ONE of the most daunting parts of college life is completing a thesis. From sleepless nights to proposals and revisions, it was undeniably a challenging trial for graduating students. Along with these hardships, they learned how to endure and even performed exceedingly.  

     Last Feb. 14, the Communication and Media Studies (CMS) Department held their Student Research Forum at Rosendo Herrera Hall.  Out of numerous submissions, only six research groups were selected to present their expertise in research analysis. To present their data and findings, the groups conducted a lecture through deck presentations and videos to showcase their works. 

Filling the Gaps

     The selected studies were all rooted in varying matters. With social media’s relevance, one topic was the impact of Kween Yasmin and BINI’s popularity in culture and content preferences. Media advertising was also tackled such as promoting Tagaytay’s Lawa Café and investigating the influence of skincare consumption among men. Local issues were also mentioned, such as concerns about childhood malnutrition and crisis in communication.

     During the forum, the students not only appeared as student researchers but also as future professionals. One of their main objectives was to fill communication gaps in society to promote media awareness. As the panelists asked them questions, they eruditely answered with proficiency and certainty. For them, their research was not a mere requirement, but a training ground for solving real-life situations.

Worth All the Work

     As modern entertainment can easily engage an audience, Hannah A. Sespeñe (IV-BACMS) and Mijesric James M. Turla (IV-BACMS) were devoted to exploring how the influence of society and social media contributed to BINI’s recognition. With this, Sespeñe  and Turla received the “Best in Qualitative Research” for their study entitled “FAN TROPIKO: Understanding How BINI’s Popularity is Influenced by Pop Culture, Gender Dynamics, and TikTok.”

     Disaster response is also crucial for promoting safety nets around communities. With their concern for the crisis in the communication of the municipality of Bugallon, Mary Joy S. Endo (IV-BACMS) and Ymmanuelle Gem C. Torres (IV-BACMS) also received an award for “Best in Mixed Methods Research” with their work “Bangon Tan Aliguas: Crisis Communication and Public Response Dynamics During Natural Disasters in Bugallon, Pangasinan.”

     The groups had their own adventures with their research. Involving social media, going to rural areas, and even self-exposure, they flourished and conquered their work outside their comfort zones. Indeed, this is a true testament to a will to serve. 

     A research study does not only guarantee one foot out to graduation but also multiple life-long learnings. Beyond no doubt, a thesis could be overwhelming and what lingers with it is a great responsibility. But maybe, perhaps, this is the first step in answering society’s call to the youth.