What's New:

Dr Shavonne Shorter was featured on the “Get to know your campus” video series. You can watch it here.

 

 

Congrats to Facia Sirleaf for receiving the Outstanding Student in Communication Studies Award - 2018!

Congratulations to graduate Tamika Austin - for winning an award from the Pennsylvania College Personnel Association (PCPA) Read more.

Congratulations to Amanda Weaver and her debate partner Tanisha Webster (Business Administration) for winning the 4th Annual Frederick Douglass Debate Society Tournament on Thursday, April 5th, 2018 at West Chester University. We are very proud of you!

 

Congrats to The National Communication Association Student Club (NCASC)! NCASC was selected as the 2018 Bloomsburg University Student Organization of the Year for their outstanding work in the areas of leadership, programming, and service.

Please see our Communication Studies Newsletters:

The BU Department of Communication Studies is officially on social media! Please like our Facebook page and our Twitter page and share with friends who may be interested!

 

Featured
Student

Josh Lloyd
I'm a BloomU senior in the Communication Studies major with a Leadership/ Public Advocacy concentration. I'm also majoring in Spanish and minoring in Arabic and Linguistics. I chose the Communication Studies major with a Leadership/ Public Advocacy concentration to complement my language major.
Here at Bloom, I'm the Editor-in-Chief of The Voice, our campus newspaper, and a member of the Tabletop Gaming Club. My overarching goal is a career in Foreign Services or entertainment journalism.
What I value most from the Communication Studies major is the versatility of the program. Great communication skills transcend all careers and cultures. This was never more evident than when I traveled to Costa Rica in Fall 2017 for a semester abroad, using skills I'd learned from both of my majors to observe, explore and learn as much as possible.
I definitely want to thank Dr. Erin Brummett for introducing me to the major way back in Fall 2015, when I took Interpersonal Communication. I also have to thank my advisor, Dr. Kai Kuang, for guiding me every step of the way and helping me with an ambitious Honors Program research project.
In all honesty, I have to thank the entire Communication Studies department, which goes above and beyond to make sure Comm majors have the best opportunities available to them after graduation and are prepared to surmount any challenges they might face in the professional world.

Featured Student

Gabrielle Narr
I am currently a Junior at Bloomsburg University in the Communication Studies major with a concentration in Organizational Communication. I also have a minor in Human Resources. The decision to choose this major and minor was the best decision I could have made as an incoming freshman. The classes I have taken in my major and minor have set me up to be successful in any career I choose. I am now an ethical thinker, organized, have great interpersonal skills, work well in diverse groups, and thrive as a public speaker. Not only have I gained these great skills, but being a Communication Studies major has given me the courage to get involved, which led to me joining my national sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma. Throughout my time in Phi Sigma Sigma I have held three leadership positions which are, scholarship chair, sisterhood development chair, and fundraising chair. I loved fundraising when I did it and it gave me the inspiration to want to pursue a career in Event Planning. Through my connections in Phi Sigma Sigma I received the opportunity to intern over the winter of 2017 at an event planning company called Philly2Night. During my internship I was involved in the process of planning and implementing events. I also worked closely with the events production manager. My favorite event that we planned was our New Years Eve Gala at the Seaport Museum. During my time as an intern at Philly2Night I gained real life experience, personal growth, field experience, and professional skill building. Throughout my time in the Communication Studies Department there have been two professors that have really stood out and helped me strive to be my best. Dr. Shavonne Shorter and Dr. Mary King have really been a great inspiration to me. They both encouraged me to be ambitious and do something that I never thought I would be able to do— achieve a 4.0 in the Spring 2017 semester. I also served as a Teaching Assistant for Dr. Mary King's Introduction to Communication Studies course. This provided an opportunity to build leadership and teamwork skills. I am very grateful for my professors and classmates that have helped me become the best version of myself. Communication Studies has prepared me for life after graduation, even if I'm not ready to graduate.

Department News:
October 2014

Congratulations!

Dr. Kathryn Hobson received the Dissertation of the Year Award from the GLBTQ Division of the National Communication Association.

Dr. Jim Tomlinson received the prestigious Robert T. Oliver Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pennsylvania Communication Association, recognizing “faithful service and outstanding teaching in the discipline of Communication Studies.”

 

Publication

Beerman, R. J. (2014). Toned arms or big butt? Michelle Obama disturbed notions of body, race, gender, and advocacy as Let’s Move! spokesperson. In C. H. Palczewski (Ed.), Disturbing argument: Selected works from the 18th National Communication Association/American Forensics Association Alta conference on argumentation (pp. 81-86). New York, NY: Routledge.

 

Conference Presentations

Beerman, R. J. (2014, October). What fat talk really gains and loses: How Special K’s “shhhhut down fat talk” campaign reinscribes fatphobic norms. Paper presentation at the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language, & Gender conference, San Francisco, CA.

Rippke, P., & Beerman, R. J. (2014, October). Empowering alienation? Strength in solitude in Under the Skin. Paper presentation at the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language, & Gender conference, San Francisco, CA

Invited Lectures

Dr. Lauren Mackenzie was invited to address the Air Force ROTC detachment at Wilkes University on October 17. Her presentation, “The Relevance of Cross-Cultural Competence for Air Force ROTC Students," was attended by Lieutenant Colonel Andy Greenfield and student cadets.

Dr. Eric C. Millerwas invited to address the First English Baptist Church prayer breakfast on October 11. Dr. Miller presented his research on the rhetoric of Christian testimony.