By 
By: KAYLA SMITH
Staff Writer
@kaylasmith721
Do you wonder what you can do with a communication degree, what jobs are available, or do you just have the urge to talk with professionals in the communications field? Well now you have the chance to find out.
Current, new or even prospective students are welcome to join the Communication Studies Club in their first big, campus event at 7 p.m. Wednesday April 1 in the Educations and Arts Building, room 1011. The club will offer free pizza and drinks from 6 to 6:45 p.m., before the panel discussion.
The guest panel offers a chance to speak and network with local professionals from the marketing, journalism and public relations fields.
One of the five scheduled guest speakers speech communication major Samantha England, soon to be a graduate of IU South Bend this upcoming May. England currently works in sales and development at Inovateus Solar, a company that specializes in developing solar projects for companies.
As a future graduate of IUSB and more specifically from the communications department, England spoke on how the courses she took have helped her in the real world. England mentioned both persuasion techniques and management roles as just a couple of the many skills she learned.
“The communication courses helped me with the confidence in the interview process and how to sell myself,” she said.
Something unique to the IUSB Communication Department is the professors, England said. They strive to make sure their students succeed. Smaller classrooms bring better discussion.
“You are able to get that one-on-one interpersonal interaction that you need,” she said. “Employers are looking for that fire, drive and determination. Present that in an interview. If you believe in yourself, then employers will believe in you,” England said.
Kari Wilson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Communication Arts at IUSB, serves as the club’s faculty advisor.
“Students can get a sense of what they can get out of a communications degree,” Wilson said. “It’s a chance to talk to [the panel members] about any questions they may have.”
The panel, Wilson hopes, will give a chance for attendees to ask questions as well as help high school students gain knowledge of the programs at IUSB and help with the recruitment of new students.
Member and Secretary of the Communication Studies Club Grace Ball discussed the importance of student attendance of such panel events.
“These people are experts and can help with what you may want to do in the future,” she said.
