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Devoting over two years to scholarly work wasn’t something that Mary Valentine ’25 had planned for college – but diving into research made a huge impact on her experience.
From sophomore year to post-graduation, the Communication and Media Studies major balanced research and coursework alongside Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies, Dr. Mark Flynn, studying the role that music plays in peoples’ connection to nature.
Their collective work culminated into a trip to Denver, Colorado, where the pair presented their findings among experts in the field at the 111th National Communication Association Convention.
“Associate Professor of Communication & Media Studies, Dr. Mark FlynnThis is a very selective national conference – even more selective than some journals. It’s a big deal for Mary to be there among an even more select few of undergraduates and recent graduates."
The presentation stemmed from some of Dr. Flynn’s prior research that explores the intersection of nature and technology – and looking deeper into the idea that connecting with nature requires a disconnect from technology.
Early on in the process, Valentine and Dr. Flynn conducted over 60 interviews that led to a new discovery: more than half brought up their use of music to connect with nature, completely unprompted, meaning that music may be an exception to the philosophy of disconnecting with tech.
“Oftentimes, when people are trying to disconnect, they’ll leave out all technology or media – except for music,” Dr. Flynn said. Inspired to get involved through her personal interest in music, Valentine set out to better understand the phenomenon, exploring how music strengthens peoples’ connectivity with nature and how they identify with it.
Reflecting on it as a recent graduate – and after a successful presentation in Denver – it stood out to Valentine just how much her academic progression in her major intersected with her role in research.
It started in the classroom, where Valentine solidified her interest in Communications & Media Studies. Then when Dr. Flynn became her faculty mentor, she learned more about his work, how it intersected with her interest in music, and ultimately, how to get involved as a student. Once she was doing both, she found herself bringing new insights from the research into her classwork – and vice versa.
“It all fell into place,” Valentine said, “my classes gave me insight into my strengths.”
The progression continued and was particularly beneficial in the senior seminar course, which incorporates practice giving presentations on a topic that students focus on throughout the semester. Right up to when she graduated in May, Valentine was actively practicing for the opportunity to showcase all the research she'd done: finally culminating into the presentation in November.
The way Emmanuel is set up to support student research and nurture it in tandem with typical coursework is a huge strength of the College, Dr. Flynn said.
When students show the curiosity and drive to take on research, he said he tries to empower students as much as they can to get involved, as well as connect the subject matter to students’ individual interests if possible.
“It’s a truly collaborative experience between the student and faculty member,” Dr. Flynn said, which leads to great conversations about the subject matter that open his eyes to new perspectives.
For Valentine, Dr. Flynn’s mentorship on the research was key from start to finish, especially when she was making the adjustment at first and learning the ropes.
By the time Valentine was in her senior year, she was an expert on the research, and was able to understand the bigger picture and context of their findings: analyzing the different ways in which their observations manifest in different demographics and age groups.
Now having presented in front of other experts in the field of Communication & Media studies, Valentine is ready to take her next step as a professional – with a wealth of traditional classroom experience and research devoted to her craft.