UMSL Dept. of Communication & Media

05/05/2026

Congratulations to Teaching Professor Jill Alexander for speaking at the Midwest Digital Marketing Conference. She brings her expertise in Public Relations to this conference and to our department.

Also, our former student, Vince Costa is featured in the article below. He graduated in 2024 with a degree in Communication and Media and a Certificate in Public Relations.

UMSL's annual conference provides students with practical insights, valuable networking opportunities and real-world perspective.

12/04/2025

Dr. Lara Zwarun’s Communication 3330 Research Methods class was able to hear all sorts of juicy tidbits and pearls of wisdom when Andrew Dauska, Partner at The Partnering Group and
former CEO of Rogers Townsend advertising agency visited on Wednesday. Topics included AI, finding lessons in failures, and whether Eli Manning really needs another corporate sponsorship. Grateful to the ANA/AEF for this opportunity to bring the marketing industry to UMSL students!

10/10/2025

🌍 World Mental Health Day – October 10

At the UMSL Communication & Media Department, we believe strong communication isn’t just about what you say — it’s also about listening, empathy, and creating safe spaces for connection. On this World Mental Health Day, we reaffirm our commitment to mental well-being — for our students, faculty, staff, and the broader community.

Here’s what we want you to know today:
• Mental health matters. You are not alone.
• Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
• Conversations, even small ones, can make a huge difference.
• The stories we tell have the power to reduce stigma and foster understanding.

📣 Did you know?
Our department offers a Health Communication Certificate that equips students to design messages, campaigns, and media strategies centered on health, wellness, and public good. If you’re passionate about combining media, messaging, and mental health impact — this certificate is for you. Click here for more information: https://www.umsl.edu/~comm/certificates/healthcomm/index.html

💡 Let’s use our collective voice to:
• Share resources and support
• Listen more than we speak
• Amplify stories of resilience
• Promote compassion and hope

Take a moment today to check in with someone — a friend, a classmate, a colleague — and say, “How are you, really?”

Let’s keep the conversation going, together.

⸻

05/08/2025

A special 📢📢🎉🎉shout out to our Event Committee!! You created an amazing event for our students!!

🍹🍹Mocktail Mixer and Tropical Fun 🍹🍹

We appreciate and celebrate 🎉 our students!!
Now let’s get to finals!!!!

05/08/2025

01/16/2025

📢 📢 Congratulations to our phenomenal student, Ash Alexander on her first successful submission to a professional communication conference!

🌟 ⭐️ Her submission “Post-Election Analysis Report: Highlighting Key Moments in How the Trump Campaign Won the 2024 U.S. Presidential Race” has been accepted for presentation at the 2025 annual meeting of the Eastern Communication Association in Buffalo, NY.

The Eastern Communication Association (ECA) is a professional organization of scholars, teachers, and students of Communication Studies. The ECA was initially established in 1910 and continues as the oldest professional communication association in the United States.

12/20/2024

We are so proud and impressed by our amazing student Hope VanBennekom!! Check out UMSL Daily:

https://blogs.umsl.edu/news/2024/12/13/hope-vanbennekom/

And a special thanks to our amazing faculty Ahrndt, Van Stee, Alexander.

VanBennekom was drawn to crisis communications in the aftermath of the 2023 shooting at Michigan State University, where her daughter was then a college freshman.

12/02/2024

We are excited to show off our students work and honor our graduating class of 2024! Come and see what our students are creating this Thursday December 5th at 3:30pm in Lucas Hall room 200.

The semester is coming to a close. Come and celebrate our students with us!

11/22/2024

Podcasts, films, and television provide an invaluable medium for sharing stories, culture, and knowledge, making them especially beneficial for celebrating Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

We will highlight one a week. Communication is sharing stories through various forms of media. Let’s explore together!

This week we will highlight The Red Nation podcast.

https://www.therednation.org

Until Decolonization, Liberation, and Landback

11/21/2024

It’s World Television Day!! November 21, 2024

World Television Day is a global observance that celebrates the impact and importance television as a medium for communication, information, and entertainment. It acknowledges the role television plays in shaping public opinion, promoting cultural diversity, and fostering dialogue among nations.

Each year, a short clip is created by egta, ACT and The Global TV Group to promote the power of television. The three associations are asking their members (...