The Communication Studies Career Conference has become a tradition within the major thanks to Dr. Naomi Johnson and other Communication Studies professors. This conference has been traditionally held in person with Communication Studies alumni hosting various career sessions. Naomi described the COMM Career Conference (now week) by saying,
“The overall purpose is for students who are juniors and seniors is to give them an opportunity to network with people and professionals in fields that they’re interested in to help them obtain internships and jobs after graduation. Then, for all students, but especially for freshmen and sophomores, it is really helpful to see what is possible. A lot of times alumni are in positions that students don’t even recognize exist or are possibilities for them. So, for all students, but especially for younger students, I think it’s really helpful to identify what options are available for you and then that way you can make plans for the remainder of your time at Longwood to achieve those goals.”
COMM Career Day used to be one day with multiple sessions from successful alumni. Since having to switch plans to accommodate for COVID-19 guidelines, Naomi also said she believes the conference will continue to take place for a few days rather than one day. Also, she hopes in the future the event can be a hybrid format of having some alumni in person while others join via zoom.
COMM Career Week is not only helpful to current students but to alumni as well. It is a great way for COMM alumni to help current students and to reconnect with their professors. When asked what Naomi wanted alumni to gain from this conference, she said, “Our alumni want to still feel connected to the COMMunity… we’ve been overwhelmed with gratitude with how many alumni have reached back to us and said we really want to help students, we still want to be a part of Longwood, how can we help? That’s been so wonderful to see. It really warms all of our faculty hearts. So, this is just a great way for alumni to still feel connected with students and feel like they’re helping students in a concrete way.”
During COMM Career Week, many alumni shared their job experiences with students, 13 to be exact. Many said they enjoyed being able to give back to the COMMunity and share their knowledge with students. Steven Herring (’19) said,
“I would say my favorite part would be connecting with the students. I have been able to connect with one of the students who attended the session and have been assisting that student in not only how to get into Emergency Management, but also what to expect both within the field and with life in general after Longwood. I feel creating that connection and being able to provide that guidance and support to students who will soon be leaving Longwood and entering into their respective careers is by far the most rewarding experience.”
Katelyn (Kate) Hackett Supa (’10) shared a similar perspective and said her favorite part about speaking during the conference was,
“Nostalgia is real, and I loved being able to reconnect for a few minutes with Dr. Naomi, really try to put myself back in a student’s shoes and think about what they would want to hear and of course I really loved how interested the students were. Social media is ever changing and in seeing their excitement about it I know they are going to be able to take the tools that they are getting from their time as students and kill it in their careers.”
Hunter Stinnett (’20) said she really liked hearing all of the questions from current students. She said, “They brought great questions and were engaged throughout the session.” Hunter also said she was pleased with the number of students who joined her session. “I wish I would have had more time with them than just 20 minutes, they were asking so many great questions I could have talked with them for an hour.”
Other COMM alumni that were presenters during COMM Career Week said they enjoyed interacting with other alumni during their session. Nicole Del Rosario (’19) said, “I loved getting to speak alongside my very close friend, Shannon Blunt, and having the moderator be one of my Longwood mentors, Clint Wright! It was fun to reunite with people that definitely helped me get to the point I am right now in my career.”
COMM Career Week truly benefits everyone in the COMMunity, from current students to alumni. It is an opportunity for current students to hear from alumni and receive advice as well as to network. Likewise, it is a chance for alumni to return to Longwood, even virtually, and get to share their experiences with students. This event serves as a reminder that one’s place in the COMMunity does not end after graduation but keeps going to help the next generation of successful citizen leaders.