Insights from the Department Chair
Our focus is on the ways people connect, disconnect, perform, influence, or broadcast. Although most people are born with the physical abilities to listen and speak, we must learn to communicate so that change is strategic and lives are improved. Since our mission is to create competent and ethical communicators, we have developed a rigorous curriculum in both theory and practice. Students need to know the "hows" and "whys" of verbal, nonverbal, and mediated messages. We explore strategies, techniques, philosophies, and principles guiding the multiple ways that meaning takes shape between persons.
Along with our academic courses, we offer a variety of co-curricular programs, including a nationally competitive parliamentary debate team and a superb theater serving both campus and community. We also support a variety of student projects in media, including sound and video recording, scriptwriting, film criticism, and journalism. Each of these provides practical opportunities to integrate Christian faith with creative and scholarly activity, as well as develop relationships with our faculty.
Please give us a call (at 630.752.5095) or send us an email and we can discuss the possible connections between your interests and the Communication discipline. We look forward to hearing from you!
Emily Langan, Ph.D.
Chair, Communication Department