COMS News | April 2024
Happy April COMS Mustangs!
This newsletter is designed to keep majors, minors, faculty, and staff up-to-date so you can learn about news, career advice, events, networking opportunities, well-wishes, and inspirational stories surrounding your peers and COMS community.
Announcements
COMS Club
Get involved in COMS Club! Meetings take place Tuesdays from 11:10 am - 12:00 pm in Building 10 Room 221. Connect with COMS Club on Instagram @calpolycomsclub. An upcoming calendar of events for COMS club will be forthcoming, so follow their social media to stay up to date!
LPH Philanthropy: Lumina Alliance
It's time for the Lambda Pi Eta yearly philanthropy event! This year they are doing a supply drive for Lumina Alliance, a local organization whose mission is to empower those impacted by sexual and intimate partner violence through innovative advocacy, healing, and prevention programs. The event will take place at California Fresh Market (771 Foothill Boulevard) (Friday, April 5th from 11AM-3:00PM). To participate, you can donate cash or items from the supply list at the booth and sign up to cover a shift. We would love to see our COMS community members supporting this amazing cause!
Senior Project: COMS Networking Events
COMS major Kristina Yan and her collaborative group is organizing three upcoming Communication & Career Networking events for COMS majors. Check out the 2 events below and support your peers by attending! For more information, RSVP at the link.
- Interview Tips & Elevator Pitch Workshop (Thursday, April 11 @11:10am-12pm, Building 22, Room 315)
- Career Networking Event (Thursday, April 18th @5-7pm, Advanced Technology Labs (Building 7)
Debate Team News
The Cal Poly Debate Team is ecstatic to announce the success of Alejandro Valentín Martinez (Spanish Major; Minor in History) and Andrea Valle (Communication Studies Major; Minor in Sales and Spanish) who emerged as the champions of the Legados -- Mexico 2024 Debate Tournament in Mexicali on March 15th, 2024. Andrea and Alejandro advocated for the implementation of cutting-edge technologies to identify sectors most impacted by targeted public transit. We also look forward to the 6th annual Spanish-language Civic Debate Legados — USA, on April 13th at 10:00 AM in 65-220. This tournament asks students to identify and solve urgent barriers to the implementation of sustainable and restorative agricultural practices in California.
Events & Opportunities
CalFresh Outreach
Did you know that most undergraduate majors in CLA qualify to receive $291 a month for groceries? Because of expanded eligibility through “Local Programs that Increase Employability (LPIEs),” an estimated ~15,000 students at Cal Poly are now eligible! To find out more and see if you qualify, complete this short survey provided by CalFresh Outreach.
Events for Teaching & Learning with AI
The Cal Poly university community is invited to join Dr. Amro El Abadawy and senior Marketing student Macey Hardridge on Thursday, April 18 for a presentation on teaching and learning with AI. This is an on-campus event, with a hybrid online component for those who can't attend in person (A zoom link will be provided to registrants). Each presenter will deliver and then discuss their work: El Badawy on his use of AI in the classroom, and Hardridge on her AI-centered Senior Project. This will be the first of a series of presentations for faculty and students to share their AI use experiences, with its benefits and limitations, with their colleagues and peers. Learn more and register online.
Faculty News
Dr. Alison Cheung recently published an article titled "Voice, Unhearability, and Epistemic Violence: The Making of a Sonic Identity" in Philosophy & Rhetoric. Congrats to Dr. Cheung!
Dr. Alison Cheung's research is scheduled to be presented in two sessions at the Association for Asian American Studies 2024 Conference in Seattle from April 25-27. She will be presenting the published article "The Making of an Asian American Sonic Identity" in one session and a second panel session titled "Racist Love and Monstrous Asians in Contemporary Pop Culture."
Dr. Leslie Nelson was elected to the position of Vice Chair-Elect for the Interpersonal and Family Communication Interest Group of the Western States Communication Association. She will be Vice Chair for WSCA 2025 in Albuquerque and serve as Chair and Program Planner for WSCA 2026 in San Diego.
Professor Jeremy Teitelbaum recently announced his retirement from Cal Poly on April 1 - Professor Teitelbaum has been at Cal Poly for 23 years and we are sad to be saying goodbye, but excited for his next adventure as he will be teaching English in Pereira, Colombia (and perhaps other parts of the world). We wish Professor Teitelbaum all the best on this journey and are truly thankful for his many years of service to our students at Cal Poly! Big congrats to Professor Teitelbaum!
Cal Poly Service Awards Reception
Another round of congrats to our COMS professors who were celebrated at the annual Cal Poly Service Awards Reception on April 4! The Annual Service Awards is a Presidential event recognizing the accomplishments of State, Corporation, and Associated Students Inc. (ASI) employees who have completed employment milestones of 10 or more years of cumulative service to Cal Poly. The following COMS faculty with milestone service anniversaries in 2024 were recognized this year.
- Lorraine Jackson - 30 years
- Lisa Kawamura - 25 years
- Martin Mehl - 20 years
- Jnan Blau - 15 years
- David Askay - 10 years
- John Patrick - 10 years
- Marion Hart - 10 years
Sharing is Caring
Do you have an announcement to share with COMS majors, minors, faculty, and staff? Email Dr. Brie to find out how to share it! Follow COMS on Social Media: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn