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You usually find the reflections of Department Head Howard Sypher in this space. But this semester, Howard decided to teach in our Italy consortium program and leave his Purdue duties to me as his Associate Head. It has been an incredible ride.
As the academic year draws to a close, it is amazing to think about all that's happened in such a short period of time. As I write this, the campus is still reflecting upon Purdue's inauguration ceremony for our new president, France Cordova. A new strategic plan for Purdue has been unveiled, and there is little doubt that the Department of Communication will figure prominently in the university's next set of goals.
There's an update on our specially selected undergraduate students, under the direction of Professor Jane Natt, who are busy preparing for a spectacular trip to China. They'll be serving as media liaisons for the Olympic Games in Beijing. This semester, the students had to show that they were ready for the field by passing a number of different assessments administered by the Chinese media team who traveled to campus to meet our students. With all the tests behind them, the students now prepare for serving the needs of media outlets such as CNN and The New York Times.
On another front, two of our students will receive generous scholarships donated in honor of our alumnus Brian Lamb. These scholarships will permit the students to participate in the "Campaign 2008: Leadership in Communication Program at the National Political Conventions." The students will receive training and then assist media professionals at both the Republican and Democratic national conventions at the end of the summer.
As I give up my "Acting Head" role, one of the things that I learned is that our department is truly blessed by faculty, administrative staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students who care about making the Department of Communication the best department of its kind. For the incredible support that I received as I tried to fill Howard's very big shoes, I am especially grateful. |
