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Active participation
is a hallmark of the professional advisers who lend their expertise
to the faculty, staff and students of Elon University. As School
of Communications Advisory Board members visited for their biannual
meeting April 14 and 15 at Elon University, they lit up classrooms
during teaching gigs and put seniors through the paces in mock interviews.
They also had
meetings and provided input for the continued growth and consistent
excellence of the Elon communications program. The theme of the
sessions was "New Standards, New Students, New Strategies."
Board members
and honor students were the special guests at a banquet that included
an update from Elon Provost Gerry Francis, a talk about the Pulitzer
Prizes selection process by Pulitzer winner and Pulitzer juror Michael
Skube, the announcement of the annual faculty awards and a special
moment honoring Brad Hamm, associate dean of the School of Communications,
who will be leaving this summer to become dean of the Indiana University
School of Journalism.
Susan Klopman,
Elon's dean of admissions and financial planning, met with the board
and outlined the traits of current and newly enrolled Elon students.
The average SAT score for applicants for the fall's freshman class
is significantly higher than last year's group, and the university
is also becoming more selective in its admissions decisions.
Dean Paul Parsons
briefed board members on the progress made toward accreditation
of the School of Communications. An Accrediting Council for Eeducation
in Journalism and Mass Communications team will visit the campus
in the fall, and the institution is in the process of completing
its self study.
Breakout discussions
mingled faculty and board members in a dialogue on engaging the
new Elon student. Topics included building vivid classroom experiences,
offering optimal academic opportunities, nurturing diversity and
building up the scholarship fund. The journalism, film, corporate
communications and broadcast groups also joined together for a discussion
of the issues after the breakouts.
In another
session, faculty members provided updates and information on various
Elon initiatives. Kelli Burns discussed the expansion of opportunities
and goals for the Fellows program; Janna Anderson gave a recap on
the institution's Pew Internet & American Life studies and progress;
Harlen Makemson covered engaged-learning experiences including a
project for the Library of Congress; and David Copeland explained
"The Freshman 15 and the Great Ideas Capstone Course,"
relating how a current group of senior seminar participants are
planning, writing and marketing a book right now as a class project.
Board members
also participated in Elon University's spring convocation, at which
former NASA astronaut and U.S. Sen. John Glenn delivered the keynote
address and received an honorary degree. Board members were accompanied
to the convocation by freshman Communications and Journalism Fellows.
The event was followed by a social gathering and networking opportunity
hosted by the School of Communications for all students, faculty,
staff and board members.
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