Stony Brook University, NY Women in Communications form partnership

Stony Brook University is one of the first universities to form a partnership with New York Women in Communications (NYWICI), a professional organization for women in journalism, broadcasting, public relations, corporate communications, advertising and related fields.

Stony Brook is part of NYWICI's inaugural group of three university partners along with New York University and LIM College.

"I attended my first NYWICI Student Careers Conference about 15 years ago, long before we had a School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook, and have greatly enjoyed being connected to them over the years," said Marianna Savoca, associate vice president for Career Readiness and Experiential Education and NYWICI member. "I am especially excited to develop closer relationships with NYWICI and its constituents to benefit Stony Brook students, as well as interested faculty and staff."

The partnership is open to students from across majors and programs at Stony Brook. Students are invited to join NYWICI's Rising Star program, a free membership option open to college students and alumnae younger than 26 years old.

The partnership also gives faculty and staff from relevant areas also receive free annual membership. Membership provides access to networking and mentorship, special virtual and in-person events, and volunteer opportunities, among other benefits.

"I'm so excited to bring the power of NYWICI directly to campuses like SBU to expand students' networks - and perhaps expand the way they think about careers in media," said Megan Hess, who serves on the NYWICI Board of Directors as vice president of academic engagement. "Even though the industry is changing rapidly, so much of it is still about who you know."

In addition to Savoca's connection to the organization, its immediate past president is Georgia Galanoudis, a 1988 Stony Brook graduate. Over the past year, Savoca and Madeline Rosenberg, the career coach for the School of Communication and Journalism, have worked closely with NYWICI to connect Stony Brook students with the organization, encouraging students to attend events and apply for scholarships, and introducing SoCJ faculty and others to the organization.

Last spring, Laura Lindenfeld, dean of the SoCJ, and Viola Flowers, a senior journalism student, attended the organization's annual Matrix Awards that honor top women in communications. The 2024 honorees included Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth and Nina Garcia, editor-in-chief of Elle magazine and Project Runway judge, among others.

"More and more of our students are interested in exploring careers in communications, like social media content creation, branding or video and podcast production," said Laura Lindenfeld, who is also the executive director of the Alda Center for Communicating Science. "Thanks to our excellent partners in the Career Center, our students have more opportunities to explore these fields in internships and professional organizations like NYWICI. I'm confident SoCJ and other Stony Brook students will take full advantage of this new opportunity."

In addition to the networking benefits, Stony Brook students may have the opportunity to volunteer with the organization, gain special access to events, and participate in special programs designed for the SBU community. As the partnership expands across the university, students from across academic programs will be able to join NYWICI events and expand their professional networks. In time, additional career opportunities may come through relationships with members' employers as well.

Founded in 1929, New York Women in Communications aims to empower women working in communications fields throughout their careers, and to help them navigate a complex and ever-changing industry. The organization has more than 2,500 members and its board of directors includes leading executives from Forbes, IBM, Salesforce, Uber Advertising and several branding agencies, among others.

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