Tavari Merriman: Opening Eyes

Communication. While everyone does it in some form or another, for some people, it can be difficult. For others, it can be a passion. For Tavari Merriman, communication is exactly this. In his Junior year at Frostburg, he is majoring in Mass Communication and minoring in Journalism. These two programs of study can seem daunting to some people. For Merriman, he uses his platforms and his opportunities to change minds and lives. He is involved in the organization Relationship Goals. The purpose of the organization is to tackle difficult issues faced by today's students. "They deal with social issues of college students, basically," Merriman said about the group. They want to focus on the depth in relationships instead of what is merely on the surface. It takes great communication skills to be able to discuss these topics. The organization often has tables in Lane. Merriman is making change happen with communicating. He is in this club to use his voice for the better.

Before he was a Mass Communication major and a Journalism minor, he was a Business Administration major. The classes bored him, however, and there were so many requirements to complete the major. He wanted to find something that interested him where he can use his voice. Then he found Mass Communication. Merriam said, "I have an internship and I just want to see where it goes." This internship could lead to new things after graduation. His internship is with Radio One in Silverspring, Maryland. He has a go with the flow type of personality and he wants to see if he likes his internship before making any decisions. If he likes what he does at the internship, this could turn into a career for him.

Merriman is from Bowie, Maryland. He's 19 years old and was born December 14, 1997. He has five sisters and one younger brother. He knows how to play the saxophone and he's been playing Basketball since the third grade. He's interested in a lot of things, but most of them tie back into communication. He likes music, writing, talking to people, and free expression. Communication is a large part of his life and everything he does goes back to communicating. "I really love talking to people," Merriman said. "I like communicating my thoughts and opening people's eyes to different things and vice versa."