Abstract:
Undertaking the project of creating a podcast for my Honors Senior Thesis was a deeply personal
journey that allowed me to overcome some existing fears about the potential for failure in
creative endeavors. As an interpersonal communication major, creating a podcast was a logical
medium to use to discuss my chosen topic: the communication theory Coordinated Management
of Meaning (CMM). CMM revolves around the role of storytelling in our lives, how the stories
we tell affect our social worlds, and how, in turn, those social worlds affect us, too. In order to
encompass all the depth and complexity that this theory presents, I decided to use two different
styles of episode in my podcast to discuss both the theory and application of CMM; the episodes
that include a conversation between me and guest seek to model application of CMM into our
lives, while the other episodes involve an in-depth analysis of the theory behind CMM. For the
scope of my Honors Senior Thesis, I produced three podcast episodes and a trailer. However,
through this project I was able to connect to the CMM Institute, who will support me as I
continue on with this podcast, creating 30 more episodes throughout the year. I believe that the
tools and language that Communication Studies provides to students should be made available to
all people. It is important for this information to be made accessible because it has the potential
to improve our relationships and our quality of life.
