the Media, Self, and Society program, to me, is a program that allows students to develop critical discussion skills, look at media with a different perspective than one might in a typical lecture class, and most important: Scholars is about building community."

—Colin O'Haver, senior, engineering

In other words ... These are some brief answers Media students gave in response to the question,

"What is Media, Self and Society?"

* "A better insight into the world of media and how it affects us."

* "A great experience for anyone who has an interest in advertising, print news, broadcast news, movies, television, government, and communications."

* "Experiential learning opportunities including internships, service-learning, research, and media analysis."

* "A tight-knit group of great people who share similar interests."

* "Close relationships with great faculty."