The Senior Experience
Our program for seniors has been identified as one of the best in the Howard College of Arts and Sciences. In the first semester of senior year, our students create and deliver workshops to the Birmingham community in which they teach audiences to become better communicators. Recent workshops have taught participants how to manage conflict, communicate better with their families, become more skilled at intercultural communication, comfort others in times of crisis, and communicate more assertively.
In the second semester, our seniors create electronic portfolios of their work, detailing what they've learned since coming to Samford and showcasing their best projects. The portfolio has helped some of our graduates get the jobs they desired and has helped others get accepted into graduate school. We're very proud of our senior portfolios because they reflect the most advanced form of academic assessment in higher education today.
The senior workshop and electronic portfolio are part of what makes the Communication Studies department distinct from all others. No other department offers undergraduate students the opportunity to engage in actual human training and development as well as providing academic assessment via a web-based product. This helps distinguish our students from the masses who graduate each year from college. And, employers and graduate schools have responded quite positively to our students' work. Here's what some of our graduates have said about the influence of the workshop and portfolio upon their careers:
"I got my first job offer! They loved all my Comm. Studies stuff, especially the portfolio and workshop. The position I applied for was just editing, but when they saw all the stuff I had done in the department they wanted to add to my responsibilities...I think that speaks very well for the department!" -- Amy Bonds
"I've got an amazing job at a company called International Expeditions. My title is Assistant Destination Manager for West Africa and Egypt. The best part about it is that I actually get to go on the trips! What I wanted to tell you is that I brought in my senior portfolio and the COO of the company was blown away! She even brought the president of the company into my interview to show him. After she looked all through the portfolio, she told me that she thought I was qualified to take this position, rather than the one I was originally shooting for. This position is waaay better! So I have Comm Studies to truly thank!" --Olivia Keaggy
"I use my Communication Studies degree everyday. I spend much of my time writing donors and my skills in webpage creation and design are really being put to good use. During my job interview, I showed my senor portfolio, which my supervisor loved!!!" -- Bethany Rushing
"I am working at Land Investment Company as their marketing and research manager. By the way, my portfolio helped me land the job! For that I am definitely grateful!" --Lanie Beth Thompson
"I am a pharmaceutical rep. with Eli Lilly and Co. and LOVE IT! Life is great and getting better. The electronic portfolio and my senior workshop were big helps in getting me hired…" --Chase Williams
