Communication Studies Newsletter 2015
News
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
Welcome to the Communication Studies Department newsletter! On these pages, you can see some of the exciting work by faculty and students in our busy department.
FACULTY UPDATES
Learn about the work and accomplishments of the Communication Studies Department faculty over the past year.
LEARN BY LIVING
Communication studies Professor Jnan Blau and geography Professor Ben Timms did a summer abroad in Cusco, Peru, with Cal Poly students.
WELCOME LAUREN KOLODZIEJSKI
The Communication Studies Department welcomes a new faculty member, Lauren Kolodziejski!
CAREER SYMPOSIUM
The career symposium is an important resource for students to gain real-world experience and insight into the world of work.
DEBATE TEAM
With a change in leadership and a new debate format, the Cal Poly Debate Team competed across the nation and finished strong.
CHALLENGING MEDIA PORTRAYALS
Communication studies students Jessica Ross and Carlye Sani delved deeper into the implications of media portrayals in their Gender and Communication course.
INTERNSHIP LEADS TO MORE THAN AN ENHANCED RESUME
Danielle Berton spent summer 2014 working as an intern for the Clinton Foundation in New York City. For three months, she was able to learn and grow as a communication studies major, while experiencing the vastness of New York City and the effects of a foundation as powerful as the Clinton Foundation.
ALUMNA KIRSTEN BRUNNER
Looking back, Brunner recognizes that she cannot only credit Cal Poly with meeting her husband, but that she would not be where she is today without her undergraduate degree in speech communication.
ALUMNUS AARON MCKINNON
Open to all possibilities, Aaron McKinnon dreamed of becoming anything from archaeologist to National Geographic show host. However, the world had a different plan, and in 2013, he graduated from Cal Poly with a communication studies degree.
LOCAL BAND BRINGS CENTRAL COAST SOUNDS TO NATION
The breezy sounds of local San Luis Obispo band Fialta are drifting across the nation. The self-professed “Central Coast indie pop” group — including 2011 communication studies alumnus Michael Leibovich — are multi-faceted artists, balancing day jobs with writing, composing and performing music inspired by lifelong learning and the world around them.
GIVING
Read more about Nancy South and why she gives, your gifts at work, and how to make an impact by giving back to the Communication Studies Department.