Communication is fundamental to understanding the social, political, and cultural world. Communication professionals create and shape the stories we tell. They influence the way people share, receive and process information — an invaluable role that will always be in demand in our modern mediated global society. Employment opportunities are growing in the media, business, education, politics, and arts industries.
Eastern’s Department of Communication fosters creativity and cooperative learning. Faculty use applied professional examples to teach in friendly interactive class environments. The recently renovated Communication Building offers state-of-the-art classrooms and labs that provide students with hands-on experience. A major and two minors are offered. Communication majors work in state-of-the-art audio and video production laboratories, offering applied experiences students need to launch careers after graduation. Academic and pre-professional concentrations include Applied Media Production, Media Writing and Journalism, and Leadership Communication. Graduates work in the commercial media industries as well as in government and non-profit settings.
Concentrations
The Applied Media Production concentration within the Communication major provides students with a theoretical foundation and practical experiences in preparation for careers in a variety of media production fields. Students will demonstrate professional level technical competencies in audio production and video production for industrial, commercial and non-commercial media distribution platforms. Coursework includes practical, applied instruction for traditional and developing media formats (radio, television, cable, satellite, mobile and internet).
The Leadership Communication concentration in the Communication Major prepares students for careers in a variety of organizations. Students will demonstrate a professional level competency in verbal, nonverbal, written and digital communication skills common to institutional settings, including public speaking and presentation, conflict management and persuasive communication.
The Media Writing and Journalism concentration in the Communication major prepares students for a variety of writing careers within the broad media spectrum. Students will demonstrate a professional level competency in an understanding of story structure and the real-world requirements of publishing their work in print, film, radio or the electronic media. Students will also understand the techniques and methods used to repurpose their writing across multiple media platforms.
Some students may find that none of the other concentrations in the Communication Major meet their interests. These students may elect to take courses across all electives to fulfill their concentration requirement. Students with a Communication Generalist concentration may select any five courses from available electives to fulfill their concentration requirements. Students can select the required 15 credits from among the available 100- to 400-level courses.
All Communication students complete at least one internship as undergraduates, gaining valuable workplace skills and developing their professional networks in the process.
On-campus Experiences
Communication majors construct advertising campaigns for local businesses, host their own radio shows, and produce live television sports and news programs. Applied experiences are found at the Campus Lantern student newspaper, ETV, ETV Sports and WECS 90.1 FM.
Honor Society
Eastern is a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society, with members demonstrating exemplary academic and co-curricula accomplishments.
Student Organizations
Students build a sense of community through co-curricular groups that host social events, volunteer in the community, and participate in regional and national conferences and competitions. They include the American Advertising Federation, and the Public Relations Student Society of America.
Undergraduate Research
Communication students work with faculty mentors to conduct independent research or create media content. They have presented at regional and national conferences, and won awards for producing documentaries, writing plays, and creating public service announcements.
Global Field Courses
Communication students have visited advertising and public relations companies in London and Paris, shot films in Mexico and China, and learned about the media industry of Eastern Europe.
After stints as a lifestyle host, news reporter and anchor at TV station NBC-22 in Springfield, MA, and TV station Fox 61 in Hartford, CT, Lauren is now a digital producer for Avelo Airlines. “My communication classes allowed me to hone my broadcasting skills, putting me in perfect position to advance my career after graduation.”
Communication
T.J. Snopkowski ’12
T.J. is president of TJS Consulting Services. “A day in the life of a social media marketing consultant can be lots of fun! I oversee all promotional efforts, including broadcast, print and digital, corporate partnerships and brand activations. At one event, I worked with dozens of leading world thinkers, including the former President of Mexico Vicente Fox and former Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Grzegorz Kolodko.”
Communication
Michele Lodigiani ’13
Michele earned her communication degree before receiving her B.S.N. at the University of Connecticut. Today she works at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London. “My liberal arts background ensured I had the critical thinking skills required for a nursing career. I was also able to participate in clubs and activities, which allowed me to serve the community and fostered my interest in a career assisting others.”
Communication
Emily Hailu ’22
Emily interned as a video producer for Eastern’s Office of Alumni Affairs, where she created video content for the Office’s alumni audience. “Think outside of the box and don’t stick to what you know is safe. What is safe may be overused and being creative and doing what has never been done before may actually lead you to bigger and better outcomes.”
Special Education Teacher
Stefanie Dominguez '18
While at Eastern, Stefanie’s research on the socialization of dual language preschoolers was published in the Early Childhood Education Journal and she presented her findings at a national conference. “The ability for students to perform undergraduate research at Eastern helps them form stronger relationships with professors outside of a typical classroom setting and provides them with opportunities to travel and share their knowledge with others in their field.”
Communication
Samantha Honeywell ’21
"Eastern’s Center for Internships and Career Development was an amazing resource for me; the job fairs, what to expect in interviews, getting help on my resume." Samantha worked as an intern at Fox17 News in Nashville, TN, and then had an internship at NBC10 Boston. Now she is an assistant editor at Big Brick Productions in New Hampshire, editing commercials for clients such as Hasbro, Sweet Baby Ray’s, Ken’s and Green Giant.
News Producer
Caitlin Caffrey ’11
Communication major Caitlin Caffrey is the news producer for Fox5DC in Washington D.C. “I gather news stories, assign reporters and write scripts. I’m responsible for making sure the newscast goes off without any issues. Eastern helped fuel my love for news and writing. My TV production classes helped me to prepare for the real world of news.”
TV Reporter
Carmen Chau ’10
Carmen earned her master's degree at Quinnipiac University and is a TV reporter at WTIC-Fox in Hartford. “Eastern helped me to step out of my comfort zone and chase my dream of being a TV reporter. Thanks to the guidance of experienced professors, I can proudly say that I’m there. I encourage aspiring journalists to take advantage of Eastern’s TV news club. That’s where I started.”
ESPN
Damon Gray ’16
Communication major Damon Gray is a content associate at ESPN. “Eastern gave me hands-on experience in video editing and live sports broadcasting. With the help of the staff and fellow students, the Eastern TV sports crew was the perfect starting point for a career at ESPN.”
Multimedia Journalist
LaToya Smith ’06
The CEO of New York City-based Brass City Media, LaToya was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Small Business Administration. “Eastern gave me the experience and training I needed to adapt to this rapidly changing industry. I received a truly multimedia education and participated in several media-related clubs. These experiences gave me an edge going to graduate school and beyond.”
Photo Director
David Wurtzel ’13
Communication major David Wurtzel is director of photography at Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN). “Eastern taught me how to be a professional. I transformed from someone who had a creative interest into someone who could use that creativity to shape a career.”
Communication
Samantha Honeywell ’21
"The campus-based ETV News gave me the hands-on experience of what to expect in the future! Eastern changed my life for the better. With the small school atmosphere, education, clubs and events, I certainly made the right choice. Taking liberal arts classes will introduce you to tons of different fields, which helps spike interest in what you want to do. Not to mention the clubs and activities that help as well!"
News Reporter
Tyler Madden ’21
Communication major Tyler Madden ’21 is a reporter with WKRC in Cincinnati, OH. “I will always cherish my four years at Eastern. As the producer for our on-campus ETV news show, I was able to take everything I learned from my classes and apply it to producing content outside of the classroom. The hands-on experience you get from working on industry level equipment like I did at Eastern taught me skills I use every day."
