Student Review – MCOM 5020 – Media and Cultural Diversity
Derrick J. Vaz
In college, whether undergraduate, graduate, or at the doctoral level, students spend a great deal of time considering which courses to take to satisfy their curriculum requirements. Some students will look at the course title and decide; others will read the course description, but most are willing to spend a little extra time considering the professor that will teach them. If this sounds like you, then I would encourage you to grab the first available seat in a class taught by Dr. Mimi Perreault.
Upon arriving on the first day of MCOM 5020 – Media and Cultural Diversity at East Tennessee State University, I was excited to explore new areas of cultural diversity, theory, and how it relates to the wide world of mass communication. Dr. Perreault created a very engaging and supportive environment in the classroom by encouraging students to participate in discussions around the topics we explored in class. She is very knowledgeable about several aspects of media and cultural diversity and used this knowledge to keep students on track with the material. In addition, her classroom environment is one that uplifts those students that needed a little more help to grasp very complex concepts. It truly felt as if her teaching style fit the needs of every type of student.
One thing that you’ll find about Dr. Perreault is that she provides very meaningful feedback on assignments, projects, and assessments. She is willing to go the extra mile to consider your strengths and weaknesses to give you everything you need to improve while praising you for what you strive in. This dedication to students is seemingly becoming rarer to find in a professor, so I was very relieved to find that Dr. Perreault took a genuine interest in my learning. Even with classroom topics that were very theory or research-heavy, she presented them in a manner that gave students a clear understanding of the material. She accomplished this by giving engaging lectures, answering all questions as they came up, and encouraging us to work together to problem solve.
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Perreault is a top-notch researcher, leader, and overall wonderful person. Her breakthrough research on unique topics helps provide additional perspective on how the lessons translate into real-world situations. Dr. Perreault is someone driven for success and has demonstrated this through her several projects, initiatives, and publications. I continue to use the tips, tricks, and lessons that she has taught me, and it has made working as a communications professional much easier. In addition, she is an excellent writer. She will not get frustrated if you aren’t a strong writer, but rather will teach you how to better yourself and continuously make improvements. If you are looking for a quality classroom experience with engaging lessons and a plethora of resources to help you succeed, then you should capitalize on every opportunity you get to take a class with Dr. Mimi Perreault.
