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October 2020
A Message from the Dean of the School of Communication
Dear SoC Community,
After nearly five years of service as Founding Dean of the School of Communication, I recently announced my decision to conclude my deanship at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year and return to my McGaw Endowed Professorship in Behavioral Sciences in the School of Communication and joint appointments in Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, and Chapman University School of Pharmacy.
I am very proud of the achievements we have accomplished in nearly 15 academic years as we grew from a small department to our rapid growth in building-out additional undergraduate and graduate programs, ultimately leading to the launch of the School of Communication in 2016. With the support and dedication from our distinguished communication faculty, we committed ourselves to designing research-intensive curricula to prepare future communication leaders with a deep understanding of communication research, theories, and principles that can be applied in the global workforce. We celebrate our undergraduate programs in Communication Studies, Strategic and Corporate Communication, and Global Communication and World Languages. We celebrate our graduate programs with our Master of Science in Health and Strategic Communication and our flagship Ph.D. program in Communication. We can be proud that our programs have provided the pathway for future communication leaders to Think Strategically, Act Courageously, and Connect Meaningfully. I am honored to have been a part of building those pathways, and I trust that our faculty will continue to deliver top-notch programming and student support.
Speaking of which, no school would be complete without those critical services that support our students through their program and planning for their future, or for our alumni whom we continue to support. These areas – Program Advising, Career Advising, Graduate Advising – are essential services for the success of our students and alumni, and I am very proud of my leadership team and our commitment to our students and alumni. This level of commitment from our advising faculty and staff is second to none, and I look forward to hearing more of the great stories that they will have to share.
Over the next several months, I will be working closely with Chapman University academic leadership, faculty, students, and staff to prepare the School of Communication for its next phase. I look forward to being a part of those critically important conversations and will be sure to keep you posted when new developments are available.
It is my honor and privilege to have served as the Founding Dean of the School of Communication. I look forward to hearing about the School of Communication’s future successes!
Lisa Sparks, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Communication
McGaw Endowed Professor in Behavioral Sciences
The SoC Student Advisory Board is Looking for New Members!
The deadline to apply is 10/30/2020
The School of Communication Student Advisory Board advocates for the needs of students in the School of Communication by serving as the student's voice to the administration, representing the School of Communication to various constituencies, offering peer mentorship, and generating and implementing programs and initiatives designed to enhance the student experience within the SoC. Members meet weekly to engage in trainings on SoC and CU resources and discuss current events happening on and across campus. All School of Communication students are welcome to apply for a position on our Student Advisory Board. Preference is given to students who will be able to serve for multiple years.
SoC Diversity & Inclusion Training - November 7th - 8th
SoC is partnering with OC Human Relations to provide a two-day diversity and inclusion training for SoC students. The training comes at no cost for students and aims to help promote our community in its commitment to become more inclusive and understanding. Space is limited, so the application must be completed by October 30th.
Learn more about OC Human Relations and its mission on its website here.
Class of 2021, Leave Your Senior Legacy today!
3-3 to Senior Legacy is Chapman's Undergraduate Volunteer Program, which asks students to volunteer Three Hours in each of their first Three Years (Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Years. In their Senior Year, students are asked to leave their Senior Legacy in honor of their Class to benefit future students' need-based scholarships.
The school or college with the most student volunteers and Senior Legacy gift donors (based on % of total students in the school/college) will receive the 3-3 to Senior Legacy Service Award for 2020-2021. Join today!
Chapman Radio
Given that students are away from campus at the moment, there is an opportunity to rebuild and retool the Chapman Radio studios. The main broadcasting studio will receive furniture, equipment, and software updates. In addition, a production studio will be added. The production studio (formerly known as the Green Room) will allow students to pre-record content such as interviews, work on intros and sweepers for live broadcasts, and edit their live shows into podcasts. We are also rebuilding our website, which now includes the same audio streaming player as Apple’s Beats One streaming service, so for high-quality college radio content please search chapmanradio.live.
Interterm 2021: COM 351 - Propaganda and Public Opinion
We live in a world dominated by messaging that seeks to influence our beliefs and behavior; a process greatly enhanced by social media. Yet the idea of using images, ideas, memes, music, and art to influence opinion has been with us for thousands of years.
In this class, we start by learning how belief systems have been marketed over time. We look at Christianity, Islam, the LDS church, Judaism, socialism, National Socialism through the current movements for racial justice. We will analyze each one through speakers, films, graphic images, and texts. We will also discuss the soon to be completed (we hope!) Presidential election, which no doubt will produce propaganda in copious amounts.
Our speakers will include experts on religion, social media, and the shaping of political views. The hope is to make students aware of how propaganda is marketed and how to distill the elements of its influence.
The class will be offered on zoom, and, if we open, partially in class. All our speakers have agreed to either zoom or come in person.
Donor Recognition
We extend our deepest gratitude and thanks for the recent gift to the School of Communication that provides scholarship opportunities for our students. The Montgomery Endowed Scholarship will support students who major in Strategic and Corporate Communication and minor in either Entrepreneurship or Business Administration at Chapman University. Those eligible students will also demonstrate leadership characteristics through on-campus extracurricular activities. We’d also like to acknowledge Dean Sparks, President Struppa, Delite Travis, and our entire University Advancement Team for all their institutional support and engagement with the Montgomery’s.
SoC Faculty Updates
Dr. Jennifer Bevan presented initial findings from a national survey on COVID-19-related family caregiver stress in a Chapman University Ask the Experts Virtual Town Hall this summer. Dr. Bevan is also serving as a guest editor (with Dr. Pamela Lannutti, Widener University) on a special issue of the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships entitled “Relationships in the Time of Covid-19: Examining the Effects of the Global Pandemic on Personal Relationships.”
Dr. Michelle Miller-Day is working with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) to develop and test a Student-Athlete Wellness Portal to deliver health information to student-athletes. Funded by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the first module on the portal will focus on opioid addiction and other substance use and misuse in sports. This approach will be and eventually be expanded to include additional topical information on mental health, bullying and hazing, sportsmanship, PED’s and teen pregnancy forming the Student-Athlete Wellness Portal (“SAWP”).
PFP Presents - Life After College: Abroad
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 | 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Via Zoom
Mindfulness Certificate Course Fall 2020
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 | 4:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. | Via Zoom
Video & Phone Interviewing Virtual Workshop
Thursday, October 22, 2020 | 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. | Via Zoom
Significance of Race Today in America
Thursday, October 22, 2020 | 4:00 p.m. | Via Zoom
Netflix Party - Kicking off Spooktober
Saturday, October 24, 2020 | 7:30 p.m. | Via Zoom
(Virtual) Mock Interviews - PR, Arts, Marketing
Tuesday, October 27, 2020 | 10:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m. | Via Zoom
11 Steps that Lead to the Ideal Job or Internship - How Career Advising Can Guide You Now
You can bring any internship, job, or career question to your career advisor. I am ready to help you with a myriad of challenges, ideas, discovery exercises, or whatever is on your mind – especially during this “interesting” time in the working world. From “what career is right for me?” to setting up the ideal space for Zoom job interviews or learning how to network with alumni and much, much more, you can get my help by simply making an appointment on Handshake. Learn more here.
Connect Meaningfully with the SoC
Internship Spotlight:
The Benefits of Personal Branding: Sofia Fernandez's Internship Experience with the OC Register
"Essentially, your personal brand is your first impression. The image you present of yourself and the language you communicate digitally curates an enhanced perception of value a potential employer will see when viewing your application. In large corporations, employers and recruiters most likely see hundreds of resumes across their desks on a day-to-day basis. To reap the competitive advantage amongst other candidates, creating a positive first impression will not only catch the attention of employers but also serve as a spotlight for your achievements and professional experiences."
Graduate Teaching Associate Spotlight:
After their intensive “teaching boot camp,” GTAs are assigned to one of our standardized courses: COM 102 (Public Speaking in a Diverse Society) or COM 219/310 (Business & Professional Communication). All GTAs meet frequently with the program director and associate director, Drs. Jennifer Waldeck and Sara LaBelle, for training, coaching, and mentoring. GTAs are closely supervised and evaluated every semester based on faculty supervisor classroom visits, student evaluations, professionalism, and teamwork. After their first year, Ph.D. students are given the opportunity to teach a variety of more advanced communication courses, and to learn elevated teaching practices such as text selection, creating a schedule, test construction, and grading complex assignments.
Andrea Chirino
Check back next month to meet another new GTA!
Andrea Chirino, (B.S., Health Science, California State University, Long Beach; M.S., Health & Strategic Communication, Chapman University)
I was born and raised in Los Angeles and have a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from CSULB, and a Master of Science in Health and Strategic Communication from Chapman University. When I am not being a student or teaching (or in the middle of a pandemic), I like to travel, bake, and play with my dog Oreo.
I am pursuing my Ph.D. to expand future job opportunities, increase Latinx representation within academia, and quench a never-ending desire to learn new information. As a master's student, Chapman University introduced me to wonderful students, peers, and professors, and gave me opportunities and experiences that I never dreamt possible. Therefore, I wanted to continue my education at Chapman. This semester, I am most excited about meeting new students and embracing/overcoming new challenges that will come with teaching remotely.
Editor’s Note: Andrea was the recipient of SoC’s Jennifer Waldeck Outstanding Graduate Teaching Associate Award in 2019.
