New Media Club Celebrates Convergence

By Chris Irwin, Contributing Writer

Hidden behind our school desks and cradled by our chairs, college students can only learn so much from a classroom.

The Communication and Media Society, a new club on campus, plans to incorporate the knowledge of the classroom with professional situations and information that will benefit any major within the Communications and Media Department, ranging from organizational communication to public relations, journalism and Radio/TV production.

Gregg Bray, lecturer in the Radio/TV area and faculty advisor, with an array of students from all across the Communication and Media Department are working together to create a place where the boundaries between the various communication majors will be blended.

Gina Davison, a junior public relations major said, “We’re ultimately aiming to create a richer department identity especially in integrating the many different communications majors to meet a common goal.”

The society will allow students to explore areas outside of their curriculum, making their education more practical and beneficial. It will also give students a chance to share what they have learned from their professors with those who have not had the opportunity to learn the information or techniques first hand.

“The world is moving forward,” said Bray, “Print, audio and video are becoming one, convergence in the media is happening.”

The objective of the society is to reflect this change taking place in the media and to prepare students for the workforce.

The Communication and Media Society plans to create a Web site to act as a showcase for each area of concentration. It will be a place where print, audio and video will come together, giving students not only an opportunity to work together but also to create something tangible for prospective employers to view.

The Web site will also be a hub for information that will keep students informed and feature an alumni database. The database will be a platform where students can contact alumni for internships, advice, funds or to invite them to campus as guest speakers.

Dr. Patricia Sullivan, the chairperson of the Communication and Media Department said, “The Communication and Media Society will assist the Communication and Media Advisory Board composed of professionals in communication and media in planning events this upcoming spring, giving the students an opportunity to work with highly accomplished professionals who serve on the board.”

The Society and Advisory Board will arrange events such as fieldtrips and guest speakers to give professional perspectives of the potential career paths for students.

“I am confident this organization constitutes an important step in encouraging faculty and students to see the connections among areas in the department,” said Dr. Sullivan.

With the immediate support of the Communication and Media Department and the enthusiasm shown by students, Bray feels that the society will add residence to the college experience and help nurture more employable graduates.

As the student Facebook page for the Communication and Media Society says “This is a club that celebrates all of the areas within the Communication and Media Department.”

There will be a meeting open to all majors in the Communication and Media Department on Nov. 16, in Room 54 of the Coykendall Science Building at 11:30 a.m.

E-mail Chris at Irwin96@newpaltz.edu