Communication and Journalism

Faculty
Tammi Shipowick Hoyt, Chair
Elizabeth Anderson

Adjunct Faculty
Derrick Nicholas
Desrene Vernon
Elsa Eisele

Mission Statement
The Communication and Journalism Department believes in and seeks to develop communicators that are ethical in their practices, demonstrate competency within their professions, and understand the value the role of their professions plays within the diverse communities they serve.

Introduction
With the rationale that the ability to communicate adequately and effectively is of prime importance to each individual's personal development, social growth, Christian witness, and professional success, the programs are designed for students who:

1. Plan to pursue careers in one or more of the fields of communication: broadcast media, intercultural communication, journalism, and public relations.

2. Have career plans and other majors that may be aided by study in areas of communication.

3. Plan to do graduate work.

Practical experience may be obtained in the following facilities:

1. The department-operated media center provides experience in broadcast operation and production. The facility includes a television studio with color cameras, control room and teleprompters, one audio production suite, and two nonlinear Avid editing suites for post-production work.

2. Students intern with network affiliates, post-production houses, and local, national and international media organizations to complete their pre-professional development. WGTS-FM, located on the campus of Columbia Union College, also provides a fully equipped on-air work experience, broadcasting over the Washington metropolitan area.

3. Students can gain experience in writing, editing, graphic design and Internet research in the journalism lab. Additional experience can be obtained through campus publications and internships with business, government and denominational institutions, along with television and radio stations, newspapers and public relations agencies.

4. A darkroom gives students experience in developing their own photographs.

5. Through the department, students have access to professionals and experts in all fields of communications. Guest lecturers, adjunct teachers, and speakers at departmental functions provide a rare opportunity for insight into the media and invaluable contacts for internships and jobs.

6. Students are required to complete internships to develop a portfolio as evidence of their professional growth. The department is committed to education that moves easily between the classroom and the workplace. As some have put it, "Experiential education seeks to make 'knowledge' into 'know-how.' " Catula, Richard A. and Threnhauser, E., (1999) Experiential education in the undergraduate curriculum, Communication Education, 48, 239-255.