My name is Emily Miller, and I’m a first year student at the University of Iowa. I am majoring in English and International Studies with a concentration in Human Rights. I’m also on a Pre-law track. After law school, I hope to pursue a career with the FBI or the CIA (Silence of the Lambs is my all-time favorite movie, so Clarice is a huge influence for me). In my free time, I like to workout, read, travel (ask me about my trip to the Caymans), and go to concerts! 

Rhetoric is utilized in almost every aspect of our lives. One area where rhetoric is used abundantly is in law. Lawyers are constantly using (and recognizing others’) rhetoric in the courtroom. My attorney mother says it’s impossible to go through a trial without using any rhetorical techniques. I signed up for this course knowing that I would learn a lot. While some people tend to shy away from public speaking, I jump at the opportunity. However, I am always looking for ways to improve my speaking skills. I also want to improve my writing abilities. I’ve always loved to write, hence the English major, but I’d like to explore new styles and techniques of writing. Good speaking and writing skills are essential to pursuing a career in the legal field, so I’m excited to get going!

A recent event where I was persuaded using rhetorical techniques was the Australian Open. The Australian Open is a hugely popular tennis tournament that takes place in —you guessed it— Australia. Right before the tournament began, ESPN ran tons of commercials advertising the event. One of these commercials featured Serena Williams. As a HUGE Serena fan, this persuaded me to stay glued to my television the day she competed. Sadly, she lost in the third round. Huge tournaments like that are always featuring famous tennis players like Serena. Heck, even her name written on the bracket makes ticket sales soar. ESPN used Serena’s fame and credibility to persuade me to watch it. Now I know that this technique is known as ethos.