Senior philosophy and political science major Emily Boushee ’14 (CLAS) has put her education to use in internships at media outlets across Connecticut. (Samantha Ruggiero ’14 (CLAS)\/UConn Photo).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFrom helping behind the scenes to producing her own show, Boushee says her internships at Connecticut media outlets have not only utilized the skills she\u2019s learned in her philosophy classes, but have also allowed her to explore her passion for the media and politics.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been a news junkie,\u201d says Boushee. \u201cI love watching the news and being informed. I also like the idea of holding people accountable for what they do.\u201d<\/p>\n
In particular, Boushee says that her Philosophy of Ethics class with assistant professor Hallie Liberto intensified her interest in the deeply rooted ethical issues behind political debates. She says the class helped her to develop engaging questions for the production of her own radio show.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat class helped me form a lot of my own ethical beliefs about how I feel about many issues on the shows that I’ve helped out with at WNPR,\u201d says Boushee.<\/p>\n
During the string of political scandals last summer involving former New York congressman Anthony Weiner, Boushee pitched her own idea for a show about political scandal to the senior producer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really wanted to do a story on surviving political scandal and why we continue to elect corrupt individuals to office,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was both fun and nerve-wracking to produce my own show, because it\u2019s on the radio for everyone to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n
To prepare her story for the air, Boushee was responsible for writing a brief introduction for the host, suggesting prompts for the host, and booking guests to speak on the subject, including UConn assistant professor of political science Vincent Moscardelli.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn terms of putting together my own show, I loved the creative element of WNPR,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was a really rewarding experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Professor Donald Baxter, head of the Department of Philosophy, says that despite what many people think, philosophy is a very useful major, both for the workplace and for personal growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cPhilosophy encourages you to evaluate the reasons on both sides of an issue, and to go with the better ones,\u201d Baxter says. \u201cThis focus on reasoning leads to civil discussion rather than mere political quarreling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Philosophy professor Michael Lynch, Boushee\u2019s former instructor and recent guest on WNPR\u2019s \u201cWhere We Live\u201d segment, also says that studying philosophy can provide an important foundation in politics and media.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of things philosophy teaches us is, on the one hand, how be open-minded and listen to a range of opinions,\u201d says Lynch. \u00a0\u201cOn the other hand, philosophy also teaches us to be very critical and analyze what the other person is trying to say.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lynch also adds that Boushee\u2019s exceptional work ethic made her a perfect fit for WNPR.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmily is extremely intelligent and hardworking with a critical and creative mind,\u201d says Lynch.<\/p>\n
Boushee\u2019s impressive work at WNPR led to her current internship at CT News Junkie<\/a> in the state Capitol in Hartford.<\/p>\n\u201cWalking into the Capitol building once a week is pretty cool,\u201d says Boushee. \u201cEven when I\u2019m not covering stories, I\u2019m able to attend press conferences and observe what it\u2019s like being a journalist.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the future, Boushee would like to continue working in the media, with a special interest in public radio. Boushee says that critical thinking skills she has learned in her philosophy class will continue to shape her work in media.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy philosophy classes have just made me a better thinker,\u201d says Boushee. \u201cMy classes have helped me see the other side of an argument and understand its merits.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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