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.

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:

Winter 2021 Newsletter

Event:
The students enrolled in Health Communication (COMMSTUD 324) last fall had a poster session in the McCormick lobby on December 1, 2021 to discuss their semester projects, which were theory-based health behavior campaign proposals.

The event was featured in Bloomsburg University news: https://www.bloomu.edu/news/health-communication-class-examines-ways-spur-behavioral-change 

Presentation:
Dr. David Heineman presented at the 2022 International Symposium for Autoethnography and Narrative on January 4, 2022. Link to presentation: https://youtu.be/tk6fNBrhWww

Presentation Title: The Pandemic Nature Project: Autoethnography, Incongruity, and Environment.

This presentation stems from Dr. Heineman’s work on an autoethnographic film entitled “The Pandemic Nature Project,” a 35-minute short that was created between March 2020 and March 2021. Through the use of evocative and experimental imagery, narrative and non-narrative techniques, and original instrumental music, the film traces a series of personal experiences and critical and emotional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the role of nature and the environment in forming a useful perspective for coming to terms with the social ruptures and global traumas it fostered. More details about the film: http://www.pandemicnature.com