My Scholars Reflection

It has been a unique and eventful first 3 semesters at the University of Maryland—I am confident that my Scholars experience has been different than those of students in prior years. However, despite limitations on learning and life outside of class due to COVID-19 restrictions and regulations, the Scholars program has still made a significant impact on me. I would say that this semester’s course influenced me the most just because we got to meet for class in person every time. In that regard, I would argue that our class discussions have been the part of the Scholars program that has influenced me most significantly. Whether after the eye opener or about course topics from the textbook, hearing my fellow Scholars’ opinions and perspectives on current events and media issues has furthered my understanding of the role of media in our lives.
Overall, the Scholars experience has made me a much smarter and more analytical consumer of news and other media. For example, during the fall semester of freshman year, I made my own media related to current issues such as the coronavirus pandemic and the milestone 2020 presidential election. In the spring semester of freshman year, I completed a media literacy outreach project about being a responsible consumer of news and media. Specifically, my project focused on fact-checking articles and identifying deepfakes, which are artificial intelligence-generated fabricated videos of people doing and saying things they never did or said. And this semester, I worked with a group to create a presentation about the impact of advertising through media on perpetuating consumer myths. All of these projects have greatly contributed to my learning of good and bad media consumption habits and to my application of topics that I have learned throughout the Scholars program. Finally, the Scholars experience has influenced me through the friendships I have formed. Last year, living on the same floor as other Media, Self, and Society Scholars allowed me to become close with some of them. And this year, having class in person has enabled me to meet even more new people.
My interpretation of our program’s title—Media, Self, and Society—has changed significantly over the past three semesters. Coming into college, my understanding was very rudimentary. Now my comprehension of the importance of media is much more developed. I understand that media plays a crucial role in both my life and society. In my life, it controls the way I get my news, impacts the way I form opinions on current events, and aids my interaction with friends, family, and other people. Personally, social media plays a larger role than any other form of media; even now, social networking sites such as LinkedIn are helping me connect with professionals and pursue internship opportunities. Overall, I see media in my life as an all-in-one provider; it relates to every aspect of my life, from staying informed to entertainment to career advancement.
The role of media in society is a lot broader and more impactful. Ultimately, media is supposed to disseminate information from various news sources in an unbiased manner, provide entertainment to consumers, and/or educate the masses. Problems arise, however, when media sources try to both inform and entertain consumers. This is why media’s influence has become a lot more controversial, and this semester’s course curriculum has helped me understand how it can manipulate and mislead people. I have also learned about some of the problems regarding concentration of ownership and lack of representation in the media industry. Media has the power to shape and mirror society, and since it can influence people and the future of society, it is paramount that media remain truthful, thorough, and unbiased.
As an accounting and finance double major, it is difficult to see a significant connection between media and my intended career field. However, if the Scholars program has taught me one thing, it is that media is everywhere. For example, over the summer I completed my practicum as an intern at a family office. Even though media didn’t play an active role in the company’s day-to-day operations, it was crucial to their efforts to secure new clients and recruit new employees. I know that even if I do not directly interact with media often in my career, I will still see its connection to my field. For instance, news stories about major companies and economic events play a huge role in the stock market and financial world.
Finally, at the very least I know that I will be able to apply lessons learned in media to my life beyond the Scholars program. I have learned how to become a responsible and active rather than passive consumer of media, which will allow me to ensure the accuracy of the information I read and avoid falling for misinformation and fake news.