One would be hard pressed to find a senior on the Loras College campus who cannot

recite the Loras dispositions on command. However, from my experience at the college, the
majority of the campus community does more than drone the four pillars of Loras. We live them,
as well. Though certain dispositions take precedence in respective activities, each one is
nonetheless evident in every endeavor a Duhawk undertakes (at least, thats what I have
observed).
The first disposition that has most impacted me is that of reflective thinking. Due to the
variety of classes Ive taken over a landscape of disciplines I have been introduced to a range of
perspectives and opinions. More importantly, though, after my four years at Loras I have learned
to consider those perspectives as I formed and reformed my own. By developing this skill, I am
more adept at identifying the many components of an issue because my professors at Loras
taught me to go beyond the surface of the problem and consider all who are affected. For
instance, a paper in I wrote for my Mass Communication class is an example of how I apply
reflective thinking to the study of Public Relations. In this essay, which concerned the epidemic
media bias in Zimbabwe, I write:

The authors main purpose for writing this piece to is draw attention to the rising tension
between the government, the media, and the people. Zimbabweans lack trust in both
entities because the majority of news outlets are government-owned. As such, majority of
the news has centered on of mudslinging, defaming content, and a viral level of
partisanship. (See Appendix 1)

However, if one were to read through the entirety of this paper she would see that even the
journalist exposing the Zimbabwean media bias is also partial.
A reflective thinker views an article like this and evaluates all the parties involved and
how each is affected. This is also the mark of a good Public Relations specialist. Not only has
this program taught me to consider all the variables in a PR campaign, but also to ensure the
messaging I choose to employ and consider the way I execute that messaging in order to must
benefit the stakeholders I am trying to reach.
However, reflective thinking, as I have learned, is also something that one must apply to
herself and her own principles as much as she does to external issues. Therefore, she must
identify the principles, values and aspects of her life that make her perspectives unique compared
to another persons. I learned this lesson in my Introduction to PR Writing class when the
professor asked us to write our Bull Durham litanieswhich are more or less a list of things
and concepts we believe are important. For this assignment, I wrote:

I believe heaven is a Mile High, and that there are 5280 things to love about home. I
believe the greatest journey is the one that brings you home. I believe in the power of
bended knees and steepled fingers. That God couldnt be everywhere, so he created
mothers. That ones fortune is valuable, but ones treasure is priceless. I believe some
rules were made to be broken, but hearts are meant to stay whole. That bad things happen
in 3s and good things happen in 12s. I believe the N stands for Nebraska, and no one
can punt a football better than a Husker. That the first Monday of every week should be
deemed a national holiday. That its the message not the medium. I believe Sammy is a
dogs name, Sam is a boys name, and Samantha is my name. (Appendix 2)
This brings me to my next point. My time at Loras and my degree in Public Relations has
helped me become a more ethical person on the whole. While I dont think I was never described
as unethical, my definition of the word has certainly broadened since arriving at Loras
especially in regards to the PR program and my own personal beliefs. For example, in the PR
setting it is important to develop active listening skills. The PR specialist, after all, essentially
serves two mastersthe organization she presents and the organizations publics with whom she
communicates. Therefore, if the specialist cannot actively listen and understand what those two
entities want, she is not acting ethically nor will she be successful at her job.
An example of this principle appears in an Ethics Engagement paper, in which I wrote:

A man walks into a bar and asks for a scotch and soda. He only receives the scotch. A
woman goes to a bookstore and asks for The Art of Happiness. She is handed The Art of
War instead. A devout Muslim delivers a speech in front of a class and asks the audience
for respect and understanding. He receives neither. The one thing each of these situations
has in common is an unwillingness to listen to what another person has to say. The
consequences of such close-mindedness can be serious, even violent. However, such
unpleasantness could be avoided if people listened more actively, sought a more in depth
understanding of what was being said, remained objective when discussing a topic they
disagree with, and gave positive, polite feedback. (Appendix 3)

In this passage choosing not to listen actively has drastic, negative implications.
However, Loras has reinforced in me that no matter how significant (or ostensibly insignificant
the issue, a person must always have her ethics at the forefront of her mind when making
decisions. For example, the field of Public Relations, still hurting from the reputation of being a
collection of spin doctors, requires ethical specialists to counteract and rewrite this bias. In
order for this to happen, though, specialists need to ensure that neither of their masters takes
precedence over the other.
Stemming from this, the final disposition I consider to have impacted me my study of
Public Relations responsible contributing. Like all the other dispositions, responsible
contributing connotes different concepts for everyone. However, for me it was a call to be more
conscientious of our environment and work to preserve our natural resources. This principle, in
and of itself is admirable, but likely it has little to do with the practice of Public Relations
except, I found away (at least for one project) to marry the two.
I work as the Assistant Grant Writer for Loras College, and in this position I am asked to
write proposals for various projects around campus. I consider grant writing a form of public
relations because the job requires the writer to communicate with two publics in order to come to
a mutually beneficial agreement. In this case the publics are (primarily) Loras College who needs
the money, and the granting foundation who needs the publicityand who is by law required to
donate money to non-profit organizations.
One of the proposals the Grant Writing Director and I wrote was to request trees for the
new Loras Parkway. Before I could begin writing this proposal, however, I needed to do research
into the importance of trees. I discovered many surprising facts on the subject and realized
through writing this grant how integral trees are to preserving our environment. Once we
received the money to purchase the trees, I wrote a press release inviting the Dubuque
community to a planting ceremony on the Loras Parkway:
This celebration promotes the Loras Colleges commitment to sustainable, eco-based
programs. The reforestation of the old Cox Street is one way in which Loras remains true
to this commitment. Not only will these trees add greatly to the parkways visual appeal,
but also will assist in reducing heat island effect and help insulate nearby buildings.
(Appendix 4)
This proposal, along with the classes Ive taken at Loras, has helped me better define what
responsible contributing means for me: ecological conservation. However, it seems all the
Loras dispositions are founded on this concept. If one listens actively and acts ethically at her
job, she is responsibly contributing to the office dynamic. If a person holds firm to her beliefs but
also keeps her mind open to the opinions of others, she is responsibly contributing to her
community.
Therefore, the conclusion I have come to over the course of these four years is that the
Loras College dispositions are a compass for students to direct their lives. While some may take
these pillars to heart more than others, I am grateful that the faculty and staff of Loras College
continue to persevere in instilling these values in us students. Though I cant speak for the
population, in my particular case these dispositions have made me a better person.



Appendix 1


The media coverage in Zimbabwe has come under fire due to popular allegations that the
state-owned newspapers are instigating, provoking, and authoring hate speech and
sensationalized news. As such they are influencing and in some instances bullying the privately
owned outlets
The authors main idea for writing this piece to is draw attention to the rising tension
between the government, the media, and the people. Zimbabweans lack trust in both entities
because the majority of news outlets are government-owned. As such, majority of the news has
centered on of mudslinging, defaming content, and a viral level of partisanship.
Much of the authors attention is focused on attaining firsthand information concerning
this topic from various different media officials. Since the complaints against the media were
brought forth by Zimbabwes three political parties signatory to the Global Political
Agreement ironically, the only people interviewed were those directly linked to the charges.
The common citizen affected by this agenda-setting was not quoted.
There is a great deal of direct quotes in this article from various media employees. The fact
that their defense is included in this article not only gives the information credibility, but also
fights the cause this article reporting on: media-bias. Both sides of the argument are represented,
and I believe this article does a good job of keeping the article objective.
If this type of biased journalism continues, the people will lose total trust in the media.
Okay Machisa, the national director of ZimRights, best summarizes the solution
Zimbabwean media should consider adopting: If the State-controlled media stops being
manipulated by ZANU-PF and start behaving professional, I can foresee the independent or
privately-owned media falling into line.
The author concludes that the media simply got caught up in a political firestorm. He does
not pose any definitive conclusion; however, it can be assumed that there is no quick end to this
conflict. The irony of politics is that it has an allergy to ethics. This is a problem that plagues
every nation and not one that will likely find an end.
Appendix 2

I believe heaven is a Mile High, and that there are 5280 things to love about home. I
believe the greatest journey is the one that brings you home. I believe in the power of bended
knees and steepled fingers. That God couldnt be everywhere, so he created mothers. That
ones fortune is valuable, but ones treasure is priceless. I believe some rules were made to be
broken, but hearts are meant to stay whole. That bad things happen in 3s and good things
happen in 12s. I believe the N stands for Nebraska, and no one can punt a football better than
a Husker. That the first Monday of every week should be deemed a national holiday. That its the
message not the medium. I believe Sammy is a dogs name, Sam is a boys name, and Samantha
is my name.
Appendix 3

A man walks into a bar and asks for a scotch and soda. He only receives the soda. A
woman goes to a bookstore and asks for The Art of Happiness. She is handed The Art of War
instead. A devout Muslim delivers a speech in front of a class and asks the audience for respect
and understanding. He receives neither. The one thing each of these situations has in common is
an unwillingness to listen to what another person has to say. The consequences of such close-
mindedness can be serious, even violent. However, such unpleasantness could be avoided if
people listened more actively, sought a more in depth understanding of what was being said,
remained objective when discussing a topic they disagree with, and gave positive, polite
feedback.
In the case of the Muslim students controversial speech, objective listening is a crucial
tool for the students to employ, especially considering the level of disagreement over the content
of the speech. By listening objectively, one listens as an impartial third party, able to understand
both sides of the argument. Since most of the students walked out in the first two minutes of the
speech they were obviously only listening from their subjective point of view. For the students to
truly listen objectively, they must remove any emotional response they have to the subject and
break the message down into facts. This allows for the listener to better compare what he or she
believes and what the speaker believes. Once the listener clearly sees where the points of
contention are, he or she can offer more informed, impartial feedback to the speaker.
However, it is only half the battle to be able to identify differences in opposing
arguments. The next step is to understand why those differences exist. This, then, is where in
depth listening is exercised. Surface listeners only hear the content of what the speaker is saying.
They hear the words and relate that message to what they believe. For example, the surface
listener hears only that women should be subservient to men. That message is then compared
to what the listener believes which is: women and men are all equal. Nothing about the speakers
culture or upbringing is taken into account. Contrarily, an in depth listener listens for the
relational message of why women should be subservient to men. This listener is in search of
reasons why someone would believe that argument to be true.
Although, even after the in depth, objective listener has identified and put meaning
behind the speakers point of view, discrepancies may still exist. These discrepancies then
should be addressed through the mind of an active listener. This person lets the speaker know he
or she has been listening intently to the message, and is genuinely trying to understand. To prove
this, the listener will paraphrase what he or she thinks the speakers meaning is (You feel
women should be subservient to men because). Then the active listener will try to understand
how the speaker feels about the topic (It must be difficult to discuss this with a culture that takes
such a different view) . Finally, the active listener will ask questions to allay any remaining
misunderstandings.
These questions, as well as any counter points the listener wishes to make, should be
posed politely with respect to the speakers beliefs and understanding of the subject. In most
circumstances, questions for understandings sake can be posed in a public forum (in this case, a
classroom). However, the speaker only came to present a point of view, not to engage in a
debate. As such, if the listener wishes to discuss his or her contrary beliefs to the speakers that
discussion should take place away from an audience. This way the speaker does not feel he or
she is being ambushed. The is especially relevent for the Muslim student since his message has
already met with such an overt display of opposition.
These guidelines not only make for better listeners, but better people as well. If a person
makes the effort to listen objectively, in depth, actively, and politely there will be far less
misunderstandings or unfair assumptions. When a person intends to not only hear but
comprehend what another is saying, that act becomes so much more than a simple exchange of
ideas or information. It is a promotion of good will, respect, and tolerance the pillars of utopic
society.
Appendix 4
College reforests Loras Parkway

Loras College will host a tree planting celebration on the parkway May 15
th
at 4:00 p.m. This
celebration is in answer to the grant awarded by Alliant Energy and Trees Forever (through the
Branching Out program). The College received $4,086 in order to add trees to the new Loras
Parkway. This event is free and open to the public.
During the event volunteers will plant, mulch and water the arborvitae trees, followed by a
nature-based reading from Loras own Dr. Kevin Koch, Chairman of the English Department.
Refreshments and a small reception will conclude the event.
This celebration promotes the Loras Colleges commitment to sustainable, eco-based programs.
The reforestation of the old Cox Street is one way in which Loras remains true to this
commitment. Not only will these trees add greatly to the parkways visual appeal, but also will
assist in reducing heat island effect and help insulate nearby buildings.
Researchers have shown that trees help people feel better. Having physical or visual access to a
treed landscape has been shown to help workers deal with fatigue. Having a view of trees has
also been shown to increase student attention spans.
Branching Out is offered exclusively to Iowa communities where Alliant Energy provides
electric and/or natural gas services.