“What are you going to do with a degree in Communications?”

This is a question that haunts every college student when they pass up their opportunity to become a lawyer or a doctor in order to fulfill their life long dream of becoming a… well… people person.  I struggle to find the correct term to describe what our course work eventually leads us to become because the life of a Communications Major is one without a specific backbone or structure.  We do not have a single occupation at the end of our road with defined financial stability, and that scares a lot of people while even drawing a few laughs. We learn how to talk to strangers, how to study the body language of people around us, and how to effectively communicate a message to a specific audience.  These learning points, although useful every single day of our lives, do not seem to impress those who are outside of our learning environment.

I have always believed that one day I would find a perfect job that allowed me to take what I have learned in the classroom and apply it to a professional work environment.  Somehow this “perfect job” would validate the years of eye rolling and smirks one receives when stating aloud that they are, in fact, a dreaded “Communications Major”.

Alas, at twenty-one years young, I believe I found this wonderful job I have been searching for all these years.  This is a job that combines my ability to communicate with my passion for filmmaking.  At Habitat for Humanity MidOhio I can now honestly say I am a part of something bigger than any one person.  I have found myself diving head first into a world where hard-work meets love and selflessness.  I finally get paid to make a difference while enjoying myself at the same time.

This past Saturday I packed up my video equipment and headed to the Southside of Columbus where I stumbled upon an early morning crowd full of dedicated volunteers.  The sun was relentless and the clouds were sparse, yet here I was surrounded by 50+ individuals who were prepared to devote the entire day to working free of charge to make this neighborhood a better place.  This event know as “Rock The Block” is designed to send Habitat volunteers into the heart of low-income neighborhoods to mow lawns, plant flowers, and clean up the streets.  Their meeting place before the hard work began was the lot on which a brand new house will be built in the coming months for the Thomas Family.  The Thomas Family themselves were in attendance as they put in hours of sweat equity, which is one of the many requirements and expectations that all new homeowners must live up to when receiving a new Habitat for Humanity house.

As I followed this large group around the neighborhood with my camera I quickly realized how incredible this Non-Profit is.  They have truly given me a meaningful reason to pursue a career in filmmaking.  I talked with amazing people all day and was able to document their hard work.

My favorite movies have always been either scripted or documented true stories.  There is something about a true story that leaves you inspired and optimistic about the world ypu live in.  I feel so honored to be telling the true story of my amazing coworkers and the incredible people that they choose to guide.

For all those people who do not think there are no careers for Communications Majors, I beg you to look around you and realize our benefit to society.  We can tell stories, we can change lives, and we can make the world a better place.  I look forward to sharing these stories with you in hopes that you take something away from each chapter.