Communication Department Career Preparation Day
Seven WIU alums joined forces to present a very successful Department of Communication Career Preparation Day on Tuesday, February 3rd. Over 140 communication majors and minors met at the University Union to learn about interviewing, networking, job seeking, and transitioning from college student to full-time employee. Because of a generous donation from communication alumnus, Bill Paulding, all attendees were treated to a midday lunch and keynote address by speaker Bruce Western, recruiter from McDonough District Hospital. Special thanks and congratulations for a job well done to the committee members: Cindy Ridle, Stacey Macchi, Mary Hogg, and John Miller.
Students listening intently to one of the Communication Career Preparation Day speakers.
Six of the seven Communication Career Preparation Day speakers from left: Julie O'Brien, WIU Acadmic Advisor; Bruce Western, McDonough District Hospital; Megan Bolt, Dot Foods; Melissa Stormer, Target Stores; Mariahn Watkins, National College of Business and Technology in Nashville, TN; Martina Jackson-Green, University of Illinois Chicago.
Students enjoying the free lunch offered at Career Prep Day in the Grand Ballroom of the University Union. The lunch was provided by a generous donation from Communication alum Bill Paulding.
Winter Dance At The Elms A Huge Success!
Students from Dr. Mary Hogg's COMM 341 (Problem Solving in Groups) class from fall semester 2008 planned and executed a very special event, a winter dance, at The Elms Nursing Home in Macomb on Thursday, December 4. This project was one of the requirements for the Problem Solving in Groups class.
The students were given a choice between four options for their final group project. One of the options was a special event planning option, wherein students were asked to plan an event from start to finish in order to contribute something to the greater good right before the holiday season.
The students in this group chose to plan a winter dance for the residents of The Elms, and they had about 40 people in attendance on December 4.
The students began working on the project around October 13, and contacted the activities director at The Elms in order to get a date and a time set for the event. There were dances galore, with music from the Big Band and Swing Eras, as well as Christmas music. The students decorated the room at the Elms with balloons and holiday décor. There were also door prizes for three lucky winners!
The residents especially enjoyed watching the students dance, and many danced with the WIU students. One man even got up out of his wheelchair (something that surprised the staff) to dance with one of the women in the group! A good time was had by all.
WIU students involved in the project were: Tessa Watson, Ashley Swanson, Sarah Ritchie, Joni Bird, Tony Collelo, and Nick Levita.
Basic Course Director's Conference
John Miller at the Basic Course Director's Conference
2009 Department of Communication Wayne Thompson Lecturer
Monday, March 30, 7:30 PM, Sandburg Theater
Steven R. Wilson (WIU BA 1982), Professor, Department of Communication, Purdue University
Verbal Aggressiveness: Can it be detected during brief Mother-Child Playtime Interactions?
Parent-Child Play: Collaboration or Power Contest?
This talk presents findings from research on mothers' trait verbal aggressiveness and maternal and child behavior during brief playtime interactions. Verbally aggressive messages attack another person's self concept as opposed to his/her ideas; trait verbal aggressiveness refers to a general tendency to use aggressive messages during disagreement.
Although frequent exposure to verbally aggressive messages has detrimental effects on children's self esteem and social competence, this research explores whether mothers who have a tendency towards verbal aggressiveness communicate differently even in settings where triggers for aggressive behavior are largely absent.
Forty mothers completed a 10-minute playtime with one of their children (3-8 years old) and then completed a questionnaire assessing trait verbal aggressiveness. Mother's trait verbal aggressiveness was positively related with their rates of directing behavior, and inversely with their children's rated cooperation, even in a situation where very little verbally aggressive communication actually occurred. These findings have implications for understanding what is being tapped by measures of trait verbal aggressiveness as well as for parent education programs.
Faculty News
Kevin Menken presented "The Media and Same-Sex Relationships," — December 10, 2008 at the Malpass Library to faculty and students of Western Illinois University.
Joe Schmitz reviewed three manuscripts for New Media and Society, The International Journal of Press/Politics. He also published the following:
Kavanaugh, A., Kim. B.J., Schmitz, J., Pérez-Quiñones, M. and Isenhour, P. 2008. Net Gains in Polictical Participation: Secondary Effects of the Internet on Community. Information, Communication and Society, 11 (7), 933-963.Department of Communication Website.