Students hear from candidate for new communication position

Julie Hubbell

One of three candidates interviewing for the Digital Communication position being created for the proposed School of Communication spoke to students during a class visit Monday afternoon.

The candidates will be chosen to fill the position in preparation for the merger of the advertising and public relations programs and the Department of Communication. Digital Communication will be a tenure track position.

The first candidate Soo Yun Shin gave a class lecture to Associate Professor Mark Simpson’s advertising class and several faculty members from both departments Monday. Shin is currently finishing her doctorate at Michigan State University.

“From our point of view in the ad program, it’s supposed to be a bridge position,” Simpson said. “It basically bridges between the advertising and PR programs and the Communications program.”

During the open question session, senior Ashton Callis of Paducah, asked Shin if her teaching would be based in real world applications of course work.

“I want to combine both,” Shin said. “The way I’ll approach it is this: I start from theory and empirical evidence but then ultimately what I want is to see how students can use that theoretical knowledge to real life.”

In an email, Larry Snyder, dean of the Potter College of Arts and Letters, said the School of Communication would be formed by July 1, of this academic year. The Herald first reported the change in November after the School of Journalism and Broadcasting released a statement about the advertising and public relations programs leaving the school.

An action item to create the School of Communication was listed for approval by the academic committee at the Board of Regents meeting in March but was pulled from the agenda a day before the meeting for further discussion.

The remaining lectures will be held on Tuesday at 9:35 a.m. in Mass Media and Technology Hall 227 and on Wednesday at 12:40 p.m. in MMTH 227. Simpson said these lectures are open to anyone interested in hearing the candidates speak.