WKU Communication

The Communication Program is saddened by this great loss to WKU. Craig had such a heart for our students.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Dr. Cobane’s family, friends, and all who are grieving this loss. Information regarding a memorial service will be shared according to the family’s wishes. Currently, we do not have additional details to provide.

If you would like to leave a video message expressing your condolences, or to share your memories of Dr. Cobane, to be shared with his family, please click on link in bio to access FlipGrid (a video recording platform).

If you would like to send sympathy cards to Dr. Cobane’s family, please send them to this address and the MHC team will ensure their delivery:

1586 Normal Street
Mahurin Honors College
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY 42101

Dr. Cobane will be remembered with great respect and affection. His legacy will continue to inspire us, and he will forever remain a part of our community.

When you are in Jody Richards Hall, swing by for a picture in front of our new backdrop…located in the lobby. Then, share it with us on our socials!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/3qshD3J3t4vmFoTq/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Come work with the Herald! Positions are available across the Herald’s staff. Visit apply.wkuherald.com to fill out your application today.

🎓🎉Congrats Spring 2024 Communication Graduates! 🎓🎉

We are so proud of you and can't wait to see what great things you will accomplish!

We know finals week can be stressful, but here are few tips to make the week a little easier for you.

📚Review your textbooks and notes. Having a study plan can help make this seem less overwhelming.📚

😴Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Research shows that sleep is an important factor in academic performance.😴

☀️Take regular breaks. Get some fresh air or talk to a friend and give yourself a chance to relax between study sessions.☀️

🍎Eat balanced meals and drink water. Your brain and body both need fuel so that you can do your best🍎

You've got this!

Last night Heather Meenach Strode was awarded the coveted Randy Bracey Outstanding Advisor Award at WKU's Greek Week Convocation. Heather has served her chapter and her National Organization with energy, compassion, thoughtfulness, and unwavering dedication for decades. Heather invests in her sorority at a level that is truly unmatched. She is a mentor and advocate for the women of KD and serves them above and beyond the 'duties of the Chapter Advisor'. Congratulations Heather Meenach Strode, on your will deserved award.

It’s National Pet Day and we are celebrating with a few of our favorite faculty and staff pets! Join us by sharing a photo of your furry, feathery, fluffy, or scaly pets on your story and tagging us!

Meet the pets (and their owners!)
1. Topper in Prof. Strode's office!
2. Tia, Clint Haynes' dog with her favorite toy.
3. Bailey, Dr. Jerome's 9.5 yr old Cocker Spaniel.
4. Wally, Dr. Payne's sweet pup!
5. Bambi, Ms. Teresa's 7-year-old red heeler.

Faculty in the School of Media & Communication took time out to watch the 2024 Eclipse with our students.

On April 8, 2024 a total solar eclipse will be observable across parts of the continental U.S.

While WKU will not be in the path of totality, you can see and experience this unique astronomical phenomenon right on WKU's Campus! Be sure to take proper safety precautions when viewing the eclipse by using eclipse glasses.

You can also use the SunSketcher app to help scientists map the sun as well as support fellow Hilltoppers who had a hand in designing the app!

Photo Credit: Rick Fienberg / TravelQuest International / Wilderness Travel

Join us tonight in supporting this event!

📣Your voice matters at WKU 📣

Join WKU PCAL for a PCAL social to engage in meaningful conversation!

Free Kona Ice for the first 300 attendees!

🗓️ March 27
⏰ 6-8 PM
📍Outside Cherry Hall

Our new home, the School of Media & Communication, is proud to support this event. Please come out and join us! It will be a fun, supportive environment.

📣 Your voice matters at WKU! 📣

Join us for a PCAL Social, a space for meaningful conversation!

🗓️ March 27th
⏰ 6-8 PM
📍 Outside Cherry Hall

Free treats from Kona Ice for the first 300 attendees! Let’s foster understanding together 🌍🌈✊🏽

Congrats to COMM alum Isaac Keller!

Congratulations to Mizzou Law 3L Isaac Keller, who just won the 2023 American Journal of Mediation National Dispute Resolution Writing Competition! https://law.missouri.edu/news/mizzou-law-3l-wins-national-writing-competition/

Congratulations to Dr. Jessica Cherry (center) for completing her Ph.D. under the direction of our colleagues at Ohio University. Jessica is a graduate of WKU’s MA program in Communication!

For anyone in crisis…

LifeSkills 988 number provides immediate support to those in crisis LifeSkills, a state-designated mental health center, offers anonymous support through their su***de and crisis lifeline, 988. LifeSkills provides services for mental health, addiction recovery, intellectual disabilities and crises for Kentuckians, according to their website. 988 can be called or tex...

Happy New Year to all of our students, faculty, and alumni! Can’t wait to see what exciting things happen for us in 2024!!!

COMM majors…a good opportunity for practical experience!

Join team Tali! The priority deadline is Wednesday, Dec. 13th, submit your application at the link in our bio!

Congratulations to our Communication Program December Graduates!

Alumni Roll Call! Please tell us which COMM major you hold, where you are currently employed, and what title you carry in your organization.

As we celebrate graduation this week, we'd like to demonstrate for our graduates where there predecessors are now.

Great story about Dr. Caillouet's impact on his students. We are proud to count him among our Emeriti Faculty.

A fund was recently established to support the award-winning WKU Forensics program and to honor former Director and Faculty Emeritus Dr. Larry Caillouet—but there’s more. The fund was established through a $100,000 challenge gift from Austin Daniel (’77), a Forensics alumnus, to inspire other alumni and friends to join. Gifts of any size to the Dr. Larry M. Caillouet Endowment will go toward fulfilling the $100,000 challenge.

Make your gift today at https://bit.ly/47Vy8Dp and share the challenge with your fellow Forensics and Communication alumni and friends! We’d love to hear more stories from Forensics alumni and former students of Dr. Caillouet.

School of Media and Communication hosts annual ‘COMM Bon’ Students, faculty and staff were invited to join the School of Media and Communication at a bonfire Monday night at the communication department’s annual “COMM Bon” event. The event was hosted at the home of Charlotte Elder, communications instructor and public relations and advertising progra...

We are so very proud of Renee Shaw of KET - Kentucky Educational Television! Tonight she was inducted into the WKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

She is a double alum of the SMC. B.A., Broadcasting; M.A., Communication.

Renee is pictured with Dr. Angela Jerome, Assistant Director of the SMC and Communication Faculty member, and Professor Ryan Dearbone, Broadcasting Faculty member.

Check out some of the work of our colleagues and students in the VJP (Visual Journalism & Photography) program.

2023 Mountain Workshops is live

https://mountainworkshops.org

Congrats, Abby! Abby is a student in our Strategic Communications certificate program, an interdisciplinary certificate shared and staffed by the Communication, Public Relations, and WKU Journalism faculty.

WKU Potter College of Arts & Letters WKU School of Media

Congratulations to Cherry Creative and WKU Student Publications Advertising, which received multiple awards in the 2023 College Media Business & Advertising Managers (CMBAM) annual contest!

Representing WKU at the conference were two student sales representatives, senior Abby Loftus and junior Keelin Davis, along with Student Publications Assistant Director Sam Oldenburg. Oldenburg also volunteers on the CMBAM board of directors as the organization’s communications director.

Cherry Creative is a branded content studio housed within WKU Student Publications. The 2022-2023 leadership team included Cristina Betz ('23), senior Bailey Brush, senior Emma Bayens, and Téa Jones ('23). Cherry Creative is advised by Sam Oldenburg.

Student Publications Advertising sells marketing opportunities across all publications and products produced by Cherry Creative, College Heights Herald and Talisman. The fall 2022 ad manager was Alaina Scott ('22). The spring 2023 ad manager was senior JT Steele. The advertising staff is advised by Wes Orange.

The awards were presented during the CMBAM conference in Minneapolis in October 2023.

Read more about the awards at https://bit.ly/3Qj96Hu


WKU Potter College of Arts & Letters
WKU Alumni
WKU School of Media
WKU Visual Journalism & Photography
WKU Department of Communication
College Media Business and Advertising Managers

Congratulations to all our student Award recipients at our 2023 Student Awards ceremony last Thursday and to Cody Pruitt, our Alumnus of the Year. Another great year in the Dept of Communication.

Allie Gordon, 21, is a current student of the Master of Arts in Organizational Communication program. She also works for the department as a Graduate Assistant.
In her free time, Allie loves spending time with her dog and friends, reading a good book, and wasting hours on Tik Tok.
She has been a part of the Communication Department since she was a freshman student in Communication Studies, here at WKU. She credits the department for allowing her to find her passion easily, then allowing her to truly dive in to develop her professional interests.
Her favorite part about the department is the wide range of opportunities that it has afforded her, including finding her dream internship and even paying for grad school.
Allie’s favorite part about the master’s program is the ability to base her schedule around her interests, rather than a multitude of required courses.
Currently, she interns for the Communications Department at the Corvette Plant in Bowling Green, Ky. Her internship has allowed her to work alongside brilliant communication experts while promoting an amazing product. She will continue to work as the Communications intern while pursuing the rest of her master's degree.

Congratulations to our SP2023 Graduates!

Congratulations to Prof. Heather Strode, recipient of a 2023 Alliance Award from the Kelly Autism Program for her ongoing support for students in the program. Director Michelle Elkins said in her comments that Prof. Strode “teaches her class with patience, compassion and flexibility” and “demonstrates the true WKU spirit in her classes and in her follow through with our students.”

Paul Brock Band concert tomorrow night!

Deirdre Breakenridge, “How to be an Influential Communicator” April 18

Mrs. Breakenridge offered a fascinating presentation to on how to be an impactful communicator stay in the “Communication flow” by understanding the importance of breathing, body language, facial expressions, and vocal tone and pitch.

She demonstrated these things through student volunteers and a variety of computer programs.