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Tim Russert Department of Communication (COM)

Professors: M. E. Beadle; Associate Professors: B. G. Brossmann (Chair), M.N. Emelu; Assistant Professors: Y. Choi, J. Kucek; Teaching Staff: R. Noll, D. Slentz, J. Sokol

Communication students examine how and why people create messages, and what effects those messages have. Then they put that knowledge to use as message creators.

Students focus their learning interests in one of two concentrations: Digital Media or Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC). Each area provides theory and praxis that will enable students to succeed in our ever-changing communication environment.

Mission: The Tim Russert Department of Communication educates students to become critical thinkers and effective communicators able to integrate theory, practice and ethics. Students create, analyze, and evaluate messages for diverse audiences using technologies across multiple platforms. The department continues Tim Russert’s legacy of inquiry, integrity and involvement in communication.

Vision: The Tim Russert Department of Communication advances excellence in theory and practice of effective and ethical communication, inspiring in students the passion and talent for inquiry, integrity and involvement.

Russert Department Learning Goals:

Graduates of the department will have the knowledge and ability to:

  1. Create effective messages as part of a communication strategy

  2. Evaluate messages for effectiveness, credibility and impact

  3. Analyze how audience interpret messages, drawing on relevant theories

  4. Demonstrate ethical reasoning

  5. Conduct inquiry through research using appropriate communication theory and methods

  6. Effectively apply AI tools to craft messages

Communication majors develop critical thinking and excellence in writing and speaking. Students complete foundational courses and then pursue an area of interest with the assistance of a department advisor.

Department facilities include FM radio station WJCU, a state of the art production studio,  , a podcasting studio, and a multimedia lab where students learn studio and field production/editing, and the speech and debate lab.

Internships and independent study opportunities provide students with experiences beyond the classroom. Students gain experience in communication industries while earning academic credit. The department has an established network of internships in the Cleveland area – one of the country’s largest communication markets. Internships are available at major media outlets, including television, radio, newspapers, and cable companies; public relations and advertising agencies; and corporate and non-profit organizations.

Recent John Carroll Communication alumni enjoy careers in broadcasting, journalism, public relations, advertising, sales and promotions, law, marketing, management, and education, as well as with foundations and nonprofit organizations. The major is an excellent foundation for those who desire to pursue graduate study in communication, management, education, public affairs, or law.

The department is named in honor of the late Tim Russert ’72. Mr. Russert was an American icon. He was a magnetic presence as the managing editor and moderator of NBC's Meet the Press, the longest running, most popular and influential of the Sunday morning political talk shows during his tenure. In 2016, his family donated a permanent display from Mr. Russert's “Meet the Press” set, and video excerpts from his historic interviews, to the University. The display, located in the O’Malley Center Atrium, keeps Mr. Russert’s memory alive on campus and is a reminder of the collaboration that resulted in the creation of the exclusive NBC/JCU Meet the Press Fellowship.

Graduates of the department are eligible to apply for the Meet the Press Fellowship, awarded to a graduating senior motivated to pursue a career in political journalism. The fellowship is a nine-month (September-May) position at Meet the Press, NBC’s leading public affairs program, and requires a broadly based background in Communication and Political Science courses. Consult the website (https://www.jcu.edu/academics/colleges-departments/academic-departments/communication/meet-the-press-fellowship) for details.