Farewell CCI

I can remember writing my welcome blog post almost a year ago, and now as I sit and write my farewell the irony seems bittersweet.  This past year at CCI has been the best work experience ever! When I started out here as Practicum student I wasn’t expecting to spend the next semester as a Marketing Assistant and even to come back this past spring semester after graduating in December.

My position here at CCI allowed me to work on a lot of fantastic projects, the coolest being the premiere for Research: The Musical. I served as the head of the movie’s marketing and PR team, which allowed me to gain hand’s on experience in planning a major art’s event like the movie premiere. This project also helped me figure out my career goals.

When I first came to CCI, I had plans on being a journalist. See blog post. However I soon realized that my love of writing would go perfectly with my love for the arts. In other words I decided that I wanted to work on the communications side of the entertainment industry. My ultimate goal would be to start my own arts non-profit for children from low-income families. I believe talent should be nurtured no matter what your financial circumstances are. I plan to work towards this goal by obtaining my Master’s from Akron University in Arts Administration in the fall and continuing to do post-graduate internships within the arts and media industry throughout Norteast Ohio.

Working with the CCI staff truly changed my life. I would recommend to anyone who has the oppurtunity to work here to make your experince count by getting to know the people you’re working with and tailoring your projects to fit your future career plans.

Britany Ruby has been a Marketing Assistant for the College of Communication and Information from May 2011-May 2012 . She graduated with her BA in Communication Studies in December 2011 and will be pursuing her Master’s in Arts Administration beginning Fall 2012.

Graduate Student Raises Money While Biking Across Country

Josh Rasmussen

By Nicole Gennarelli

Communication Studies graduate student, Josh Rasmussen biked across the country this summer raising money and building houses for the less fortunate with an organization called Bike & Build.

Rasmussen, originally from Wayne, Neb., graduated from Wayne State College with a Communications degree with an emphasis in leadership and public relations as well as a minor in Spanish.

According to Bike & Build’s website, it “organizes cross-country bicycle trips which benefit affordable housing groups.” Bike & Build is able to fund the affordable housing projects through pre-arranged gifts and the events are implemented by the participants in the program. It allows young adults to engage in community service opportunities while building important affordable housing across the nation.

“I had heard about Bike & Build from a friend, but I didn’t know anybody on the trip beforehand,” said Rasmussen. “I wanted an adventure, but I also wanted to be able to do some good as well. This trip combined both of those goals.”

Rasmussen said each person had to raise $4,000 before the trip. Some of the money covered trip expenses, but most of it went back to the affordable housing cause.

“There were 33 of us on the trip, which included four leaders,” he said. “Only two people in the group had done a cross country trip before.”

The 33 travelers rode 70 days, 4,000 miles and made millions of memories. Around every sixth or seventh day, the group would spend the day working on a house.

“While Bike & Build isn’t affiliated with Habitat for Humanity, all the houses we built on were Habitat houses,” Rasmussen said. “There actually isn’t one U.S. County where fulltime minimum wage affords fair market rent. It’s pretty crazy.”

Rasmussen said biking up the Grand Teton Mountains in Wyoming was extremely hard, but the prettiest mountain range the group climbed. The scenery made the climb worthwhile.

“I also came around a bend in the road and was 100 yards from a black bear which was pretty exciting,” he said. “Also, the people I met, both during the trip and volunteering, have been spectacular. It’s amazing to find that when you’re doing something for a good cause, so many people step forward and help out. Finally, being able to see the U.S. from the seat of a bicycle has been amazingly awesome, all the time sharing some laughs with some great people. It’s truly been a life changing experience.”

 

Nicole is a senior public relations major and a marketing assistant for the College of Communication and Information.

CCI Student Focus: Student Athlete Inspires Fellow Players On & Off Court

By Emily Carle

Over the past five years, Kent State University’s Rodriquez Sherman has led the Golden Flashes Men’s Basketball team to 20-win seasons, back-to-back Mid-American Conference regular season championships all while maintaining a strong GPA and graduating in four years.

In August 2010, Sherman graduated from Kent State with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies with a concentration in organizational communication. Currently, he is working on his master’s degree in Exercise, Leisure and Sport with a concentration in sport management. Sherman is known for his positive attitude, significant work ethic and an overall great personality which all relates to his ability to manage the life of a student-athlete.

Sherman joined the Communication Studies program in 2006 after switching from business administration. Sherman liked what Communication Studies had to offer and how the discipline relates to basketball. “Being an athlete is like a business and you have to be able to communicate,” he said.

 “Being an athlete is like a business, and you have to be able to communicate,” Sherman said. Through his coursework, Sherman continued to get practice with communicating, “I was able to get past my fear of talking in front of people… I’ve turned into a great speaker even though I used to be nervous.”

From the classroom, Sherman applied his skills to the court. “With basketball, communication skills helped me develop a different role on the court. I was more vocal with my teammates and with my coaches and on the floor because I was able to speak fluently,” Sherman added.

Now that Sherman has fulfilled his goals as a student and an athlete, he is looking towards the future. Down to road, he hopes to stay connected with his love of basketball and work for ESPN as a sports anchor or as a coach. With his background in communication, Sherman feels confident about these job opportunities, as “communication is in everything we do; it’s everywhere… it all plays a part.”

Also in the Communication Studies program, Sherman found that fellow classmates and professors always understood his schedule, even when he would miss an entire week at a time.

“I had really good professors; I was always communicating with them and getting work done.” Through classmates, faculty and staff, Sherman “benefited from the program” and thoroughly enjoyed his time at Kent State. Specifically, he noted that Communication Studies faculty member and undergraduate advisor Rozell Duncan, Ph.D., was “wonderful and a great advisor.”

As a faculty member and undergraduate advisor, Duncan saw Sherman’s potential and recognized his commitment and hard work. “Rod applied himself not only to his academic work but as an athlete. I am confident he will do well in his graduate studies,” Duncan said.

 “It was my pleasure to be one of his instructors and help guide him along his academic path,” Duncan added.

With all of his hard work and perseverance during his time at Kent State, Sherman has learned a lot about what it takes to be a good student and is happy to pass along his wisdom to other students. A rigorous travel schedule and daily practice made it imperative to stay on task and master time management.

 “Stay organized. You’re not going to be able to deal with it all without being organized. Create an order, a plan. If you do that, you’ll be set,” Sherman advised.

Sherman’s academic success would not have been possible without his strong support system. “I would work while I was on the road and on the bus. I would get my assignments done ahead of time and stay in communication with academic advisors, athletic advisors and professors,” Sherman said.

 While not all students juggle demanding responsibilities of a being student athlete, many do stretch themselves thin to cover school, work, family and more, making it all the more important for students to have a grasp of time management and responsibility.

 Sherman, who is known for his positive attitude, significant work ethic and an overall great personality, shared this advice: “Take a deep breath, soak it all in and remember we were raised to get a better education.”

Sherman has been a role model not just for student athletes, but all students aspiring to do more while in college. Looking back, he only has good things to say about his time as an undergraduate.

“Kent State is a beautiful place, and it taught me a lot,” Sherman said. “A lot of kids come in and just think about basketball, but I made sure I had my degree so I would be educated. It was a big accomplishment. Communication Studies is a beautiful program inside and out, and so are the people here.”

Graduate School—How do I do it?!

By Emily Carle

In today’s world, it can feel like a bachelor’s degree is the new high school diploma. Many students may feel the need to get a master’s degree just to stand out in the workforce only to be overqualified for entry-level positions. Also, many career paths today require a graduate degree simply to get started out. For example, to be a librarian, one must earn a Master’s in Library Science.

The most important step in making a decision about graduate school is research. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Should I Choose Graduate School?

1.      Does my desired career field require a master’s degree?

Go to professional association websites for information about careers in a desired field.

Popular choices

Library Sciences: American Library Association, http://ala.org

Public Relations: Public Relations Society of America, http://www.prsa.org

Communication: National Communication Association, http://www.natcom.org

Journalism: Society of Professional Journalists, http://www.spj.org

Graphic Design: AIGA, http://www.aiga.org

Law: America Bar Association, http://www.americanbar.org

Business: Association of MBAs, http://www.mbaworld.com or American Marketing Association, http://www.marketingpower.com

Higher Education: NASPA, http://www.naspa.org or ACPA, http://www.myacpa.org

2.      What programs should I apply to?

Just like applying for undergraduate admission, many of the same factors apply in graduate school application.

Caliber of the Program: Traditionally the number one starting point in the application process. US News & World Report always publishes the Grad School Rankings of over 1,200 graduate programs in the United States. Their website  lists the top programs in everything from Education to Engineering to Economics. Once choosing a desired program, US News & World Report gives advice on the application to grad school, paying for grad school, as well as information on the GRE.

Degree Requirements: After picking some top choices of programs, do some research and find out what comes along with the degree.

• How many years?
• How many credit hours?
• Extracurricular requirements?
• Assistantships/Internships?
• How much research is involved?
• Master’s thesis?

Again, every university’s program varies, even if it’s within the same career field. Make sure you understand what you want out of it. For example, if a program requires their students to instruct a course, but you don’t want that experience, it may not be the right program for you.

Funding: As in undergraduate programs, finding out how students pay for their education plays a large part in the deciding factor. If you know you want to have funding assistance, look into programs tuition costs as well as their scholarship possibilities. Many programs allow students to work part-time in an assistantship to help cover tuition and other costs.

3.      What steps do I need to take to apply to graduate school?

Entrance Examinations:

Many programs require an entrance exam along with the traditional application. For many programs, the GRE is standard. This encompasses fields like education, social sciences, public affairs, and humanities. Other programs have more specific tests. Business requires GMAT, Law requires LSAT and the Medical field requires MCAT, DAT, or OAT. The Princeton Review outlines what is required for each of these examinations plus it includes links to scheduling the exams as well as resources for students.

Application Requirements:

Typically, the graduate school application is much more in-depth than an undergraduate application, and for good reason. Graduate programs are more selective and after four years of college and a bachelor’s degree, applicants should be ready for a more rigorous application.

The most important aspects of a graduate school application would be the recommendation letters and the essays or personal statements. These two pieces say the most about you as a student; the references tell about you from another person’s perspective while the personal statement should show part of your personality and your desire for graduate school.

• When it comes to finding your references, make sure you talk to each of them individually and explain your career goals. Also, provide them with a copy of your resume and your personal statement so they know exactly where you are coming from and how to highlight your biggest accomplishments.
• For an essay or personal statement, check with the program to see if they have any specific requirements. Usually questions are similar, so it always helps to have a rough outline of points and then write one specifically for the program to which you are applying.

Application Deadlines:

Unfortunately, these deadlines vary greatly between programs and schools, so be sure to check with each program you’re considering to see what deadlines they require. For programs requiring an assistantship or internship position, typically deadlines will be earlier.  Conversely, there may be programs you can apply to just weeks before classes start. Whenever you apply though, be sure to call or email the department and confirm your application materials were received.

Waiting for Acceptance:

Many programs will give you a general idea when you should hear back from them in regards to your acceptance. Remember: this is not an overnight process! Often times, schools put together committees to review applications and decide on their top students. Programs can be selective and unfortunately they cannot accept everyone. If you feel like you should have heard one way or the other or the deadline has passed, you can call and check on the status of the applications. Even if they cannot tell you specifics over the phone, they should be able to give you a better idea of a timeline.

4.      Wrapping it Up

The most important part of any graduate school decision is do your research; decide what program you want, where you want the program to be and what you want out of the program. Make sure you visit any prospective school and meet with faculty and current students. There are some places that are perfect on paper but it can be a different story once you’re there!

If you aren’t sure about grad school right now, don’t stress. Take time in the workforce to see if that fits your style. If you’re dying to get back to school once you start a full-time job, it’s time to consider graduate school. Some programs prefer work experience, so it won’t hurt to take time if it’s best for you.

Remember there is no wrong or right decision! It takes a little bit of soul-searching, but it’s all about what is best for you and your career goals.

To start off your research, check out some of CCI’s very own master’s degree programs!

School of Communication Studies:

Master of Arts in Communication Studies

Concentrations: Interpersonal Communication, Mediated & Mass Communication, Health Communication

School of Library and Information Science:

Master of Science in Information Architecture and Knowledge Management

Master of Library and Information Science  

School of Journalism and Mass Communication:

Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication 

Concentrations: Media Management, Public Relations, Reporting-Editing, Journalism Educators, Broadcasting, Newspaper, Convergence.

School of Visual Communication Design:

Master of Arts in Visual Communication Design

Master of Fine Arts in Visual Communication Design

Emily is a senior communication studies major and a marketing assistant for the College of Communication and Information.

Communication Studies Graduate Program Open House: Today from 3:30-5 in 118 Taylor Hall

Today, the School of Communication Studies will host a graduate program open house in 118 Taylor from 3:30-5:00 p.m. So, are you thinking about graduate school?

In my opinion, it’s never too early to start thinking about your future. It’s important to think about what you can do and what you want to do with the degree you’re earning. Will you need a master’s level degree, a certification, or anything in addition to a bachelor to get the job you want?

Another thing to think about is when? When will you need a master’s degree? In many cases, several years experience is recommended before pursuing a master’s degree.

Think it through:

-       Think about your goals. Where do you want to be professionally in 5, 10, 15 years?

-       Explore the field you plan to enter. What will you need in addition to a bachelor’s degree? Do you need experience first? Or a master’s first?

-       Talk to professionals in the field. What did they do? What type of candidate do they want to hire?

-       Use Graduate Coordinators – ask questions of the graduate coordinators while you still can! If you’re thinking about it, have a conversation with a graduate coordinator before you graduate.

We’ll touch on this topic in more detail in future posts. But for now, I hope you start by checking out the School of Communication Studies!