Thanks to everyone who attended the COM Week 2009 activities. By all accounts it was a success, especially the t-shirts, we are practically OUT of them!  But there are some left, so if you didn’t get one last week, come on by the COM office, Craig 375 and get one for $10.  Wear your COM major or minor with pride!

A couple of observations and tips overhead from the Wednesday panel discussion of great jobs. How about working for Yahoo! and assisting with leadership development? Or working for a theatre in Kansas City doing their social media work–get paid to twitter and facebook?  Or, how about working in Washington, DC and coordinating special event fundraisers for Beyonce or a famous politician?  These are REAL examples of great jobs in Communication.  Students who attended were given numerous job and internship search strategies, as well as stories of what it was like to move to a new state, find a place to live, and learn to work with people you never met before. The good news of course is that COM students are well prepared for such challenges. Don’t let anyone tell you that only business or MBA students are qualified for the best jobs out there.  Indeed, we can get the best jobs and show everyone what we can do.

Thursday evening had a different tone–what gets a scholarship application noticed so I can get more money for school?  Two COM alums shared their experiences with scholarships that helped them, in particular, they provided students with very detailed information about what gets a scholarship application noticed.  How cool is that?

Students also got to meet someone who actually reviews scholarship applications for MSU!  What works to get your application noticed?  It is this:  The first three sentences will either get your application read or tossed.  Make an impression. Tell a great story about yourself (not made up, come on), about something exciting you did during a summer vacation, about a leadership position that didn’t work out quite like you thought, or that you made a difference in someone’s life.  Don’t be shy about your accomplishments and where it’s appropriate use humor. One essay that got noticed started with “I made someone laugh so hard one time that she peed her pants.”  Wouldn’t that make you want to read the essay?

We wrapped up the week with the Networking Luncheon at 11:30 in the PSU ballroom.  Over 60 people gathered, including alums, current students, faculty and friends of the department.  Matt Sellmeyer, President of Schilling/Sellmeyer (a local advertising firm) shared some thoughts about the importance of mentoring.  “It’s all about building relationships and getting connected to the experience of the person who is mentoring you. It’s a great opportunity to learn about work from that generation.”  Good advice.  After lunch, students and alums mingled and networked. Alums shared advice about jobs and students got excellent job contacts.  Students were also given the opportunity to join small mentoring groups led by a few of the alums.

So, what will next year’s COM Week bring?  If you are interested in coordinating the event, please come by the office in Craig 375 and chat with me.  Jody Glazner provided her excellent skills in event coordination and now has a few extra items on her resume from the experience.  Thanks Jody for your great work.  A shout out to Terra Pizzo, Courtney Wendel and Jaimie Ohm too for help with shirts, posters, and showcase.  COM students rock!

Coming Soon–an album of pictures from the week’s events.

Kelly