Ted Talk: During the fall of my freshman year I was enrolled in Rhetoric & Civic Life 137H. One project within the class was to present and record a “Ted Talk” for four to five minutes. The subject of the “Ted Talk” was based on a paradigm shift paper previously written, and one had to keep in mind that there would be two audiences, live and those who watch later. My “Ted Talk” focuses on shifting the perception of mental health through the power of social media. I am proud of my work with this project because I researched immensely, enhanced my use of technology, and practiced public speaking.
History of a Public Controversy: In the Rhetoric & Civic Life 137H course, I also worked within a small group to present the History of a Public Controversy through iMovie. The topic my group chose to present on was the Fat Acceptance Movement. The project was challenging, for example we needed to have a purpose for every single component of the video without being biased. However, the project was rewarding in that I overcame the obstacles of group work while making a successful video.
This I Believe: Following the completion of the Rhetoric & Civic Life 137H course, I enrolled in the Rhetoric & Civic Life 138H course. One of our first assignments in the counterpart of the rigorous honors course was to write and record a This I Believe podcast. The goals of the assignment were to narrate a belief in an accessible, compelling way, to develop skills at composing for the ear, and to improve performance of a written (scripted) text. I believe I maintained all three goals in my podcast, which reflected on the impact that both lemonade and cancer have had on my life.
You can download the podcast below or read the written version below: