Liam Crane is in the middle of his senior year at Millersville University. He is projected to graduate in the spring of 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication with a concentration in Digital Communication and Cultural Studies. Even though Liam has yet to graduate he has a fresh insight into what the major holds and his experience so far.
Why did you choose to attend Millersville University?
I toured a lot of big schools, but I found that they weren’t the place for me. I had come to tour in the winter, and I think I had been drawn to the homeyness feeling of it. I felt like there was more of an opportunity here to just dive in and get something done, as at a bigger school there would be more competition.
Were you always a Digital Communication and Cultural Studies major? Why did you choose DCCS as your major?
Yes, I have always been a DCCS major from the start. I choose DCCS as my major honestly because of the opportunities, as there are so many routes you can go. I need to keep my options open, I like to have backup plans if something were to not work out. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be doing broadcasting, journalism, or editorial work. Being able to experience and get introduced to so many different areas of communication helped me not miss out on any opportunities.
What is your goal after graduation?
I want to find a place just like Millersville where I can grow, so I don’t want to limit my opportunities by choosing a specific job just yet. My main goal is to work for a big corporation where I start at the bottom and be able to climb the ladder and work my way up. That is really encouraging for me to have a goal and pushes me to perform at my very best. I did have a radio internship that turned into a job and in the meantime, I will be working there. In the radio internship, they had put me on air right away, didn’t expect that coming right into it. The internship was at The Morning Show, and they have two people there, the host and a person who writes and reports their own news. I would write and report the weather, promos, etc.. two weeks into the internship they had offered me a job based on my performance. So now I write and report my own news for that. But past the internship, I am looking at jobs in reporting, travel journalism, etc.. anything that will allow me to grow.
How do you feel DCCS can make a difference in local communities?
There is something unique with all the classes I have taken so far where it’s all about perspective. Looking at communities and cultures from different angles you gain a bigger appreciation for smaller aspects that you have experienced compared to others and it pushes you to want to make a difference within each community. I think it gives people a drive to strive to do better for their communities and those who can’t stick up for themselves.
What clubs are you a part of that connect with DCCS? If there are none, why didn’t you get involved and would you go back and change that?
I am in MUTV, which is more involved in media production, but I produce for the sports show and write their script. I do wish that I could have joined the PRSSA mainly because of networking.
What communication events have you participated in with the Communication department?
Within a lot of the courses, many of my professors would bring in guest speakers during class time. Many also gave us extra credit opportunities if we listened to guest speakers out of the classroom on campus and reflected on what they had talked about.
What professor and/or advisors have benefited you the most?
First, I would have to say James Machado was the most real professor that I have experienced. Whether it’s positive feedback or constructive criticism he made me feel like I came out the other side better. Dr. Yang is my advisor, and she is also super encouraging.
What does a typical day look like as a DCCS major?
The first two years were a lot more rigorous than the last two. My day would mainly consist of going to early classes and then going to the library for around 2-3 hours writing notes, and papers, doing research, etc… Now that I have more of a focus on writing and media classes it is a lot of hands-on work in class. It can fluctuate day to day, but mostly just being in the field doing projects.