Roger Thomas
    Staff Writer

My name is Roger Thomas. I will be graduating from UNC-Greensboro in December with a Bachelor of Arts in media studies. My goal after college is to obtain a career position as a sports broadcaster or film producer. My hobbies are playing basketball, football, disc jockey, filming and drag racing.

My journey started back in 2012 when I transferred to UNCG after obtaining my associate degree from Piedmont Community College. When arriving to UNCG, I was a business major, but then I quickly discovered that career path wasn’t for me due to me not having the passion for it. It was hard for me to get adjusted to the university because I wasn’t used to a campus this big. Classes were a lot bigger and the workload was a lot larger and harder than in community college. Eventually, after some trial and error, I managed to get into a routine that made the college life a lot easier.

    That’s when I discovered the field of media studies where I had the opportunity to grow. With the career I want to get into, I have learned and received hands on training for something that I love doing now. And I am hopeful I will be doing it in the future as well. The department has taught me about camera techniques, effective video editing, TV and movie script writing and the proper way to speak on radio and TV. I have enjoyed every single class I have taken while in this major. It has provided me with the skills that I will need to be successful in my career. 

    While at UNCG I have had a number of opportunities to gain experience in my field of study. Since the spring 2015 semester I have had the privilege of working for the campus college radio station, WUAG. This chance allowed me to show off my skills as a DJ and Radio Host and allowed me to express my passion for music. I am very grateful for this opportunity, and I hope to be able to apply these skills to become a professional DJ and radio personality.

    Another opportunity that I have had the privilege of working for has been this newspaper, The Carolinian. This student newspaper has taught me the skills to become a better writer, the proper way to conduct interviews with athletes and coaches and how to effectively manage my time wisely to meet submission deadlines. Also, it was a cool experience and a perfect resume builder to show employers that you have experience. I have improved because of this newspaper and, for that reason, I would recommend anyone who is interested in becoming a writer to take this opportunity if it is available.

    In regards to my experience outside of work, I got involved in UNCG intramural sports my junior year playing flag football and participated in the dodgeball tournament on the basketball courts behind the Moore-Strong residence hall. I must admit it was a lot of fun and I got to meet a lot of new faces while playing. I choose to play flag football because football is my favorite sport and the sport that I have the most experience in. I would say that playing intramural sports is an excellent way to stay active and provides an excellent break from classes and other activities. All students who like sports and who are not student athletes should get involved with intramurals because it is a great way to have fun and meet people during the semester.

    The things I’m going to miss most about UNCG will be my friends, classmates and professors. I’m also going to miss walking to class and seeing the beautiful buildings and scenery. I’m not going to miss having to wake up early in the morning to go to class. I thank UNCG for all of the opportunities that the faculty and staff have allowed me to participate in while attending the university. Finally, I would encourage anyone to attend UNCG because it is one of the top in academics and a great community to be involved in.