Communication Program
Started more than 10 years ago, the Communication Program is the second-largest interdisciplinary program at Brooklyn College. With more than 75 percent of its students being transfers, the program tries to accommodate them accordingly. The new and current director, Professor Sharona Levy, has been making positively noticeable changes since she accepted the position in spring 2018. Levy believes that "it's a great program that has amazing students, and it's an important major in the country because of its academic and practical courses." Interdisciplinary programs like communication encompass numerous courses that pull information from different major subjects. This positions communication as something of an umbrella major, or a major that is inclusive of the many disciplines that fall under its heading. Students who graduate with a communication degree have many career paths that they can choose from, such as public relations, advertising, editing, etc. Since taking on the task of being the new director, Levy has had her share of challenges, the first of which was was notifying students of the change in leadership in their program during the transition between the spring and summer semesters. She was also challenged with getting familiar with the different departments that were within the program, including Television and Radio, Psychology, Linguistics, among others.
Although the program drew information from many majors, the program itself needed to be updated when Levy took over. She and her advisory group came up with changes that would benefit the school and its students. One of the major changes needed was to increase the availability of on-campus internships. "Students are a valuable resource for the college; it's a win-win for both," says Levy.
Students such as Tyler Scott definitely benefit from the communication program. A transfer from Bard College, Scott chose Brooklyn College to continue her college career because of its affordability and easy acceptance of transfer credits. She minors in public relations, getting both the full media and interpersonal experiences. As an outstanding student, she has had internships with The Daily Show working as a production assistant, and for the BET show The Rundown with Robin Thede as a social media intern. Scott was also a finalist for a prestigious Clinton Foundation internship. Scott says, "My internships were the first time I was depended upon to be a leader. My supervisors gave me the freedom to make quick decisions, which helped me to become more confident." Internships give students the experience and skills they will need within their careers, but they also assist the student in determining if that career path is for them. Scott gained valuable experience from her internships, and with that experience she was able to determine what career path she will be taking after graduating from college.
Even though she is a remarkable student, Scott feels that her academic success is due to the assistance she had from Levy and other professors at Brooklyn College. "I feel like I can always turn to Professor Levy for help. She has assisted me in finding internships and writing letters of recommendation," says Scott. She credits her communication research course with improving her writing skills, prompting her to think critically and helping her apply the experience she had in the class to real life career choices. "It's important to think critically because we must be aware of the media we are consuming and what our interpretation of it is," Scott says.
Levy sees all the students in communication as "amazing." Nonetheless, she has worked hard to make the program even better. A passionate communication leader, Levy believes that "communication can save the day. Every relationship starts with communication as a basis. It helps with real life because we are put in teams or groups whether it's for our career or personal lives, you can always incorporate the communication theories."
Tyler Scott's experience with communication makes her just as passionate. "Communication has always challenged me, and because of that I was able to apply for an internship I never thought I'd get, and I was a finalist for the Clinton Foundation internship. My advice is to not be afraid to take risks. We are more powerful than we think we are." Scott says.
Students who are unsure of their career path should take a communication course. It will open up their minds to the different careers that will be available to them when they graduate from college.
Back to Critical Thinking — April 2019
