Communication Newsletter
February 2021
91¶ÌÊÓƵ Communication bachelor’s degree ranked as one of best in U.S.; graduation signoff set for Feb. 19
The Department of Communication office is open virtually through Zoom Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at You can also call us at 801-626-6426 or email communication@weber.edu Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Of course, you can also leave a message any time. We will get back to you.
This is the February edition of the monthly email to majors. At least once a month during the regular school year, we will email you to let you know about meetings of student organizations, guest speakers, important deadlines, opportunities, student and faculty achievements—and more. If you have information that you’d like us to distribute, please email department chair Sheree Josephson at sjosephson@weber.edu.
What's Happening
February
- Feb. 15: Presidents Day
- Feb. 19: Graduation Signoff
- Feb. 23: Lecture by “60 Minutes” producer (see below)
March
- March 8-12: Spring Break
- March 15: MPC application deadline
April
- April 5: Summer Semester registration opens
- April 12: Fall Semester registration opens
- April 30: Graduation
Student News
Communication bachelor’s ranked as a Top 30 program
College Rank named the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Communication Department in its Best Bachelor's in Communications guide as a top program in the country. College Rank synthesizes data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Payscale, and the College Scorecard. Ultimately, colleges are scored based on their commitment to online education, admission rates, student satisfaction, alumni debt, and specialties. College Rank said: “91¶ÌÊÓƵ provides a broad study of communications, including a number of interdisciplinary tracks. You can choose to specialize in copywriting, marketing, visual communication, healthcare public relations, and international public relations. Regardless of your choice, you’ll also gain a broad understanding of advertising, marketing, and news reporting and writing. Graduates of this program will be especially prepared for careers in public relations, which could include working in sales or advertising, or as a marketing specialist, product manager, or PR specialist. You will also have the chance to become a member of the student-run public relations firm, which could see you awarded a tuition fee waiver. Full-time undergraduate tuition at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ costs $5,090 per two semesters for Utah residents and $15,272 for non- residents. Fees total $847, with an estimated $800 for books and between $5,845-$10,638 for room and board on- campus. The university awards over $90 million in scholarships and aid each year.” To see the entire list, go to The Signpost also featured this acknowledgment. This story can be found at
91¶ÌÊÓƵ Speech students excel at Western Washington Viking International
The 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Speech Team had a strong showing at the Western Washington Viking International competition led by Jazmyne Olson taking first place in both Extemporaneous Speaking and Novice Impromptu, Sophie Beck winning first place in Novice Informative Speaking and an overall second-place speaker award, and Rebecca Brown taking first place in Junior Prose. This competition included 16 schools in Alaska, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, California and Utah.
Individual awards included:
- Krystiana Davis, sixth, Novice Persuasive Speaking
- Brad Baker, fifth, Open Dramatic Interpretation and Top Junior in individual speaker points
- Akir Rowe, second, Novice Persuasive Speaking and second in Novice Extemporaneous Speaking
- Sophie Beck, first, Novice Informative Speaking, with straight firsts in each round
- Kyle Housley, third, Junior Prose; second, Novice Informative Speaking; first, Open Dramatic Interpretation; Top Novice in individual speaker points
- Rebecca Brown, first, Junior Prose, taking straight firsts in each round
- Jazmyne Olson, first, Extemporaneous Speaking with straight first in each round; first, Novice Impromptu
In IPDA (one-on-one) debate events, awards included:
- Quarterfinalists: Kyle Housley, Akir Rowe
- Semifinalists: Brad Baker, Jazmyne Olson
- Second place: Sophie Beck
- Speaker awards: Krystiana Davis, fifth; Akir Rowe, fourth; Sophie Beck, second
Additionally, Olson took second place for the Orv Iverson Award. Out of 20 schools in the conference, she was ranked the best overall competitor among all novice and junior students in both speech and IPDA debate. Finally, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ—having only competed for a year in the Northwest Forensic Conference, with comparatively few students, placed in the Gold Tier. 91¶ÌÊÓƵ will compete next at the Talk Hawk Invitational Feb. 12-14. To help judge, contact Mark Galaviz at Markgalaviz@weber.edu.
Announcements
Peabody award-winning former ’60 Minutes’ producer to speak on Zoom
Journalist Mary Mapes, former producer for “60 Minutes” on CBS, will speak to the Weber State community on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The public is invited. In 2004, Mapes broke two stories that changed her life. Her reporting on prisoner abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison in Afghanistan won her a Peabody Award, the highest honor in broadcast journalism. Her reporting later that year on President George W. Bush’s spotty National Guard record during the Vietnam War got her fired and led to the retirement of CBS anchor Dan Rather. The book "Truth and Duty: The Press, the President and the Privilege of Power" and movie "Truth," starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford, tell the story. To sign up for the event, use this link: After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Deadline to apply for Master of Professional Communication program March 15
Are you graduating this year? Are you wondering what might come next? Employers routinely agree that excellent communication is a must for career advancement. The Master of Professional Communication degree at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ can help you pursue your professional communication career or graduate school goals. The 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Master of Professional Communication program is flexible, affordable, and does not require the GRE. Check out weber.edu/mpc or contact Dr. Sarah Steimel at sarahsteimel@weber.edu to learn more. The application deadline to start the program in Summer or Fall 2021 is March 15.
New associate’s degrees in Digital Media Production available in Fall Semester
The Department of Communication is now offering associate’s degrees in Digital Media Production. Students have the choice between an Associate of Science, an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Applied Science. Students majoring in Digital Media or Film Studies are encouraged to contact their academic advisor to enroll. The degrees stack on the bachelor’s degrees in DM or Film Studies with classes double-counting for both the associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. This provides a way for students to add a degree to their resume before the bachelor’s degree is completed. Faculty who can help students add this degree to CatTracks include Andrea Baltazar at andreabaltazar@weber.edu; Aimee Gillette at aimeegillette@weber.edu; Ash Soltani-Stone at ashsoltanistone@weber.edu or Dr. Sheree Josephson at sjosephson@weber.edu.
Students with high GPAs eligible to apply for Departmental Honors
You are eligible to apply for Departmental Honors if you have an overall 3.5 GPA and a 3.7 GPA in the major and hope to present original research or a creative project at the undergraduate symposium or any professional forum. Achieving departmental honors will result in HONORS showing on your diploma and transcript, an invitation to Honors banquet, and eligibility to apply for an Honors scholarship for your textbooks. You need to apply for Department Honors at least one semester before graduation. Apply online through the Honors Student Portal. If you have questions, contact Dr. Susan Hafen at shafen@weber.edu.
Get Involved – Join a Communication Club!
The Signpost
Contact:
Dr. Jean Norman
jeannorman@weber.edu
Studio 76
Contact:
Dr. Aaron Atkins
datkins@weber.edu
KWCR Wildcat Radio
Contact:
Dr. Jean Norman
jeannorman@weber.edu
91¶ÌÊÓƵ Debate
Contact:
Coach Lauren Johnson
laurenjohnson10@weber.edu
91¶ÌÊÓƵ Speech
Contact:
Coach Mark Galaviz
markgalaviz@weber.edu
Ogden Peak Communications
Contact:
Dr. Leslie Howerton
lesliehowerton@weber.edu
PRSSA
Contact:
Dr. Leslie Howerton
lesliehowerton@weber.edu
Society of Professional Journalists
Contact:
Dr. Jean Norman
jeannorman@weber.edu
Departmental Honors
Contact:
Dr. Hailey Gillen Hoke
haileygillenhoke@weber.edu
Lambda Pi Eta
Contact:
Dr. Robin Haislett
robinhaislett@weber.edu