Congratulations to 40 Communication graduates
First, congratulations to the 40 graduates in the Department of Communication. We are proud of your accomplishment, and we look forward to celebrating with you next week.
Second, to those of you not graduating but still in the process of registering for Spring Semester, please let us know if you encounter any problems. For registration assistance, please email Sonja Green at or check with your academic adviser.
This is the December edition of the monthly email to majors. At least once a month during the regular school year, we will email you to let you know about meetings of student organizations, guest speakers, important deadlines, opportunities, student and faculty achievements—and more. If you have information you’d like us to distribute, please email department chair Sheree Josephson at .
What’s Happening
December
- Dec. 3: 1:30 p.m., SUB 404, Emery Smith, recruiter for Deseret Digital Media
- Dec. 8: 2-3:30 p.m., SUB 404, Dr. Kathy Edwards’ retirement reception
- Dec. 8:Ogden City debaters debate “Equitable uses of public spaces”
- Dec. 10: Speech Showcase
- Dec. 11: Winner of science communication prize to speak. See below.
- Dec. 18: Graduation
January
- Jan. 11: Spring Semester begins
Student News
40 students graduate this semester with associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s in Communication
Congratulations to this semester’s graduates in Communication.
Associate of Science in Communication:Zachary Lyon, Ryan Mccormick, Lanea Rea
Digital Media:Hayden Van Meeteren, Jeff Cutler, Anthony Pham, Nicholas Bailey, Dane Clark, Karlie Mckinnon, Steven Perry, David Rodriguez, Camille Tanner
Interpersonal & Family Communication:Andrea Carlstrom, Cassandra Arvidson, Janna Green, Amelia Lewis
Multimedia Journalism:Scott Stevens
Organizational Communication:Cooper Clements, Brody Tait, Nicole Walker, Breann Johnson
Public Relations Advertising:Joyce Garcia, Jeremy Harvey, Kaitlyn Schneiter, Kacie Straw, Abbigale Williams, Grant Burton, Kylie Coats, Michael Farace, MaCauley Flint, Lavinia HafokaMalekamu, Spencer Nielson, Michelle Strickland
Master of Professional Communication: Anne Cazier, Clinton Curtis, Matthew Gerrish, Sandra Patton, Whitney Sanchez, Collin Searle, Jordan Stuart
Weber State Debate ranked in Top 10 of CEDA for first time in WSU history
For the first time, Weber State Debate is ranked in the top 10 nationally of the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA), the largest intercollegiate policy debate association in the United States. In November, Weber State Debatewon the California State University-Northridge tournament. Wildcats scored three speaker awards in the 34-competitor field. Hannah Shoell finished fifth, Mark Veeder fourth and Steven Sanchez third with Sanchez’s partner, Quincy Levin from Fresno State University second. All three varsity teams advanced to elimination rounds as the top four seeds of the Elite Eight. All three teams won their debates and advanced to the Final Four. Weber RV finished fourth, Weber HS finished third, and Weber/Fresno LS defeated a talented California State University-Fullerton team in the finals to win the tournament.
Civic Advocacy major to graduate with Departmental Honors
Nicole Walker, a Communication major graduating in the Civic Advocacy emphasis, is graduating with Departmental Honors. To earn this distinction, she maintained a 3.5 GPA overall or higher and a 3.7 GPA or higher in the Communication major.
Communication students speak to local city councils
Students from the Department of Communication public speaking courses are going into local communities to address timely and relevant topics. Students working through the Weber Speaks program are addressing city council members in Ogden, Clearfield and Layton on the topics of building inclusive communities and creating a program for developmentally disabled children. Top students from the Fall Semester public speaking courses were selected to make the city council presentations. They include DallynZaugg, Jessica Williams, Connor Simmons, Jesse Saltzgiver, Wisper Spence, Carver Nicholas, Tyler Wilson, Oliver Schick and Colten Ferrin. The purpose of the Weber Speaks program is to help students find a voice in the democratic process. These students will be honored at the Speech Showcase on Dec. 10.
PR & Advertising students publish November newsletter
Public Relations & Advertising students who are members of Ogden Peak Communications, a student-run PR firm, and PRSSA have published November’s newsletter. It can be accessed at .
PR&A advertising student to speak at entrepreneurship series
Greg Timothy, a Public Relations and Advertising student, will be a featured speaker in the Young Subaru Entrepreneurship Lecture Series. Greg Timothy, owner of the Waffle Wagon, will speak on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. The lecture will be held in the Child Startup Center in the Business Building in Room 203. Food will be provided.
Announcements
Speech Showcase to highlight best speakers from COMM 1020 classes
The Department of Communication’s Fall Speech Showcase will be held onThursday, Dec. 10, at 7p.m.in the Eccles Lecture Hall (EH 229) in the Elizabeth Hall building. The five top speakers from theCOMM 1020 Public Speaking Fall Semester classes will present their speeches.
Recruiter to provide advice about journalism internships
Emery Smith, recruiter for Deseret Digital Media, will speak about journalism internshipsThursday, Dec. 3, at 1:30 p.m.in the Shepherd Union room 404A. She will provide advice on how to land an internship and is willing to look at student resumes. The talk is sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists and The Signpost.
The Signpost recruiting staff for Spring Semester
The Signpost is recruiting staffers for Spring Semester. Positions for reporters, photographers and graphic artists are available. Contact Editor-in-Chief Abby Payne r come to The Signpost office on the fourth floor of the Shepherd Union Building to fill out an application. Staffers receive upper-division COMM credit and scholarships.
The Signpost’s graduation issue to be published on Dec. 9
The Signpost's fall graduation issue, the final edition of the semester, will come outon Wednesday, Dec. 9. This commemorative edition will include names of fall graduates. After winter break, The Signpost will begin spring publication onJan. 11.
Interested in chapters for black and Hispanic journalists?
Those who are interested in helping to start chapters of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists should contact Jean Norman .
Job postings available on Communication website
Weber State University Communication students and graduates can log into the Communication Department’s website at weber.edu/communication to look for job postings now or in the future. The listings are under the "Jobs" link. Employers contact the department looking for Communication students and graduates for full-time and part-time jobs.
Students are asked to fill out course evaluations for all Communication classes
Students can win a $20 gift card from the Weber State University Bookstore by filling out course evaluations for Communication classes. Course evaluations will be available through Thursday, Dec. 17.Students will be entered into the drawing for each Communication class they evaluate.Five $20 cards will be given away. Winners will be notified via campus email.Faculty members work hard to make your classes an educational and enjoyable experience for you. Course evaluations provide students a way to tell us what they like about their Communication classes and what we can improve. We often make changes based on what students tell us. In addition, these course evaluations are used to make tenure, promotion and hiring decisions. They are read by the department chair and the college dean.Your comments are anonymous. However, we get a list of students who complete evaluations to do the drawing.
College of Arts & Humanities offering one-credit lecture class
A one-credit lecture series is offered in Spring 2016 for all students in the College of Arts & Humanities. Modeled after the Nye Lecture Series in the College of Business, COMM 4810 will bring current undergraduate majors into contact with successful alumni from all of departments in Arts & Humanities. Alums will talk about how they used their undergraduate education to navigate careers, often moving from one professional area to another. Students will be able to network with alums and engage in specific career planning.Invited guests include individuals now working in public education, local politics, marketing, performing arts, real estate, communication, film, publishing, and other areas.The lecture series will meet only once a week, Tuesdays from12-12:50 p.m., and is a Credit/No-Credit offering.
Winner of prize for science communication to speak on Dec. 11
Richard Alley, 2014 recipient of theNational Academy of Sciences'Arthur L. Day Prize for science communication, will speak in Ogden onFriday, Dec. 11. He will speak on “Abrupt climate change: Surprises in the greenhouse?” at 12:30 p.m. in the Wildcat Theater in the Shepherd Union Building. He will speak about “The good news about energy, the environment, and our future” at 5:30 p.m. in the Browning Theater in the Union Station at 2501 Wall Ave. A distinguished glaciologist and climate scientist, Dr. Alley's research has focused on the retrieval and study of ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica. An outstanding communicator, Alley is described in theNew York Timesas a cross between Carl Sagan and Woody Allen.He has particular gifts for making the science of climate change accessible to everyone, and for taking the politics out of the issue.Dr. Alley has been featured in numerous television documentaries, including Earth: The Operators' Manual, shown on PBS in 2011.
Broadcast News class to create content for online platform
Communication students are encouraged to enroll in COMM 3780 Broadcast News Writing & Production in Spring Semester. This course will focus on the skills needed for broadcast news. Both the writing and the production parts of broadcast news will be taught. Students work together to create a weekly broadcast covering Weber State news and sports. This class will be taught by an award-winning producer who has spent more than decade in the TV news industry. Any student who is planning on a career in journalism should enroll. The class will be offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:30 in Elizabeth Hall Room 410.
New debate class Analysis of Argument offered in spring
A new debate class, COMM 1270 Analysis of Argument, will be offered for the first time in Spring Semester. It will be taught at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Ryan Cheek, associate director of debate.
Communication Department to participate in Ogden Marathon
The Department of Communication will have participation from many faculty, staff, students and alumni this year in the 5K, half marathon and the full marathon on May 21, 2016. If you'd like to join and participate in one of these distances click the below link and register for the distance you prefer: Once you've registered please reply nd indicate which event you will be participating in. We will be compiling alist and taking a photo with all those who are participating and who have a connection to the Weber State Department of Communication.
Alumni Achievements
PR & Advertising graduate re-elected Ogden mayor
Mike Caldwell, a graduate in Public Relations & Advertising, was re-elected to his second term as Ogden mayor in November.
Communication graduate publishes ‘Peas are gross’
Outstanding Communication graduate Carlee Hamblin Hansen has published a book titled “Peas are gross and other important insights about life.”
Two members added to Advisory Board in Communication
Two new members have been added to ABC, the Advisory Board for Communication. Breann Johnson, who will graduate this December in Organizational Communication, will join Luis Lopez, who was just elected to the Ogden City Council. Johnson works in human resources for the Larry H. Miller dealerships while Lopez is the community education director for Weber State University. They will join 10 other prestigious members with ties to the Communication Department who provide advice on curricular offerings, help raise scholarships, among other important tasks.
Faculty Achievements
Come congratulate Kathy Edwards on her retirement
After 27 years at Weber State, Communication professor Kathy Edwards is retiring this month.Come wish her well as she embarks on a new set of adventures. Find out how therapy dogs, New Zealand and yoga factor in to her post-Weber State plans.A retirement reception will be held in Dr. Edwards’ honor, on Dec. 8, from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Sky Room (Room 404).Fruit and desserts will be served.All are welcome.
Sarah Steimel named director of Master of Professional Communication program
Dr. Sarah Steimel, assistant professor of Communication, has been named director of the Master of Professional Communication program. Dr. Steimel has taught at Weber State University for five years. She is an organizational communication scholar who teaches a number of both undergraduate and graduate courses. She will succeed Dr. Kathy Edwards who retires in December.
Brent Warnock speaks at Teaching and Learning Forum
Brent Warnock, instructor of Communication, spoke at the Teaching and Learning Forum Pathway Learning Series on Nov. 17. His topic was “Dialogue in teaching: Four ways to apply Paulo Freire's dialogic principles in the Classroom.”
Get Involved
- The Signpost: Contact Dr. Jean Norman at .
- Studio 76/Wildcat ONE: Contact Drew Tyler at .
- KWCR 88.1 Weber FM: Contact Robin Haislettat .
- WSU Debate: Contact Omar Guevara at .
- Ogden Peak Communication, PRSSA: Contact Dr. Nicola Corbin at .
- Society of Professional Journalists: Contact Dr. Jean Norman at .
- Departmental Honors: Contact Dr. Susan Hafen at .
- Lambda Pi Eta: Contact Dr. Cynthia Bishop at .