Department Chair:
Stories researched and written by:
Dr. Richard K. Olsen
Students in
COM 232: Strategic Writing
Newsletter Advisor:
Fall 2012
Dr. Jeanne M. Persuit
Ms. Lauren Frye
Edited by:
Ms. Lauren Frye
Meghan Larson
This newsletter is published
University of North Carolina
semiannually.
Wilmington
Department of Communication Studies
If you have any questions or
Leutze Hall 226
Comments regarding this
601 S. College Road
newsletter,
Wilmington, NC 28403
please email us at:
(910) 962-3443 or (910) 962-7744
comstudies@uncw.edu
Fax: (910) 962-7061
The Department of Communication Studies Newsletter
Volume 2 Issue 1
Fall 2012
Communication
Studies
Interview with the Chair
by Curt Copeland
Before conducting this interview, I surveyed current Communication Studies
majors and found out what they would ask Dr. Olsen. Communication Studies
majors and Alumni will both find valuable information about the current happenings
in the department.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I have been at UNCW for 15 years. Before that, I was an undergrad here in the 1980‘s - when we
were about 5,000 students. We had two classrooms with leaky roofs and peeling paint. We had a great time.
Now it‘s nice to be the chair for some of the faculty I had as a student. It‘s rewarding to come full circle and be able to work with them today.
What’s new in the Communication Studies Department?
The key issues are adapting to some initiatives from the administration. Increased emphasis on applied learning is a big challenge that we are facing.
We‘ve got to find the activities and settings that connect the classroom experiences with experiences outside the classroom. We need to bring the
outside world into the classroom to be processed. This might mean bringing in some guest speakers, or it might mean bringing case studies in to
classes. But, there is a campus wide emphasis on praxis, which is combining theory with practice. That can happen through analyzing a case study,
or creating a video for a client, and many other ways too—we just need to expand our toolbox and connections. We‘re also trying to keep up with
technology. Emerging media has been a big focus of the department. Sometimes we look at them as tools. But we‘ve also focused on how they
affect our media environment - or ecology. We‘re growing up in an ecology that is characterized by a symbolic and technological landscape; not just
a natural one. Understanding what emerging media bring to our media environment and how they are impacting our lives is just as important as
figuring how they are useful. We just started a faculty search for an emerging media specialist to help us deal with that area.
What would you tell a student that is considering a major in Communication Studies?
Our major is about making arguments. There is a variety of different ways to do this, but you will always be making an argument. Since this is such a
powerful capability, when we teach you how to make arguments, we want to make sure you‘re a good person – so, we emphasize whole student
development. When you‘re done with your time with us, you will have a good sense of who you are, and what you want to do next. You‘ll have both
core skills and discipline specific skills that will have you ready for success at the next level. Our job is not to train you to get a good job. . . we
emphasize becoming a good person with a useful skillset and those folks tend to end up with good jobs. A friend of mine has a great phrase that goes,
―We‘re not training you for your first job; we are educating you for your last job.‖ The people that end up in great careers approached their first job
differently than folks who just want to get trained.
Do you have any tips for passing the gateway classes?
I‘ll use a sports analogy here. ―The points in the first quarter are just as important as the points in the fourth quarter.‖ The reality of passing COM
200 is there is easy pass/fail stuff. If you miss quiz points and attendance points, those are going to matter. Don‘t miss the easy points. Follow
directions. Everything has consequences, just like the outside world.
What are some of your favorite classes offered by the Communication Studies Department?
My favorite kind of classes are the ones that are challenging in the right way. When students get done with the hard part of that class, they feel like
they accomplished something ―real.‖ You gain confidence from being able to complete these courses and tasks. They help you realize what it takes
to be successful. And those are exciting moments. They get to experience the value of our major and see how this really translates outside of the
classroom.
Outside of the Communication Studies Department?
Everything has a communication dimension. I hope our majors take classes outside of the department and bring that awareness to that class. If you
take a science class, examine the rhetorics of science. No matter what class you take, understand the communication aspect and you will learn a lot.
Any tips for students about to graduate with a degree in Communication Studies?
[Laughs] It‘s a little late to give advice to those people! But I will say there are two kinds of graduates. The first is the people that did everything we
said. And my advice to them is to continue to learn and approach your entry level job with the mentality that you are still learning. You‘re learning
for your next job—even if it‘s within that company. For the folks that are graduating and didn‘t take our advice – they‘re graduating with a little bit
of regret because they do not feel ready. I would tell them to remember this moment and don‘t let it happen again. Don‘t continue to learn through
regret - learn through intention. For all of those graduating… do your research. I know I‘m the ―Research Methods guy‖, but it‘s research that
counts. The candidates that will be the finalists are the candidates that demonstrate how they fit with the company. And they cannot demonstrate this
without doing research. The folks who stand out are the ones that seem just as interested in learning about us, as we are them. Actively research the
needs, and show how you meet that need.
Anything you would like to add?
A key thing we need from our majors and our alumni is opportunities. Majors are going to help us find opportunities for applied learning, and our
alumni need to help us by becoming opportunities and creating opportunities. Whether that is finding internships or field trips; if we are going to take
applied learning to the next level, we‘re going to need help.
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2
Technology in the COM Department
Department
Creating Pathways
for COM Careers
Meet Matt Lapierre
News
by Marlene Lane
UNCW’s New Health Communication Professor
by Maggie Dowicyan
―I‘m an information sponge, ‖ said professor Matt Lapierre, the Health
Communication professor and this year‘s new addition to the COM Department
here at UNCW. He is no stranger to the big changes and challenges of moving to a
completely different environment. Professor Lapierre met Dr. Weber and Dr. McKinney
at the 97th Annual National Communication Association conference in New Orleans in
November 2011 and decided to apply for a position as a professor at UNCW. Professor Lapierre found a warm, nice and funny
group of professors as well as a ―lovely‖ community overall upon his visit to our campus, which overcame his fear of joining a department
that has backstabbing and politics. The welcoming and friendly reputation of our school has upheld itself as Professor Lapierre settled into his position during his
first semester as the Health Communication, as well as Public Speaking and Communication Theory, instructor here in Wilmington.
Attendees of ―Make the Most of Your Major,‖ hosted by the Communication Studies Society, were able to get a preview of Professor Lapierre‘s Health
Communication courses, which include Health Communication 1, Health Communication 2, and Health Communication Practicum. Health Communication 1
focuses on more general information about the subject, such as cultural, historical, and social influences on health as well as the media and health. Health Comm 2
focuses on creating messages to improve health, such as in the media, and Health Communication Practicum puts health communication into practice.
Professor Lapierre got a dual bachelor‘s degree in math and philosophy from University of Massachusetts Amherst, a master‘s degree in communication
sciences from University of Connecticut, and a Ph.D. in Communication from University of Pennsylvania. When I asked what inspired Professor Lapierre to study
communication after having bachelor‘s degrees in math and philosophy he said, ―when I first decided to go to graduate school, I was interested in a problem. And
that‘s how children respond to persuasive messages.‖ Professor Lapierre‘s research involved placing images of familiar cartoon characters on cereal boxes to see
if it affected whether children liked it or not. Amazingly, he found that children thought that cereal with the cartoon characters on it actually tasted better than
cereal without characters on the box, meaning they have a ―psychological link‖ to such products. However, Professor Lapierre‘s family does not own a television,
so he does not see this affect in his own daughters like he has seen in the children in his research.
Professor Lapierre was inspired to go into studying this phenomenon as he realized his own ―generation has been marketed much more than your generation has,
and that‘s changed how we view ourselves and how we view the world.‖ He was interested in generational and cultural changes influenced by marketing because
not many people have looked into the topic other than some sociologists and advertising specialists. His research on this subject will put a new spin on the study of
health communication for UNCW students.
Professor and Students Work to Complete Filming Before Semester’s End
by Caroline Robinson
Dr. Julie-Ann Scott, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, and her students are working passionately to complete the filming
of a documentary entitled ―Cripping The Workspace‖ by the end of fall semester. Cripping refers to ―entering and altering a space from
a disability-culture consciousness,‖ says Dr. Scott. The hour-and-a-half film applies this approach to explore the identity of people with
physically disabilities in the professional world.
Nine students will portray characters based upon interviewees from Dr. Scott‘s dissertation, also called ―Cripping the Workspace.‖
―We just did some of the filming; so one down, twenty-five more to go,‖ said Dr. Scott enthusiastically.
When working on her dissertation, Scott traveled around the United States interviewing professionals with a wide spectrum of disabilities. Discussing her work Dr. Scott stated, ―If any of us live long enough, chances are our bodies are not going to be as able as they are
now… as we get older we learn what it means to have compromised mobility and a compromised body.‖
Eddie Waters playing
"Jesse" a Higher Education
Admin with a club foot.
Audience members suggested Dr. Scott turn her research into a video after presentations that included excerpts from the interviews. This led to the writing of a
bare-boned script that eventually became ―Cripping The Workspace.‖ The performance ―is basically thirteen monologues with additional lines from other
interviews,‖ explains Dr. Scott.
The script is unique in that every line is a direct quote from her interviews. This specific style—performance ethnography—is a type of documentary film. Dr.
Scott explains, ―Performance ethnography means we want to be able to share our findings face to face, body to body because it is through that connection that
meaning truly forms.‖
Dr. Scott and Professor Frank Trimble are directing student performers to help them create this connection. The actors are not allowed to meet the interviewees or
listen to the recorded interviews. Instead, Dr. Scott says, ―It‘s a lot of sitting and talking and letting me tell you more about this person from what I know.‖ After
the performers embody their characters, Dr. Bill Bolduc, the videographer, films the students in the Communication Studies Studio.
Performance Ethnography and Action (COM 495) offers students a rare opportunity to link research and art. ―I wanted some of my
students to understand here‘s where we move from research to art and how those stay together,‖ stated Scott.
Not only is Dr. Scott racing to finish filming before students graduate but also the documentary must be completed by June in order
to debut at Dr. Jeanne Pursuit‘s Integrated Marketing Communication Conference. The documentary will also be submitted to the
National Communication Association and Liminalities, a prestigious journal of performance studies that only accepts twenty
percent of submitted content.
Elaine Petitgout playing "Ingrid" The project will also be accessible on the Communication Studies Department website and Dr. Persuit‘s Advertising II class will
a Pediatrician with a bone
create the logo and website design. So when will the UNCW community be able to see the finished product? ―I am hoping to3 have
growth disorder.
an open viewing next fall semester. That‘s my plan,‖ says Dr. Scott.
3
COM
Tech
Technology in the COM Department
Creating Pathways for COM Careers
by Marlene Lane
UNCW‘s Communication Studies Department has a wide range of useful and relevant technologies available
for their students and many people might not even realize it. No matter where your focus lies, be it Video
Production or be it Public Relations, this department has something to offer.
The department has an exceptional cache of equipment including several
professional grade video cameras including JVC HM700 and 100 models,
GoPro Heroes and Canon 60D DSLR video/still cameras. Students participating
in the field video production courses have access to the equipment and a wide
range of accessories through our online reservation program. Accessories such
as ARRI LED and incandescent lights, a slider, jib and Steadicam-style camera
mount enable increased professionalism in student productions.
With the addition of two audio production courses, the department has added a
collection of Zoom H1 and H4 digital audio recorders. Typically the Zooms are
used to record music, interviews and ambient sound for news stories and documentaries away from the studio.
The department continues to use the latest version of Final Cut Pro video editing
software in our iMac lab and video edit suite. Audacity is the platform of choice
for audio editing. This video and audio editing software is only available on Mac Ashley Cimino uses a JVC 100 camera to film bassist Bill DiNome of the
computers, and some of the most popular movies of the past decade were edited Schoolboys during the 2012 Rock for the Cure fundraiser on the roof of the Reel
using Final Cut Pro, such as: The Social Network, Napoleon Dynamite, and 300. Café in downtown Wilmington.
A link to the Digital Video Production Equipment Reservation Procedures form
is available on the COM Department home page.
Even if your focus isn't in video and audio production, the COM Department still has
the best around for you. Perhaps you have already seen and used the iMac Lab located
upstairs in Leutze Hall. The lab provides students with access to 24 iMac desktops.
They come with basic programs, such as Microsoft Office, but the real excitement
comes from the Adobe products: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
Photoshop is the most popular of the three. Have you ever glanced at a magazine cover
and thought, "there's no way her skin is that flawless?" Well you're probably right,
major magazines and advertisers use Photoshop to edit their photos.
Illustrator is a different creature altogether. It uses vectors to create art. Vector art uses
points and shapes to create an image but the lines stay smooth no matter how far you
zoom in. All you future graphic designers out there, go check it out!
Colby Murdock practices with one of the departments JFC 700 cameras
while Genae Randall looks on during an in-class workshop.
InDesign is a more professional version of Microsoft Word that is created by Adobe. It
is great for creating brochures, books, flyers, posters, newspapers and magazines.
Instead of being stuck within the limits of the Word margins you can shift images
wherever you want to create a catchy design.
If you've ever taken COM 105 or 200 then you're well aware of what a clicker is. These response pads are made by Turning Technologies and help
professors with large lecture classes. A professor simply creates a PowerPoint, inserts a question and students "click" in their multiple-choice
response. These help professors keep track of who is in class and keeping up with the materials.
Technology is always changing and growing, and the Communication Studies‘ students and alumni should be proud of their Department for providing
the opportunity to become acquainted with this technology that propels their career.
4
4
UNCWonderful
Veteran Faculty Member Retires,
Reflects on COM Department
by Greg Rothman
Faculty
Profiles
What advice would an accomplished Communication Studies professor with 39 years
of experience at UNCW give to our department? Dr. Lloyd Rohler's answer might
surprise you.
UNCW's COM department is one of many departments at UNCW to have experienced a
tremendous growth in recent years. Dr. Lloyd Rohler, a professor of Rhetorical Theory, Persuasion,
Speech Writing, Politics and Film, and other special topics in Political Communication, has been a stable part of this department
and its growth over recent years. The COM department has not only seen a "huge increase in students, but also an increase in
variety of students," said Professor Rohler. "There are many new opportunities for students, local and statewide." The
department is still advancing, evolving, and in Dr. Rohler's words, "seems to be much more alive and vigorous." Unfortunately,
this respected and dedicated staff member will be retiring from teaching this year, yet his simple but specific advice to
remember the department‘s roots will be remembered long after his physical presence on campus.
As a professor at UNCW, one of Dr. Rohler‘s favorite classes to teach has been Political Communication, a course which traces the presidential election race
every four years. The special course gives students the unique opportunity to follow campaigns, and how presidential candidates respond to each other‘s
communication while changing their campaign strategies. As we are currently in the midst of a presidential race, it is easy to see how important a class like this is
for students looking to vote in November. However, Dr. Rohler's involvement in UNCW is only one of his many pillars of achievement in the local community.
Serving as chair for the Wilmington Historical Preservation Committee, Rohler has certainly displayed his passion for and belief in volunteer work. In addition,
Rohler has spent his time crafting two books and one textbook, focusing on communication topics such as great speeches. His family-run book store on North
Front Street, Old Books on Front St., has been a continued hobby and passion for him and his family. Dr. Rohler plans on staying very involved with the
bookstore after retirement. However he plans to pursue another of his lifelong hobbies, writing, more actively.
After interviewing Professor Rohler, it is obvious he will continue to have his presence felt at UNCW, which he describes as UNCWonderful, albeit maybe in a
less serious way than he has in the past. His weekly cards group plans to continue to meet at Hawk's Nest on campus, allowing his skill at Hearts to continue to
shine. ―Everything I do in my life is reflected back on my activities at UNCW‖ noted Dr. Rohler. ―Wilmington is my home now. I‘ve been here for many
years. I have good friends here and it‘s been a great experience.‖ UNCW's COM department has made an immense amount of progress at UNCW, and Professor
Rohler has been a vital part of this. Yet, it is important to remember the paths Dr. Rohler and the COM department have taken, and the goals that have been set
for themselves.
When asked to share his predictions and recommendations for the future of the COM department, Rohler responded with an interesting piece of advice. After
changing, growing, and expanding so rapidly he hopes professors and COM department employees will take a step back from their courses and reflect. "If you
spin too rapidly and grow, you need time to take a moment and figure out what needs to be done" said Rohler. He wants others to "pause" and think about all the
department has accomplished together. He wants to see the department gain a solid vision for the future, and to set a path for themselves to follow. To simply
"exhale," and take a deep breath in before putting their noses back to the grindstone.
Meet Cristina Woodrum
by Ashley Nelson
Do you ever wonder what our part-time faculty members at UNCW do when they are not on campus? In an interview with part-time professor Cristina
Woodrum I got the chance to get an insight on her life. Mrs. Woodrum can be found on campus between the hours of 8-9:15am in Leutze Hall where she
teaches COM 257 Argumentation and Debate.
When Cristina Woodrum was a little girl she always wanted to be a teacher. Well that‘s what she is, part time. After her 8 a.m. class she goes to downtown
Wilmington to work as an attorney for the New Hanover County Office of the Public Defender. Although it may seem like she was born to be in the
courtroom, she did not always know that she was going to be a lawyer. After graduating college, like most of us she had no idea what she wanted to do.
Post graduation she got a job but, describes it as the worst job she has ever had. Thankfully that job didn't last long and she learned to keep her head up and
"just keep swimming." After working for a year she decided to go to law school at the University Of Dayton School Of Law in Dayton, OH, which is a
Catholic School.
Being a public defender raises a lot of eye brows. She is always asked "how can you defend criminals?" or "why do you defend those people?" Woodrum
replies with, ―I defend criminals because I am indirectly defending all of our Constitutional rights. If someone doesn't make sure that the police and the
detectives and the DA‘s, stay within their bounds, it not only adversely affects my clients, but in turn it will eventually adversely affect all of us. It's not about
‗defending criminals‘ instead defending our constitutional rights.‖
Besides being a fashionable lawyer and part time professor at UNCW, Cristina is also a family person. She is a mom to a six-month-old daughter and she says
that going to work every day and leaving her daughter is the hardest thing she does. When she is not in the courthouse or the classroom you can find her in her
free time getting some exercise outside or sitting at Dockside enjoying the beautiful water. She is also a big sports fan. Woodrum claims the Cincinnati
Bengals for NFL football and the Cincinnati Reds in baseball mostly because she has lived there several times in her life.
Fun facts about Cristina:
• Born in Albuquerque • Full time hater of the New York Yankees • Has eaten Chicken hearts
• Can quote Wayne's World word for word • Favorite food is dark chocolate • Would love to have a drink with Abe Lincoln
5
5
UNCW Seahawks ‘Rock for the Cure’
by Sutton Hack
UNCW‘s Communication Studies Society held the sixth annual Rock for the Cure benefit concert on Friday, October
19, 2012 to donate funds to uninsured women with breast cancer. The concert was located at the rooftop of the Reel
Café and admission to the event was a $5 donation to New Hanover Regional Medical Center‘s Pink Ribbon Project.
Proceeds from the event benefit uninsured women in our area, allowing them to receive free mammography screenings
and offering comfort bags to women undergoing cancer treatment. Open to the public, Rock for the Cure was attended
by all ages. The event featured UNCW‘s unofficial faculty band, The Schoolboys, who play an assortment of modern
and classic rock music. The Schoolboys include UNCW‘s faculty members Olsen, Trimble, Bolduc, Hunt and DiNome.
Fuzzy Peach donated 15% of each cup of frozen yogurt purchased on September 18, 2012 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
to benefit Communication Studies Society for holding Rock for the Cure. Since the first Rock for the Cure in 2007,
over $17,000 has been donated to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation‘s Pink Ribbon Project. Last
year‘s event raised $5000. This year‘s event raised over $5,400. ―Rock for the Cure is still fairly new,‖ said Joy Ellis,
Vice President of Communication Studies Society and co-coordinator of the event. ―The more times it happens, the
more people know about it.‖
Rock for the Cure picked up 19 sponsors and 19 donors, all of which are located in Wilmington. The benefactors
donated items to a raffle drawing and silent auction., there was also a bar and guest speakers for entertainment. The
raffle items included gift cards, goodie bags and t-shirts created for the event. All volunteers ‗rocked‘ Rock for the Cure
2012 t-shirts, supporting the fundraiser. Rock for the Cure incorporated an essay contest and the winner of the contest
gave a breast cancer survivor whom they knew a one-night stay at the Best Western Plus Coastline Inn, located in stunning downtown Wilmington on the Cape Fear River. This year‘s winner was Rhonda Pettit of Apex, NC.
CSS advisor Jennifer Chin and Rock for the
Cure co-coordinators Amanda Miller, Joy
Ellis, and Victoria Humphrey (L to R) pose
outside of the Reel Café before the main event.
The awareness of the cause was important to Joy. ―Every person has a chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer,‖
Joy Ellis said. ―Many families are affected by cancer, more specifically breast cancer, which my aunt was diagnosed with.‖ To get more involved with New
Hanover Regional Medical Center‘s Pink Ribbon Project go to http://www.nhrmc.org/PinkRibbon for more information.
Bolduc’s Perspiration to Inspiration:
Student Teaching in Belize
by: Jay Callow
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEEEP. Dr. William Bolduc hits the alarm at 6:00 a.m. and sits up. Ahead of him is the same trek he and his colleagues have made every
morning this week: a hot and sandy hike through the Belizean barrier island of San Pedro to a grade school two miles away. With him are co-producer and assistant professor Dr. Elizabeth Crawford and recent UNCW graduate/videographer Zach Hunt. The team loads their equipment into backpacks – an entire camera kit including lights, tripods, microphones, and other accessories. The sweltering tropical heat does its best to weigh them down even more as they set out.
In 2010, Dr. Richard Huber – a professor at the Watson College of Education (WCE) – had the idea of documenting some of the international studies programs
offered by UNCW and the Watson College of Education. He needed someone willing to spend a week in Belize filming a 20-minute documentary centered on
UNCW student teachers. When approached about making this documentary, Dr. Bolduc accepted immediately and brought with him an equally enthusiastic
former student, Zach Hunt. Zach served as the second videographer for the film. From there Dr. Huber connected Bolduc with Elizabeth Crawford of the WCE,
who became co-producer, as Bolduc managed to balance functioning as co-producer, lead videographer, writer, and editor.
―I wanted to communicate what studying and teaching abroad is like in an honest fashion,‖ Dr. Bolduc said. He wants to be clear that this film is not a sales
pitch, it is a documentary. A few of the student teachers even talk about how challenging their experience was, but are sure to explain how they overcame
obstacles and built confidence in the process. In the filmmakers own words, ―I hope all students watching this film are encouraged to seek experiences abroad.
Hopefully someone who wants to teach would watch this and think ‗I‘ve got to teach abroad.‘ For others, I hope that by watching a group of teachers really
appreciate living in another culture, maybe they too will be touched. It‘s not the expressed
purpose of the video, but I hope that‘s in there.‖
The documentary is called Unforgettable Inspiration: Student Teaching in Belize.
It premiered September 24, 2012 as part of the 2 nd annual
Watson College of Education Brown Bag Series. The
film has made its way to YouTube and Vimeo, which
can be found by doing a quick web search of the title.
If you are a Communication Studies major and
would like to study abroad, visit the Office of
International Programs located in the Friday
Annex and speak with your advisor. There are
plenty of programs to choose from, and who
knows, one day Dr. Bolduc could be
documenting your own experience. Like he
said, ―When students see this film, I want them
to know they can do it too.‖
Seahawk
Pride
Zach Hunt and Bill Bolduc (back, L to R) are joined by students at La Isla
Bonita elementary school in San Pedro, Belize after filming their class
session.
6
6
Communication Studies Alum:
An Inside Perspective on Life After UNCW
by: Jenni O’Toole
For Jason Rollins‘, a UNCW Communication Studies graduate, education and perseverance have led him to become a
successful Internal Communication Account Supervisor at MSL Atlanta.
Rollins relocated from Novi, Michigan to the Port City in order to attend UNCW. He first became intrigued with
Communication after taking a course in public speaking. ―I found the course interesting and challenging, which peaked
my interest in the department,‖ says Rollins. Along with hearing many positive remarks about the faculty and program,
Rollins decided Communication Studies was the right major for him.
Rollins applauds many of his former professors from the COM Department. ―I had Dr. Comeaux for several classes my
senior year. She did an outstanding job to help the class understand what to expect and what we needed to do for
interviews.‖ He considered Frank Trimble a mentor and looked up to Dr. Noor Al-Deen for technology guidance.
―She opened my eyes to the world of advertising and technology and how much emphasis technology has on marketing.‖
After Graduating from UNCW in 2003, Rollins entered the job force for three and half years, working for Edelman as an Assistant Account Executive, Consumer Brands, for one and a half years. He then moved to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta as a PR Coordinator (and later Marketing Manager). It was there he
continued to work while obtaining his MBA with an emphasis on marketing from Mercer University. ―As I got into my career it became apparent that a higher
degree was valuable,‖ says Rollins. ―I was happy to do it and it created new
opportunities in my career.‖
Rollins is currently at MSL Atlanta, a global marketing communication firm that is part of MSL Group. He specializes in internal communication and has the
team title of Account Supervisor Manager. Rollins manages global and national brands such Coke, The Home Depot, Time Warner Cable, SunTrust and
Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts. ―Our team works to help communicate effectively with clients, community and employee engagement and brand
repositioning management.‖
Rollins also gives advice for current and prospective Communication Studies students. ―I think a lot of students are interested in Public Relations, but what
we‘ve seen in the past five to ten years is that people who specialize in PR have to evolve,‖ says Rollins. ―They need to have a knowledge of marketing
communication, clients are coming to us with all kinds of creative and design needs. Students need to approach classes with this in mind. Maybe take a few
electives in the English Department or at Cameron School of Business.‖ Rollins also stresses how critical writing skills are if you want to work in
communication and marketing. ―I‘ve noticed people coming out of college are lacking these skills, maybe take more writing classes. I would encourage
students to do this because we are in a digital age,‖ says Rollins.
His last words of advice to students: ―Do anything to get involved in organizations and associations, anything to get you a leg up on other competitors will
help.‖
Communication Studies Alumni Spotlight
The COM Alumni Spotlight is an opportunity for former UNCW COM Majors to share their accomplishments with our current PCOM and COM majors. It is
also an opportunity for us to keep in touch with our graduates and for our graduates to keep in touch with each other. The following COM Alumni have been
in the Spotlight this semester, visit www.uncw.edu/com/alumni/ to view their testimonials.
Brian Rehder
Kim Ratcliff
Jason Rollins
Jeffrey Rivenbark
Daniel Faill
Rhonda Simmons
Sean McBride
Nominate Yourself for Our COM Alumni Spotlight
COM
Alumni
We would love for you to nominate yourself for our COM Alumni Spotlight. It's easy! Just got to
www.uncw.edu/com/alumni/nominate.html, answer a few questions and send us a photo of yourself utilizing your communication skills. You may elect to send a photo of you on the job, doing volunteer work, or
interacting with family and friends. New winners will be featured on our department website throughout
the semester and will receive an awesome prize. Also note--we will retain your nomination for future use;
you do not need to apply more than once. Thank you and we hope to hear from you soon!
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Department of
Communication Studies
About Our New Department Image
You may have noticed a new department image woven into the design of this newsletter. This image was the result of a class project and directed
independent study involving many of our COM students. Dr. Jeanne Persuit and Dr. Rick Olsen (‘87) were ―clients‖ for a desktop publishing class
taught by Ms. Stacie Hidek. Teams of students researched our department, other communication studies departments, the discipline itself and other
sources for inspiration. They then prepared mock ups of their designs as they would look full color, grayscale, on letterhead, t-shirts and web pages
along with extensive rationale for their design choices. They also interviewed the clients to get a sense of what was needed in the design.
The winning design offers 5 overlapping circles signifying the 5 canons of rhetoric that have become an essential pillar of our department. The overlap
of the circles creates 8 sections symbolizing the 8 core skills we seek to cultivate in our majors along with mastery of the discipline.
The original winning design was then further refined by Robert Pryce through a directed independent study. He took on the challenge of making the
original design ―less corporate‖ as well as figuring out how to layer and animate the design.
We are quite proud of the image and how well it expresses our department‘s commitment to both effective communication and whole student
development. We are also proud of the process by which it was developed.
The integration of the image into this newsletter was the result of the creative vision of Meghan Larson our talented administrative associate.
COM Refresher Course
When you read the description of new image above did you think ―Wow, I wish I could remember those core skills‖ or ―I could really use those 5 canons‖ well
we have you covered! Refresh yourself on these very important aspects of Communication Studies with the descriptions below.
5 Canons of Rhetoric

8 Core Skills
Invention: Finding and developing the subject of the communication:
what are you going to communicate?
 Arrangement: Assembling the content in a strategic and satisfying
way: in what order are you going to communicate your ideas and
arguments?
 Style: The artful expression of the ideas appropriate to the situation and
audience: with what formality, mood and specific language will you
communicate your ideas and arguments?
 Memory: Committing to memory your general knowledge of the topic
and the specific presentation that has been prepared: do you feel
confident that you truly know your stuff?
 Delivery: Performing all that you‗ve prepared by the proper
 Confidence: Feeling able to do what you set out to do, mentally,
emotionally and physically.
 Intellectual Curiosity: Valuing and participating in experiences that
comprise ―the life of the mind.‖
 Responsibility: Taking control of the processes necessary to achieve
what you set out to accomplish. This involves the coordination of
motivation, initiative, and perseverance.
 Collaboration: Working well with others to accomplish a high quality
outcome of a completed task, service, product of performance.
 Critical Thinking: Using sound reasoning, criteria, theories and
definitions to explore specific questions or issues of concern.
 Problem Solving: Coordinating all that you know and can do to bring
about satisfactory outcomes.
management of verbal and nonverbal elements: does what you actually
do express and enhance what you have prepared?
 Civility: Showing regard for the dignity of other people and importance
of social explorations.
 Praxis: Ability to do what the theory or concept tells you
to do with skill and self-awareness.
Student Handbook
COM Flashback! Want to know what it‘s like being a COM major today
or relive some memories of your struggles as a college student? Check out
our new student handbook for our majors. You may smile or get chills . . .
Here‘s the link if you‘re brave enough:
http://www.uncw.edu/com/advising/handbook.html
Find Us On Facebook:
UNCW Communication Studies Grads & Friends
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