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After a year in RCL I believe I have grown as a writer and a communicator. Prior to taking CAS 137H and CAS 138T, my speaking and writing skills were good but not at the level they could be. Because of RCL, my understanding of rhetoric has expanded; I now realize it is so much more than just speaking. Rhetoric is being an effective communicator through all mediums and being able to capture and educate your audience. Through these courses I have become an effective communicator; I have learned to draw my audience in and to be comfortable using a variety of mediums to communicate my message, such as essays, speeches, videos, and podcasts. I have developed my own voice, both in writing and speaking, and learned which techniques work best with this voice. RCL gave me the tools to improve my speaking, writing, and so much more.
These courses also helped me to grow as a person. I had to become comfortable speaking in front of groups of people and learn what my weaknesses are in doing so. Throughout my RCL experience I have been able to identify areas that I struggle in and work on them. Self-improvement was stressed in this class, and I think that really helped me. Rather than demanding perfection, Dr. Freymiller asked us to strive for excellence and constantly improve from assignment to assignment. I am much more confident in my writing now and I find it much easier to take on writing and speaking tasks, thanks to the techniques I have learned. Since beginning these classes, I have been able to incorporate my rhetoric education into many other aspects of my life. There are many people that I communicate with on a daily basis, whether it be speaking in chapter meetings for my sorority, helping to create legislation in the University Park Undergraduate Association, or simply communicating with professors and peers. All of these situations call for proper use of rhetoric and effective communication skills that I now possess. RCL has made me a more well-educated and well-rounded person that is capable of taking on any situation.