C O M M UNITY Vol. 1, No. 1 SPRING/FALL 2013
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION
CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 1
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C O M M UNITY Vol. 1, No. 1 Spring/Fall 2013
COMM’s New Curriculum
The Communication Department introduced a new curriculum in fall 2012. The upshot? More structure, better sequencing and an even stronger education.
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Hats off to capstones
Majors report that COMM’s new capstone courses give them an edge as they apply for jobs and internships.
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It comes down to COMM
Heather Beshears ’12 finds her research and presentation skills invaluable in her job as a channel marketing specialist for Ergotron.
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The Rogue of Rhetoric
He’s a serious academic who definitely doesn’t take himself too seriously. Professor Aric Putnam brings a unique approach and dynamic teaching style to his classes.
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In the Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8 Outstanding Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12 Beyond the Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Alumni in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 Faculty Insights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-20 A Look Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
COMMunity is produced by the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University Department of Communication Quad 451 Saint John’s University Collegeville, MN 56321 Voice: (320) 363-3549 Email: ddrazenovic@csbsju.edu Website: csbsju.edu/communication Editor: Dana Drazenovich Designer: Bea Lund ’13 Editorial contact: Dana Drazenovich ddrazenovic@csbsju.edu (320) 363-3464 Contributors: Megan Beacom ’13, Kelly Butorac ’13, Mo Flynn ’13, Courtney Gustafson ’13, Rachel Holzknecht ’15, Maggie Hooley ’13, Ellen Newkirk ’13, Kirsten Peterson ’13, Ben Precourt ’14, Abby Roche ’13, Michael Rogers ’14, Rob Spiczka ’13, Ian Ward ’14 Department of Communication DEPARTMENT CHAIR Terence Check OFFICE MANAGER Mary Tamm FACULTY Kelly Berg Jeanne Cook Karyl Daughters Dana Drazenovich Katie Johnson Jennifer Kramer Julie Lynch Betsy Johnson Miller Shane Miller Emily Paup Aric Putnam Erin Szabo FACULTY EMERITUS Joan Steck
On the cover: Reed Osell ’14 took this photo of senior Record editors for the May 3 edition of The Record. Osell will be The Record’s photo editor for the 20132014 year. The students featured are Ellen Newkirk, Jill Yanish, Joe Mellenbruch, Mary Baumgard, Kelly Butorac and Kirsten Peterson, all Class of 2013. All but Baumgard are Communication majors.
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Advanced Media Writing students create Communication Department’s first magazine By Ellen Newkirk ’13 When you walk into Professor Dana Drazenovich’s Advanced Media Writing classroom, don’t expect to see a lot of note taking. Students work on computers and in small groups on public relations and journalism projects for real organizations. Their most recent undertaking? You are reading it right now. “A department magazine was the right vehicle to tell our story because we have such a broad variety of experiences in Communication,” Drazenovich says. Starting from scratch Students started the project from scratch and had the creative freedom to make it their own. “Doing a project like this as part of a
class allows us to put our knowledge to work and learn in the classroom how to pinpoint an audience, identify key messages, decide what is an appropriate tone and voice and then actually put that into action,” Drazenovich says. The story ideas class members generated ranged from professor and alumni profiles to spotlights on communication-based student organizations. Writing for the future Students appreciated the opportunity to participate in a project that would enhance their education and portfolio. As upper class students, many will take skills they have learned through the process and apply them to careers. “The Communication Department magazine will be helpful for both prospective and current students,” says Ben
Precourt ’14. “Hands-on projects like the magazine give me the chance to develop the skills I will need after college. If an employer is looking for someone with newsletter experience, I can say that I contributed to the Communication Department magazine.” In the process of applying for jobs, Kelly Butorac ’13 notes that the experience has helped give her a strong talking point for interviews. “I greatly appreciate any projects that not only give us experience in a field we find to be exciting and worthwhile, but also add items to our growing portfolios,” Butorac says. Because of the enthusiasm of the Communication Department and her students, Drazenovich hopes to continue the magazine annually.
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Professor Jennifer Kramer works with students preparing for the final exam in her COMM 105 Introduction to Human Communication class, one of three foundation classes majors now take as part of the department’s new curriculum.
Communication department launches new curriculum By Rachel Holzknecht ’15 The College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University Communication faculty has whipped the curriculum into a tighter, more structured progression in response to the latest program review. New students will take courses in each of the three revised categories: message design, analysis of communication and communication & community. The new curriculum also requires students to take Public Speaking & the Public Sphere as a core class instead of Persuasion In Society, as well as a capstone intended to function as a culmination of all department experiences. Providing focus An outside review committee confirmed what the Communication faculty had long ago recognized—the curriculum was ready for an update. Professor Shane Miller says that moving to the new three-category structure has been an ongoing faculty discussion. CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 4
“It started with a retreat involving all faculty members, and from there we met every other week,” Miller says. “It’s been the focus of just about every department meeting for the last year. The curriculum is now more focused on learning the skills of creating and analyzing messages as well as recognizing how communication relates to the community instead of simply taking media, theory and rhetoric classes.” Faculty members have been talking about these structural changes for the past three years but could not implement them until the full major curriculum revisions were done and the new curriculum and related new courses were approved by the Curriculum Committee. Students graduating in 2016 and majoring or minoring in Communication will be the first to benefit from these changes. Professor Aric Putnam says the pro-
gram will require students to plan and develop a clearer idea of what they want to do with their careers prior to graduation and push for more critique-based learning and critical thinking. Promoting critical thinking Miller taught the old core class for six years and says that Public Speaking & the Public Sphere serves a dual purpose that the former core class, Persuasion In Society, did not.
The new curriculum requirements apply to students who enrolled at CSB/SJU fall 2013 or later. Older students can follow either the new or former curriculum.
IN THE CLASSROOM “Our Public Speaking course not only teaches presentation skills, but also addresses the responsibilities we have as citizens in a democratic society,” Miller says. “It teaches students to think ethically and critically as they learn to cite sources and build credibility.” Putnam says there’s no doubt that the updated curriculum is better, more organized and more structured. That’s not to say students who have graduated from the program didn’t have the opportunity to get a good education, Putnam says. But it was more difficult to find direction. Continuing progress Miller points out that the old curriculum did offer the benefit of flexibility. Communication is a relatively young major—originating in the ’90s—and the former curriculum allowed for students to join the major as juniors and seniors. But since then, the program has evolved. “When this major started there were
three faculty members,” Miller says. “We’ve tripled in size and have a lot more ability now.” The revamped curriculum is a more deliberate progression. Professor Erin Szabo acknowledges that in the curriculum CSB/SJU is phasing out, students graduate with very diverse classroom experiences. However, she says this does not ensure that they are meeting the departmental learning goals. The new curriculum does both. Faculty members agree that the new program will more effectively prepare students for graduation and a career in communication. “Our hope is that we can help students become more effective message producers and critical thinkers,” Szabo says. “Our majors’ experiences will be comparable, yet flexible to their own needs and interests. “We are excited about these changes and believe they’ll prove beneficial to student learning.”
COMM’s new curriculum The new Communication curriculum is built around the department’s primary learning goals: Message Design Learning to create effective oral and written messages that are appropriate for particular situations and audiences.
Analysis of Communication Learning to think critically about messages — analyzing and evaluating communication.
Communication & Community Understanding the relationship between communication and community to explain how communication shapes participation in social life. Within each of the learning goals, students are free to choose from among a select group of courses designed to meet that learning goal.
In the new curriculum, majors will • Get a well-rounded sense of the Communication curriculum by taking all three of the department’s foundation courses, COMM 102, COMM 103 and COMM 105. • Complete at least one course from each of the department’s three learning goals: Message Design, Analysis of Communication and Communication & Community. • Complete 40 credits from learning goals and elective courses. • Complete a Capstone Course that is an indepth and detailed consideration of special topic in communication.
In the new curriculum, minors will • Complete 20 credits. • Take COMM 102 Public Speaking & the Public Sphere, as well as one other foundation course, COMM 103 or COMM 105.
Details: csbsju.edu/communication
Alison Gunter ’16 delivers her special occasions speech in Professor Emily Paup’s COMM 102 Public Speaking & the Public Sphere class. COMM 102 is the core class that all majors and minors take under the new curriculum.
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Make it a In the mix of double majors, Communication makes a stellar co-star By Ben Precourt ’14 The Communication major offers students the flexibility they need to explore additional academic interests. The major allows students to learn and grow within three intermingled tracks or learning goals: Message Design, Analysis of Communication and Communication & Community. To graduate with a Communication major, students must complete 40 credits of classes including a class within each unique learning goal.
Katie Kuehn ’15 finds her double majors in Communication and Psychology a perfect combination that
This gives students an opportunity to explore different aspects of the major and leave with an extensive knowledge base.
Communication and Political Science double major gives him an advantage in job interviews.
Classes in Art, English and a bonanza of other disciplines count as credit for the Communication major. This led Katie Kuehn ’15 to double major in Communication and Psychology.
“I would love to get some kind of job in broadcast media, but I think I could fit into most jobs just because my majors taught me how to read and write critically,” Larson says.
“The flexibility of the major is important to me because I want to graduate in four years, and overlapping coursework between my two majors will allow me to accomplish that,” Kuehn says.
A double major in Communication alerts employers to a candidate with a full arsenal of relatable skills.
“My two majors complement each other a lot. Next semester, I’m taking a class called News & Democracy, which sounds like a perfect hybrid of the two,” Larson says.
“I think it’s important that I have a broad base of knowledge and experiences that can show future employers that I am a well-rounded person with different perspectives to offer,” Kuehn says.
For incoming students with a cluster of high school credits or a coursework conundrum, a double major in Communication will electrify classes and impress future employers.
Companies across the economic spectrum constantly need capable communicators. Dan Larson ’14 believes his CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 6
gives her a broad knowledge base and variety of perspectives.
Theories and readings from Communication classes expand communication knowledge while giving students insights into other liberal arts classes. Often, double major students come to classes with a unique perspective.
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Flexibility equals opportunity in job search By Megan Beacom ’13 “Why did you choose a Communication major?” This is one of the easiest questions seniors are asked in a job interview. College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University Communication students find themselves successful and distinguished in the interview process and job search. In the interview process, Communication majors can explain that they were able to take a variety of classes to see where their skill sets are and what they are most interested in. Rhetoric of Advertising, Intercultural Communication, Organizational Communication and News & Democracy are all courses within the major. This diversity allows students to better understand where their interests are and the future career paths they want to take. Graphic designer Eilise Rooney ’13 says employers are impressed with her extensive communication background.
Eilise Rooney ’13, a Communication major, has had multiple interviews as she seeks full-time positions. While talking about a specific employer, Rooney noted, “He was impressed with my extensive background from my Communication courses, which made me stand out against other interviewees.” Reflecting on her decision to dive into the major, Rooney says that she enjoyed taking rhetoric and interpersonal communication classes but preferred the new media-focused classes that have sparked her interest in graphic design and advertising.
Being able to try different areas in a Communication major allows CSB/ SJU students to distinguish themselves by knowing that a particular position they apply and interview for is truly what they want. Communication majors have many opportunities to become involved with inside and outside of the classroom, such as the Communication Club, on-campus internships and the student newspaper The Record, to name a few. Having these different kinds of experiences translates into many different kinds of careers.
A lot of these experiences are hands-on, allowing students to build their professional portfolios to showcase to potential employers. These types of hands-on experiences come from a variety of different classes as well. The major gives students the flexibility to work on skills that they might not have, have little experience in or are very experienced with and interested in. With a Communication major, options are endless. CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 7
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Experiential learning capstone gives students an edge in their job search
Capstone courses Capstone courses provide students with the opportunity to explore advanced study in a particular area of Communication. Students typically are required to complete a prerequisite course as preparation for the more specialized capstone, Professor Karyl Daughters explains. “Capstone courses ensure that students gain meaningful research experience by completing an original research project and formally presenting their work.”
Rhetoric & Public Address 330 Capstone: Apology & Crisis Communication 333 Capstone: Rhetorical Criticism
Abby Roche ’13 and Maggie Hooley ’13 graduated in May feeling confident about their job prospects
thanks in part to their capstone course, Strategic Communication Campaigns with Professor Kelly Berg.
By Abby Roche ’13 Maggie Hooley ’13 smiles as she ends a phone interview with a Minneapolisbased public relations firm. “That went so well,” she says. “They really loved hearing about my campaigns class work with the St. Cloud school district.” Hooley is one of 12 students who took Strategic Communication Campaigns, an experiential learning and capstone course taught by Professor Kelly Berg this spring. Students worked with St. Cloud school district’s Volunteer in Education program. Their focus was to create a public relations campaign designed to expand the base of constant volunteers for the program. Because it is an experiential learning course, students gave back to the community while gaining hands-on experience. By working with a client, going CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 8
into the community to gain primary research and drawing together their findings in a way that was useful for the client, students had the opportunity to do real work that they can include on their resume and speak about in interviews. Communication major Hannah Hylla ’13, like Hooley, is using her class experience to her advantage while job searching. “Campaigns class gives you real-world experience to talk about in an interview in addition to class work. It’s a great application of everything we’ve learned over the semester,” Hylla says. “It really impresses employers.” Classmate Megan Beacom concurs. “Although COMM majors aren’t analyzing chemical compounds or solving equations, we’re doing work that propels organizations on a daily basis. ” For those looking for careers in the advertising, public relations or marketing
Communication Theory 357 Capstone: Advanced Issues in Human Communication 360 Capstone: Language, Gender & Culture (GE) 368 Capstone: Love, Sex & Commitment (GE)
Media Studies 343 Capstone: Critical Analysis of News 344 Capstone: Media Aesthetics 346 Capstone: Strategic Communication Campaigns (EL) 347 Capstone: Media Effects
All Areas 395 Capstone: Research Paper 398 Capstone: Honors Thesis/Senior Thesis
agency space, the skills and knowledge learned in the campaigns course—as well as in many upper division communication courses—are transferable to students’ eventual careers. “I’m so happy that our department offers the campaigns class,” Hooley says. “Courses like this really give COMM majors a leg up in the job search and make me feel confident in my abilities.” CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 8
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Volunteer opportunity draws city and develops leadership in its participants. Newkirk wants to take this opportunity to learn about her own outlook on life, grow in her faith and prepare her for leadership in her future career. Newkirk’s enthusiasm for the program’s mission and her previous experience helped her land the spot. She specifically credits her Strategic Communication Campaigns and Political Campaign Communication classes that required a service learning component.
By Kirsten Peterson ’13 When Ellen Newkirk ’13 was in her first year at the College of Saint Benedict, she knew that volunteering after graduation was something she wanted to do. Newkirk, a Communication major from Rochester, Minn., will take part in the Amate House volunteer program in Chicago this July until June 2014. She will be working as a teacher in a K-8 school. “I’m excited to live in a big, new
city. Everyone loves Chicago,” Newkirk says. Newkirk first heard of the position from Saint Ben’s alumna Lindsay Williams, who graduated in 2011 and worked with the Amate House program. “When it came time for me to start deciding what to do after graduation, I remembered how excited Lindsay was,” Newkirk says. The Amate House is a volunteer program for young adults operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago. It helps under-resourced people in the
The emphasis on community engagement and communication fueled her fire to continue volunteering. She is thankful for her classes, internships and out-of-class experiences with her Communication major that will help aid in her success as a volunteer and beyond. “This is my chance to do something different. It’s going to be a fun and meaningful transition period into my career.”
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Student journalist reports from England
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TEXT TEXT TEXT OUTSTANDING STUDENTS By Kelly Butorac ’13 For one Saint John’s University Communication major, spring 2013 brought international travel, Big Ben and a chance to explore the skills he learned in class. Adam Tucker ’14 studied abroad in London, England, where he flexed his journalism skills and reveled in the stories of quaint West Hampstead, Highgate, Primrose Hill and St. John’s Wood. Most Bennies and Johnnies know him as the editor-in-chief of The Record. “Adam is such a talented writer and so passionate about everything he does,” said The Record Managing Editor Jill Yanish ’13. “He always says that The Record is a family, and it really is true—he’s contributed much to make it feel that way.” As a requirement of the London study abroad program, Tucker had a semesterlong internship with The Hampstead Express. This newspaper is a weekly publication printing roughly 100,000 copies. Tucker worked alongside 15 full-time employees. He emphasizes that a regular workday doesn’t exist, but his daily hours spanned from 10 to 18:00 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for Americans). It is this surprise and uniqueness in each day that he enjoys most about being a journalist. From his perch in the London scene, Tucker chatted with the Communication Department about a day in the life of a London journalist, his most memorable moment thus far and the skills he has gained at home and abroad.
Kelly Butorac: What is a typical day like for a London journalist intern?
KB: How has your time at CSB/SJU prepared you for your internship experience?
Adam Tucker: Every day is usually something new, whether working on a story from the newsroom, or being sent out into north London to chase a story or vox pops. Either way, it’s really one of the major reasons I love being in journalism and being a journalism intern.
AT: I think that every moment of being an intern is defined by who you are and how you were formed as a professional and student, so in that way, CSB/SJU is inescapably important to student interns.
KB: What has been your most memorable internship moment? AT: When I submitted my first piece of writing through the system to be considered by the editors, I was absolutely terrified. But no, the editors wrote me saying they loved it, and the piece made the paper the next day. That feeling of vindication and international success was both memorable and utterly addictive. Now I want every piece to be that good. KB: What has been your biggest challenge? AT: The most challenging aspect so far has been not knowing shorthand, which is an industry written language used by journalists here to quickly transcribe interviews and notes. I am, however, slowly learning it and having a really good time doing so.
The school gives you the tools, and internships give you the opportunities. KB: Are there any classes or professors in the Communication Department that stand out? AT: I would be far more ill prepared if not for the excessive kindness and wisdom of professors like Aric Putnam and Dana Drazenovich, who have patiently helped me through every obstacle and pushed me in every academic and personal aspect. KB: How is this experience preparing you for your eventual post-graduation plans? AT: Other than serving as a fantastic resume-builder and as a chance to work in an international setting, working at a UK newspaper internship has given me a healthy start to internationally published material, a list of contacts both at home and abroad, and the confidence of knowing that my skills and experience are a valuable commodity I can use following graduation.
“The school gives you the tools, and internships give you the opportunities.” CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 11
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COMM students represent at Scholarship & Creativity Day
Angel Key
By Dana Drazenovich Communication students did the department proud at this year’s Scholarship & Creativity Day, where 21 of our majors presented. Angel Key ’14 was one of them. She presented about being a part of a political campaign and putting into action the skills and theory she learned in Professor Terence Check’s Political Campaign Communication course. Check’s students worked on campaigns for service learning projects. Key worked with Matt Killam, a firsttime candidate for St. Joseph City Council, reaching voters face to face through door knocking and dropping literature pieces. “I specifically focused on how these tactics and strategies can combat voter cynicism,” Key says.
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The Record brings home awards The Record was a big winner at the the 22nd annual Associated Collegiate Press’s Best of the Midwest College Journalism Convention Feb. 8-10 in Minneapolis.
Her learning experience included plenty of slamming doors and scary dogs.
The Record won Best of Show in the four-year weekly broadsheet category. Three Communication majors also brought home honors:
“I learned that cynicism is still active and strong, in even just a small-town race,” she says.
• Joe Mellenbruch ’13, sports editor, placed third for his news story about the retirement of Saint John’s football coach John Gagliardi.
She also discovered how much effort and strategy goes into even a small campaign – and how important facts are.
• Ellen Newkirk ’13, opinion/editorial editor, took fifth place for her news story about students taking pieces of old football turf as memorabilia.
“I learned you can’t really sway people’s decisions unless your provide them with proof or evidence, no matter how hard you try. “I felt that it taught me about the combination of media and voter cynicism in which the media continuously enforces our beliefs because we are surrounded by it on a daily basis.”
These are the COMM students who presented at Scholarship & Creativity Day: Yadan Zhang Anthony Origer Angel Key Daniel Wolgamott Professor: Terence Check Margaret Holm Sydney Klinker Cassandra Jones Jane Gengel Alison Toering Lisa Fenske Professor: Erin Szabo
•Jill Yanish ’13, managing editor, was one of four editors chosen to speak at the editors’ roundtable.
Kevin Jennissen Nick Homen Tara Grosso Courtney Bloomfield Nicholas Donovan Scott Hegg Alicia Renstrom Alysha Schmidt Rochelle Taus Dumdie Professor: Karyl Daughters Rebecca Dymit Professor: Aric Putnam Margaret Holm Jane Gengel Professor: Emily Paup Dymit, Holm, Klinker, Jones, Gengel, Toering and Fenske also presented at the University of St. Thomas’s Undergraduate Research Conference.
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StUDENTS take to the studio with
By Michael Rogers ’14 Long ago in the land of 2011, the student news channel eternally glowed with the dim light of weather updates and campus diner hours, but no more. College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University students have turned a hibernating television station into a growing organization with committed programming. Project Eight, the student televisionnetworking program, has reached incredible heights since its emergence onto the social media scene. Bernard Fergusson ’13 looked at the student television station in 2011 as an opportunity. He sought to provide student-produced content and creativity. “It’s blossomed far beyond what I had originally imagined for it,” Fergusson says. Fergusson began to create a more realized television station and recruiting the best and brightest of CSB/ SJU, and after effective advertising CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 13
Ryan Wold ’13, creator of the Project Eight show “Living the Dream with Ryan Wold,” shows off the new studio.
campaigns, the Project Eight team received emails by the dozens with ideas that would be used to create more than four original television shows in the next two years. Soon after the station began to take off, Ryan Wold ’13 produced a student talk show, “Living the Dream with Ryan Wold.” Months later a situational comedy, “The Campus,” written and directed by students and Fergusson, debuted. Fergusson’s pleas for a film studio were realized in fall 2012 with a new state-of-the-art studio complete with new film and audio equipment, backdrops for talk shows and a more professional setting. In just two years, Project Eight has developed and brainstormed several television programs, created an online newsletter and received a new studio. Fergusson’s dream has been realized. For students, Project Eight is an
extracurricular haven of opportunity that is not seen on many other college campuses. It provides an incredible “do it yourself ” opportunity for students to create shows that they themselves want to watch. Communication major Cody Lynch ’14 spoke highly of Project Eight and its opportunities. His role as producer for “The Grind” has given him an edge in internship hunting and job opportunities. Communication major Kevin Jennissen ’14 echoed similar thoughts, calling the Project Eight workers “incredibly driven.” Project Eight helps students discover their career skills and aspirations. Students use marketing and promotion tactics, editing techniques and develop an on-screen professional persona. Better yet, Project Eight is open to all students regardless of year, major or experience. Its possibilities are as limitless as students can make them.
Class of 2013 By Meghan Simmet
As graduation approached, the Communication students of the Class of 2013 were preparing for life after college and saying goodbye to CSB/SJU. First, though, a few shared their favorite class moments from over the years.
One memorable moment was during my first class of college. I was taking Mass Communication with Katie Johnson at 8 a.m., and she was doing her first-day spiel about rules in her class. She was very strict and sounded intimidating, and about 20 minutes into the class a kid stood up and said, “I’m out of here!” and walked out the door. She ran to the door and said “You should really stay ... .” But by the time she got to the door, he was already halfway down the hall and never came back to our class. It was hysterical, and was a running joke among the students for the rest of the semester. None of us knew who he was, and we never found out! -Abby Roche
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My fondest memory was related to Health Communication with Jenny Kramer. For our final project we could choose to shadow someone in the health care industry and analyze the communication between physician and patient. I was lucky enough to shadow my own oncologist and write my paper about those experiences. It was a very fun and powerful experience to watch someone communicate with cancer patients even when their prognosis wasn’t so good. Oncologists’ jobs aren’t easy but I was able to see them do everything in their power to make their patients comfortable. -Rob Spiczka
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“Professor Katie Johnson. Period.” -Annie Backe
Shane Miller’s class called Women’s Voices changed my perspective on gender roles and how they affect society. You know it is a good class when you find yourself walking out of the classroom and continuing the discussion with your classmates in the hallway. The class was full of fascinating discussions where we debated issues within the context of the women’s rights movements. These moments of learning with my peers and professors will continue to make me appreciative of the Communication Department at CSB/SJU. -Courtney Kelly
During one of my Media Writing classes sophomore year, we were all slightly distracted by the sudden arrival of spring. Instead of forcing us to listen to a lecture, Dana Drazenovich tapped into our energy and turned it into a writing exercise. We had the chance to go outside and observe the campus as it literally thawed. Then we worked on writing descriptive pieces about what we saw. It is always fun to participate in hands-on activities, and we all appreciated the chance to enjoy the sunshine! -Ellen Newkirk
Professor Aric Putnam likes to pick up pencils, pens, markers, papers and other items that may fall off a student’s desk or get dropped during a class period. He will sprint over to the dropped item, even if it happens to be across the room. In his Harlem Renaissance class I took, we decided to play a prank. At a predetermined time, 10 of us dropped our pens, forcing him to jump at the chance to pick them up. He soon realized that there was no chance of picking up all of these items at once, and that his class was indeed was pulling his leg. I think this memory not only demonstrates the fun to be had in a Communication class, but also the great lengths Putnam goes to making class entertaining and exciting. -Kelly Butorac
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COMM classes give marketing specialist all the right moves By Rob Spiczka ’13 Off to Chicago for a client meeting on Monday, on to Eagan, Minn., on Tuesday to help plan the annual corporate event, then on to the flat, straight drive to St. Joseph, Minn., to pitch another product. This schedule might sound hectic, but it is just another exciting week for Heather Beshears ’12. “I would have never thought that I would have had such amazing opportunities right after I graduated … I am truly blessed,” Beshears says. Beshears graduated with a double major in Management and Communication, and when she graduated, she had already accepted a Channel Marketing Specialist position with Ergotron. Whether it is updating partners on new product releases, assisting in advertising campaigns or training a sales team, Beshears attributes much of her success to Communication. “The skills I learned in Communication classes helped me greatly. “The Communication Department prepared me for every aspect of the working world,” Beshears says. “I am especially grateful for the research and presentation skills that CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 16
Heather Beshears ’12 finds her Communication degree invaluable in her work for Ergotron.
I worked hard on in every class. So much of this job is building client relationships, and being able to present smoothly and calmly makes an important impression.” The Communication Department offers a variety of courses that can help a wide array of students find the path that best fits their personality and career goals.
For Beshears, this meant classes like Environmental Rhetoric, Freedom of Speech and Interpersonal Communication. “I didn’t know that I was going to major in Communication, but after taking a few classes I realized the opportunities that Communication courses could provide me with.”
“I am especially grateful for the research and presentation skills that I worked hard on in every class.” CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 16
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“(Communication) gave me the backbone to realize I could go anywhere with it and practically use it in any field I chose.” Tiffany Taylor ’05 Area Residence Coordinator at Stanford University
Financial advisor puts his interpersonal skills to work By Mo Flynn ’13
Tim Flynn ’12 always enjoyed working and talking with different people but had no idea where it would take him after declaring a Communication major his sophomore year. After loving a few courses in the department, Flynn decided it was the best fit for his interests. Professors engaged students in the material they were teaching by making class as interactive as possible, Flynn says. His Accounting minor helped Flynn land a job as a financial advisor at Ameriprise Financial the spring of his senior year. He speaks with current and potential clients about their financial needs, strengths and weaknesses, CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 17
and determines the best way for them to solve weaknesses. “I knew I wanted to do something where I could be engaged with people and get to be creative, and this job gives me an outlet to do so,” Flynn says. His favorite part is talking with clients. “I need to check up with clients regularly, sometimes a few times within a week. I get to know them and try to get on their good side. If I can do that I am more likely to be successful,” Flynn says. This is where Flynn’s Communication degree benefits him. Courses like Interpersonal Communication help him understand what is going on in a client’s head.
Tim Flynn ’12 makes good use of his communication skills in his job with Ameriprise Financial.
them, and if I can explain to them clearly why my option is the best I can be more persuasive,” Flynn says. Flynn believes he is in more control of conversations and can better understand customers. His public speaking classes have also contributed to his confidence. “I really value my Communication degree because it helps me communicate my points clearly with customers in a more positive fashion.”
“The client wants the best deal for CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 17
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Professor Putnam goes rogue on rhetoric By Ian Ward ’14 Anyone who thinks professors can’t have some fun while being serious academics has never met the Communication professors. One in particular has a teaching approach all his own, and that would be Professor Aric Putnam. Rhetoric and race Putnam grew up in east San Jose, Calif., and when he was 17 years old moved to San Francisco, where he received his bachelor’s degree at San Francisco State. Putnam lived in a largely Latino area. In his middle school of 800 students, he was one of only about 20 white students, and he never went to a school that was less than 90 percent Mexican/Mexican American. His experiences going to school in San Jose fueled his interest in racial issues and inspired him to teach classes such as Black Civil Rights Rhetoric with the goal of helping students understand race-related events, movements and topics from new perspectives while challenging their own. He also published a book in 2012 called “The Insistent Call: Rhetorical Moments in Black Anticolonialism, 1929-1937.”
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Don’t let the Batman pajamas fool you. Professor Aric Putnam’s classes are never nap time. Putnam teaches classes such as Black Civil Rights Rhetoric, Rhetoric, Culture & Criticism and Rhetoric & Popular Music.
The book, according to its Amazon description, uncovers “a neglected period in the history of black rhetoric,” and “shows how rhetoric that articulates the interests of a population not defined by the boundaries of a state can still motivate collective action and influence policies.”
Critical thinking After completing his undergraduate degree in speech, he went to graduate school in Maine and then came to the University of Minnesota in 1999. At the U of M he took mostly rhetoric classes. CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 18
FACULTY INSIGHTS
“It takes some courage to speak out, and my classes thrive on student participation, so I will always listen to what students have to say.” “They were always interesting and a trip,” Putnam says. “I think that after taking a rhetoric course you can really start to look around the world you live in and ask questions about how and why the world can be both crappy and beautiful at the same time. “Words and actions can have a hundred meanings, and it takes classes that dip deep into what things possibly mean to understand the way the world is changing.” Deep questions Putnam brought his love for rhetoric when he started working at the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University in 2003. “I teach rhetoric courses because that’s what I’m trained to teach and training is very important, but also because I enjoy being with students when they are struggling with big, deep questions.” Putnam has a popular teaching style. While he is challenging, he is also open to the variety of ideas students
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bring to his class. He never shuts down a student who has something to say. “When students choose to participate, it can be a big step for them in their learning process. “It takes some courage to speak out, and my classes thrive on student participation, so I will always listen to what students have to say,” Putnam says.
You know he’s a stellar Communication professor, but did you know Professor Shane Miller is also the Gender Studies department chair? He served as interim chair beginning in February 2012 and officially became chair in fall 2012. He also won the Sister Kulzer Gender Educator Award in 2012. Many of the classes Miller teaches, including COMM 312 Rhetorical Dimensions of Sport and, of course, COMM 305 Women’s Voices, address genderrelated issues.
He teaches important and often weighty topics, but he lightens things up with his trademark jokes and offbeat humor. His writing tests, students will tell you, are no laughing matter. Putnam also takes his relationships with students seriously. “Communication majors are very kind to bless us with attention. Listening is a gift that they seem to give with uncommon frequency.”
It’s official: Professor Jennifer Kramer has received tenure. What does that mean? It means CSB/SJU recognize her as an excellent professor who contributes much to the department, the schools and the community. This comes as no surprise to the many students who rave about her engaging nature and rigorous classes. Kramer’s specialties are human communication, health communication and intercultural communication.
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Meet Communication’s newest professor By Dana Drazenovich She might be the most recent addition to the Communication faculty, but students will tell you Professor Emily Ann Berg Paup is no newbie. Paup (pronounced “pop”) became the Quad fourth floor’s newest tenant in fall 2012 and brought with her a wealth of experience and knowledge. She teaches classes focused on rhetorical studies, argumentation, debate and communication law. This fall, she brings her specialty into the COMM 305 Women’s’ Voices course. CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 20
“My degree is technically in women’s historical voices, political rhetoric, that kind of thing,” she says. Two of her students, Jane Gengel and Margaret Holm, presented papers on speeches by women in the 2013 Scholarship & Creativity Day. “She was absolutely fantastic,” says Gengel ’14. Paup came to the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University from the University of Minnesota, where she received her Ph.D. in communication studies in December 2012. She did her undergraduate studies at Boston College. She likes working in CSB/SJU’s
tightly knit, liberal arts-focused environment. “I really enjoy the students and the dedication they seem to have to the school. There’s a really great sense of community both within the department and with the school,” she says. “I’ve really enjoyed having the hands-on experience of mentoring a few students in particular, working with them to advance their education but also forming close personal relationships.” Paup lives in Maple Grove, Minn., with her husband, Dan, who works in marketing in the Twin Cities. They are expecting their first child in July.
TEXT TEXTBACK TEXT A LOOK With 94 of our students graduating in 2013, it’s hard to fathom CSB/SJU without a Communication major. But until 1991, it was only a minor. Here’s a look at the department’s development. By Maggie Hooley ’13
Mid-1970s: Originated as the Communication and Media Department. First Department Chair was Fr. Paul Siebenand, OSB. Saint John’s University’s Communication and Media Department offered Introduction to Media Writing and a series of film courses, as well as public speaking.
I977: Clara Riveland, Fr. Paul Siebenand, OSB, and Br. Justin Lombardo, OSB taught classes in the Communication and Media Department. Joan Steck arrived in 1977 as part-time teacher for First Year Seminar (then Colloquium) courses.
1978: Steck took over Riveland’s position as Public Speaking professor.
1981: Siebenand, Riveland and Lombardo left Saint John’s University. Steck became department chair and sole faculty member in Communication and Media. Steck hired three part-time faculty: 1) Dr. Alvin Reuter - Public Speaking and Persuasion 2) Len O’Koren - Public Speaking
She’s one of the department’s pioneers. Professor Jeanne Cook was one of Communication’s first two full-time faculty members. She and Richard Ice, now academic dean, were hired in 1991 and helped COMM become a major.
3) Marian Rengel - News Writing In the late 1980s, demand for courses increased and the schools approved a Communication and Media minor.
1987: The Communication and Media minor was almost absorbed into the Theater Department’s curriculum.
1988: Sister Eva Hooker, CSC became academic vice president and kept the Communication and Media Department a separate entity from the Theater Department.
1989: Steck hired Richard Ice and Jeanne Cook as full-time professors.
on forming a Communication major. It was approved in spring 1991, the name of the department changed to “Communication,” and the department had its first two graduates in May 1991.
1992: The department added its three areas of concentration, media studies, communication theory and rhetoric & public address.
2007: Steck retired, and Ice took over the department chair position.
2012: Ice became academic dean. Terence Check became the department chair. The department launched its new curriculum in fall 2012.
1991: Steck, Ice and Cook obtained funding from a faculty development grant to work CSB/SJU Department of Communication | 21