Grace Lee

What was your career before you started CCT? What drove you to pursue an M.A.?

I pursued an undergraduate degree in international relations, but I realized through internships that I was leaning towards doing communications in practice. I wanted to pivot away from my degree that was very topic-focused and pursue a degree that would help me broaden my interests with hard skills and research. I found that CCT was a great choice to pursue my interest in digital communications. The interdisciplinary curriculum allows the flexibility to take courses that accommodate your part-time schedule, and that was very important to me when selecting a program. 

How do you balance your academic and professional pursuits?

I think the amazing thing about working while pursuing an academic degree is the opportunity to use the knowledge and skills I learn in real time. For example, I took a class on Qualitative Methods in Communications where I applied the lesson on focus groups to conduct one in my job. I am able to see the applications of the content I learn to supplement my education and career. 

How has CCT supported you in this process?

The academic structure of only having two core courses allows me to build the education and experience that I want out of CCT. I have the ability to take courses that are directly related to my field and also courses that are new and interesting to me. I am also able to research and complete projects on any topic I want to build my own portfolio of work to use in professional settings. For example, in “Writing for Business Marketing”, I chose to create a small marketing campaign for Amtrak using the skills taught through lectures.