My name is Chris Dunne. I am from Cincinnati, Ohio, and am set to graduate this spring. I am a double major in business management and communication. I noticed early in my Wittenberg career that it's extremely doable to be involved in a variety of activities and organizations while balancing the academic curriculum required for a double major. At Wittenberg, I have had the opportunity to play on the men鈥檚 golf team, be actively involved in Greek life, hold a campus job, and also complete my internship requirement with a department here on campus.
My campus job at Wittenberg was as a consultant at the Oral Communication Center (OCC), which helps students with presentation and public speaking skills. I began working at the OCC during the second semester of my freshman year and, by helping other students, I was even able to strengthen my own public speaking and leadership skills. The liberal arts education that Wittenberg provides enabled me to help students from all different majors and minors, and ultimately learn more about a variety of fields.
After looking around for different opportunities in which I could complete my internship requirement, I finally decided on Wittenberg鈥檚 Office of University Communications. This was an extremely valuable experience I may not have had if I didn鈥檛 attend Wittenberg because a lot of schools might not give students the power and freedom that Wittenberg gave me during this internship. Throughout this experience with University Communications, I worked hands-on with Wittenberg social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter posting content on behalf of the University. This was immensely helpful in learning how to appeal to specific audiences in a professional manner via social media. The trust that Wittenberg gives its students is another way I felt that my experiences were able to adequately prepare me for my career after college.
Coming into Wittenberg, I knew what my interests and passions were, but I wasn鈥檛 sure how I was going to utilize them after my college career. Wittenberg provided me with experiences and opportunities for me to further explore my interests and passions and realize where I could apply them to be the most successful. After three years of exploring those interests and passions, I decided to complete required classes to become an Ohio real estate licensee during the first semester of my senior year. After completing the classes, I was able to pass the licensure exam and obtain the credentials needed to be considered an official real estate agent. After school, I plan on pursuing this as a career, and I have Wittenberg to thank for providing me with skills and knowledge that will help me reach my full potential in this career.
One class, in particular, that provided me with valuable skills during my time at Wittenberg is Assistant Professor of Practice Kevin Steidel鈥檚 business creations class that teaches specifics of rental home investing by providing hands-on experience with alumni in the industry.
Another class that helped me build skills to help in my future career was the CABLE program. CABLE (Communication And Business Leadership Experience) is a class offered to second-semester juniors. It鈥檚 a year-long course that focuses on helping students enhance their professional knowledge while also helping students find a possible career path after school. The CABLE program does this by inviting numerous guest speakers involved in a variety of professional fields to talk about what they do and allow students to ask speakers questions regarding their profession. Students in the CABLE program are also required to perform two major case studies that aid a business in solving a current problem or deciding what the next step could be for the company.
My experience was unique at Wittenberg. I came to the Wittenberg that every student and all alumni knew it to be and am leaving the Wittenberg that only current students will understand. COVID-19 has had a major impact on the world around us and has forced businesses, schools, and individuals to live life in a way they may have never thought was possible. Not having sporting events or campus-wide events to attend has given the community of Wittenberg a slightly different feel, but it has not changed the value of the Wittenberg experience.
This pandemic has allowed me to realize that I made the right choice in coming to Wittenberg; it showed me that Wittenberg is a special place. The passion that a Wittenberg student, faculty, or staff member has for this University is one that no individual could ever understand until they truly indulge in the Wittenberg experience.
Thank you, Wittenberg, and as always鈥� Tiger Up!
Chris Dunne 鈥�21
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Majors: Business Management and Communication
