The art of communication was celebrated during the spring term, when the School of Communication Studies held its annual Communication Expo at the Kent State Student Center. Under the direction of Dr. Robyn Parker, the April 7th event began with the opportunity for communication seniors to display a collection of their best scholarly work in the form of a senior portfolio.
A panel of graduating seniors gave advice to the undergraduates in the audience on how to make the most of their academic career. The panel included Jessica Jones, Wendy Walters, Jen Galo, Leslie Phonnacit, and Rick Debaco. A question and answer period concluded senior time with many seniors in the audience contributing their own personal advice.
Three communication alumni Bob Salandre a Vice President with Easy i, an information security company; Deb Easton-Bentley, a communication skills consultant; and Frank Zak, a vice president & investment officer with Wachovia Securities shared their professional experiences and offered advice on interviewing do’s and don’ts. After a networking opportunity, recent alumni related their stories of how they found their first jobs. Kristin Raybuck secured her first job with National City Bank as a Training Specialist. Brad Hauk found a position as a recon and trama sales representative with Smith & Nephew, a local medical sales company. Christina Rich acquired a job with a non profit organization and was recently promoted to Development Director for the Alzheimer Association. Last but not least, Tina Nyman teaches at Lakeland Community College to help others discover their career aspirations.
To close the Expo, Awards were presented for the Top 3 Senior portfolios for 2005 to Wendy Walters, Jen Galo, and Leslie Phonnacit. Following the presentation, seniors were given the opportunity to attend a brief presentation on understanding company benefits. The day concluded with a informal luncheon for the seniors, alumni, and faculty.
