Rising senior Stephanie Hague, who chose to enroll in the Gender and Media minor at SC&I based on her interest in exploring gender and sexuality studies, is already benefitting professionally and academically from the knowledge and skills she’s gained from the minor.

Hague, who is double majoring at SC&I in Communication and Journalism and Media Studies, and minoring in Jewish Studies at the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences, is spending the summer working as a Communications Intern for the office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and as an Editorial Public Relations Intern at Michele Marie PR, a fashion boutique public relations agency based in New York City.

As an intern for the State of New Jersey, Hague said she leverages the knowledge she’s gained in the minor by developing content regarding current trends. “My minor has helped prepare me for the creative side that social media brings out in you,” she said. 

At the PR agency, Hague said the Gender and Media minor courses she’s taken have prepared her to craft pitches that appeal to an audience of fashion editors and reporters. “With editors receiving many daily product pitches, it’s crucial to develop eye-catching writing,” she said.

Academically, Hague said the Gender and Media minor is enhancing the courses she’s taking in both majors. “The minor has complemented my majors in a beautiful way,” Hague said. “I can practice creative writing in my gender studies courses and apply those skills in my major classes. We learn so much about the media's impact on society, that being able to combine all the knowledge and skills I’ve gained has made me feel more confident in my work.”

In our Q&A, Hague, who served as the Social Media Intern for the SC&I Office of Communications and Marketing directed by Brenda Sheridan, Ed.D. during the spring 2024 semester, explains how she is benefitting from the Gender and Media minor in multiple ways.

SC&I: What led you to decide to minor in Gender & Media?
SH: When I found out that Gender and Media was a SC&I minor I jumped at the chance! I love exploring the history of gender studies and seeing the trailblazing feminists who have paved the way for us today.

SC&I: What media or technical skills have you learned from the Gender & Media minor?
SH: One of my favorite parts of this minor has been learning how to harness the power of social media to share academic passions. I have had the opportunity to develop my own blog, create a magazine, and more. This minor allows you the freedom to showcase your personality while learning the impacts of media on gender.

SC&I: Is there a specific professor (in the Gender & Media minor) who has inspired or informed you on a topic that changed your perspective on something or has given you great advice?
SH: Tiffany Marra has been my most memorable Gender & Media professor. Not only was her class (Gender, Media, and Social Curation) one of my favorites in my time at Rutgers, but the relationships she built with her students left a lasting impact. I got to explore my creativity while building my academic portfolio. I loved her ability to take media and dissect it in different ways. I was able to look at gender and media in a way I never have. When we had the opportunity to develop a project on a topic of our choosing, I knew I had to do a topic related to literature. I explored the romance book publishing industry and learned so much more about one of my favorite hobbies.

SC&I: Could you provide a specific example of how what you’ve learned in the minor has enhanced your understanding of something you’ve always been interested in?
SH: Reading is one of my favorite hobbies and no other courses at Rutgers have allowed me to express my love for pop culture, media, and more in assignments other than Gender & Media courses. I looked into how the romance industry has been subjected to patriarchal standards and how books “written for women” have been chosen for us by men. I explored how Disney princess films and feminism revolutionized how young girls grow up. Most recently, in my free time, I was reading a novel about Judy Blume and her impact on the world. The novel dove into topics regarding race, gender, and sexuality. I found myself recognizing quoted passages from books I have read in different Gender & Media courses. Not only did I find this exciting, but it was one of those a-ha moments where you connect your course material to your daily hobbies.

SC&I: Have you been able to apply what you’ve learned in the Gender & Media minor in your internship experiences? SH: The versatility of the Gender and Media minor gives you the ability to connect it with real-life experiences. You are learning about women’s liberation movements from 60+ years ago and can see the impact on today’s society. Especially in 2024, where women’s bodily autonomy is questioned, it is fascinating to look back on those who came before us and remember that the fight is for them too. I find myself hearing about women from my courses being referenced in daily life. Even something as simple as reading a book written in 2024 and the main character was reading a bell hooks novel!

SC&I: How do you think the media courses in the Gender & Media minor can complement the journalism or communication majors?
SH: I think the gender and media minor courses complement the journalism and communication majors uniquely. In those major classes, you learn about the impacts that media has on Communication professionals, journalists, and more. With the minor courses, you actively dive into past and present media. I feel as if I was able to understand the media’s role in history and how it has affected who we are in contemporary society. In my Media and Social Change course, I was able to cover the SAG-AFTRA strike in real time and look at other protests and rallies in history.

SC&I: What made you choose Gender & Media over the DCIM minor which is also popular?
SH: As I got older the global impact of feminism became a topic that I urged myself to learn more about. I always knew that I cared deeply about women’s impact on the world. I wanted to choose a minor where I could explore Gender Studies while also implementing all forms of media. When I found out about the Gender & Media minor, I knew it would be a perfect fit and DCIM was not even an option. I also was compelled by the Capstone Project and looked forward to creating my own project since I was a freshman. Now completing that course and project I can confidently say that it was one of my favorite course assignments during my Rutgers career.

SC&I: What is one piece of advice you would give a student who is thinking about taking on the Gender and Media minor but is unsure?
SH: I would say that this is one of the most interesting minors where you combine past and present together to develop your own personal ideas. You get the chance to tap into your creative side and develop projects on topics that hold significance to you!

SC&I: What do you hope to do post-graduation with your majors and minors?
SH: I hope to work as a publicist for high-profile individuals after graduation. I am eager to combine my academic studies with my professional endeavors and see where they take me.

Learn more about the Gender and Media minor on the Rutgers School of Communication and Information on the website.

Photos: Courtesy of Stephanie Hague