Projects
tED Talk: cOLLEGE fOOTBALL fANDOM
Adapting my essay on the shift in college football fandom, I gave a "Ted Talk" on the subject. In practice, a "Ted Talk" is supposed to be a more engaging type of presentation. As one of my strengths, I have always felt very comfortable as a public speaker. This project was a great experience because it allowed my essay to come to life. Unlike a paper, this medium allowed me to emphasize the most important points while also providing a platform to provide my own voice. In my talk, I discuss a trend that has spread throughout the college football landscape--fans would rather stay home than physically attend a game. In our high-tech, high speed world, fans can be closer to the action, expend less energy, and multi-task while staying at home and watching a game. While many fans still like to be "taken out to the ballgame," many more would rather stay in the comfortable confines of their own living rooms.
Public Controversy: Whistleblowing
Working on a group project, my partners and I researched and constructed a documentary about whistleblowing. For my part, I was the lead researcher on Snowden, and I also narrated the entire video. Prompted by the media storm surrounding Edward Snowden, we investigated whistleblowing's mechanisms, effects, and consequences. Personally, I found that whisteblowing is a lot more complex than it seems. Often times, whistleblowers are either ostracized for doing the right thing or find motivation through ulterior motives. Looking at a couple of notable examples, our group attempted to find precedence in Edward Snowden's case. With all of the evidence, we rhetorically stepped away from being the judge and jury. By the end of the documentary, the audience must decide whether Edward Snowden is a patriot or traitor? What would you do if you were in his shoes?