Easton Draut is a first-year communication and rhetorical studies (CRS) graduate student from New Bern, North Carolina. Prior to CRS, Draut studied at Appalachian State University majoring in communication studies.
Through this program, Draut found interests in political rhetoric, journalism covering politics and the rhetoric that was used by based historical figures and philosophers.
“Although I specifically chose to study communication studies because I was unsure of what I wanted to do, I began to read about communication theory and political philosophy,” he says. “From there, I merged the two fields together and became extremely interested in rhetoric surrounding politics and the rhetoric of the past.”
In addition, Draut will serve as a teaching assistant for CRS 181: Concepts & Perspectives in Communication Studies. As a teaching assistant, Draut looks forward to serving as an educational figure and having the opportunity to educate others about the principles and theories that support the field of communications.
“This semester, I am extremely excited to be a teaching assistant,” he says. “I used to teach drum lessons as well as tutor students in history all throughout my high school and undergraduate studies. I am grateful to be offered this position, as I love to teach and help others.”
To supplement both his passions, as a CRS graduate student Draut intends to continue his study of the rhetoric surrounding COVID-19 as well as the reactionary rhetoric of various political groups. This topic of study permitted Draut to analyze the rhetoric of the Cold War, the continuity of this rhetoric and how this continuity evolved since the 1950s.
“The paper that I actually submitted to apply to the CRS graduate program is what I hope to continue to study throughout my graduate career,” he says. “In this paper, I studied COVID-19, anti-masking and fascist rhetoric and how these components contributed to overall issues like public safety and basic human dignity. I want to dive deeper into this perception and see how these individuals developed this (rhetorical) idea and compare it to the racist rhetoric of the Cold War.”
During his first year, Draut strives to not only be successful in his role as a teaching assistant but to immerse himself in opportunities that will contribute to his goal of obtaining a Ph.D. Lastly, Draut hopes to plan for his thesis and continue where he left off with the research that he had conducted in undergrad.
“First, I would like to be a very successful teaching assistant; I feel like I can, and I am excited to immerse myself in a different experience,” he says. “Second, I hope to finalize the framework/idea of my thesis so that I do not have to worry about it later. And finally, I hope to get my Ph.D, and I look forward to seeing how the CRS graduate program can help me to achieve these goals.
–This article was written by the CRS student news team. Contact the team at .