Communication Studies

Communication Studies students have been hard at work creating content for a new video production venture: West Chester Community Television (WCCT). During the Spring semester we have created three shows all shot and edited by students working with Prof. Michael Boyle and graduate student Amy Kaminsky. Coaches Corner features interviews with coaches and players from WCU athletic teams and is hosted by Prof. Boyle. WCU Live is a sports talk show featuring sports reporters from WCUR and The QUAD that is hosted by Communication Studies major Steven Fisher. Both shows are recorded at our campus television studio in Brandywine Hall. The Last Lecture Series features in-depth looks at many of WCU's distinguished professors and was created by Amy Kaminsky as part of an independent study in Fall 2010. The Web site will also feature content from campus activities and events. We'll also air our content on WCUTV5 - the campus television station (Channel #965 if you live on campus).

Watch WCCT online: http://communication.wcupa.edu/users/wcct/

Check us out and check back frequently as we add new content!

Our Award-Winning Forensics Team
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Capturing one of seven highly coveted Superior Team awards, the West Chester University Forensics Team took the competition by storm at the Pi Kappa Delta Biennial National Forensics Championships at Mt. Hood Community College in Portland, Oregon, on March 23-26, 2011. Eighty-four teams from across the country vied for honors in this year’s championships in speech and debate. Fielding a squad of eight students—most of whom are in their first year of competition—WCU swept away their opponents in an upset victory.

The team was led by senior communication studies major, Sara Franklin—the team’s president—from Mechanicsburg, who won Top Superior (national champion) in Broadcast Journalism, Superior in Persuasive Speaking, Superior in Dramatic Interpretation, Excellent in Impromptu Speaking, and Excellent in Program Oral Interpretation. Sara is a four-year team member who significantly improved on her two Excellent awards at the previous biennial competition in Shreveport, Louisiana, two years ago. She plans to pursue graduate work in communication/public relations in the fall.

She was joined by sophomore communication studies major, Lanie Presswood from Bloomsburg, who is in her second year of competition. Presswood was selected to deliver a Showcase Performance in Communication Analysis (in which she earned a Superior award). She also earned a Superior in Broadcast Journalism, and Excellent in Informative Speaking.

• Dan Hinderliter, sophomore Honors middle grades education major from Allentown—a first year team member—won Superior in After Dinner Speaking, Excellent in Persuasive Speaking, and Excellent in Broadcast Journalism.
• Daquann Chung, a first year undeclared major from Pocono Mountain, captured Excellent in Poetry Interpretation.
• Jake Markiewicz, a sophomore communication studies major from Avondale, who is also in his first year on the team, won Excellent in Informative Speaking.
• Ashley Murphy, a first year Honors English BSED and special education major from Wallenpaupack, captured Excellent in Impromptu Speaking.
• Joe Tetreault, a sophomore history education major from Burlington County, New Jersey, who is in his first year on the team, earned an Excellent in After Dinner Speaking.
• Brian McCormick, a first year Honors Biology major from Hamburg, netted preliminary scores high enough to push WCU into the Superior team finish.

Director of Forensics, Mark Hickman, who teaches in the Department of Communication Studies, states that WCU can be very proud of how these students represented the University. This young team’s achievements are a testament to their hard work and their ability to push each other to excel. In capturing this top honor, these students sent a message to the country that West Chester University is an academic leader that can match its students against the very best in the country.