The Crowder College journalism program made several changes this academic year, including a new degree name and curriculum, a new course, new computers, updated software, an updated news room, and transfer agreements with four-year colleges. In addition, the award-winning Crowder Quill magazine annual contest deadline draws near on Feb. 1 and has a special theme in conjunction with the Crowder Theatre Department.
The Journalism and Public Relations associates of arts degree is now called Communication. “Careers in this field are much broader and varied than just journalism, but all the jobs require the essential skill of communication,” said Latonia Bailey, coordinator of the program. “A social media content generator job, for example, is a communication job that goes beyond the term ‘journalism.'”
The new name of the Communication degree also aligns more closely with university programs for easier transfer. The college recently signed a 2+2 agreement with Missouri State University for Communication majors that “guarantees a seamless transition for Crowder students,” Bailey said. Transfer agreements are in the proposal stage with two other four-year Missouri colleges.
As part of the revised curriculum, a new course is being offered for the first time at Crowder: Comm 105, Introduction to Human Communication. The course covers not only how to give speeches and presentations but also basic communication skills such as nonverbal communication, listening, conflict resolution, workplace communication, and job interviews.
“The Human Communication course provides students with communication skills they’ll need in their jobs and everyday lives,” Bailey said. “It’s a helpful course for any student and is not geared solely toward communication majors.” Comm 105 is offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11-11:50 as a flex course, meaning some of the coursework is completed online.
Courses in the Communication degree include public relation, journalism, photography, and magazine production, also known as the Crowder Quillliterary/art magazine and contest. This year, as a special theme, the Quill has collaborated with the Theatre Department for the 2021 contest.
For 2021, the Quill encourages entries focused on the theme of quarantine and COVID stories to be performed during the April theatre production on campus in addition to the awards ceremony in May. To enter poetry, fiction, nonfiction, art, and or photography by the deadline of Feb. 1, see www.CrowderQuill.com. The Comm 111 Magazine Production course meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-10:45 a.m. for those seeking skills in content selection, magazine design, publicity, special events, and communication.
An associate degree is also offered in photography with courses in photography, Photoshop, business, marketing, and photojournalism in order to provide options for students interested in owning a photography business or pursuing other avenues.
Courses offered this semester include COMM 220, Photocommunication I, on Mondays from 12:30-3:15 p.m., and an advanced course from 3:30-6:15 p.m. The classroom/computer lab has been updated this semester with new computers and the latest Adobe Photoshop software; students also are trained with Lightroom software as well as how to use digital single-lens reflex manual cameras.
The Crowder Sentry news room has also received an update with all-in-one computers, chairs, the latest Adobe page design software, and new multimedia equipment. “Students practice communication skills not only in writing and design but also audio podcasts, video, and web blogs,” Bailey said.
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