Exploring Public Memory and Civil Discourse in Great Britain

“Now, when I hear London, Edinburgh, Venice, Paris, or any of the other places I’ve been, I have my own images in my head rather than relying on what the media has portrayed for me. I also learned so much about myself and what my strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to travel and independence.”
– Christine Dottle

In addition to making memories and exploring new places, studying abroad offers students an opportunity to learn in a location connected to the context they are studying. This summer, COSO sponsored a study abroad trip to Oxford and Great Britain that was led by communication professor Dr. Lauren Lemley. Students on this trip were offered the chance to take two special topics course — The Rhetoric of Public Memory and Black Mirror: Communication and Technology.

To study public memory, students visited numerous historical sites and museums. The purpose of the course was to compare the way Americans remember significant past events to how people from other countries and cultures do. In Oxford, they visited a J.R.R. Tolkien exhibit as well as Kilns the home of C.S. Lewis. The class also took a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland and visited Loch Ness. Christine Dottle, a communication major said that visiting the Churchill War Rooms in London was particularly impactful. Dottle said she learned more about the war there than she ever had before. Her testimony is a tribute to the power of experiential learning and the value of studying abroad.

By Rachel Jones

Disclaimer: If you’re looking for a slow-paced summer job making smoothies, licking envelopes, or forgetting what you learned in school, this internship isn’t for you. If you want to be challenged to put communication theory into practice while getting the chance to make an impact among our nation’s leaders, intern with Pinkston Group. 

This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern at The Pinkston Group, which is a Communications and Public Relations firm located in the Washington D.C. area. It was an invaluable experience, and one I would highly recommend to anyone seeking a life-changing investment, not to mention a glamorous, exciting time in the nation’s capital!

In my time at The Pinkston Group, I learned how, even as a lowly intern with no experience, to make myself relevant and important. I used what I learned in persuasion with Dr. Sharp Penya to motivate high ranking reporters to listen to me. I used my insights from the rhetoric of pop culture with Dr. Lemley to make my content competitive to a news agency with dozens of options. I learned how to write Op-Eds that actually got read, how to sell a story in 5 seconds, and how things really work behind the scenes in our nation’s capital.

The staff at the Pinkston Group made the experience all around enjoyable and fulfilling. They took time out of their fast-paced days and looming deadlines to answer any and all my “intern” questions. I learned from them how to use an Oxford comma, how to make a personal portfolio, how to live ethically in the world of PR, and they even assisted me in exploring a career path that fit my interests.