In What Ways Can I Help?

          Communication Studies

Communication is central to the two major areas of our life: relationships and work.

The number one skill managers and people in all kinds of organizations say they want in their employees is communication. Corporations need people who have good communication skills. Individuals who eventually have problematic and unstable career paths show evidence of poor communication patterns as early as childhood. Departments such as ours are the places where people build and refine their understanding and analysis of interactions, presentations, and perceptions.

The major cause reported for the failure of marriages and other committed relationships is poor communication. Over and over one reads of the problems with communication which lead to the disruption, dysfunction, and termination of relationships. People tend to think communication skill is just “trial and error” or “common sense,” and they proceed to act in ways which damage their most important relationships. Departments such as ours are the places where people build and refine their understanding and analysis of interpersonal interactions, perceptions, and skills for the development and maintenance of relationships.
Communication problems are fundamental to most social problems and negative decisions people make; for example, racism and homophobia, health risk behaviors, interpersonal violence. Departments of Communication Studies are the places where young adults build and refine their understanding and analysis of message formation, decisions, and communicative interactions.

In order to build and maintain high quality faculty, educational resources for our many students, and experiential learning opportunities, private support is necessary. We deal with an incredibly important aspect of human behavior, and our classes are among the highest enrolled at WVU. Help us spread the word about communication studies.

COMMUNICATION STUDIES PRIORITIES

• Lecture or Colloquium Series to enable distinguished visitors to be invited to the department to interact with students and faculty
• Contributions to the Communication Studies Library Endowment
• Endowment to support Graduate Student Travel
• Funds to establish an Outstanding Graduate Student Award
• Endowed Chair or Professorship position dedicated to Communication Studies research