School of Journalism and Communication Kuali PDF Assoc Prog

Personnel

Dean: Rachel Williams-Smith

Faculty: Lorraine Ball, Ayanna Eastman, Pablo Fernandez, Alva James-Johnson, Stephen Ruf, Rachel Williams-Smith

Office Manager: Karina Savelio

Adjunct Faculty: David Barasoian, Joanna Billingy, Ryan Harrell, Tara Hargrove, Andy Nash, Sam Nkana, Billy Weeks

Program Coordinators:

• Speech: Lorraine Ball
• Journalism: Alva James-Johnson
• Communication: Rachel Williams-Smith
• Digital Communication and Media: Stephen Ruf and Pablo Fernandez
• Media Technology: Stephen Ruf
• Strategic Communication: Lorraine Ball
• Strategic Communication/PR-Business: Lorraine Ball and Stephanie Sheehan
• Strategic Communication/PR and Graphic Design: Lorraine Ball and Joe La Com

Advisory Council: A current list of Advisory Council members is kept in the School of Journalism and Communication.

Mission Statement

To inspire and equip a new generation of truth-seekers, storytellers, and influencers to impact the world through a Christian worldview and the power of media.

Assessment

To make satisfactory progress toward preparation for the job market, students majoring in the School will be expected to attend school assemblies and other professional meetings sponsored by the School.

Students should demonstrate their growing professionalism through involvement in the publication of Southern Accent, Southern Memories, The Wire, or other publication; or in communication activities for a campus, church, or community organization such as WSMC FM90.5.

Participation in the Communication Club and involvement in a professional organization such as the Society of Adventist Communicators, the Southern States Communication Association, or the Public Relations Student Society of America are also evidence of professional commitment. Students with high scholastic achievement will be invited to apply for membership in Lambda Pi Eta, the student honor society of the National Communication Association.

School effectiveness will be assessed by combining the results of the cumulative evaluations, student evaluations of courses, and questionnaires completed by alumni and supervisors of interns. To determine that the curriculum meets the objectives of the School, the faculty engages in ongoing analysis of courses required for majors.

Admission

All students wishing to be accepted into the SJC must apply by enrolling in COMM 201 and submitting a letter of intent (purpose/calling) upon completion of COMM 135, ENGL 101, and JOUR 105, with a minimum cumulative GPA in these three courses of 2.25.

The School of Journalism and Communication provides an educational environment in which future leaders in communication, journalism, public relations, and related areas can acquire the enduring ethical concepts, the intellectual discipline, and the professional abilities necessary for the mastery and management of a wide range of writing, editing, research, and other journalistic and public relations skills and techniques.

The School offers following degrees:

• B.A. Communication, with emphases in
  • Communication Studies
  • Writing and Publishing
• B.A. Journalism (with optional emphasis in Digital/Broadcast)
• B.S. Digital Communication and Media, with emphases in
  • Media Production
  • Photography
• B.S. Strategic Communication, with emphases in
  • Advertising
  • Public Relations
• A.S. Media Technology

We also offer two combined degrees:

• B.S. Strategic Communication/PR - Business
• B.S. Strategic Communication/PR and Graphic Design

The School also offers several minors: Advertising, Communication, Intercultural Communication, Journalism, Media Production, Photography, and Public Relations.

The vast major of students who graduate with a degree from the School of Journalism and Communication find work in corporations, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, news media, and a variety of religious and educational institutions while some pursue graduate study in fields such as communication, medicine, or law.

Residence

All baccalaureate degrees offered by the School of Journalism and Communication require that at least 12 upper division hours of the respective degree requirements must be taken at Southern Adventist University.

Additional Information

Meet The Firms

Meet the Firms is a program sponsored by the School of Journalism and Communication and other Schools on campus to facilitate students in locating internships and jobs in their fields of study. A Meet the Firms job fair is held each fall and winter semester. A variety of invited companies meet with students to interview, network, and mentor in preparation for placement.

Internships and On-the-Job Training

Because of the strong relationships which the School has developed with the Chattanooga area mass media, students in journalism, broadcasting, and public relations have many opportunities to meet and work with professionals in television and radio news, in public relations, advertising, on daily and weekly newspapers and on the web.

Students are encouraged to perform internships in their field of study. Newspapers, publishing houses, public relations and fund development departments, advertising agencies, nonprofit organizations, social media, and radio and television newsrooms are among the organizations who seek interns. Current internship information is available on School listserves.

Students participate in undergraduate research, and are encouraged to present their research at Campus Research Day and at professional conferences.

An Advisory Council advises the School in providing internships that give on-the-job experience. The School also participates in the North American Division internship program in which students work in various denominational institutions. The University radio station, WSMC FM90.5, and other media outlets provide learning opportunities for students.

Campus Publications: Students can gain valuable experience as writers, editors, and producers by working on Student Association productions such as Southern Accent, the campus newspaper; Southern Memories, the yearbook; and Strawberry Festival, the annual multi-media year-in-review.

Associated Programs