Charlotte T at CCT
About Me:
My name is Charlotte Tomkinson and I’m a Northern California native and a first year CCT student! After completing my undergraduate studies in psychology, journalism and media studies, and political science at Duke University, I’m thrilled to now be at Georgetown studying Communication, Culture, and Technology.
My studies in psychology, along with my interest in journalism and storytelling, intersect with two of my strengths, empathy and communication. I am naturally in-tune with others’ emotions, and use academic and social experience to understand what those around me are feeling and thinking. I care deeply about my friends and peers, and work to understand and connect with them. Furthermore, I value strong, meaningful communication with the people around me. I’m honest and articulate when sharing about myself, and in turn, listen carefully to others. This passion for communication goes beyond just talking; I love to write, particularly as a way to amplify the experiences of others.
Outside of CCT, I love spending time outside, being in nature and also exploring my new city, DC! I enjoy coffee and trying new foods, and am also a member of the Georgetown women’s cross country and track teams.
Gallup Strengths:
| Strengths | Description | How it’s useful | Recent use |
| 1. Developer | You recognize and cultivate the potential in others. You spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from evidence of progress. | This helps me mentor others to grow and reach their potential. It allows me to be a good leader and to derive true satisfaction from seeing others thrive. | Mentoring my younger teammates and supporting them as they develop. |
| 2. Empathy | You can sense other people’s feelings by imagining yourself in others’ lives or situations. | This helps me intuitively understand what others are feeling and to genuinely see the world as they do and understand what they are going through. | Comforting a friend who was upset. I could feel what she felt without her needing to verbalize it, and I could speak and act appropriately in response. |
| 3. Communication | You generally find it easy to put your thoughts into words. You are a good conversationalist and presenter. | This helps me to tell stories, to use words to powerfully convey ideas, and to speak and write to communicate effectively with an audience. | Writing articles and stories which evoke emotion and captivate an audience while also teaching them about something important. |
| 4. Relator | You enjoy close relationships with others. You find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal. | This helps me to find and keep close relationships. I value closeness and hold on to my people very tightly. | Keeping in touch with friends and family, even over long distances. Making sure my friends and family always know how much I value them. |
| 5. Woo | You love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. You derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with someone. | This helps me to form new connections with new people, and present myself well so I am perceived positively by others. | Not being shy to introduce myself to new people and make friends at CCT! |
“Narrative”
A narrative is, at its most basic, a story shared among individuals and groups. However, narrative also goes beyond storytelling; it involves how information is framed to convey a specific perspective. Stories can be manipulated, misconstrued, or withheld to shape an overarching message, often used by politicians to push agendas or by partisan news sources to frame events.
My avatar centers on a megaphone, symbolizing the information sender. Beads on strings emerging from the megaphone represent narratives. Although the beads are the same, their arrangement varies, illustrating how subtle shifts in communication can significantly alter meaning. The strings connect to envelopes, symbolizing the inboxes where individuals receive curated narratives.
The strength of my avatar lies in its depiction of narrative flow; an observer can trace the story from sender to receiver. A weakness is the lack of letter beads on the strings, limiting the ability to form real words.
