Ripon College’s Department of Communication received the 2014 Rex Mix Program of Excellence Award from the National Communication Association, recognizing the best undergraduate communication program in the United States.
The study of communication at Ripon is a thoughtful balance of theory and practice, designed to deepen understanding of the field and also to refine the ability to apply theories of communication to real-world situations. A degree in communication empowers students to become agents of change within society.
George “Guy” McHendry ’06 of Omaha, Nebraska, associate professor of communication studies at Creighton University, received two major recognitions from his school in January. He […]
Over the past decade, three Ripon College alumni, Sarah Anderson ’10, Garrison Anderson ’16 and Abby Korb ’20, have been placed into the Presidential Management […]
Amanda Finn Haggerty ’14 of Chicago, Illinois, was profiled in the November issue of the American Theatre Critics Association publication. Finn Haggerty has written primarily […]
Visiting Assistant Professor of Communications
Professor of Communication, Chair of Communication Department, Mentor for Oral Communication and Collaboration Skills (Catalyst Curriculum)
Professor of Communication, The Victor and Carrie Palmer Endowed Chair for Leadership Values
Ripon College faculty and professional staff are dedicated to helping you reach your goals, whatever they may be and however often they may change along the way. It’s part of our value statement to you.
As a student at Ripon, you will be assigned a faculty adviser based on your area(s) of interest. You will meet with your faculty adviser throughout your time as a student to discuss your current aspirations, plan your course schedule and plot a future trajectory. We also work collaboratively with Ripon College Career and Professional Development to help match your interests and skills to concrete goals and construct a plan for professional success offering personalized career counseling, off-campus learning opportunities and an online job board with potential to connect with local, national and international employers. Our collaboration with Student Support Services provides tutoring and additional academic and skill development, as well as tools to help with note-taking, exam preparation, goal-setting and time management. Likewise, Mentors in the Franzen Center provide in-depth, one-on-one or group mentoring for students about class projects and college-level writing, and can share problem-solving strategies to overcome academic obstacles.
Advising at RiponRequirements for a major in communication: 32 credit hours in communication, including CMM 215, 348, either 336 or 352, 505, 415; and 12 additional credit hours in communication of which at least eight must be at or above the 200 level.
Requirements for a minor in communication: 20 credit hours in communication, including CMM 215, 348, 415 and eight additional credit hours in communication of which at least four must be at or above the 200 level. Communication majors are strongly encouraged to plan an internship in some area of communication during their junior or senior year at the College. Some recent internships have included the areas of advertising, sales, personnel management, news broadcasting, public relations and journal editing.
This flexible and adaptable degree that will never become obsolete in a rapidly-changing global economy and leads to job opportunities in public relations, advertising and marketing, media and entertainment, social media, law, politics and many others areas. Knowledge of communication is good preparation for graduate school.
Recent alumni are enrolled in graduate-level programs at such schools as Marquette University, Colorado State University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Southern California, Newcastle University (UK), Texas A&M University, the University of Georgia, the University of Utah and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Through the Department of Educational Studies, Early Adolescence and Adolescence (Grades 6-12) teacher certification in speech is available.
On average, communication majors complete three internships. More than 80 percent of graduates from Ripon’s Department of Communication are placed in their career of choice before graduation (90 percent within six months of graduation), and 100 percent of our alumni pursuing graduate education in communication have received full-ride scholarships.