The first French word I learned was plié, to bend, followed shortly by relevé, to raise. As a dancer, my passion was communicating through movement, but I never realized that ballet class was preparing me for a future of communicating through language.

While my peers chose French because it was the “easy” language, I chose French because I was a ballerina, and ballerinas spoke French. Numbers for French classes began to dwindle as I progressed through the higher level courses, until I completed AP French V, and became the lone graduate of Central Dauphin High School pursuing a bachelor’s degree in French. 

My major is French and Francophone studies with a concentration in international business, and I chose a minor in Global Business Solutions for the Earth, Energy, and Mineral Industries. After graduating, I want to be involved in the international initiative for cleaner energy sources and hope to be living in France.

Until then, I am working on my communication skills mostly through French classes, but also through rhetoric. I was first exposed to rhetoric in the spring of my freshman year at Penn State in my LA 101H English class. On the first day my professor had me write what I thought the definition of rhetoric was, and I honestly had no idea. During the activity I rambled on about rhetoric, while beating around the bush and never writing an actual definition. Now that I have completed the course, I can say I know what rhetoric is. Rhetoric is the way we speak and the way we interpret what others say. There is rhetoric in how I present myself. Rhetoric is effective communication. All of these qualities of rhetoric will be important to me, as I advance in my life and career trying to communicate in a foreign language. Lucky for me, I had LA 101H to kick start my future as a rhetor, just as ballet fueled my future as a French speaker.

Elizabeth Thorwart's E-Portfolio

I say pass the budget cut.

On Monday, Penn State students were asked to walk out of their classes and attend a rally on the steps of Old Main in order to protest Tom Corbett’s proposal of a 50% education funding cut. According facebook over 800 students were supposed to be in attendance. There were only about 300 students and faculty on the steps of Old Main during this protest.

Eight hundred students is only one out of every 50 Penn State students. Only 2 percent of our student body cares enough about this budget cut to do the simple, non-committal action of clicking ‘attending’ on facebook. That’s sad. What’s even worse is that less than 300 students even showed up to the event.

So why is everyone in an up rage about the educational budget cut? It seems to me that if less than 300 out of over 40,000 care, this proposed budget cut isn’t really that big of a deal. If I was a legislator and heard about this walk out, where less than one percent of the student population showed up, I wouldn’t be too concerned that I was making the wrong choice.

That wasn’t the point of this protest. Students were trying to show the government that we care about our funding and that we need it, but this protest probably did the opposite. It showed that we don’t really care.

WE ARE… all talk.

Today in our small class, we had a decent amount of students raise their hands when asked if their Penn State experience could end if this proposed budget cut is passed. I love Penn State and I’m already struggling with the idea that freshman year is over and I’ll have to go home for the summer, but I get to come back next year. I don’t want tuition to go up, but whether it does or doesn’t, I’ll be back. I’ve heard many conversations about how students won’t be able to come back to Penn State if this is passed, but are there really only 300 of them? That’s what legislators saw on Monday.

If students want to do something about stopping the rise in tuition, then we have to do something about it. It’s called active citizenship, and we’ve all learned about it, yet it seems we’re still waiting to actually do it. Why?

They say college kids get stuck in their own bubble, which we do. This legislature affects our bubble, and we still aren’t acting.

Why weren’t you at the rally?

Exit Exams: Making Sure Students Are Prepared

The controversy of exit exams, which has been debated in my school district, points out a glaring problem with the Pennsylvania education system.

It is graduation night, everyone is taking pictures, people are crying, and diplomas are being handed out. A diploma means a high school education and the ability to succeed. Or does it? Diplomas in Pennsylvania currently have no real value. Students can graduate without having learned anything. Those students receive “empty diplomas”. They are given diplomas but the students have no skill and will not succeed in the real world. To prevent empty diplomas, equalize their value, and to properly prepare students, exit exams should be required by Pennsylvania high schools. Exit exams are not high stake tests, and they replace the final exams a student would have to take.

In Pennsylvania there are 501 different school districts. Each one of those school districts has their own different graduation requirements. Each diploma has a different meaning. To equalize the meaning of diplomas, graduation requirements should be the same all throughout the state. Exit exams would be the standard requirement for graduation. Then there would not be a diploma from Central Dauphin School District and a diploma from Central Columbia School District, both representing two different standards and levels of education. It would be a Pennsylvania diploma, not a district diploma.

Instituting Graduation Competency Assessments (GCA’s) would be extremely beneficial to the Pennsylvania education system. Graduation Competency Assessments are used to indicate whether students have mastered the skills necessary to succeed outside of high school.  The Pennsylvania Department of Education states that, “The GCA’s are a series of pass/fail exams-not one test-administered throughout high school.” The GCA’s measure the level of English, math, science, and social studies skills expected of students based on the state’s academic standards.

Students will take the GCA’s when they have completed the corresponding class.

Instead of taking a final exam, students would take the GCA’s. Then at the end of a student’s senior year there would be no need for one high pressure test.

What if a student does not pass the GCA’s? Students are allowed to take the tests an unlimited amount of times until they pass. Plus, students only have to retake the certain test(s) they failed, not the whole series again.

There is a problem with the Pennsylvania high school diploma. That problem is that diplomas have no value. There needs to be assurance that when a person is handed a Pennsylvania diploma, he or she has all the skills necessary to succeed. By adding Graduation Competency Assessments to graduation requirements, the problem can be solved. After all, “A diploma should be worth more than the paper it’s printed on.”

Writing a Resume

It seems like on my never ending quest to make this large campus small I am always doing applications for one club position or another. I’m supposed to be involved to get the most out of my Penn State experience, right? I love getting involved, I’m happiest when my planner is jam packed with meetings and activities. In getting involved, I’ve done my share of resumes and question and answer applications.

While completing these applications I’ve learned to be a more skillful rhetor in order to make myself sound as amazing and competitive as possible.

Some tips:

Details, Details, Details

      People will remember a more detailed sentence over a bland general statement. In order to be the most memorable candidate details are of the upmost importance when constructing answers to questions on an application.

Confidence is Key

      You’ve done a lot of great things in your life; don’t be afraid to admit it.  While you don’t want to come off as overzealous, you also don’t need to down play your achievements. Don’t leave out extracurricular activities because they seem unimportant. Every little thing counts. Be confident in what you’ve done and word your answers so your pride shows.

Strong Language

      As young rhetors we’ve focused on this one in class. The point of an application is to show off yourself intelligence, and if you use simple language and sentence structure, astuteness isn’t going to come across. Anyone remembering one of the many conversations we’ve had on choosing strong verbs?

Hopefully these tips can aid the rest of you on your journey to Penn State involvement.

Everyone Makes Mistakes

On Sunday I was inducted into one of Penn State’s honors societies, Phi Eta Sigma, and as is customary for important events that involve giving speeches to young people, we had a key notes speaker whose purpose, I assume, was to inspire us.

Had I read what this Penn State alum had written, I am sure I could have been better inspired, however his public speaking skills made it hard to focus on what he was actually saying. Someone should have shared with him the speech tips given to us in class and from our book.   

As a self-diagnosed air quoter, it breaks my heart to see other people making my same mistake and struggling with their own addiction. In my defense though, I am an eighteen year old girl, who grew up in the 90’s when all the cool kids used air quotes. I am not a fully grown man, with a college degree and an important accounting job.

Our keynotes speaker air quoted not once, but twice during his speech. First when he referred to the freshman induction class as “young professionals” and the second time he used air quotes was to emphasize “cup of tea.” This was a very nicely organized induction ceremony and I do not think it was an appropriate time or place for air quotes.  

Another thing he did while speaking that bothered me, was the way he phrased his sentences. It was not natural or even correct. He threw away the end of his sentences and introductory clauses, often pausing between the two. When someone stops midsentence, I tend to think about the awkward pause and phrasing they are creating instead of processing what they’ve begun to say, then when they stumble on to the rest of the sentence I have already forgotten what was said to begin with. It is very distracting for an audience and made it difficult for our speaker to hold our attention.

I finally have an appreciation for the CAS requirement at Penn State. Thank you for trying to make me a better speaker. I want to learn as much as possible so I don’t end up like this guy.

The Girl Effect

You know those pesky little advertisements that pop-up on the side of your web page? Well, sometimes I click on them depending on what it is (shoes on sale is a definite must!) I’d like to share with all of you one of the more serious ads I clicked on. Simple white words on a black background that read, “The Girl Effect.” intrigued me.  After watching this video a few years ago, I became passionate about this issue. This video expresses the effect one girl can have on a world issue; poverty.  

While I watched this video, I quickly became concerned for the safety and well-being of the little cartoon girl, who represents over 600 million girls in poverty in the world right now. This means this video achieved its goal of getting me to feel personally invested in 600 million people, in only 3 minutes.  

Because there is no narration, the music plays a key role in the audience’s feelings. The music has a sense of urgency to it. You can hear the clock running out of time within the beat. There are also two different moods; daunting and optimistic.  While our little heroine struggles to avoid all the obstacles that life has thrown her way, the music matches with a serious, almost haunting tune. Then once she receives the help she needs, the music changes. The same song is being played but in a different mood. Now the little girl has hope, reflected in the change of music. There is also a brief pause where the audience is asked, “Not the life you imagined for a 12 year old right?” This break, that only lasts a second, offers a moment to reflect on the horrors this girl has just gone through. After having a moment to let us digest, the video goes right on with the solution.

In this video, the importance in the selection of music is evident.  Although our project has to have narration, I will be keeping in mind the importance of the music that accompanies.

Interested in The Girl Effect? Check it out.

The Good, the Bad, and the Bobbler

Before I continue with my remarkable blog realization for the week, I want to congratulate everyone on a speech well delivered.

That being said, I noticed something not so wonderful about our speeches. As a class, we tend to bob. If you just read that sentence and said, “pshh… Not me,” then I am probably not talking about you (or maybe I am and you should better analyze your presentation skills). No one was doggie on a dashboard bad, but more rehearsal would have benefited most.

Ask yourself, is this you?

I am included in this bobbling group too. I knew it while I was giving my speech too. No matter how focused I was on what I was saying, it amazes me that I was still able to have a running dialogue with myself while presenting.

A brief glimpse inside my head:

…I am looking down at my notes too much. I need to make some eye contact. Okay, I should make eye contact when I actually know what I am saying so I don’t get lost. I don’t like the way I’m standing right now, but I can’t move too much, that’s distracting. Eye contact. Notes. Eye contact, eye contact, eye… don’t know what comes next, notes. I’m still not comfortable with the way I’m standing, but eye contact…

It’s not that I didn’t know my speech, because I did. I don’t even know what makes me feel this need to look at my notes. You could say it was nerves, but that doesn’t make sense to me. From my ‘this I believe’ many of you know I’m a dancer. So putting myself ‘out there’ isn’t really that big of a deal for me. I’ve performed a half-time show, learned in about a week, in front of 110,000 of my closest friends at Beaver Stadium, multiple times. Before those shows I didn’t have a second though. It’s just half time. But fifteen people, who also have to give practically the same speech, makes me cling to note cards.  

{I know, I don’t get it either.}

I’m just going to have to prepare more for the next speech, so I can kick the bobbling habit.

I Love You! (But How Much?)

It might sound silly, but for Valentine’s Day I handed out little valentines with Air Heads, something I haven’t done since elementary school. I spent last Sunday carefully deciding who would get which valentine. Suddenly, I was back in the first grade, debating who actually deserves “UR2 Cool!” and who could receive “Be Mine!” without thinking I had a crush on them. Obviously, none of the boys (out of the three boys who even got valentines) received “Be Mine!” I didn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea. Seriously, “Friends Forever” is a pretty big commitment. I worried about what my classmates would think of my valentines as a kid, and I was still worried about it in college. By college, we are all supposed to be mature enough to handle a goofy little valentine, so why was I stressing?

I was simply trying to be a good rhetor!

In the past we discussed our rhetorical audience. Our Penn State textbook (Rhetoric and Civic Life) has a chapter taken from The Harbrace Guide to Writing, by Cheryl Glenn, called Understanding the Rhetorical Situation (It’s chapter 5 for those of you who don’t remember and wish to re-read it).  This chapter has a picture of a rack of birthday cards and says, “Even when choosing a birthday card, you’re considering a rhetorical audience,” (RCL 115).

So really, I wasn’t wasting time by selectively choosing a valentine for each of my friends or acquaintances. My goal was to positively influence my audience by picking the perfect message (given I only had three options). Each message would influence my audience in a different way, and I needed to make sure I had everything just right.

What I thought each valentine would say to my audience:

Be Mine! – For girls: I love you, in that friendship kind of way. Let’s forget boys this Valentine’s Day. Who needs them anyways? We can do some serious retail therapy together.

For Boys: (the reason no boys received this one) Hi! I am single on Valentine’s Day and this foolish valentine is my way of telling you that I actually have a crush on you. So, if you want to grab dinner sometime, just the two of us…

Friends Forever! – We are friends and I like you, but if I wrote you an email I wouldn’t sign off with “Love Ya Girl (Boy)!” It’s a universal message that I could give to anyone. It’s the same as signing, “keep in touch” in a yearbook; whether you actually do or not, it doesn’t matter. We are friends, but forever might only mean until we aren’t living on the same floor anymore.

UR2 Cool! – Obviously, I think you’re cool. This valentine creates the perfect amount of distance for; “I’m just being nice and funny on this holiday, but you can’t read into this card because all I’m saying is ‘you’re cool’ and cool has become a broad and generic term.”

After picking out everyone’s valentines, I then had to decide who got what flavor of Air Head. Everyone knows you give your favorite people blue…

Are You Seriously Trying to Sell Me THAT?

Take a look at this advertisement from the 20's:



Yes it is advertising a magic soap that can wash away fat and age. I’ll take 3 cakes, thank you. How could a company convince people to buy a completely bogus product, like magic soap?* (*Taking out of the equation the fact that some people are just really gullible.)

Does the Ad appeal to Ethos?

No. There are no doctors or celebrities endorsing the product. In absolutely no way is there any credibility either. No name or face is attached to this reducing soap. The company’s name LA-MAR Laboratories is given, but not the name of the owner or the person in charge of developing this new spectacular problem solving soap.

Does the Ad appeal to Logos?

Sadly, another no. The small amount of evidence that anybody has even tried this product lies in the vague statement, “one to three cakes usually accomplish the purpose.” Usually? What’s that supposed to mean? And “the purpose?” Do I need a different amount of soap for belly fat compared to if I want to reduce the size of my thighs? No statistics, no facts, not so convincing.

Does the Ad appeal to Pathos?

Actually, yes. This ad appeals to two of the basic needs/desires of people; security and immortality. In order to need security, there has to be an insecurity, right? No matter what year it is, women are insecure about their bodies. In a woman’s mind she can never be skinny enough or young enough. These cakes of soap promise security. LA-MAR is really saying, “By using our soap you can be society’s definition of pretty; young and skinny. It’s as easy as washing with our new revolutionary soap.”  This ad also appeals to the desire for immortality, promising to wash away years of age. These pathos arguments for the product make it a pretty tempting buy.

Think this is just an outdated ad? Think again!

Not only does it give you
a healthy glow... It also
promises to reduce cellulite!

Moisturize daily to reduce
wrinkles!

Many modern companies have products similar to LA-MAR Reducing Soap. Women are still buying products that defy age and reduce cellulite in as little as a week. Companies play to our insecurities and desire to look forever youthful. Thought the first ad was ridiculous? Rethink the ads on TV and in the fashion magazines.

Penn Staters Know How to Win... Winning the Future? No Big Deal






Our friend on the White House staff!



Today I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer at President Obama’s speech in Rec. Hall at Penn State. After squeezing people into their seats, I got to stand on the floor and listen to the President talk about investing in innovation. I left feeling inspired, which surprises me. I have previously admitted that I am not too interested in politics.

How did Obama make me interested in his speech???

Watch the speech!

Obviously, there is no surprise that the President of the United States is an excellent public speaker.



Obama knows his audience, his rhetorical audience. His audience is capable of being influenced and bringing about change, and that’s what he wants…Change.

Before getting into the heart of his speech, “You understand that it’s not going to be a cake walk, this competition for the future. Which means, all of us are going to have to up our game,” Obama talked about something college kids love to talk about…football. He referenced the upcoming Super Bowl and Pennsylvania’s Steelers while also recognizing that some of his audience was Eagles fans. In the middle of his speech, he even brought up something Penn State is extremely proud of, Joe Paterno and his 400+ wins.  Knowing what kids care about, he wasn’t afraid to use football to get the crowd excited and interested in what he had to say.



We're official!



Obama also called on the young people at Penn State specifically. Penn State’s motto is “Making life better.” (Don’t worry. I didn’t know that before today either.) So as Penn State students, we should strive to make life better. While Obama’s message is for all of America, especially the youth, standing in that room it sure didn’t feel that way. Obama continually said things like, “here at Penn State,” and called on Penn State students directly. Obama was talking to me (and 40,000 others). He made me feel like it was my job to make the difference, to make the change. Obama was able to keep me interested in a speech I normally wouldn’t care much about. The President knows his audience.

The Exigency-



“We need you to seek breakthroughs and new technologies that we can’t even imagine yet. And especially the young people who are here, we need you to act with a sense of urgency. To study, and work, and create as if the fate of the country depends on you, because it does. It depends on you.”  

- President Obama



Dancing and Smiling Through Life... This I Believe

I “Might” have made a “Mistake”

I have a confession to make; I air quoted during my speech today. Big mistake, I know. In the moment I didn’t even realize that I did it. When air quotes came up on the list of things not to do while delivering a speech, I grumbled and rolled my eyes. I did that. The worst part is my friends brushed off my grumble with, “Yeah… but you do that all the time.” I do not. I cannot. But do I? How can anyone take me seriously if I use air quotes. I realize they are ridiculous. Anyone who passed the eighth grade shouldn’t use air quotes, but I apparently I do. After the teacher demonstrated a speech in class today with an over use of air quotes, I promise I will never ever again use them to drive my point home.

Friends - Ross and Joey always show us what not to do

That being said, how am I supposed to get my sarcastic mocking point across if I can’t use my beloved air quotes to help me out? It’s all up to me and my delivery. It seems like I will have to overcome my speech nerves and improve my tone and inflection. The same idea that is given by air quotes can be given in a more mature way if I use my voice. It’s like telling a little kid not to hit, “Now sweetie, just use your words.”  My mother or any of my friends would be able to confirm the fact that I am sarcastic or, more affectionately, sassy. So why do I have a problem talking like me when I give a speech? All I can hope is by giving more speeches I can become more comfortable talking like a mature human being, who doesn’t have to use air quotes to get her point across. I’m sure it will come in time, but while I wait I’m cutting air quotes out of my casual conversation too.

Admittance is the first step. I, Elizabeth Thorwart, solemnly swear not to use air quotes whether I am talking to my friends or giving a presentation. It stops here. I’m on my way to recovery.

Wasting My Time on the Internet

I’m not going to lie. I started this assignment by visiting dictionary.com and staring a definition I already knew: Rhetoric – the ability to use language effectively. My blank stare then turned to the class page, just to, once again, read the requirements and tips. Still without an idea, I did the next best thing I could think of. Use the internet to procrastinate. Somehow I managed to find the >next blog< button on blogger. I browsed through enough blogs and mindlessly skimming a few entries until I came to a conclusion. People who like to craft, like to blog. I understand why. After finally finishing a laborious and beautiful and handy craft, it must be shared with the world, hence all the blogging. The problem is… THEY’RE ALL THE SAME! Give or take a button here, a scarf there, maybe even a pattern variation or two.
      


What’s the point? Obviously I see the point, I myself will soon have my own passion blog which will, to others, seem to be about absolutely nothing, but I mean the real, deep and meaningful point. This wasted web space isn’t being used to touch souls or dramatically change the course of the world. It’s being used for enjoyment, not that having a place to relax or be entertained on the web is a bad thing, but how much of it do we need? Anyone can pick a random topic and then ramble on and on about it. But it’s the important issues that are missing from my random blogger search. Where are the blogs that are trying to get me to stop polluting? What about the political issues that rile up my own beliefs and make me feel like I should call a congressman? Or anyone? Where are the blogs that make people think?
      


The textbook was right to mention that recent technological advancements haven’t made people more active citizens. The book mentions that people use the internet to see what they want when regarding an issue. Meaning people choose websites that agree with the opinions they already have. Why visit a website that challenges my opinion? That makes me think? But not only is the internet allowing people to avoid contviction, it allows people to completely avoid news, issues, and conflicts. Not only are citizens not active by not speaking out, but it’s possible to completely avoid everything. Google is my homepage, I check my PSU email and ANGEL, get on facebook, and maybe youtube. That’s normally all I will visit during a day on the internet. No news, no politics, nothing that challenges me to think, or changes my life. I’m not an active citizen. I’m closer to 19 than 18, and I’m not even registered to vote. I know I’m not the only teen in this position either. Technology makes it easier for news to be spread around and for some people make their lives as an active citizen easier. For others, technology gives a complete escape. It’s my job as a part the next generation to stop being oblivious and to speak up. Everyone has been taught in class how to use and interpret rhetoric, so why not use it to be an active citizen? Answer: There isn’t a reason not to.