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.


Welcome to
Communication Studies

Welcome to the Department of Communication Studies at Bloomsburg University. Our department has over 300 students who are currently majoring in Communication Studies. We also offer a minor in Communication Studies.

There are currently 20 tenured/tenure track faculty who teach full time in the department.

Our department also supports general education for the entire university with courses such as Introduction to Communication Studies, Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Small Group Communication, and Intercultural Communication.Faculty

Please see our Communication Studies Newsletter - Spring 2017

Get to know our faculty:

Dr. Kai Kuang

Dr. Kai KuangDr. Kai Kuang received her bachelor’s degree at the Communication University of China in Beijing, China. Her bachelor’s degree was in Broadcast Journalism and she also received a minor in TV Program Productions as well. Kuang later went on to get her masters at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN in Public Relations. She also received her PhD in Health Communication at Purdue University. Dr. Kuang has been teaching communications courses for six years now. For the first three years, she taught at Purdue University. She is currently in her fourth year teaching as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies. The courses she teaches in the interpersonal track include Interpersonal Communication, Communication Research Methods, Health Communication, and E-Health.

When asked “What is your favorite course to teach?”, Dr. Kuang answered:

“Communication Research Methods, it’s normally not a student’s favorite class at first so it’s a very rewarding experience to see the students learn about research and the methods they can use to answer their research.”

Outside the classroom, Dr. Kuang has found a lot of joy in her recent service opportunity. She is a co-advisor of the student organization Active Minds. This Bloomsburg University chapter is a part of a national organization. The mission of the organization is to encourage open discussion between members about mental health issues on college campuses. 

When asked “What is your favorite part of the Communication Department?”, she said:

“One of my favorite parts of the department is the collegiality of the faculty members in the department, they are all very supportive of each other’s research, teaching, and service initiatives”

Dr. Kuang’s central research projects are all in relation to uncertainty in illness. The focus is mainly on how the patients respond both communicatively and psychologically to uncertainty related to their illness.

By: Krista Peachey

Get to know our students:

Stephanie Bouffard


For junior Stephanie Bouffard, Communication Studies has opened up a career path that incorporates everything she wants in her dream job: education, advocacy, and philanthropy.

"I aspire to educate others. Not so much on the topic of special education itself, but to educate others with special needs. I want to advocate for them, and be the voice both for those who have the inability to speak, whether that's due to their disability or suppression."  
  
Although she just declared a Special Education minor during the Fall 2016 semester, Stephanie noticed the integral part that communication plays in classes outside of the major. Each experience and situation requires a unique application of communication.

"Even though there are so many differences between my major and my minor, I also find commonalities between the two. Beyond just the people, it's the commonality for advocacy. I find it very inspiring to see the passion both the Communications Department as well as the Special Education Department both have when it comes to advocacy, both in public and behind the scenes. "

For Stephanie, other students within Communication Studies played a significant role in why she decided to join this major.

"Listening to stories about how their major is used in their everyday lives was important to me, it was something I was looking for, too."

With career aspirations to campaign for individuals with exceptionalities or special needs, Stephanie also plans to take classes in the Leadership and Public Advocacy track, offered through her major. Focusing on campaigns, public policy, and rhetoric, Stephanie will have the opportunity to build skills and gain exposure to resources that will help her reach her goals. Impacting people every day, Stephanie is involved on campus and volunteers her time to help numerous organizations.

"In terms of what I see myself doing in the future, I would love to be a motivational speaker, campaign worker, or running a specific organization that would expand other's knowledge on the backlash of individuals with special needs, as well as campaign for the ones who are underrepresented."

In the upcoming months, Stephanie hopes to get an internship with an afterschool program to work with children with special needs, but until then, she will continue her advocacy through organizations at BU, and in her local community.