Summaries of Learning in Key Undergraduate Courses
My Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies integrates Sociology, Communication Studies, and Leadership Development in a way that reshaped how I understand and operate within higher education institutions. Through these disciplines, I moved beyond viewing organizational challenges as isolated communication issues and began analyzing them as interconnected systems shaped by structure, interaction, and leadership design. Sociology strengthened my awareness of institutional power dynamics and norm formation. Communication Studies refined my understanding of relational climates and interpretive processes. Leadership Development deepened my insight into how authority, evaluation systems, and opportunity allocation influence institutional outcomes. Together, these areas of study transformed my perspective and continue to inform how I approach coordination, strategy, and organizational leadership within LSU’s Division of Computer Science and Engineering.
This page reviews significant undergraduate coursework across my Sociology, Communication Studies, and Leadership Development minors. Rather than listing course content, these summaries highlight conceptual frameworks, analytical skills, and perspective shifts that shaped my interdisciplinary research and professional development. Together, these courses illustrate the intellectual progression that informs my work within higher education environments.
Sociology Minor
My Sociology minor strengthened my ability to analyze institutions, inequality, and organizational culture at a structural level. In SOCL 2511 (Race Relations) and SOCL 2001 (Introductory Sociology), I developed a foundation in social stratification, systemic racism, symbolic interactionism, and conflict theory. These courses shifted my perspective from viewing inequality as isolated incidents to recognizing it as embedded within institutional systems. I began to see how norms, credibility, and authority are socially constructed and reinforced through power structures, insights that directly inform how I analyze policy, representation, and institutional messaging in higher education environments.
In SOCL 2505 (Marriage and Family), I examined how social roles and expectations shape identity formation, resilience, and relational strain within family systems. This course deepened my understanding of how individuals navigate role conflict and social pressure, which strengthened my awareness of how professional expectations similarly influence behavior within organizational teams. Through SOCL 4461E (Criminology), where I conducted a focused analysis of hate crimes and the Ku Klux Klan, I further examined how ideology, power, and institutional response interact within systems of social control. In SOCL 3501E (Sociology of Deviance), I studied labeling theory, stigma, and the social construction of deviance, reinforcing that definitions of “normal,” “acceptable,” and “professional” are not neutral but shaped by those who hold authority.
Collectively, these courses transformed how I interpret institutional behavior. I developed a structural lens that enables me to identify systemic patterns, question implicit norms, and evaluate how power influences opportunity distribution. This perspective directly informs my research on implicit organizational expectations and continues to shape how I approach organizational culture, inclusion, and leadership responsibility within my professional work.
Communications Studies Minor
My Communication Studies coursework refined my understanding of how meaning, credibility, and influence are constructed through language. In CMST 1061 (Fundamentals of Communication), I developed foundational knowledge of perception, conflict styles, relational development, and face negotiation, which strengthened my ability to navigate professional interactions intentionally and strategically.
Through CMST 3118E (Intercultural Communication), I examined identity formation and cultural narrative, deepening my awareness of how history, privilege, and representation shape communication patterns. CMST 3113E (Conversation) and CMST 2010E (Interpersonal Communication) further strengthened my ability to analyze communication climate, interactional meaning, and feedback processes, reinforcing how tone, framing, and relational dynamics influence trust and collaboration.
In CMST 4100E (Political Communication), I sharpened my rhetorical analysis skills by studying how persuasion operates within systems of power. Collectively, these courses strengthened my capacity to craft strategic, ethically grounded communication and to lead messaging initiatives that align with institutional goals and values within higher education contexts.
Leadership Development Minor
My Leadership Development minor translated theory into applied practice. In LHRD 3723E (Leadership Concepts and Principles), I examined leadership styles, conflict management, cultural awareness, path goal theory, and vision development, which strengthened my self-awareness and clarified my collaborative leadership approach.
Through LHRD 2723E (Introduction to Leadership Development), I created a structured leadership development plan grounded in self-leadership theory and character strengths assessment, reinforcing the importance of accountability and intentional growth. In LHRD 4723E (Advanced Leadership Development), I studied transformational leadership and explored how vision, modeling, and motivation reshape team culture within complex environments.
In LHRD 4804E (Professional Development Capstone), I led the strategic rebuild of the LSU Division of Computer Science and Engineering website, coordinating stakeholders, implementing accessibility standards, and managing organizational change. This experience strengthened my ability to align strategy with execution and lead institutional improvement initiatives.
Collectively, these courses enhanced my capacity to lead strategically, communicate with transparency, and manage organizational systems with both relational awareness and structural insight.
Interdisciplinary Integration
Examined collectively, my coursework in Sociology, Communication Studies, and Leadership Development reshaped how I understand institutional systems. Sociology provided a structural lens for analyzing power and inequality. Communication Studies refined my awareness of relational climates and interpretive processes. Leadership Development demonstrated how authority and evaluation systems translate interaction into structured opportunity. Together, these disciplines moved me from focusing on individual performance to examining how institutional design shapes access, credibility, and advancement.
Over time, my thinking shifted from learning theoretical frameworks to applying interdisciplinary analysis to real institutional environments. Rather than viewing courses as discrete academic experiences, I began to see them as interconnected tools for diagnosing and improving organizational systems. This progression reflects not only academic growth, but the development of a sustained, systems-oriented leadership approach that now informs my work within higher education.