What's New:

The Bloomsburg University Xi Omega chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Honor Society, has been named the 2019 Chapter of the Year by the National Communication Association.

 

Congrats to Communication Studies student Kyle Bower for serving as APSCUF’s summer government-relations and communications intern.

 

 

 

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

Sydney Rimmer

My name is Sydney Rimmer, and I am currently a senior at Bloomsburg, double majoring in Communication Studies with a Leadership and Public Advocacy focus and Political Science with a Legal Studies focus, as well as a minor in Public Relations. This summer, I am beyond grateful to have participated in an internship at the Pennsylvania State Capitol in the Senate Republicans Communications Office, as it was an incredibly fulfilling experience.
The office had a group of employees designated to each area of communications. There were teams of employees for areas such as speech writing, webmasters, photography, film, social media, and others. I got to shadow and help complete assignments in each of these areas, and gain an appreciation for the importance of each specialty. This offered a unique opportunity to understand “a day in the life” of the employees in this office and their responsibilities, and it also gave me an opportunity to meet people outside of the office, and experience things many other people will never experience. Seeing the behind the scenes of these events was so interesting.
The brunt of my work was done in June, as that is when the Senate is in session and the budget is being passed. Once the budget passed, July slowed down and there were significantly less events occurring, therefore less events for me to shadow, as the Senators stay in their district offices as opposed to coming to the Capitol. This gave me an accurate representation of the job, both the hustle and bustle of June, and the relaxed nature of July.
This internship has also proven to be a vital step in my networking. I received a follow up luncheon with the lobbying firm who encouraged me to intern in the Capitol, as well as encouragement from my office to look for a career in the Senate when I graduate. I got a chance to work with several Senators, thereby networking with them, which was a personal goal of mine for the summer. Another strength of my internship was the bond I formed with my coworkers. I was the only intern in my office, however I fit in perfectly with the full time employees despite us being in all different walks of life. I had anticipated forming relationships with my coworkers, but I had not foreseen how close I would grow with them. I am so blessed to now call many of my coworkers my friends. We have spent time together in both the office, as well as our free time, and I am elated they have taken me under their wings, and I still stay in touch with many of them despite being many months post internship.
My internship was a wonderful experience, and truly turned out to be a highlight of my summer. I am able to walk away from this office confident that I completed assignments efficiently and to the best of my ability. I have grown from this experience, and I am excited to see how the things I have learned and the connections I have made will apply to my future endeavors.


Department News:

October 2019 Newsletter

Publications:
Miller, E. C. (2019, October). “Harry Emerson Fosdick, ‘Shall the Fundamentalists Win?’” Voices of Democracy: The U.S. Oratory Project 14, 18-31. https://voicesofdemocracy.umd.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/VOD-Miller_Essay-10.9.19.pdf

Presentations:

Liberal Arts Symposium (Oct. 24-25, 2019)

Dr. Janet Bodenman moderated a panel titled “Gain Confidence through Interview Practice” at the Liberal Arts Symposium on October 24th. Participants at this panel learned the basics of how to make a positive first impression in an interview for an internship or job.

Dr. Erin Brummett presented at the Liberal Arts Symposium on Friday, October 25th. Her presentation was entitled, “Strategies for Inclusive Communication in Culturally Diverse Environments." In the session, Dr. Brummett discussed how students can become effective communicators in and outside of the college classroom. A special focus was given to strategies that students could use to improve interpersonal and intercultural interactions on the college campus while learning how to understand, appreciate, and celebrate difference.

Dr. Kai Kuang presented at the Liberal Arts Symposium on Friday, October 25th with Dr. Heather Feldhaus and Dr. Sue Dauria. Their presentation was entitled, "Getting Involved in Research: URSCA Program, Grant Opportunities, and Community Engagement.”

Dr. Elizabeth Petre presented a session entitled “Taking a Rhetorical Approach to Finding a Job Using Handshake” at the Liberal Arts Symposium on October 24th.

Dr. James Petre presented a session entitled "The Basics of Saving and Investing" at the Liberal Arts Symposium on October 24th.

Dr. Shavonne Shorter presented a session entitled “Light Up Your LinkedIn Account: A Workshop on Designing an Effective LinkedIn Page” at the Liberal Arts Symposium on October 25.

Dr. Shavonne Shorter and Dr. Skye Chernichky-Karcher organized a Communication Studies Alumni panel that was part of the Liberal Arts Symposium on October 25th. Alumni panelists included Karin Suttman (‘85), JL Media Inc. in NYC; Kristen Cheek (‘05), Talent Acquisition Partner for QVC in Philadelphia; and Valerie Fessler (‘03 and ‘09), Community Engagement and Development Officer, American Rescue Workers.

Alumni Reception:
The department held our Alumni Engagement Event in the Haas Gallery on Friday October 25th. We worked with the BU Alumni Engagement Office, the BU Foundation, and the Center for Professional Development and Career Experience.

Professional Developments:

Dr. Mary King completed Level 2 training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy in October 2019. This included a 19-hour master course focusing on relationship theory and interventions. Learned techniques can help couples build healthy friendships and relationships, the process of therapy, the therapy session structure, core assessments and evaluations, fighting intervention and stress-reduction techniques, and ways to manage couples dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and situational and categorical domestic abuse.

Dr. Kai Kuang and Dr. Skye Chernichky-Karcher attended a Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling seminar in Philadelphia on October 18-19, 2019. Their attendance was partially sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts Faculty Enhancement Grant.

Events:

The Department of Communication Studies had a table at the Homecoming Tent Party on Saturday, October 26th. Dr. Doreen Jowi and Department Secretary Rachel Schaffer served as volunteers for the event.