Laker Nation News

The newly updated speech and radio/TV programs are now housed together under a new Communication Studies department, designed to facilitate students’ pathways to success in this in-demand career field.

“I have discovered so many different job opportunities people have because of a Communication Studies degree,” Salisa Hortenstine Olmsted, division chair Humanities & Communications/Communication Studies/English instructor, said. “This is why we want to focus our courses now on COM, so students can recognize this and say ‘Wow, I can do a lot with that major’.”

All speech classes and radio/TV broadcasting classes are now indicated with a prefix of “COM” versus the previous “SPE” and “RTV” prefixes respectively.

Communication Studies Instructor Eva Ritchey said one advantage of the new prefix is that it will decrease the likelihood of misunderstandings about content and majors. Under the divided prefixes, she said some students misinterpreted the content of a course or what someone was studying based on the designation of the courses the student was taking.

“I think the communication prefix is going to be so helpful,” Ritchey said. “It really encompasses what we teach and will hopefully eliminate some confusion.”

Another lasting benefit of making the shift to the new prefix is the adaptation to a more modern understanding of the Communication field of study.

“Communication study has never been more important in our world,” Communication Studies Instructor Ed Thomas said. “As devices occupy more and more space in our lives, people are messaging more than ever. Communication study helps give messages context, and allows us to see how those messages and devices affect humanity.”

With communication being an important factor in many career fields, Communication Studies gives students opportunities to succeed in several areas. Social media, television, writing and many other career areas rely on strong communication skills to accomplish tasks and goals.

“The change puts us on a more even playing field with other institutions,” Speech Communication Studies/Broadcasting Instructor Greg Powers said. “The opportunities students have in Communications and Humanities here at Lake Land College are second to none when it comes to community colleges and even many four-year institutions.”

To learn more about communications opportunities at Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu/guided-pathways and explore Humanities and Social Science.