In the MSC program, we often confirm for prospective students that classroom learnings are immediately applicable to life outside of school. I experienced a good example of this school-life connection earlier this week when I attended the announcement event for the Roberta Buffet Institute for Global Studies—a new center founded by a historic gift to the university from alumna Roberta Buffett Elliot (’54). Topics discussed at the event honoring this gift dovetailed perfectly with this quarter’s globalization course.

I was thrilled to be able to attend the announcement of the new Institute. Seeing Roberta and her sibling Warren Buffett in the audience was a definite draw, although neither spoke during the program. It was also exciting to be back in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall after so many years, rubbing elbows with other students in the audience as we all watched a historic announcement unfold.

Most interesting, though, were comments made by panelists regarding global issues, many of which echoed themes I’m learning in class:

• What defines religion in one place may be very different from what defines religion in another place. These differences will have a profound impact on respective definitions of religious freedom.
• There is currently no legal body or policy that adequately addresses the unique cultural, historical, and political needs of all citizens throughout the world.
• Global health issues are not defined solely by medical facts. Local economies and social structures greatly impact public health, as well.
• Trends of economic prosperity can coincide with increased religious tolerance. (Wow!)

What tied all the comments together—and again harkened back to my classroom studies—was the need to be able to see any issue from multiple perspectives. Can you put yourself in someone else’s shoes? An appreciation for multiple perspectives is critical to understanding the complexities of global issues.

Panelist and Professor Saul Morson eloquently spoke to this point when he explained the relevance of classic Russian literature to this topic. “What better way,” said Professor Morson, to develop an appreciation for the complexities of global issues than through the study of great literature, which allows the reader to “actually experience a different perspective.” That is, beyond just the study of facts, literature puts you into the shoes of a character and teaches you to appreciate another’s point of view. Frankly, his comments not only resonated from a globalization perspective, but they also validated my own choice to pursue liberal arts education at NU as an undergraduate. It’s easy to see why he teaches the most popular, “must-take” class on campus.

Globalization is a complex issue, as well as an ever-present one. As developing masters in communication, we need to be able to effectively participate in the conversation in a way that is sensitive and respectful to our audience. This week’s experience offered reinforcement that, through my training and experiences at Northwestern, I’m becoming better able to have that conversation. And I’m certain my life outside this institution will give me plenty of opportunities to do so.

1. Talk to as many classmates as you can, as early as you can.
2. Don’t be late to Professor Rein’s practicum session (it wasn’t me).
3. MSC lunches are delicious.
4. Professor Roloff will help you identify the Machiavellian personalities in your workplace.
5. The United States needs updated legislation for consumer privacy (I’m the only one who learned this, but I wrote 20 pages on it…so I might as well give it some air time).
6. Establish a schedule for MSC homework (Monday and Wednesday nights for me).
7. Have a few classmates edit your paper before you turn it in.
8. Learn for learning’s sake. Don’t worry about what it “gets” you right now.
9. Classes/professors are engaging.
10. Before you know it, the term is over.

I think it would be fitting to apply what I’ve learned in class to my initial blog post. In Change Management, we learned about elements of persuasion. As it turns out, one element of persuasion is physical attractiveness. It works like this, if you perceive someone as attractive, you are more likely to consider that person as a knowledgeable and trustworthy individual (they call this the “Halo Effect”). Using that logic, I need you to take a moment and imagine the most attractive person you know. Did you do it? Great. Now, imagine that I’m that person.
Without hesitation, I can say that the first half of the Fall Term has been incredible. The cohort is great; so many fun and engaging personalities. The class content is accessible and applicable without sacrificing academic rigor. In particular, I appreciate the interdisciplinary approach each course takes. It doesn’t seem to matter what line of work you’re in (and we do have a diversity of professionals in the cohort), the theories and content can be intuitively applied. I sometimes feel that my coworkers are getting a Northwestern education because of I bring up so much of what we talk about in class. In conversations with classmates, I am not unique in this regard. In short, it’s been great.
If you don’t believe what I’ve said above, remember, I’m very attractive.