Communication, Film, and Media Studies

Chair: Tom Garrett, M.F.A.

Professors Emeriti: Jerry L. Allen, Ph.D., Southern Illinois University at Carbondale; Steven A. Raucher, Ph.D., Wayne State University, J.D., Bridgeport School of Law at Quinnipiac College

Associate Professor: Tom Garrett, M.F.A., New York University, Tisch School of the Arts

Director of Studio Operations and Media Production and Instructor: Paul C. Falcone, M.B.A., University of New Haven

Distinguished Lecturers: Susan L. Campbell, M.A., Hartford Seminary, B.S., University of Maryland; Wayne Edwards, B.A., William Paterson University; Diane Smith, B.A., Binghamton University

Lecturer: Susanne Murphy, M.A., Yale University, M.S., Southern CT State University, Sixth Year, Educational Administration and Supervision, Southern CT State University

Coordinator of Principles of Communication: Diane Smith

General Manager WNHU 88.7: Bruce Barber, B.A., Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Communication is the lifeblood of a society, a continuous flow of information that informs, assists, inspires, entertains and gives people the impetus to act. Our programs offer studies in digital media, interpersonal communication, multiplatform journalism, public relations and strategic communication, film and television production, podcasting and radio. Students acquire knowledge and the specialized skills needed to creatively and successfully adapt to the revolution happening in the field. Students train on state-of-the-art, industry standard equipment and software and learn from professors who are immersed in the daily developments of the industry.

The program blends theoretical concepts and skills, academic rigor, and hands-on experience to prepare students for careers in business, the public sector, the media, or for additional studies at the graduate level. The department helps students land internships with regional and national businesses, public service organizations, and print and electronic media. Students with a film concentration attain highly-sought-after internships at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

Communication majors gain additional experience through writing for The Charger Bulletin (the student newspaper), working on Charger Bulletin News (student TV program) and The Charge Up (student TV sports show), producing original content for the Welcome Project, Convergent Journalism and TV production classes, and working at WNHU-FM (the campus radio station), or producing specialized film and video programs.

Emmy Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winners are among the faculty. Others have served as editors or associate editors of top-tier scholarly journals in the communication field and have received national and international recognition. Faculty and students belong to professional organizations such as the International Communication Association; the Public Relations Society of America; the National Association of College Broadcasters; the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; the American Film Institute; the National Communication Association; the Association for Educational Journalism; Society of Professional Journalists; College Media Association, and the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language, and Gender.

To encourage professional contacts and advancement, the department urges students to enter regional and national competitions in journalism, public relations, radio, television, and film.

Lambda Pi Eta

The department sponsors the Beta Kappa Chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the national communication honor society. To receive honorary membership in this prestigious organization, students must have at least 45 University credits and at least nine credits in communication courses. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative G.P.A. and a 3.25 G.P.A. in communication courses. Members become part of a national network of communication majors and may showcase their work at regional and national conferences.

The Co-op Program

The Department participates in the cooperative education program (co-op), which enables students to combine their education with practical, paid work experience in their career field. For further details see the "Office of Internships and Employer Relations " earlier in the catalog, or contact the Department chair.