Scholar Profiles
Christopher Berger
2005 - 2006 University Scholar
Mentor: Lynda Kaid
College of Journalism
and Communications
"I had my project topic bouncing around in my head for awhile, but didn’t know how to write it for a newspaper or magazine. When I learned about the USP, it seemed like a perfect way to put in down on paper."
Christopher is a senior majoring in magazine journalism with minors in history and English. He is a Bright Futures Scholar and has served as an officer in the Florida Magazine Student Association. He served as a copy editor at “The Independent Florida Alligator” for five semesters and as a Dow Jones Newspaper Fund copy-editing intern at the “Naples Daily News.”
Research Description:
AOL Instant Messenger and the College Student Communication
Revolution
Shortly into my college experience, I quickly noticed what a
huge role AOL Instant Messenger, or AIM, had started to play
in my life. But I wasn't alone. Many of my fellow college students
were taking advantage of this easy-to-use, free Internet program
that allows people to chat with other users via computer.
As the years passed and the popularity of AIM never seemed to wane, I began to wonder if many other students were having similar experiences with it. I wondered: Were students tracking down old friends through AIM they would have otherwise forgotten? Were students talking to people they would have never met before in person and developing deep relationships? Were students choosing AIM over the telephone, letters, e-mail and face-to-face conversation as their primary method to stay in touch with friends and family?
I set out to find out if my beliefs were true by creating an online survey for students to see just how crucial a role AIM plays in their lives. My results show just what I thought: An easy-to-use Internet program has revolutionized the way students of the 21st century communicate with one another.
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