Why major in Communication?

Here’s what others have to say...

"Well it's been almost 2 years since graduation and I have yet to check in with my beloved Communication Professors! A few months after graduation I was hired at Vision Event Productions, a corporate event planning company in Rancho Bernardo to be the Event Registration Coordinator. A year ago I was promoted to Registration Manager which is a sub-event manager of the events that we run.  This includes designing registration websites, working with corporate clients, and executing onsite registration for anywhere between 100 people to 2,000 people. I recently had the opportunity to provide a "training" course to the rest of the event staff in our office. It went great and was easy and I even had a couple of comments about how they could tell I was a Communication Major! I have also had many opportunities where I have had to use my research capabilities to research the latest and greatest technologies and ways to keep things efficient. Overall, I just wanted to let you know that I have been so excited about applying my major to many different aspects of my job today, and I feel like MOCM was the best fit and prepared me for the event planning world. Hope you two are doing great!

Take care,
Ashlyn Donatelli

"Your note reminds me that I certainly owe you one of those alum emails (however cliche) thanking the Communications department and more specifically, you for your contributions to my Point Loma experience and success afterwards. Your email caught me in the middle of a great example of how applicable the Management & Organization Comm coursework has been for me. At this very moment I am analyzing the results of a senior citizen survey campaign in our community that I designed and executed. I certainly never thought that after school I would actually want my own copy of SPSS! And I could list a hundred other ways I've benefited from your direction - some of which I'm still realizing. I recognize that although I may not know how to engineer a bridge or perform a surgical procedure, you imparted to us a set of competencies and philosophies that are just as critical and, in fact, prove to be rather indispensable assets (especially in the political arena!). As I prepare to further my career and my education, I do so confident in the foundation poured during my days in your classrooms. Sadly, I have not yet perfected the distinguished Bostonian accent.....

All the best,
Katy Baumbach
Management Analyst, City of Elk Grove

"I seem to remember you telling us the internship class in "communication skills" was the most important thing employers look for...now I know how true that is. Not only did my communication training from Point Loma help get me hired the day after graduation (literally), but my ability to communicate well has gotten me multiple promotions, and now (just over a year out of college) I have gotten to the point where I am on the other side of the table, looking to hire people who can communicate well. I cannot stress how much the PLNU communications program prepared me for joining the workforce and how invaluable it has been to me. Thanks for all the excellent teaching and doing such a great job at leading the internship class, so that I was able to get my foot in the door!

Evan Rutledge
Lindows.com

"I just wanted to drop a line and let you know about the progress I have made since graduation. First of all, I would like to thank you for all the extra time you spent answering my questions, whether it be visits to your office or phone calls at 8:59 pm the night before a big project was due. I enjoyed the MOCM major so much, and that was mainly due to your efforts. The communication skills that I learned have been so helpful in the business setting and in all aspects of my life. The many theories we learned were brought to life, and I witness the different forms of management and even different communication styles within my own workplace on a daily basis. I have been able to use the many skills I was taught to better communicate within my environment, and I have been able to further my career because of this. You taught us to strive for perfection and to do everything we do to the best of our ability, and this is what I aim for. I have been able to give senior management ideas about how the office could be structured differently from my education. Thank you for your passion and knowledge of the subject. I always felt assured that you had extremely broad knowledge of whatever subject you were talking about, and the way you presented the information was fun and educational. My experience at PLNU would have been much different had I chosen a different route, and I am more than happy with my choice of Organizational Communication. I think this is the most practical major that PLNU offered, and my career will be better for it.

Karen Fitzgerald
Countrywide Home Loans

"Now that I have graduated, I wanted to take some time to tell you thank you and let you know how much of an impact you have made on my life. First of all, you run an awesome program. Every aspect you covered in all of my communication classes has been vital in my life whether it be for personal reasons, organizational reasons, or evaluation of others' communication. I am a more confident person and speaker. Your classes and of course you, pushed me way beyond what I thought I had inside of me. You believed in me! Thank you! Looking back you have given me so many tools to use in my career and better yet in my everyday life. Take care and please keep doing what you're doing because you're helping people like me feel like an achiever."

God Bless,
Dominique Battaglia

"I just wanted to write and update you on how I was doing. I am working as an Associate in the Acquisitions Division for Burnham Real Estate Services. It is a phenomenal commercial real estate firm that did over $2.1 billion in transactions last year. There are days when I am on the phones and days when I am doing research for trends, cap rates, and overall expertise of the San Diego County commercial real estate sector. I am trying to let God use my gifts to the fullest here. The knowledge I have acquired throughout the Point Loma years is due largely in part to the Organizational Communication major and I thank you for the life skills. Even in this office, people take for granted the understanding of the psychology of the communication process (just a small piece of what I learned). I could talk about it all day, but it wouldn't make any sense to preach it to a man who taught it to me! Talk to you soon.

Oscar Flores
Associate
Burnham Multifamily Services

“I got a job here at CB Richard Ellis. I’m doing a lot of market research, and analysis for Industrial pieces of property. The interview talked a lot about research and COM465 came in pretty handy there! I probably never said this during classes or school, but THANK YOU so much for all of the things you teach in your different classes. I know that’s such a general statement, but there ARE so many things that do apply in the work place I’ve seen already.”

Josh Stude
Researcher, Information Management
CB Ellis Richard Ellis, San Diego

“I’m living in Valencia, California, and I’m an agent with New York Life (selling life insurance, annuities, setting up retirement plans, etc). You classes were the most helpful in what I’m doing now, so I just wanted to give you a shout our and say THANKS!”

Later,
Bret Martin

The skills I learned at Point Loma in the Communications department help me everyday. What I do on a daily basis includes negotiation, writing, business proposals, speaking in front of groups, leading small groups, marketing, persuasion, problem solving and dealing with people from different cultures and nationalities. Talk about interpersonal communication! Thank you for your influence in my studies and life and thank you for the way you really turned around the COM department since your arrival at PLNU. May God bless your future in whatever path you take.

Marina Pelren (1997)
Registrations Officer
International House, San Diego

"I wanted to touch bases and let you know that I have recently applied to teach college at a community college in Corpus Christi, TX. I hope that all is well out your direction. I miss you all very much. You have been a huge influence on me and I truly hope that someday I touch my students the way you have me. Thanks again for everything."

Donna Elkey (1997)
University of Eastern New Mexico

"I know it has been a long time but Iwant to say thank you. I will start with an excellent business consulting firmin Seattle when I return from teaching in Japan this July, and I have you tothank for that. It became clear to me in my interviews that no professor hasinfluenced my thinking as profoundly as you did. It was truly a privilege to beyour student and your friend."

Jenni Burgess (1999)
BusinessAnalyst
DeloitteConsulting

I recently accepted a job with JP Morgan Chase in La Jolla, and I know that I would not have had this job, or the ability to be as successful if it were not for the life lessons and educational insight that I received at PLNU.

Erik Erwin (2000)
JP Morgan Chase

“My communication major has assisted me in developing key insights and understanding in my work with people in a variety of organizational settings. The study of communication enables one to engage in a process of life-long learning, involvement, and change management.”

President Robert Brower, Ph.D.
Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA
(Formerly CEO Nazarene Publishing House)

“Communication opens more doors than any others major...many employers view communication majors as better equipped to contribute to a fast-changing, information-based environment. No other major offers as much flexibility.”

Blythe Camenson (1997)
Great Jobs for Communication Majors

“I just wanted to drop you a quick note to say thank you for preparing me for the workforce. The Management & Organizational Communication major and my involvement with the Debate Team have proved extremely helpful in the “real world.” After graduation I obtained a terrific job for a banking software company (Jack Henry and Associates), the number one internet banking product in the United States. I believe much of my success can be attributed to your classes and my experience with Debate at Point Loma.”

C. Leilani Carver (1999)
Product Manager
Jack Henry and Associates

“I just wanted to say “hi.” I hope you are having a wonderful year. Thank you for the time and energy you put into teaching. I learned a great deal and everyday I am able to use the communication skills that you taught. My employers are really impressed with my “people skills”. I was promoted from Administrative Assistant to Human Resource Coordinator within three months of employment. I handle all of the recruiting, interviewing, hiring, retaining, supervising, firing, benefits, worker’s comp, and a lot of other things…thanks!”

Bethany (McLeLan) Coffer (1999)


“I accepted a job in hi-tech public relations with Ketchum in Silicon Valley. Ketchum is the world’s seventh largest agency and we do all sorts of marketing and PR. I’m the Account Coordinator on the FedEx team. Thus far I have done quite a bit of competitive research, I’m learning day-to-day activities and I’ve even had the opportunity to pitch a story. It’s funny how in college I had a hard time reading the front page of the WSJ and now I’m trying to get our stories on it! I’ve done a few presentations on my research, so my education has come in handy, and for those of you still wondering, PLNU actually does amount to more than just the nice, framed and matted diploma hanging on your office wall!”

Sarah DeVore (2000)

“This major instilled in me the skills necessary to be successful in a complex marketplace. G.L.’s program works and helped me transition form intern to fulltime employee. Every day I am amazed to see what he taught operating in real life and I’m confident I know how to respond.”

Chris Gentzkow (2000)
Commercial Real Estate
CB Richard Ellis, Inc.

“I know the skills I learned form this major have EVERYTHING to do with how many job offers I received. No matter what the trade, every company needs someone with good communication skills.”

Melissa Lazaro (1997)
Corporate Trainer & Consultant
RSM McGladrey Co.

“My Management & Organizational Communication degree has enabled me to be successful both in life an in the business world. Whether intentionally utilized with clients, or unintentionally with coworkers, the art of communication is a vital aspect of success. The communications major is so broad that it allows the student the opportunity to be well-rounded, which is critical in the business world.”

Daniel L. Little II (1997)
Account Executive
Ikon Office Solutions

"As an organizational communication professor working within a business school where connections with business are valued, it is clear to me that communication is gaining momentum. The top business schools are recognizing that their emphasis on finance has gotten them just so far. The best finance expert in the world is of little value if she cannot express herself, negotiate, persuade, and affiliate.”

Kathleen Kelley Reardon, Ph.D.
Marshall School of Business
University of Southern California

“Communication in today’s society is the most vital aspect of success. The various core communication classes I took at PLNU truly developed the skills I needed to compete in the “real world.’”

Trevor A. Shaw (1997)
Director of Sales
American Behavioral Benefits Managers
Birmingham, AL

“I can’t emphasize enough my gratitude to Point Loma Nazarene University and especially to the Communication Studies Department. I felt completely prepared in the work force. I found that I had a more advanced approach to my work, my presentations, and demeanor because of the mentoring by you and other faculty that have touched my life. I believe it was because of the close relationships I was able to develop with you and others and the rigorous hands-on training that I experienced on a regular basis, that have helped me in my career. Thank you for all of your hard work and for investing in me and for your continual friendship and mentoring.”

Marisa Sproles (2000)
Director of Client Services/ Business Development
Fresno Falcons Professional Hockey

“G. L., I wanted to take a moment to thank you. While I understand this first year of Law School will be difficult as far as workload and peer-competition is concerned, I truly feel that I have developed many of the tools necessary to thrive in this environment. Thank you again for providing so many excellent classes, as well as helping to develop the crucial skills that I am using daily.”

Joel Thickins (2000)
School of Law
Pepperdine University

“ . . . your class in Organizational Communication (COM340) should be required for every major because the ideas that are presented in that class are practiced everyday I go to work.”

John Walchle (1997)
Instructor
New Horizons Computer Center
Boise, Idaho

“Choosing to pursue this degree was one of the wisest choices I ever made. I am utilizing, in my job, everything I learned including management, business, and communication skills.”

Nicholas Wolf (1997)
Human Resources Administrator
TOPS Staffing Solutions

"Thought I might surprise you with mail from Gothenburg, Sweden. It's very cold here and I am really missing the warm climate! I never really got to thank you for three wonderful years at PLNU. I think you should have all the credit for helping me throughout college. Right now I am working as a product specialist for a medical company named Eli Lilly. I speak in front of people everyday; I really feel that the communications classes have helped me become a better speaker - thanks!

Nicklas Rohdin (2001)
Product Specialist
Eli Lilly

"Recently, I landed a job at the Center for Creative Leadership in La Jolla. I am a program coordinator. That means I get to introduce our different programs here at the beginning to the participants and act as the liaison between the center and them. I want to say thank you! You are by far the best professor I have ever had. I feel that communication is the most valuable skill that I have learned in college. The ability to position oneself and negotiate expectations with superiors stems from that, and confidence in oneself and the eagerness to learn and do well will get you far. Thanks for the lessons you taught about life and keep telling your fiery stories!"

Jim Rinehart (2001)
Program Coordinator
Center for Creative Leadership

"Now that I have entered the 'Real World'; I can unequivocally say that this Major provided me with more insight into the corporate world then I could have ever imagined. The preparation I received in communication, understanding management styles, and gathering & analyzing data helps me on a daily basis. My sincere & heartfelt 'Thanks' to you!

"I think everyone should be an MOCM Major - well, at least those who want a solidy foundation and introduction to the business/real world!!"

"If I could go back and do it all again - I wouldn't change a thing. G.L. Forward is the professor that pushed me - leading me to where I am today."

"An MOCM degree from PLNU has helped me think creatively and critically in order to solve problems"

"I felt at the time and still do feel that MOCM is relevant to any career path a person chooses to follow and I'm most grateful for that"