Students and faculty extend a huge thank you to Dr. Thom Gencarelli for all he has done for the Manhattan College Communication Department during his time as Department Chair.
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Welcome to COMMunity, the biannual newsletter reporting on new and exciting developments in our department.
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And so, this is it. This is my final “Note from the Chair” in
COMM(unity)
. At of the end of the upcoming summer, I step down – after three terms and 12 years – and Dr. Michael Grabowski takes over as Chair of Manhattan College’s Communication Department.
It has been…quite a ride. On August 28, 2007, at 8:30 a.m., I walked into a classroom of 30 students to teach the the very first COMM 101 “Introduction to Mass Communication” class ever offered at Manhattan College – in a program that did not, technically, exist until that moment. I remember that I began by thanking the students for choosing to pursue our new major – for having faith – as, at that moment, the program consisted of just
me
. We had no faculty. We had no facilities; not even an office. Our curriculum had not yet been passed by and registered with the New York State Education Department. I thanked the students for believing that we would not only achieve and build and make happen all of these things, but that we would, eventually, grow into a program of note within the New York metropolitan market, and against our competitor schools – one that they would one day be proud of as alums.
Are we there yet?
We hired faculty – four to begin with, but only one of whom is still here: Dr. Rebecca Kern. I chalk it up to growing pains. It took quite a while for us to amass the rest of the wonderful faculty now in place: Dr. Grabowski, Dr. Arshia Anwer, Dr. Mike Plugh, and Dr. Nick Gilewicz. I also need to acknowledge and thank Holly Hepp-Galvan, who stepped in this year as a Visiting Assistant Professor and did the amazing job she has always done for our students. I must acknowledge once again the untimely passing, last year, of Tom Callahan – a
mensch
, a great teacher, and a tireless advocate for the downtrodden, the underdog, and the working man. I need to give a nod to those who have come and gone (a special shout-out to Dr. Kim Trager-Bohley!). And I need to thank our indefatigable staff of adjunct instructors who work so hard for all of you, semester-in and semester-out. And who really need to be better paid.
We also hired professional staff. Bob Coleman was the department’s second hire and has been my right-hand guy, confidant, consultor, and sanity check since almost the beginning. Kaitlin Scheie was hired more recently – to replace Melanie Morales, our original Administrative Assistant and the first person I hired. Kaitlin quickly made the job her own. And if you are a new-ish student or don’t know this already, trust me: You need to (1) get to know Kaitlin and (2) be really nice to her. She knows
everything
– and can often help you more/better/faster than any of the rest of us can.
We created an original curriculum that continues to evolve as we have added faculty, and as the media and industries we teach about continue to evolve. In other words, think of it as a living, breathing document. But know that this document is meant not only to best serve you and your futures as media professionals, but also as people who will go on to live the rest of your lives in an ever-changing, ever powerful, ever-confounding, and ever-fascinating media environment. One we hope you will continue to think about and grapple with and question with all your might.
Finally, we built a facilities and technological infrastructure that is unparalleled in an institution of our size. For this, I will give credit to our administration. As I am often wont to say, when we designed and built the original television studio, “Edit” lab and “Multimedia” lab, the College “put its money where its mouth is.” However, we did not stop there. In January 2017, the Sumner Redstone Television Production Center became the first 4K video production facility within an institution of higher education in the New York Metropolitan area – which is to say, we are state-of-the-art. As you also know, we took delivery, just a month-and-a-half ago, on the latest addition to our facilities: our new sports mobile production unit – in support of our new sports media production concentration, which is itself in support of the College’s initiative with the MAAC Conference, Disney/ESPN, and the new ESPN+ app.
Through all of this, however, I have always defined my job and the work I do in very simple terms. It all comes down to one question: Is this department, this program, your concentration giving you your money’s worth? A higher education in a small, private college is a very expensive proposition. And we have jobs, we get paid because
you
come here. Because you and your parents trust us, believe in what we do, and decide that this is the best choice for you, for your four years of college, and for your future. So how are we doing? I certainly hope the answer is not that you think we’re “doing the best we can.” That isn’t good enough.
Meantime…what do I do now?
No worries. I’ll be around. (Maybe not quite as much!) And of course I leave you all in Dr. Grabowski’s more-than-capable hands.
We are on to the next chapter of Manhattan College’s “Next Generation” Communication Department – at 13 years old, its adolescence. I look forward to watching, and to participating in its growth into adulthood.
Cheers!
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Thom Gencarelli, Ph.D.
Department Chair
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Michael Grabowski to Begin Term as
COMM Dept. Chair
by Erin Murphy
In the Fall of 2007, the Manhattan College Communication Department was made up of 57 students and one faculty member--Dr. Thom Gencarelli. At that time, Gencarelli began his first term as chair of the department, with the goal of growing an entire major program...
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Students Recognized at Annual End of Year Banquet
by Cristian Forletta
On Thursday May 2, the Manhattan College Communication Department hosted its annual the End-of-Year Banquet at An Beal Bocht Cafe. From 5:00-7:00 p.m., food was served as faculty and students celebrated the end of the 2018-19 academic school year and the success of graduating COMM students. COMM students’ exemplary achievements inside and outside of the classroom does not go unnoticed, and the banquet serves as a space to reward them with a night of fun before the stress of finals week sets in...
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Senior
Rebecca Grambone interns
for Dining with Skyler
by Alyssa DeRosa
Rebecca Grambone is a senior in the COMM Department’s media production concentration who is currently working as a brand intern at Dining with Skyler: a small social brand run by Skyler Bouchard, a Food Network personality...
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Senior Anna Occhino Works Hands-On
at NBC Networks
by Julia Garcia
Manhattan College’s Communication students are constantly striving for their dream internship. Some land it, but some find their dream where they least expected it. And within large media companies like NBC, students from different backgrounds and concentrations can usually find a position that sparks their interest...
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Junior Emily Anderson is Conquering Fashion PR at C&M Media
by Samantha Walla
Junior public relations student Emily Anderson starts her day at the No. 1 train at 28th St. three times a week for her commute to C&M Media, a fashion PR firm handling luxury clients such as Missoni, Prada and Swarovski...
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Senior Rebecca Grambone interned at Dining with Skyler, a small social brand run by a Food Network personality
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Senior Anna Occhino has interned for NBC Network for the past year.
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Junior Emily Anderson was able to attend fashion week through her internship at C&M Media.
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Campus Radio Station WRCM Gives Students a New Voice
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by Haley Burnside
This past semester, a new set of sounds made waves on campus - the college’s radio station is broadcasting once again. Thanks to a group of dedicated students working alongside the Communication Department Chair, Thom Gencarelli, and the College’s Senior Advisor for Strategic Partnerships, Rob Walsh, WRCM has ended its long hiatus...
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W.I.S.E Woman:
Mikeisha Kelly
by Harriet Carino
Senior Communication major Mikeisha Kelly was chosen for the women’s professional development internship program during the Summer of 2018. Through the W.I.S.E. program, Kelly landed internships for Summer and Fall 2018, which allowed her to pursue her current internship at WABC-TV...
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Denajah Dedrick Receives
Jasper Summer Research Scholar Award
by Bennett Hall
Denajah Dedrick, Communication Department junior, received a supplemental Jasper Summer Research Scholar award supported through the efforts of the HEOP office for Summer 2019. The award consists of a $1500 stipend and eight weeks of summer housing. Selected students have the opportunity to participate in research sessions, present their research project to faculty, and have access to one-on-one advising about career opportunities after college...
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MC Communication Department Presents at ECA
by Trevor Pelletier
This past month, the Eastern Communication Association, or ECA Annual Conference took place in Providence, Rhode Island. The conference, held from April 10-14 this year, is where scholars assemble to foster better education, build successful networks and relationships, and share their communication research. Manhattan College had several students and faculty members represented at the conference...
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COMM Department Introduces a New Concentration for Fall 2020
by Erin Pricoli
The Communication Department will implement its newest concentration, Integrated Marketing Communications, or IMC, in the Fall semester of 2020. This new concentration focuses on a field of study tailored to the rise of digital and interactive media communication. This will benefit Communication students at Manhattan College by training them in advertising, corporate communications, creative decision-making, and consumer insights...
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MCPRSSA Sends Junior Nicholas Preiss to 2019 National Assembly
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Junior Nicholas Preiss in Portland, Oregon this past April for the PRSSA 2019 National Assembly.
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by Madison Richards
The Public Relations Students Society of America (PRSSA) offers many opportunities for PR students to get involved in their industry outside of the classroom. Recently, Manhattan College’s PRSSA (MCPRSSA) chapter treasurer, junior Nicolas Preiss, attended the PRSSA 2019 national assembly in Portland, Oregon from April 4 to 7.
Each official PRSSA chapter is required to send at least one delegate to participate in the event, and members of MCPRSSA elected Preiss as their chosen delegate. Preiss’ treasurer responsibilities consist of managing the club budget, collecting members’ dues and handling any additional monetary components for the club...
Every year, the assembly gathers to make long-term decisions about the future of the society. In reviewing bylaws and electing a new national committee, the delegates are improving the operations of the society for the benefit of all members. During the assembly, Preiss participated in leadership sessions in the form of a series of interactive workshops...
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PRSSA Hosts Blood Drive to Aid with Blood Shortages
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by Abby Crowell
When the Manhattan College chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) heard that the state of New York was in a state of emergency due to blood shortages at blood banks, they decided to take the issue into their own hands...
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Former COMM Major Robert Colaianni (‘12) Returns to MC as an Instructor
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by John Jackson
Seven years ago Robert Colaianni ‘12, donned in a black cap and gown, walked across a stage in Draddy Gymnasium to receive his Communication degree. Fast forward a few years, and you can still find Colaianni around the Manhattan College campus, but this time as a instructor...
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Editors
Olivia Paladino, Sophia Sakellariou,
Arshia Anwer,
Robert Coleman,Thom Gencarelli
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4513 Manhattan College Parkway
Riverdale, NY 10471 | 718-862-8000
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