My Experience In A Culturally Diverse Family

When I was in the third grade, my family underwent a dramatic change: my parents decided to adopt a little girl from Guatemala. I did not yet realize the significance of adoption nor the cultural implications - I just knew that I was going to have a sister. About a year later, my parents adopted another girl, this time from South Korea. Since then, five more children have come into our family, making a total of seven adopted siblings (in addition to my biological brother) from countries including Guatemala, South Korea, China, and Ethiopia. My experience in a culturally-diverse family has given me a unique perspective and formed my interest in studying culture and communication. From the age of 11, I have had an interest in communication. I can recall sitting on my bed reading The Body Language Handbook and Cialdini’s Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be

Despite the challenge this project presented, I quickly became hooked by the possibilities of media effects research. Since then, I have held two additional research assistantships and become a part of the Media and Diversity Center. These experiences have both validated and vitalized my decision to study mediated communication.
I am interested in pursuing a graduate degree so that I can actively increase my understanding of how the media portrays certain groups – specifically minorities, marginalized groups, and diverse families like many of my own – and how these portrayals affect the general populace. I know that Dr. Julius Riles has research interests that parallel my own, which confirms that the University of Missouri would be a great fit for me. In addition, working closely with the Institute of Family Diversity and communication would be ideal because of my cultural interests in both media and interpersonal