Sivan Salem
Class of:
2013
Current Occupation/Field of Work:
I am currently working in the customer service & hospitality industry but am seeking full-time employment!
Work Experience
I have worked in the food service industry since the moment I turned 16. I love serving and interacting with people, and my serving jobs have provided a very reasonable income during my young adult life. In addition to serving, I have interned at various companies while in school. I interned at the Kevin and Bean show on KROQ for 10 months as a sophomore, and interned at the Entertainment PR/ Marketing Firm PMK*BNC for a few months as a junior. During my senior year at UCLA I began doing undergraduate research for Professor Groeling.
Why did you choose Comm Studies as your major?
Knowing that I wanted to pursue a career in Marketing was a huge factor in choosing to study Communication Studies. The major itself offers a variety of very interesting classes ranging from social science-based classes to legal and media courses, and prepares students for a job in any field they choose to pursue.
Favorite UCLA memory and/or professor
I have way too many favorite memories from my time at UCLA to be able to pinpoint one specific memory, but I will say that most of the said memories occurred with the coolest girlfriends I ever met--all of whom were fellow Communication Studies majors.
I really loved most of my professors in the Communication Studies department, but one professor stood out above the others. Professor Groeling taught one of the most important classes I've ever taken at UCLA, and the effort he put into each lecture made each class interesting. It was a great pleasure to be a part of his undergraduate research team.
How has Comm Studies empowered you in your professional and personal life?
I have learned so much about myself and the world through the many classes I took in the Communication Studies department. Namely, I've learned to look at things in a very different manner. I look at violent television shows and think about the effects the content has on children. I look at advertisements and think about the methods they are using to persuade people to buy things. I am critical of people who who cite "facts" without a source. I think about attraction and the subconscious biological forces that are driving my attraction to another person. I feel empowered by the knowledge I have gained as a Communication Studies major.
What was the most valuable or applicable lesson you learned from a Comm Studies class?
One common theme in my Communication Studies courses was to be critical, and this lesson easily translates to my life. I learned to be critical of the world around me, especially the media.
What advice would you give to a current Comm Studies student?
You will survive Com 150, I promise.
Also, make friends with your classmates and help each other with the readings!
Fun facts, interests, hobbies
I love to bake! When I'm bored, I start googling new recipes that I can try and make. My neighbors in college got most of the treats, but now that I'm back at home, I surprise my coworkers with baked goods as often as I can!
