The 4 C’s

Communication

Empowering the next generation

ElonComm welcomed its third Emerging Journalists Program (EJP) Immersion cohort to campus in June for 12 days of hands-on journalism instruction, supplemented with a company visit to Trailblazer Studios, a trip to the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, and a press conference with Rep. Renée Price to kick off a tour of the North Carolina State Capitol.

This year’s cohort featured 18 student journalists – hailing from 10 states – interested in developing their reporting, writing, multimedia storytelling and leadership skills. Together, the cohort collaborated as part of a working newsroom, producing a news broadcast, newspaper and online content.

Admittedly, Arti Jain, a rising senior from St. Louis, was on the fence about attending a residential journalism workshop 12 hours away. The strong student had other potential plans, including a debate conference the same week, and she felt well versed in journalism thanks to her school’s student media organizations.

“I thought coming into this program that I knew most everything there was to know about journalistic writing,” Jain said. “I thought, ‘I know AP Style. I can do this. I can do that. I don’t really need this.’ And then we did our journalism writing workshop here and my mind was blown. I learned so many things that I would never have thought of before.”

Armed with a more robust journalistic tool bag, Jain plans to apply what she learned as executive editor-in-chief of her school’s news site, leading 50 fellow students to produce content for several publications. Jain also said she appreciated that the Immersion experience wasn’t just a writing bootcamp and that she benefited from lessons on college applications and the financial aid process, as well as social outings with her cohort.

The school established EJP in 2021 through a three-year, $300,000 grant from the Scripps Howard Fund. It continues the collective commitment of Scripps Howard and Elon to advance DEI in the communications industries.

CAPTION: With help from mentor Colin Dorroh ’27 (right), Dayvey Gordon, a rising senior from Wilmington, Delaware, prepares to anchor the EJP broadcast in the Jane and Brian Williams Studio. 

The journalism profession needs an infusion of diverse and passionate storytellers. Members of this year’s EJP cohort have shown their commitment to amplifying others’ voices, and I’m excited to see how they use their communications skills to better their communities.
– Kelly Furnas, EJP curriculum coordinator and senior lecturer in journalism

Collaboration

AI Working Group charts school’s future

As questions abound about how artificial intelligence will be used, leveraged and regulated in classrooms and educational settings on Elon’s campus and across the nation, the school formally launched its Artificial Intelligence Working Group (AIWG) during the fall 2023 semester.

The volunteer committee, which consists of 14 members representing all six of the school’s undergraduate majors, is charged with “serving as an incubator for school AI initiatives,” said Alex Traugutt, assistant professor of sport management and AIWG chair.

In addition to committee meetings during the 2023-24 academic year, the group hosted a “Tool Time” demonstration in December featuring interactive presentations on the use of select AI tools and discussions on the implications of their use. Two dozen faculty members participated during the lunch-hour event.

In March, the group reconvened to present its “Exploring AI in the Classroom and Beyond” event, providing faculty an opportunity to review a draft of the school’s AI statement, share how faculty are using AI in their teaching and research, and brainstorm ideas for future programming.

Traugutt, who also serves on the university’s AI Campus Advisory Team, said one of the strengths of the AIWG is its collaborative nature, where colleagues serve as resources and mentors for one another.

“As AI technologies continue to evolve and be introduced, we feel it is imperative for our faculty to stay informed,” Traugutt said.

CAPTION: Byung Lee, associate professor of communication design, addresses his colleagues in December during the AI Working Group’s first interactive “Tool Time” demonstration. During his informal, 15-minute presentation, Lee discussed how AI can help support in-depth thematic analyses.

AI Working Group

Bill Anderson, Chris Chen, Don Grady, Ahmed Fadaam, Doug Kass, Sowjanya Kudva, Michele Lashley, Byung Lee, Abby Shamblin ’24, Jessalynn Strauss, Amanda Sturgill, Alex Traugutt (chair), Brian Walsh and Shannon Zenner

Culture

Putting a spotlight on DEI

To ignite conversations and to advance several objectives in the school’s long-term DEI plan, the Inclusive Excellence Committee hosted in February its first Spotlight on DEI event. The gathering drew nearly 100 students, faculty and staff to discuss topics related to understanding diverse identities and cultures, advancing social justice, developing an equity mindset, combating discrimination in today’s media industries, and other related subjects.

Held in Snow Family Grand Atrium, the initiative revolved around 12 roundtable discussions, with adjacent tables showcasing the school’s DEI-related accomplishments and undertakings, including the new Inclusive Communications course and two new minors – Health Communications and Global Film & Cultures – the Women Influencers in Sport (WINS) mentorship initiative, and student scholarship on DEI-related topics.

“Since the School of Communications was organized into separate departments a few years ago, one of the strategies identified was to create programming where students from all majors and identities can come together, get to know each other, and share student experiences,” said Lee Bush, professor of strategic communications and chair of the Inclusive Excellence Committee. “Our Spotlight on DEI event gave students the opportunity to meet and talk with students and faculty from other majors, see what their peers are doing in the area of DEI, and consider meaningful ways to further engage in DEI-related initiatives.”

According to Bush, the school has long embraced diversity, equity and inclusion, as evidenced by its diversity plan first developed in 2004 and later revised in 2016. To align with ACEJMC’s revised DEI standards and guidelines, the school spent the 2021-22 academic year reviewing guidelines, researching other universities, and gathering input from faculty and staff. This work culminated with the school’s new plan developed and adopted by the faculty in 2023.

At its core, the plan helps ensure that school leadership is intentional in its DEI efforts, while also helping faculty and staff identify areas where they can contribute individually to move DEI forward.

CAPTION: Symone Dill-White ’25 (center), a public health major and health communications minor, shares a comment at a roundtable discussion during the school’s Feb. 27 Spotlight on DEI event. Also pictured is Julie Lellis (right), professor of strategic communications and director of the health communications minor, who led the table’s conversation about health literacy and health equity.

Inclusive Excellence Committee

Lorraine Ahearn, Lee Bush (chair), Mark Cryan, Young Do Kim, Karen Lindsey and Jessalynn Strauss

Community

Students savor studying, interning and living in Charlotte

The first day of Teddy Morgan’s internship with NASCAR last fall coincided with the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day.

As the sport management major and newest member of the organization’s email marketing team traversed the Charlotte Convention Center, he accompanied his colleagues as they set up photo shoots, interviews and media availability for the biggest names in stock car racing. The magnitude of the moment wasn’t lost on the Elon junior, an avid sports fan.

“My first day couldn’t have been any better,” Morgan said, recalling he stood just feet away from drivers Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski.

The opportunity for such real-world experiences was what convinced Morgan and 11 other Elon students to participate in the inaugural Sport Experience cohort, a sport management immersive semester hosted at the university’s new Charlotte campus. In addition to NASCAR, students interned with the Atlantic Coast Conference, Fox Sports, Make-A-Wish Foundation and other Charlotte-based companies.

The cohort shared the same academic schedule, taking classes with Associate Professor of Sport Management Cara Lucia, Associate Professor of Cinema and Television Arts Vic Costello, and Assistant Professor of Sport Management Khirey Walker. All three classes were taught in person, in three-plus-hour blocks.

Anthony Bamford ’25, who interned with the ACC, called it a major plus that he was taught by Elon professors despite being two hours from Haggard and Williamson avenues. The media analytics major also conducted a research project with the conference in summer 2024.

In addition to sharing living quarters with classmates in the city’s popular South End, students enjoyed more than 15 enrichment activities and conversed with 40 alumni during the fall semester. Students conducted site visits to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Team Penske, Bank of America Stadium, and the Spectrum Center, and attended sporting events to watch the Checkers, Knights, Panthers, Hornets and Charlotte FC.

CAPTION: Celsey McMahon ’25, a sport management and journalism double major, highlights her responsibilities in fall 2023 as a game day operations intern for the Atlantic Coast Conference. During league football telecasts, she worked in the Game Day Operations Center – located in the Bank of America Tower – assisting with video reviews and charting plays, penalties and timeouts.