Intro – Louie Colella

Whats up! My name is Luigi Colella, but everyone calls me Louie. I am a junior Communications major here at the University of Maryland. I am 21 years old and am from Philadelphia, PA. I am the Vice President of my fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha and have a part-time job at Landmark Apartments. When I am home, I am a volunteer firefighter for Lower Merion Fire Department. My hobbies include traveling, cooking and spending time with family.

Cyberbullying is prevalent in our society and that is simply due to the rapid increased use of technology and social media. There are so many different outlets that allow cyberbullying to occur. Cyberbullying is all behind a screen leaving people to feel less remorse when it comes to saying something. It is an issue that I care about because it can happen at all ages which affects me the most, it could happen to me, my siblings, my future children and even my future wife. With the susceptibility of being a victim of cyberbullying being so high I believe that people need to be made aware of what is considered cyberbullying because you could be doing it without noticing.

Intro: Sue Perez

Hello! My Suleika Perez, and I am current senior at the University of Maryland. I am majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Sustainability and Spanish. I was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Columbia, MD (just outside of Baltimore). Some of my interests include: traveling, cooking, fitness, eating sushi and drinking wine on a Friday night.

Over the last few years, cyberbullying has become extremely more common and dangerous than traditional bullying. Cyberbullying is easy to start and the anonymity of the Internet removes many of the traditional restraints. Today, cyberbullying is a major factor of low self-esteem in children, increased in suicide rates, and an increased in mental illness. It is also hard to stop. The words and pictures used in cyberbullying can go around the world in no time and are often impossible to remove. We need to take action and teach the millennial how to properly and responsibly use technology in order to end this increasing epidemic.

Intro: Olemeku Aledan

Greetings! My name is Olemeku Aledan, Ole (O-lay) for short. I am a current junior at the University of Maryland majoring in Communication Studies. I was born in Nigeria and raised in Washington, DC. In my spare time I enjoy many things from reading a good book to travelling to Amsterdam, as long as I’m learning something new.
Cyberbullying is a now familiar term that has made its way into the everyday language of all those living in the digital age. It is most prevalent among teenagers, and although it is veiwed as harmless to some, cyberbullying can pose a threat on one’s self-esteem or even well-being. Too many lives have ended as a result of cyberbullying. It is vital for information on this subject to make its way to schools and educational programs.

Intro: Dana DiCarlo

Hey guys! My Name is Dana DiCarlo and I’m a junior at the University of Maryland. I’m a Communication major on the Public Relations track with a General Business minor. I grew up in Mahopac, New York, a small town about 45 mins north of NYC. Some of my interests include: music, dancing, ice cream, and traveling. When I’m not doing homework or studying, I dream of being on the beach with a tropical drink.

I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in the digital age where technology is thriving. Despite the immense progress we’ve made in technology over the past 10 years, there is still plenty of work to be done. Cyberbullying is so relevant in today’s society. From elementary school children, to grown adults, cyberbullying is a problem. Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person. Whether this bullying be through text messages, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. bullying is not okay on any platform and never will be. I’ve seen my best friends, family, classmates and even myself go through being online bullied at one point in the past 10 years. Across the United States and the world, lives have been taken due to cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying is not, and will never be the norm. Young children especially need to be educated on the technology that they are growing up with and how to use it properly. It’s up to millennials, as ourselves, to stand up and put an end to cyberbullying.

Intro: Karen Salshutz

Hi! My name is Karen Salshutz and I am a 21-year-old junior at the University of Maryland. My major is Communication and I am on the Public Relations track. I am born and raised in Westchester, NY, a suburb outside of New York City. Some of my interests include: cooking, yoga, and binge-watching TV shows years after they were actually popular.

Cyberbullying is an issue that I am passionate about. Growing up in the digital age, I have had the opportunity to see social media and digital media flourish, but have also seen the downsides of technology. Throughout middle school and high school many of my friends and I have been a victim of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a national and global issue that I believe can be solved with proper education programs about digital media. It is imperative that actions are taken against cyberbullies in order to establish a safer digital community.