More from Chair Mary Hoffman ...
Last fall, students had the opportunity to hear from several department alumni and friends during our first “CJ Career
Day.” Alumni Brent Haefle, Greg Leaf, Lisa Patrow and Jason Voiovich, and friends Rusty Cunningham, John Dye, Jeff
Hudson and Pam Pappas Stanoch presented workshops and interacted with CJ majors during a round of “speed mentoring.”
In addition to meeting with students these members of our Advisory Board have been helpful in reviewing faculty
efforts to update the curriculum.
Many generous alumni and friends let us know when their organizations are hiring, and supervise interns from the department. Others visit classes to speak with students, assist SPJ students with panels, or provide assistance through the Ask an Alum program.
The generous contributions of many alumni and friends to scholarship funds for CJ students, to the Devroy Fund and to the CJ Advancement Fund make college more affordable for students, bring speakers like Helen Thomas to campus, and help the department better serve the needs of students.
If you want to become more involved in department activities, please contact Mary Hoffman at hoffmamf@uwec.edu.
There is a lot of good news to share this year. As usual, our students have worked hard to put their knowledge and skills into practice and received many awards for their work.
- Students in the advertising campaigns class designed a campaign to market State Farm insurance to
younger audiences. State and local State Farm representatives attended their presentation.
- Students in the capstone course in public and organizational communication will present the results of their
semester-long research projects at UW-Eau Claire’s Student Research Day, April 26-28 in Zorn Arena. Some research
topics include, the relationship between organizational change and uncertainty, how members of different generations view workplace communication, how communication networks operate in the event planning industry, and whether peers
who are perceived as leaders use influence tactics in their communication.
- Students in public affairs reporting created a website to share city election news with the campus and the
community.
- As usual, broadcasting students prepared Update News for distribution on Public Access Television, and this
spring the work of students in radio news reporting has also been carried on Public Access.
- Public relations students prepared a health education campaign on H1N1 for Sacred Heart Hospital. Representatives
from Sacred Heart attended the presentations, and portions of the campaign are being implemented.
- Students in the event planning course planned and implemented Grandparents’ University during the summer,
the Chippewa Valley School Press Association Conference in the fall, and the American Forensics Association
National Individual Events Tournament during the spring.
- Students in training and human resource development course developed and implemented training programs
for campus and community clients.
- The UW-Eau Claire Forensics Team was again state champions, and finished 16th in the nation at the
American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament.
- Members of The Spectator staff received awards from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, and Update News and WUEC received awards from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.
Thanks for your support of these wonderful students. Please stay in touch with us!