Traversing The New Communication Major
Emily Cobb | September 13, 2023
As of this semester, Warren Wilson College (WWC) has a new communications major. This major, housed in the English department, hired Beck Banks last spring as the new assistant professor of communications at WWC. The faculty voted to approve this major last spring.
Paula Garrett is the chair of the Department of English and is a professor of English and American Studies. She started her time at Warren Wilson 16 years ago as the associate dean for faculty development and changed roles several times before becoming a professor four years ago.
“I love the classroom,” Garrett said. “I feel like the most important thing I do on this campus is just show up and show them queer joy.”
Garrett is responsible for pitching and making the communications major a reality. One factor in this decision is her experience in public relations (PR) and journalism beginning in high school and college. With the help of Liz Colton, the diplomat in residence, and Jay Roberts, the provost and dean of the faculty, the proposed department became a reality.
Garrett will teach communications classes and oversee the communications major as the department chair.
“It felt like [a communications major] would be a niche that we could carve out where we can develop more internships, more hands-on opportunities for students— even with on-campus work,” Garrett said. “It was an opportunity to keep the academic program strong and pull in work, service and vocational exploration in an amazing way.”
To Banks, there are many reasons — both personal and professional — to major in communications.
“There's a self-expression side to this.” Banks said. “But there's also a basic utility within it; you can go out and you can find a job. There will never be a lack of communication positions in the world.”
While WWC established the basics of the major, Banks is currently in the process of working out the finer details.
One adjustment proposed by Banks is changing the major name to “major in media and communications”. Instead of the typical structure of having major concentrations, Banks is proposing “emphases” within the program. He is pitching emphases on language and cultural studies, media writing and storytelling, production and performance studies and strategic advocacy and social change.
The new communications classes are not just housed in the English department. Garrett pointed out how English and communications and the skills developed are interwoven and reciprocal. When assessing the course options for the major requirements, many professors outside of the English department were asked to submit courses that were already available that could work for communications. This means that some course options from global studies, business, science, theatre and the social sciences department could count towards the new major.
“Communication and media studies is inherently interdisciplinary.” Banks said. “I am all for students learning other things outside of what they're learning within the communications major, because that's going to make them stronger and better at this. ”
Garrett loves how the major immediately teaches students usable skills.
“I didn't have to wait until I had a degree to actually start writing press releases, newspaper articles, magazine articles,” Garrett said.
The classes will focus not only on media and communications, but will also include topics in social skills like how to navigate a job and how to network.
Banks wants the values of Diversity Inclusion and Equity (DEI) to be at the forefront of this program. Part of the reason why the communications major was made was in hopes of recruiting more students of color. According to Garrett, communications is the second-most requested major by students of color.
Banks plans on working with organizations and people already in the community who hold DEI values and want to do transformative communications work. As a trans scholar, Banks wants to include gender, ethnic and racial media studies.
“Compared to other schools, we have such a social justice focus, and I want that to be the core focus of this communications program,” Banks said. “So anybody who is taking one of these classes, I want them to feel like they are doing good work within it from day one.”
There is a wide variety of jobs this major opens one up to such as journalism, public relations, communication offices, video editing, photography and creative strategists.
“PR skills will serve you no matter what,” Garrett said. “I think knowing how to communicate is one of the most important life skills. It's all rhetoric, it's understanding audience and purpose. There is not a business that doesn't have writers, editors, PR offices.”
Now that the communications major has launched, the future of it is up to the students. Garrett said it is still in a testing phase and they will use Bank's ideas and student feedback to grow the major. The changes Banks is pitching will be voted on, and if passed, will possibly be in effect by next semester.
If one is interested in learning more about the communications major, email Banks or Garrett and take one of the offered classes next semester.