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The start of a new semester and the return of students to campus always brings an unparalleled buzz and excitement to the Virginia Tech community. This year, that energy has increased with the return of in-person learning environments.
Here’s an update on all the exciting news surrounding the School of Communication as we head into the 2021-2022 academic year.
On August 23, classes officially began, and we welcomed 150 freshmen to the Class of 2025. It was a record year for admissions with 779 applications, up from 443 last year. The total includes 381 applicants to the Sports Media and Analytics major.
This growth isn’t limited to just the students. We’ve added four faculty and staff members to meet our needs of continued excellence within the School. Kayla Goodwin joins the team as our professional academic advisor. Cemone Paul and Kacy McAllister were hired as instructors for Communication Skills. Len Clark will join us in January as an advanced instructor of sports media.
It’s a pleasure to have these talented individuals join us in Blacksburg. We now have 42 faculty and staff members who uphold the reputation of the School of Communication. This semester, we’ve hired an additional nine adjunct faculty members to expand the horizons of our students and provide the best instruction possible.
The Media Center in the Moss Arts Center was enhanced over the summer with the installation of the Ross Overdrive newsroom automation system. This system puts the School of Communication on the leading edge of journalism programs, providing students with the opportunity to train on the most sought-after systems in newsrooms today. This opportunity will give them the skills that are in the greatest demand in modern newsrooms across the country, and sets them apart from students coming from other institutions.
We are excited to officially kick off our Advertising major this year. Advertising is the fifth major in the School of Communication and joins Communication, Multimedia Journalism, Public Relations, and Sports Media and Analytics. The Advertising major prepares our students to craft and deliver persuasive messages through paid media with the coursework exploring theories, practice, and ethics of advertising.
There have been hopeful signs of progress in our community, but challenges from the past year and a half remain. These challenges make the perseverance and commitment from our faculty and staff, students, and you, our alumni, during these uncertain times all the more special. Please enjoy these stories and images, which highlight the individuals we’re proud to call a part of the School of Communication family.
Robert E. Denton, Jr.
Director, School of Communication
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