SCSU upgrades Department of Mass Communication & Film facilities with new spaces for marketing, film classes

The recently-formed Department of Mass Communication and Film Studies has undergone huge renovations in their learning spaces this semester, creating an upgraded learning environment for students and professors.

A stunning difference is noticeable as you walk into the department offices in Stewart Hall Room 125. While the space had formerly served as a front office reception area, students and faculty saw the potential for it to be more.

They came to Facilities with the idea to open up the space to create a welcoming, collaborative area for students that could serve as the headquarters for their student-run advertising agency, Husky Agency. It also created new space for the University Chronicle newspaper to utilize for its offices.

Facilities installed new LED lights, replaced ceiling tiles, modified walls and painted the walls to create a revitalized space. The work was also supported in part by a grant from Forum Communications.

"The new space mimics a real-world agency with flexible, multi-use space for brainstorming, small-team activities, client meetings, and presentations," said Dr. Heidi Everett, associate professor of strategic communications. "It supports Husky Agency's work better than a traditional classroom."

This semester the class has worked with Anna Marie's Alliance women's shelter on video production, Sauk River Chain of Lakes Association with market research, Wright County Community Action and District 742 Full-service Community School program with brand identity development and the SCSU Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education with social media strategy.

Kate Randall is a senior majoring in professional communication with a mass communications minor, and she works as the current strategic communications intern. The new space places her directly in the center of department life.

"This space is amazing because it gives students a central place to work, collaborate and hang out," Randall said. "I have enjoyed using the space for my own work. It helps me be more involved with Husky Agency and the University Chronicle. This space is inviting and easy to access; hopefully this space excites more students to join the University Chronicle and be active in Mass Communications."

Film Studies Classroom: "A gem of a teaching space"

Stewart Hall Room 220 is just one of nearly 60 classrooms upgraded throughout the summer into early fall.

Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Raymond Philippot approached film studies professors Brad Chisholm and Chris Jordan with an opportunity: help redesign the space into a specific room for their students.

"We got everything we wanted; it's a room custom-tailored to showing movies and talking about movies," Jordan said, who has been teaching at SCSU for 20 years. "It's just a gem of a teaching space."

The room added stadium seating rows, blacked out windows, dark walls, excellent acoustics and a state-of-the-art projection system with a perforated screen.

The professors are also enthusiastic about the reliability of the technology in their new classroom. Chisholm, who has taught at SCSU for over three decades, said students have raved about the new room. The space has an intimate feeling that is excellent for conversation.

"They feel their major is being supported," Chisholm said. "When the film students see they have a new film classroom, they feel the University has got their backs."

"We truly felt like it was a vote of confidence," Jordan added. "It's such a good tool that projects that to the students."

Learn more about the Department of Mass Communication & Film.