By: Joseph Honeycutt
MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Inching closer to the Oct. 28 Senior Showcase, students of the COMS 499 course continue promoting the event and considering what is after graduation with a Communication Studies degree.
COMS 499 students and their futures are the main attraction at the Senior Showcase. Each student will have their own booth to present professional documents they’ve prepared in the class.
The posters serve as visual aids for the students to discuss their journey through the communication studies discipline so far and where they hope it’s going.
A degree in communication studies provides a wealth of employment or graduate school opportunities.
Job placement for UM’s Communication Studies graduates has been 97% for the last seven years according to Dr. Tiffany Wang, Associate Professor of Communication Studies. Current COMS 499 seniors report seeking positions in social work, theology, and teaching after graduation.
“The most important thing that I learned from my time in the COMS program is the confidence I have in myself,” University of Montevallo alumna Candler Brown said. Brown majored in Communication Studies and minored in Public Relations and Pre-law.
“I am currently applying for summer internships, which means I am revisiting my portfolio from 499 pretty regularly,” Brown said about her COMS 499 experience.
Brown is currently pursuing a law degree from Hofstra Law on Long Island. She hopes to merge her passion for diplomacy and public interest with her career by working for the government in some capacity.
Many students like Brown choose Public Relations to accompany their Communication Studies major, and for good reason. The public relations profession is growing faster than the average for all occupations.
Public Relations Specialists preserve the image of their client to its publics, much like the group component of COMS 499.
Students are tasked with promoting the event. They rely heavily on both communication and public relations scholarship to create messages for their intended audiences.
“This whole social media management process has been very easy,” senior Madi Kirkland said about working with Dr. Tiffany Wang on the Senior Showcase Social Media Committee and adds, “I also just have a passion for marketing and content creation.”
Content developed by Kirkland and the team can be found on UM’s Communication Studies Instagram page here.
Along with social media, COMS 499 students reach out in-person and by mail.
“COMS has taught me how to be diplomatic when facing conflict,” student Hannah Irvin said about how communication studies has prepared her to be an event executive. Irvin serves as Senior Showcase Treasurer and oversees the event’s Public Outreach Committee.
The Senior Showcase is possible through students’ individual talents and class cooperation. You can meet Hannah, Madi, and the rest of the COMS 499 class on Oct. 28 from 1-3pm at the Center for the Arts.
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