Let me make this clear: choosing only five classes was HARD. I love most courses I take at SCU and think that the professors are generally helpful, kind, and incredibly intelligent. However, these five classes outlined below particularly made an impression on me.One thing to consider is that I’m a Communication and MIS double major, so most of the classes below are there because I had to take them to satisfy my major requirements. However, I feel like they would be insightful and/or useful for all majors to take even if you aren’t majoring in what I am!

1. TESP 124: Theology And Marriage

I’ve always dreaded taking religion classes. I felt like these classes were the most work with the least reward, especially since I’m not very religious myself. I took this class with that mentality, and decided to finish my Religion 3 requirement online over the summer.

However, this class was literally life changing. Even though the course had a lot of reading, writing assignments, and video discussions, I felt like the course taught by Professor Jencks helped me learn more about myself and critically analyze my role in my relationships. I took this class during a dark time in my life, and on top of that, my relationship was suffering. I honestly believe that this class is the reason my boyfriend and I are still together, because the course material helped me understand why my relationship was suffering and how my behaviors/decisions were contributing to that. The readings were purposeful and informative, and I was truly interested in the topics we studied.

2. COMM 126A: Violence and Communication

First off, Rohit Chopra is one of the best Communication professors I’ve ever had. He’s engaging, kind, and incredibly intelligent. I always felt like I learned something new whenever I attended lecture, which I unfortunately can’t say about every course at SCU.

The subject matter in this course was also interesting, where we analyzed how different media channels and content conveyed events like 9/11, the Holocaust, India/Pakistan partition, and the Rwandan Genocide. Though the material was disturbing at times, I learned a lot about how powerful media is in sparking, sustaining, and documenting violence and how I personally am influenced by this.

3. MGMT 160: Management of Organizations

I didn’t think this class would be anything interesting at first. I thought it would be another business class that I would sit through for 10 weeks. Though the subject material was dry at times, Professor Gordon’s professional experience and insights smoothly linked the concepts with reality. She assigned a reasonable amount of work and I felt like the assignments were fun to do, an example being the various personality tests we had for homework. I felt like the homework and in-class assignments were purposeful and enhanced my understanding of the course material. I learned a lot about what I need in the workplace, and what my strengths and weaknesses are in a professional setting, which was particularly useful to know when starting my internship last summer.

4. DANC 40: Jazz Dance 1

I’m not a dance person by any means. The most I can do is the Macarena, and maybe the Cha-Cha slide on a good day. I figured that taking Jazz 1 would be one of those “Why Not” classes that you take for fun in college, and that’s exactly what it was! I not only felt more knowledgeable and cultured about dance, but I got to strut my stuff with my friends and get a good work out from it.

This course also counts for two units towards the Core Art Requirement!

5. COMM 30: Introduction to Digital Filmmaking

I didn’t enjoy this class in the moment, but it’s one of the most useful classes I’ve taken at SCU in terms of professional growth. Learning how to storyboard, use camera equipment, video editing software, and scripting are valuable skills that I’ve used more often than I expected in my internships. Creative video advertisements are necessary with the current surge in digital media marketing, and knowing how to create and edit an impactful story in a concise video is a powerful skill. This class didn’t make me an expert by any means, but it gave me the fundamental skills necessary to start creating and producing professional videos.

This also satisfies the Core Art Requirement and is worth five units, so you don't need to be a Communication major to take the course!