STUDE T LIFE I INTERNATIO AL I SOCIAL CLUBS I ACADEMIC I PEOPLE I LEADERSHIP I ATHLETICS I ORGANIZATIO S THE START OF SOMETHING A collaborative effort by multiple university departments successfully implemented two new majors into the department ofcommunication. Integrated marketing communications (IMC) and film would become available to students in fall 2019. Assistant Professor of Communication Lori Sloan moved from the College of Business Administration (COBA) to the department of communication to start IMC after 23 years in marketing and sales with COBA. "Since marketing has been rapidly evolving, the field was a tad overdue," Sloan said. "We considered adding various advertising, public relations, graphic design and web development introductory classes to the COBA marketing degree for over 12 years." However, according to Sloan, the best place for the IMC degree program to start was in che department of communication with the intent chat it would then build a bridge back to COBA. "We already require our students to take classes in business because we believe it's important for their future," Dr. Jim Miller, associate professor and chair of the department of communication said. "We thought we could do more with that overlap." The film major was organized by Dr. Charles Bane, associate professor ofcommunication, after his transition from the English department to the communication department. "I had already been teaching classes in communications, so it just made sense to move me over to head this new program," Bane said. Someclasses remained the same, but Bane also incorporated introduction to film, film history and cinematography courses. The focus was more in the narrative area but would still teach the skills necessary to work for advertising agencies or production companies. According to Bane, there were a large number of students that had expressed interest in film narrative, which meant the department was a little behind in establishing courses that fit the growing interest. New film and integrated marketing communications majors symbolized a new chapter for the communication department. "The plus side of that was we were able to look at other school's film programs and see what mistakes they made and what they fixed," Bane said. Bane believed Harding was a great location for the film major, being just a few hours from cities and natural sights. In conjunction with other changes within the department, the electronic media production (EMP) major was altered to be more flexible and renamed Media Production. Both majors predicted growth for the department ofcommunication. Sophomore EMP major Brian Delp expressed excitement to begin the new film major as he thought it was more specific to his future career goals. "Harding's communication department is doing a great job of expanding and presenting more opportunities for the students," said Delp. "It's great to be a part of a department that is really working to present us with more ways to participate and focus on the career path we want." In October 2017, a cornerstone was laid with Harding's first ever collaborative career event: the IMC Expo hosted by the Center for Professional Excellence, a resource within COBA. This event helped orchestrate a way for over 30 companies and 150 students to meet and nerwork together. The second IMC Expo on Nov. 6, 2018, included marketing, public relations, advertising, promotions, graphic design and data analysis. "Students at Harding have tried to piece [together] something like this for over a decade,"Sloan said. "They either majored in marketing and minored in public relations or advertising or vice versa." The new majors offered students a curricular path that equipped them for the demands of the communication field. story by Kendra Christopher & Morgan Taylor Dr. Charles Bane, assistant professor ofcommunication, teaches freshman Jake Ward andjunior Morgan Horton the intricate parts ofa video camera on Oct. 9 , 2018, in the Donald W. Reynolds Centerfor Music and Communication. The newfilm major would be availablefor students to declare in the spring of2019. I photo by Sterling McMichael Lori Sloan, assistant professor ofcommunication, collaborates with junior Amelia Grizzell and seniors Dailey Thomas and Kaleb Turner in a computer lab in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Music and Communication on Oct. 10, 2018, to select a promotional logo for the upcoming Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Expo event. The IMC Expo was hosted by the Center for Professional Excellence on Nov. 6, 2018, in Cone Chapel and provided an opportunity for students interested in advertising, graphic design, marketing, public relations and web design to discuss internships and full-time opportunities with different companies. I photo by Sterling McMichael 84
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==