Introduction:
Hi everyone, my name is Oren Adam. I'm a freshman here at Pennsylvania State University. The past two semesters here at PSU have been an amazing experience, particularly in regards to effective communication and rhetoric in my CAS 137H and 138T classes. I was able to expand my knowledge of rhetoric while simultaneously building upon principles in developing strategies for both advocacy and persuasion in the context of civic issues. Whether it be through building a website, or having a moderated debate on our society's long term goal of sustainability, I as well as my peers learned what it means to deliberate respectfully while learning that few of life's complexities are black or white. One of the most important aspects that I learned in CAS, that will continue to resonate with me throughout my career here at Penn State and beyond, is being able to deliberate important issues thoughtfully while also with courtesy and respect. Blogging was another area of CAS that allowed me to find my voice in writing and explore different and new topics that shape our society today. For my Civic Issues Blog, I learned about the effects of political polarization on voters, the media, and other political mediums. For my Passion Blog each week, I posted a new song that I have recently listened to to my followers. With it will accompanied an analysis of the piece of music. Because of my musical expertise, I believe that this was an invaluable experience that show my readers types of artists and pieces which they wouldn’t have heard of otherwise. It was exciting to enlighten my readers with all my unique tastes in music, ranging from hip hop to classical music. For my final E-Portfolio Project of the semester, I have compiled a list of my best works that have shown my improvements in writing, critical thinking, and public deliberation over the course of my freshman year. Feel free to browse and let me know what you think!