Meet Shae and Gianna: Business Administration and Communication Double Majors

Meet Communication Majors Blog Post
Gianna (on the left) / Shae (on the right)


By Shae Brunette, Gianna Moneta, Lauren Munderville

Are you wondering what it is like to study at UAlbany? Business Administration is a great major. So is Communication! You can combine both to enhance your knowledge and skillsets. This post features 3 Great Danes, Shae, Gianna, and Lauren.

They actually all double-major in Business Administration and Communication. Lauren sat down with Shae and Gianna to ask questions incoming freshman students might be curious about and to get their perspective on life at UAlbany!
 

Lauren (LM): So tell me a little bit about yourself!

Shae (SB): Hey guys it’s Shae! I am a current Junior majoring in Communication and Business Administration concentrating in Management and Information Systems and Business Analytics. I love to spend my time hanging with friends, going to the gym, and playing volleyball.

Gianna (GM): Hi my name is Gianna Moneta! I am a Senior also majoring in Communication and Business Administration. I am from Long Island NY where I come from a large Italian family. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, being outside, and listening to country music. 
 

LM: Why did you choose to come to UAlbany?

SB: I came to UAlbany because of its excellent academic reputation, especially its Communication Department and School of Business. I wanted to go to a school that would give me unlimited opportunities and set me up for success. Throughout my time here I have found all of those things to be true.

GM: I chose to come to UAlbany for a few reasons. First, because of the price. Since it’s a SUNY school, it was cheaper than some of the other schools I was looking at. Also, because it’s not too close to home or too far away. It’s roughly 3 hours. Lastly, the fountains. I love when the fountains are on. 
 

LM: Great. Why do you study Communication? 

SB: Originally, I had communication as a minor. However, I decided to change to a major after taking my first communication class my sophomore year of college. I quickly learned that communication was something I enjoyed and felt worked well with what I want to pursue in the future. 

GM: In the beginning of my Junior year, I decided to add communication as one of my majors because of how friendly the department was and how well the classes fit into my schedule. For the past two years I have been taking 2-3 communication classes a semester and I have enjoyed every single one of them! 

LM: Great. I myself decided to add Communication to my major after my Sophomore year, as I felt it coincided well with the business degree I was pursuing. So far, this decision has served me well and I am confident that the communications classes I’ve taken so far have strengthened my knowledge. 
 

LM: Ok. What types of clubs/organizations are you involved in on campus?

SB: I am involved in multiple organizations such as presidential honor society, women's club volleyball, and American cancer association. My main priority is Albany Business Leaders Emerging (ABLE), which I am the Vice President for. ABLE is a pre-professional organization focused on preparing students for life after college, and we hold lots of workshops like resume building and interview prep along with participating in lots of community service, social and fundraising events. 

GM: I am on UAlbany Women's Club Soccer team. I have been a part of the team since my freshman year. I joined eboard my junior year where I became the social chair, and then my senior year I became the secretary as well as the social chair. I am also a part of the communication honor society Lambda Pi Eta. I was inducted my junior year and became the President my senior year.
 

LM: What classes have been the most helpful/insightful during your time here at the University?

SB: The best classes I have taken at UAlbany so far are Introduction to Communication Theory (COM 265X) with Professor Lauren Bryant and Management of Human Resources (MGT 341) with Robert Downey. Both classes have inspired me so much in their own ways. They both helped me to fall in love with my majors and I will take what I learned in these classes well beyond my time here at the University. I highly recommend taking these classes if you can!

GM: I’ve taken so many classes here at UAlbany. I would say one of the classes that have been most helpful and I see myself using the skills learned from in the real world is Speech Composition and Presentation. It’s a Communication class. I took it with Professor Lin Lin and she really helped me with my Public Speaking. 

LM: My favorite class I have taken is Group Communication with Professor James Snack. It was a very hands-on, interactive class and Professor Snack (certified magician) has an unbeatable energy and charisma that shines through his teaching.
 

LM: What is some advice you can give to incoming freshmen?

SB: One piece of advice I can give to excel here at UAlbany is to just put yourself out there - say hi to the person next to you in class, go to that club informational, and introduce yourself to your professors. Your time at UAlbany is determined by YOU and you only have 4 years here. So, make them count!

GM: Some advice I would give to incoming freshmen would be to just stick it through. I had a very hard time my freshman year between being homesick and finding my classes hard, but I stuck it through and now I love my classes and have made friends here that feel like family. I also advise learning how to go through the tunnels early in your college career because it could save you from walking in the cold.
 

LM: What is your favorite place to eat at the UAlbany campus center?

SB: My all time favorite place to eat at the campus center is Starbucks. I go almost every day to get an iced chai with oat milk…such a slay!

GM: Every time I am asked this question I have a different answer because it just depends on the day. But some of my favorite places to eat in the CC are Babas, Nikos, and Subconnect!

 

Hope you enjoyed this interview. Let us know if you have any questions.