When more than 1,000 Louisiana Tech students became alumni last Saturday at the Thomas Assembly Center, included in that number were the first two graduates of the new Master of Arts in Communication Studies with a concentration in communication technologies program, Leslee Bennett and Madison Remrey.
Bennett and Remrey, who are also received their BA in communications two years ago, said their undergraduate experience helped them determine their decision to pursue graduate school at Tech.
“I knew I wanted to pursue a master’s degree because I felt it would give me more job opportunities after graduation,” Bennett said. “I chose communication technologies because it allowed me to continue my education in something I already loved during my bachelor’s in communication studies.”
Remrey said she wanted to continue to learn more about her field in graduate school.
“Undergraduate courses in communication might teach you the application of the field, but a MA in communication leads you into the ‘why’ behind it all,” she said. “By understanding the why and how behind communication, students can better serve those around them in their professional and personal lives.”
Dr. Judith Roberts, associate professor of communication studies, said the new MA began two years ago, and she was thrilled to watch these two students receive their diplomas.
“We have such inquisitive and curious students at the undergraduate and graduate levels,” Roberts said. “To watch these two students develop and hone their skills from freshmen to MAs has been such a rewarding experience for me as their professor. I am incredibly proud of this program and all of the opportunities it offers students.”
Bennett plans to work at Tech in the University Communications department as a communication specialist, and Remrey intends to pursue her Ph.D.
Remrey, who had a two-week old baby when she started the master’s program, said even when life felt overwhelming, she always reminded herself that every season happens with purpose and what she was doing was for the better.
“There is one thing I always tell myself when I feel like I can’t go anymore — in school, work, life in general,” she said. “’You’ve done harder things.’ I don’t want to take responsibility for that thought. I actually learned that from the person I interviewed for the very first article I ever had published as a journalism student. She said it is what got her through her Ph.D. research, so I applied it to my own life. I tell myself, ‘You’ve done harder things than this assignment. You’ve done harder things than this research. You’ve done harder things than graduate school, and you made it through. You can make it through this.’”
