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New month. Same favorite podcast. Listening to this episode once again.

A Communication Student in an MBA course: A Memoir

Last Spring I was enrolled in an MBA course, Organizational Behavior, as part of my graduate program. When signing up for the course my greatest hope was to learn some business lingo and to familiarize myself with the corporate culture that was much different than the culture of Castellaw (the building where communication classes are held at Baylor). I was technically a senior at the time and in the midst of the dual B.A./M.A. program taking both undergraduate and graduate courses. This course, from day one, forced me to adopt a sense of corporate maturity that included a Darwinist "survival of the fittest" attitude and a black pencil skirt. In times of challenge and intimidation, such as this, I tend to dig my heels in the ground, grit my teeth and refuse to be taken down. It's a whole "fight or flight" attitude and, in this case, I was stuck in the class and the decision to "fight" was made for me. But, I was enthusiastic and willing to learn.

I've mentioned before that there is a lot of discrepancy about what communication is. This was no different. From the first day, I knew my lack of familiarity with finance and QBA would give me little to relate to with others and would quickly out me as non-business major. Between the confused look on my face to the question, "What quarter are you in?" and my poetic response to the question, "What are your goals for the semester?," it did not take long for my table members to recognize I wasn't in the same program. It wasn't isolating but it was unfamiliar, as expected.

The semester went on and I eventually fully integrated myself into the practice of "business" and learned valuable tips about leadership and corporate culture. It was incredibly valuable to my interpretation and application of acquired communication skills. However, it did get me thinking about how misunderstood the study of communication is. My focus as a communication major was 'corporate communication' and this course quickly taught me the murkiness of the term "corporate." I wasn't unprepared but I was prepared differently and those around me were unfamiliar with my type of preparation.

At the end of the semester, I was more proud to be a communication major than I had ever been (and, honestly, I was pretty proud before that). Beyond the many lessons that this course taught me, I came to understand one specific principle of communication.

1. Communication is the deep breath that grounds corporate interpretation.

Let me explain... The burning desire to "prove" oneself in that course was running rampant. Not to say this is bad, it was incredibly motivating. However, students were quick to answer for the sake of answering. For the sake of "moving ahead." I really enjoyed these class mates, and they taught me valuable lessons, however, my communicative background allowed me to examine these quick responses with "What is the most effective way of communication that allows these individuals to "move ahead"?," "What strategies can be implemented to make their arguments more effective, more engaging?," "What was it about Sally's argument that was more compelling that Bobby's?" Communication studies came to life for me. Giving meaning, purpose, and explanation to the effectiveness of "business" in action.

Communication not only equips us to "do" but it also equips us to "be." "Be" meaning it allows us to understand the basic complexities of here and now. It looks ahead, motivates, drives, and inspires future work. However, it also sits with the already motivated, already driven and already inspired to break down and understand the root of all meaning. As can be seen in the YouTube video by Matthew Koschmann on Organizational Communication (Click HERE for video), seeing communication as organizations rather than communication being something that organizations do, opens many doors for organizations to better understand conflict, employee motivation and the overall runnings of a group.

All in all, this business course revealed to me many truths about organizational leadership, culture, and employee motivation. However, it gave me deep appreciation for the basic understanding that communication provides when interpreting and acknowledging these truths. Communication is the backbone of such organizations and my time of unfamiliarity gave me deep appreciation for the importance and significance of studying communication in its many forms.

"The Crossroads of Academic Interests and Self-Understanding"

I've been fascinated by people from the very beginning. I am a proud people-watcher and, over the years, have begun to ask questions and dig into why I find us all so interesting. The study of Communication has opened doors for me to better understanding the groups I am apart of, the people around me, and myself. Communication, I would argue, is the fabric of the universe. Unlocking and questioning its many complexities has led me on some kind of self-discovery journey, to say the least. Communication is far more than simply my interest, it is also the foundation of who I am and who I believe we all are. I better grasp my own practices, beliefs and see the root of my passions be planted here.

The past year of my life, which has consisted of post-undergrad transition, graduate school, deep self-reflection, and a lot of conflicting answers to the question "So what do you want to do with your life as a Communication major?", has challenged me to come face-to-face with what I truly find compelling. The vastness of opportunity that comes with being a Communication major can be, honestly, quite overwhelming but this vastness has taught me to fight for myself. To fight for what I believe in and to follow the leadership of a greater power that has created this world, and me, for good work. This is where I found stigma, identity, and shame. At the crossroads of my academic interests and greater self-understanding. Today, I find myself curious of "Who am I?," "Who are we?," "How do group associations shape our view the world?," "How does it shape how we view ourselves?," and "How do we manage identities that are disregarded and degraded by society?" It is in these curiosities I learned about legal sex work. As the most stigmatized, misunderstood, complex, and degraded members of the occupational world, what do these women do to manage their image and how do they respond to questions such as these? I wanted to find out. My passion for this topic is ultimately grounded in my spiritual beliefs, that we are all equally valuable and worthy of good. Communication is the avenue to deepening our comprehension of greater worldly conversations that complicate and challenge what society tells us is acceptable, worthy, and valuable. The topic of legal sex work is risky, complicated, and misunderstood which makes it an interesting starting point when examining the power of stigma and formation of societal beliefs.

Ultimately, over the past few months, I've come to realize the root issue of this interest is "injustice." It is a broad term but is exemplified in many, many ways. I'm not sure my life's work is in digging into the rich issues of legal sex work, but, for today, I have found deep affection and loyalty to this conversation and it has given me a place to stand and a potential avenue for future work when answering "What do you want to do with your life as a Communication major?" I am indebted to Communication for it has released, in me, great devotion to the treatment of others and has identified itself as the source of unity in the world.