Tag: Communication Studies Society

Is the Cure on your Agenda?

October 15, 2013

In just a few short days, the Communication Studies Department at University of North Carolina Wilmington will be hosting their 7th annual ‘Rock for a Cure’ fundraiser.  The event is held to help raise funds and awareness for the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundations ‘Pink Ribbon Project.’  On October 18th, at 7 p.m. students, staff, and community members will head to Reel Cafe in downtown Wilmington to listen to live music, enjoy drinks, and socialize while raising money to help local women fighting breast cancer.  To attend this event, all you have to do is purchase a ticket for five dollars, and “since the events inception, Rock for a Cure has raised more than $22,000 to assist local women with mammography screenings and care bags for women who are undergoing cancer treatments.”  This is always a much anticipated event on campus because of the large amounts of community news coverage, sponsorships, raffles and the fact that UNCW’s very own, “The Schoolboys” will be performing.

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The Pink Ribbon Project “has helped thousands of local women – without insurance or other financial resources – by providing mammography screenings, diagnostics, comfort items and spiritual support.”  They provide information via their Facebook page that informs the public of any local places or events going on that donate proceeds to their project. The Pink Ribbon Project, since its founding in 1998, has raised over $1.4 million for women undergoing cancer treatment in the New Hanover region. The organization has also provided over 5,200 comfort bags, which include necessities during treatment as well as inspirational insights.

October was first designated as the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month over 25 years ago and since then has been used as a source of revenue for many foundations. Although foundations such as Susan G. Komen and the American Cancer Society raise money year round, October is targeted to generate specific media coverage for awareness, prevention, and research for breast cancer. Countless organizations including the NFL also bring awareness to this cause and by doing this, they, along with the other organizations are harnessing the Agenda Setting Theory. If a news item is covered frequently in the media, audiences will regard the issue as more important.  The Agenda Setting theory is used when telling audiences what to think about, not how to think. Rock for a Cure is able to gain so much support from students because it is a prominent topic on UNCW’s campus. Students, staff, and community members are all made aware of this event through various outlets such as Facebook, the school website, posters, online news articles, and information sessions.

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Can you think of a time when the media has influenced what you have thought about? Where have you seen the Agenda Setting Theory being used recently? Has this been a successful method used for Rock for a Cure?

See you all Friday at Rock for a Cure!

-Aaron Love, Kara Zimmerman, Rachel Clay, Rebecca Hobbs

Rock for the Cure

October 20, 2011


UNCW Communication Studies Society is rocking out this Friday evening for a great cause. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and to make our mark in fighting for the cause, UNCW students and faculty invite everyone to participate in Rock for the Cure Friday, October 21st, 2011 on the second floor of Reel Café, downtown Wilmington N.C. at 7:00pm. The admission to this event is $5 and all proceeds will go to New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s Pink Ribbon Project. The profits will help fund uninsured women in the greater Wilmington area to receive free mammogram screening and also provide “comfort bags” with items that include a pink fleece blanket to be used to warm patients as they receive treatments, a satin pillowcase for comfort after hair loss and an herbal eye pillow to help with relaxation during this time. Rock for the Cure will also raise money through a silent auction and raffle. With the help from you and others we can make a difference for the incredible success of the Pink Ribbon Project and help provide early diagnosis and comfort to women in our area.

-Michela Noreski, Jordan Hill, Ashley Nelson

COM Studies Day is finally here!

April 1, 2011

Today may be April Fools Day but this is no joke, it is finally here, Communication Studies Day at UNCW. Our Advanced Integrated Marketing Communication class will be covering the event minute by minute right here on our IMC-Hawks blog. The event starts at 10 a.m. where a panel presentation will be held in Leutze Hall featuring 5 alumni of UNCW informing students, faculty and guests of the different graduate programs and professional positions they have pursued post graduation, which will be followed by questions from the audience.

This presentation will last till 11 a.m and will be followed with a 30 minute networking session for the panelists. Starting at 12:15 the Communication Studies Society is hosting a fashion show where the students will be strutting their stuff in business professional and business casual attire. This is a part of the event that can’t be missed, fashion tips are always a necessity. Following the fashion show will be an afternoon panelist presentation featuring 5 more alumni of UNCW from 2-3, with a follow up 30 minute networking session. This day is a perfect chance for faculty to see where their previous students have been since graduation and for undergraduates to know what to expect once they leave the doors of Leutze Hall. To follow up the day us Communication Studies students, faculty and guests get to have some fun while continuing to converse and network with Alumni and each other at Fox and the Hound from 4-6 for the reception and social gathering. April 1st is going to be a day of fun, networking and informative learning of what exactly it means to be a Communication Studies major and part of the Communication Studies family. Stay tuned all day for up to date blogging by Dr. Persuits Advanced IMC class….
Com Studies Day Live Blog

-Lindsey Baggett, Drew Mayer, Micaela Fouhy, Will Cosden, Brianna Golden

Communication Studies: The Major with the Mostest

September 30, 2010

The Communication Studies department uses corporate communication to create a message and transmit that message to its publics through various mediums.  The Communication Studies department encompasses many different fields such as broadcasting, speech writing, public relations and research. The department sends out messages about why it is a worthwhile major and what the benefits are of having a degree in it. It is a very broad and far-reaching major, making opportunities for later employment very probable. It offers students a chance to express themselves and find their niche. This major teaches students about certain communication mediums and how to utilize them to spread its influence.

As we mentioned above, the Communication Studies department has several different mediums it uses to send out messages.  First of all, the department has its own section of the UNCW website where you can find information about the major, contact information for professors, and the mission statement. The department also sends out emails to all registered members of the major to discuss on-campus events and important occurrences within the department. Some of these events include Make the Most of Your Major, which helps students to better understand the classes that are being offered within the department. The department also has Com Studies Day, in which several events are held to teach students about life in the real world and how to best use the knowledge imparted to them. One example is the Dress For Success Fashion Show, which teaches students about proper business attire for an interview or a presentation. There is also a club for majors called Communication Studies Society, which helps members become more involved in the community and in campus life. Additionally, there is the Lambda Pi Eta Honors Society, which takes in academically advanced students and helps stimulate interest in the field of communication. Another event offered through the major is Rock for the Cure, a fundraiser that is held each year to raise money for breast cancer research and support. Each of these events signifies how an organization can reach out to the masses.

The Communication Studies department uses all these events and mediums to communicate their message to the public. These mediums include emails, posters, banners and online advertisements. Even this blog helps to spread the word about the department. The objective is to help students get more involved and achieve a more fulfilling college experience. The Communication Studies department uses corporate communication to raise awareness and send out their message about the major.

Sarah McIntosh, Eliza Wadson, Jocelyn Walson, Sean O’Connell

Local journalist offers insight on social media

February 18, 2010

It’s no secret that social media has turned many industries upside down, but how has this technology changed the media? Shannan Bowen, StarNews Media’s social networking and crime writer and “Talk and Squawk” blogger, knows best. Bowen addressed the UNCW Communication Studies Society on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 on the many aspects involving social media and technology in journalism.

Bowen says social media has helped StarNews Media reach audiences, such as college students, that they could not reach in the past. It has encouraged them to be more innovative and create new ways to keep the audience interested. For instance, when Tropical Storm Hanna hit Wilmington, leaving some without power, StarNews Media created @SNOHurricane on Twitter to deliver information on the weather by tweeting and retweeting. Bowen said this received a lot of traffic because the power was out and the only sources for updates were cell phones.

Social media sites are not only useful for media outlets to reach the public, but they are also helpful for hearing from the public. The public is the media’s link to what is happening around the community in its nooks and crannies. Bowen said they often use tips from Twitter or Facebook, and once they verify the information, they have a lead. Bowen did urge that it is “very important not to take tweets or Facebook posts at face value in journalism—that would be bad journalism!”

Bowen emphasized the rise of niche social marketing by discussing Ning.com, a social media site that allows the user to create the network. Many local businesses and groups are using Ning.com to form a network of their own. StarNews Media created several sites using this platform such as WilmOnFilm , a network for local film fans, and Conscience Online for local non-profits.

Her advice to college students interested in careers involving social media:

  • Keep up with major developments
  • Read communication related blogs
  • Know what is developing in the e-industry
  • Create your own blog and interact with others

Check out Shannan Bowen’s blog post Living a double life on Facebook.

Rachel Kaylor