Graduate student endeavors for social change through communication

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—For Western Michigan University graduate student Daniel Ebo, studying communication wasn’t always the plan. It just so happened to be the best chance he ever took.  

Now pursuing his master’s degree in communication, Ebo's passion for journalism began in his childhood listening to the radio and dreaming of becoming famous one day. As he matured and gained diverse experiences, he recognized the impact of media on societal change. Ebo's journey into journalism started in the final year of his bachelor's degree at the University of Ghana when he joined the campus radio station on a whim. It was there that he discovered the power of his words to affect change.

“I joined (campus radio) as a way of trying out something extracurricular, but when I got into it, I realized that the things that I write about made an impact on campus,” says Ebo. “When I criticize, for instance, sanitary conditions or campus investing, management will read about it or listen to it on radio and then take action. It made me realize just how powerful I can be as a journalist.” 

Despite Ebo’s interest in journalism and communications, he did not have an academic background in it. Ebo received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Ghana in political science and Russian. Upon applying for master’s programs in the U.S., he only applied to political science programs—with one exception. 

“Western was the only school that I applied to for communications,” says Ebo. “I read through its website, and I realized they had a very good communications program. I thought, maybe this will give me some form of educational background in an area that I'm interested in, which is media. I decided to apply. I got admissions to other top universities for political science, but I took a long time to think, and I decided that I want to do media.” 

Choosing Western provided Ebo with an opportunity and generous funding, motivating him to solidify his background in media. Since his arrival, Ebo has actively engaged in the Student Media Group's student-run radio station, 89.1 WIDR FM, hosting a weekly Western News Review podcast and participating in the international student community.

“It’s given me a sense of direction, especially being so far away from home,” says Ebo. 

Currently, Ebo is delving into communication-based research, focusing on the impact of social media on social change. 

“I'm trying to see if there's a relationship between what news organizations tweet about and the actions that are taken by audiences that use it,” says Ebo. “When they look at tweets from news organizations or journalists in general about a social issue, does that inspire them to take action?” 

This research stems from Ebo's interest in understanding social change, merging his journalism background from Radio Univers 105.7fm at the University of Ghana with his commitment to making an impact.

“I have a big interest in activism and social change,” says Ebo. “So I was trying to look at how I can bring my experience as a journalist to my interest in activism or social change. I care about social issues, I care about people in underrepresented communities. So I decided to look at if social media has any role to play in changing people's lives or bringing about social change.” 

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