Next week, the Department of Communication will hold its annual COM Week, March 26 until March 30.
COM Week 2012 is a series of workshops, panel discussions, and lectures offered to students in all colleges at the University interested in exploring the career possibilities that a bachelor’s degree in communication offers.
The week will begin on Monday with a keynote speech by Dr. Tarla Rai Peterson of Texas A&M University, who will discuss, with regard to conflict over environmental policy, “consensus-based framing for public participation, present the dangers of appealing to consensus whenever public involvement is needed, and recommend potential alternatives offered by dissent-based participation,” according to a press release.
Highlights included in the week are a COM Film and Video Festival complete with popcorn for attendees, a talk on transforming established brands by Kelly Marcom , and the University’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter will hold its annual PR Day, among other exciting events.
Caroline Perkins is a senior in communications with a public relations concentration. She is the event planner for the N.C . State PRSSA chapter and is responsible for the speakers, catering, location, and publicity for the event.
“PR Day is an event that brings together the Raleigh public relations and communications professional community. Professional speakers participate in panels discussing topics like social media, crisis communication and event planning,” Perkins said.
All students are welcome to attend this event next Thursday at the McKimmon Center.
“This year, we will have around 60 students from the Research Triangle Park area, N.C . State’s PRSSA members, and local professionals attend the event,” Perkins said.
Students not involved in PRSSA may join the event for a $15 fee.
Jessica Jameson is an associate professor for the Department of Communication and has a large role in the Week.
“I am very excited about the events on Tuesday that are specifically geared toward students, such as Larry Yon’s talk on ‘Recession Proof Branding 101’,” Jameson said.
The talk will take place at 2:45 p.m . and will help students prepare for job interviews.
Additionally, the CHASS Career Expo from 4:00 p.m . until 6:00 p.m . features about 30 potential internship sites and employers, according to Jameson.
Jameson hopes students attending COM Week events will see the breadth of the field of communication in terms of the kinds of research questions that communication scholars deal with, like environmental policy, and the diversity of professions that are possible for communication scholars.
“I am most excited about opportunities for student-faculty interaction, so events like PR Day, the LPE Forum, and the student-faculty networking event on Friday afternoon are those I am particularly excited about. I hope that we have those opportunities throughout all the events of the week,” Jameson said.
Junior Will Privette is presenting two videos on Monday that he says will make viewers laugh. He’s hoping for a good reception from the crowd.
“I’m excited to be a part of COM Week. I am presenting two of my videos that I made last semester in my digital video class. I’ve seen a few others that are going to be shown as well, and they are really, really good. It’s a great plethora of videos, and it really shows how talented communication students are,” Privette said. “I had a great team to work with that helped put these two videos together and make them as great as they are.”
