By Laiken Harrigan
Elm Staff Writer
In a couple of weeks, Washington College is bringing in Dr. Martina Baldwin from California State University to speak to students about media literacy in the 21st century. This event is the first in a series of lectures on behalf of the Communications and Media Studies program.
“Because the field is so interdisciplinary, I’d wager students are interested in CMS and don’t realize it yet. These speakers are coming to campus to help students explore the world in a new way, to think in new ways, and to question in new ways—things that are beneficial to all WC students,” said Assistant Professor of Communications and Media Studies Dr. Alicia Kozma.
The lecture will focus on the effect of messages on individuals within a working democracy and the functions of media literacy. The smaller seminar will offer students an opportunity to engage in discussion with Dr. Baldwin.
The seminar will look more closely at TV networking, branding, and social media. The discussion will allow students to consider modern issues in network branding through the case study of the Bravo channel, which stays connected with its audience through the use of social media.
These seminars are an opportunity for students to learn more about what CMS is and how it can benefit their career-skill building experiences within all realms of study.
Dr. Kozma said, “These programs are going to shine a new light on the things we all interact with everyday—media, culture, technology—and help us all understand how those things shape our world.”
Dr. Baldwin will be speaking on Oct. 5 at 5:30 p.m. in Hynson Lounge and will be offering a small student seminar the same day at 1 p.m. in the Sophie Kerr Room. Students who are interested in attending the seminar should RSVP now, as there are only 25 spots.
This seminar requires no preparation or prerequisites. Anyone interested can RSVP to Dr. Kozma at akozma2@washcoll.edu by Oct. 4.
Communications and Media Studies is a new major at WC. The program helps students build the critical skills desired in all fields of study.
According to the WC website, the program focuses on preparing students to become discerning media consumers, critical thinkers, confident speakers, skilled writers, and creative storytellers.
To learn more about Dr. Kozma, read the profile about her on page three.