In this series of blog postings, we feature our alumni as they talk about their experience being in the program as well as their unforgettable moments as former XU DevCom students.

Why did you choose XU DevCom?

I was actually clueless what course to take when I enrolled in Xavier. The results of the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) I took in my senior year in high school revealed that my skills and strengths were fit for courses that generally involved writing and public speaking. Also, I wanted to become a broadcast journalist and I was told that DevCom was the sure path to that goal. Despite having had a flimsy grasp of what the program really was, I enrolled under DevCom anyway. The rest was history.

Tell us about your experience with the program.

Any almnus who had enjoyed his/her stay in DevCom would know how hard it is to sum up his/her experience in a paragraph or two.

My four-year stay in the program was an eyeopener. I say this in the sense that I was able to discover more of my talents and appreciate the crucial role of communication in building communities and finding solutions to societal issues.

I will always be thankful for my last two years in the program (where I majored in Development Journalism) since it was this phase that greatly sculpted me to become a conscientious communication professional.

In DevCom, I learned how to write with the audience in mind; I learned that photography is more about capturing the story that’s unfolding before your eyes and less about the technical specifications of a camera; I learned that besides entertainment, theater can also become a platform for shedding a colorful light on pressing issues and sparking conversations.

And every project, whether it be an immersion in some far-flung community, a radio production, field work, and late-night theater rehearsal, was an essential backdrop for those learnings. Another best thing about my stay in DevCom was the extraordinary bond I formed with my classmates and teachers. Brilliant and fun-loving people always converge in DevCom and I’m just grateful to have crossed paths with them.

What is your current job?

I didn’t get to pursue broadcast journalism after graduating. Fresh out of college, I landed a job in a local newspaper in Cebu, first as an advertising writer and then eventually as a news correspondent (a love of writing suddenly bloomed in me. Haha) Currently, I am a content writer and marketer for a digital marketing agency in Cebu that’s servicing Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Australia.

Are you using what you learned in college?

Yes. DevCom equipped me with the basic skills I needed which I’m still able to practice in my current job (i.e. writing various forms of articles, listening and interviewing skills).

Would you recommend studying DevCom?

Only if you have the passion for communication, if you are moved to mingle with and help the marginalized, and if you’re up for a four-year rollercoaster ride of fun, sweat, and tears.