The Journalism and Digital Media program is hosting its 25th annual Communication Week April 13-17, 2020. The week consists of a wide variety of media related seminars and workshops.
Every year, a select number of communication students register for the “practicum” course, in which students plan the week-long conference. The class is divided into five different groups: logistics, registration, design/publicity, electronic media, and fundraising. The course is offered in the fall, and many sessions have already been scheduled by the start of spring term. Students in the spring class have to put everything together.
Dr. Lovette Chinwah, coordinator of the event, has made herself open to new ideas to make the week student-friendly and beneficial. She asks students to send her suggestions of what keynote speakers they want to hear, what workshops they want to offer, and what events they want to attend.
Chinwah is also planning to coordinate a formal luncheon for the students. “In the past, we used to host (the luncheon) at the end of the week as a way for students to network with alumni and any speakers that specialized in students’ prospective career goals. It’s also a great way to wrap up COM Week,” Chinwah said.
Although the teams have only run into minor issues, Chinwah herself expresses doubt about certain aspects of the week. She says that it is difficult to get in contact with public figures such as Tyler Perry and other big names in media. Though she continues to reach out to nationally known speakers, she is also contacting local speakers who may be easier to reach and more willing to participate.
Chinwah said that she will invite students from neighboring universities to attend Communication Week. The design/ publicity group aims to have a formal email and flyer approved by Chinwah, so that they can be sent to different universities. For more information, contact Dr. Lovette Chinwah at lchinwah@centralstate.edu.