Communication Studies

Alex Vizzier – M.A. 2006

Alexandra (Alex) Vizzier received her M.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2006. While working on her M.A. at UNCG, Alex worked in the University Speaking Center. She first worked as a senior consultant, and she then went to work as the Graduate Assistant at the University Speaking Center. Her research in Speaking Centers led her to present at the National Communication Conference, the Lily South Teaching and Learning Conference, and the National Association of Communication Centers Conference. This position plus her coursework prepared her for a career in education.

Upon graduation, Alex taught the Communication Studies 101 course during the summer and then moved back to her hometown Virginia Beach. She started working as an Admissions Counselor at Virginia Wesleyan College in Virginia Beach. This position allowed her to utilize the skills she learned at UNCG. She traveled throughout Virginia and delivered presentations about Virginia Wesleyan to high school students and their parents. She also used the writing skills she acquired from UNCG to write letters to students and to review college entrance essays. Although she enjoyed her position as an Admissions Counselor, she wanted to utilize the skills she learned at UNCG to educate students.

While Alex did not have her teaching certification, her experience at UNCG led to a teaching appointment at a prestigious high school in Norfolk, Virginia. During her first year teaching high school, she taught Honors and Regular English courses and a Freshmen Scholars course. She used strategies she learned in her Communication Pedagogy course to teach her high school students. Although she loved teaching English, she still wanted to teach Communication Studies. This wish quickly became a reality, and she was appointed as the only Communication Studies teacher in the high school. Alex found a love in education and working with students, and she found this love through her graduate experience at UNCG.