Communications

The face of communications is constantly changing. The Communications Program in the Shields School of Business embraces this change by integrating websites, blogs, social media and state-of-the-art technology into our program. Students who graduate from our program are prepared for the diverse landscape of today’s professional world.

LEARN

Our Communications curriculum is comprehensive and our graduates are skilled in all facets of the profession. They develop technical skills in Desktop Publishing, Web Design and Digital Editing classes. They build strategic skills in Public Relations, Advertising and Social Media Strategies courses.
EXPERIENCE
Our students develop their skills in state-of-the-art facilities. In our media lab and television studio, they produce, design and edit content for video, web and print. They work on the staff of our campus newspaper; they work behind the scenes and on air with our Division I athletics teams; they become Communications professionals.
ACHIEVE
Our students gain experience in Communications through internships on campus, in industry, and around the globe. Our students have interned with collegiate and professional sports teams, international fashion companies and regional and national publications. They present their work at academic conferences and consult with professional organizations.
DEVELOP
At Saint Francis, you will become a Communications professional prepared to make an impact. We will provide the education you need for success and facilitate networking opportunities with professionals in the field.
Communications Program Chair
Dr. Kelly Rhodes
p. 814.472.3379
KRhodes@francis.edu
Meet Our Faculty

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Majors & Minors

Curriculum

Career Opportunities

Majors & Minors

Majors:
Communications, B.S. - Course Catalog Major Requirements | Download Plan of Study
Communications, B.S. + Digital Concentration - Course Catalog Major Requirements | Download Plan of Study
Communications, B.S. + Digital and IMC Concentrations - Course Catalog Major Requirements | Download Plan of Study
Communications B.S. + IMC Concentration - Course Catalog Major Requirements | Download Plan of Study
Communications + Marketing, B.S. - Download Plan of Study
Minor:
Communications Minor - Course Catalog Major Requirements
Digital Media Minor - Course Catalog Major Requirements

Curriculum

Social Media Strategies introduces students to the strategic use of digital and social media platforms within the communications industry. This convergence course requires students to utilize various social media techniques to interact with audiences across various business, journalism and public relations fields.
Multi-Platform Storytelling affords students the opportunity to develop communications messages across a range of media platforms. Students sharpen their writing, design, editing and production skills while creating content for use within multiple media environments.
Sports Reporting introduces students to the fundamentals of sports writing and broadcasting, as well as careers in athletic media relations. Students develop the skills and abilities to produce and package sports content for today's convergent media environment. They are also introduced to sports broadcasting, statistical analysis and event management.
Internship Credits are built into the major so students gain "real-world" experience and complete their studies at the same time.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of our Communications program are prepared to find success in a wide array of media and communications fields. Graduates of our program have moved on to a variety of careers in the industry, including advertising, broadcasting, corporate communication, journalism and public relations. Saint Francis Communications majors interested in continuing their education following their undergraduate studies have advanced to graduate schools across the country.
Here are some of the career paths you may choose to pursue:
Advertising
Print Journalism
Photojournalism
Videography
Event Planning
Public Relations
TV/Radio/Internet
Media Relations
Magazines
Graphic Design
Desktop Publishing
Film Industry
Combating COVID-19 with Licensing Reform

Director Dr. Edward Timmons, Legislative Research Analyst Ethan Bayne, and Research Analyst Conor Norris compiled a policy brief discussing the emergency occupational licensing reforms for combating COVID-19. The report identifies two categories: emergency reforms by state and emergency reforms by type of reform. Visit our website to find the full summary.

SFU Alum Combines Nursing Career with Military Service

Thanks to Saint Francis University's military-friendly options, Sarah was able to graduate from the top Nursing program in the nation and become a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army through IUP's elite ROTC Warrior Battalion program.

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CSOR and Shields School of Business Travel to NYC

CSOR team members, Shields School of Business faculty, and 21 students within the Shields School of Business traveled to New York City from Thursday 2/20 to Saturday 2/22 to take an exclusive guided tour of the New York Stock Exchange and connect with SFU alumni.

The students also had the opportunity to meet Chris Conroy, Class of 1984 and Senior Vice President of Wealth Management at UBS Financial, and Caleb Brantner, Class of 2014 and Senior Associate at the Citadel.
The trip was funded by the Dr. Albert A Zanzuccki Chair in Business Administration.

CSOR Expands the Research Affiliate Team

The Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation is happy to announce our newest research affiliate, Dr. Maria Koumenta. Dr. Koumenta is an Assistant Professor of Labor Economics at Queen Mary University of London. She is an expert on occupational regulation, currently leading research in the EU and UK, and will now serve as the CSOR Senior Research Affiliate.
Learn more about Dr. Koumenta here >

CSOR Assists High School Student in Student Research Day

CSOR Director of Public Policy Research and Academic Programs Emily Vargo (left) assisted Miss. Gibson (right) throughout the summer in conducting research on her poster topic: Assessing the Effects of Occupational Licensing Regulation on Optician Dispensing Growth Rates Across the U.S.
Miss. Gibson presented her research at the 9th annual SFU Student Research Day. After completing research and entering the information into our database, Miss. Gibson formulated a poster to present.
Dr. Edward Timmons wrote an article on optician licensing in the United States.

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CSOR's Veteran Survey Goes Live

The Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation transitions into year two of the PA project with the U.S. Department of Labor, studying the effects occupational licensing has on veteran and military spouses.
In order to access and gather data, the Center developed an IRB-approved survey. The goal of the survey is to help the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania distinguish the needs of servicemen and servicewomen, and their spouses, as it pertains to occupational licensing.
The survey will be distributed throughout the Commonwealth, asking questions to determine any barriers of employment for veterans and military spouses. After the completion of the survey, an academic and impartial recommendation will be made.
If you are a veteran or a military spouse and are interested in our survey, please visit our website or take the survey here!

DePasquale Hosts Open Discussion on Veteran Workforce

CSOR Director Edward Timmons and VP of Government Affairs and Public Relations Alanna Wilson attended the roundtable discussion that focused on the Veteran workforce barriers. The Auditor General DePasquale hosted the open forum at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
Learn More Here >

10th Annual Poster Session

The Shields School of Business at Saint Francis University held the Dr. Albert Zanzuccki Endowed Chair 10th Annual Spring Poster Session on April 15, 2019. Twenty undergraduates and graduate students presented academic research at this year's event, six of which were CSOR members. Students conducted and presented innovative research on topics related to business, marketing analytics, human resources and economics for the Saint Francis community to enjoy.
This poster session, organized by Emily Vargo, Director of Policy Research and Academic Programs for CSOR, had the highest student participation rate in its 10 years.

CSOR Receives VALLO Grant to Help Veterans Earn Degrees

The Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation has received a 3-year, 1 million dollar grant under the Veteran's Accelerated Learning for Licensed Occupations (VALLO). The grant will allow Saint Francis University to launch the Veterans Acceleration Learning Program (VALP). The VALLO grant, and the previously awarded 3-year DOL project, will allow CSOR to better examine and spread research of military portability, skill set transferring, and the demographic data of PA licenses.

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ENACTUS Team Wins National Award for Uwork Program

The Uwork pilot project provided a series of hands-on professional development workshops to job-seekers through community partners.

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Enactus team mentors job-seekers through Uwork pilot project

Through Uwork, our students gained real-world experience while offering a needed service in the community. These students provided training in career development knowledge areas such as non-verbal/soft skills, self-esteem, and professional writing and composition.

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Diving In With Mike Amenti

Some students know exactly what they want to major in, and what career path they'll take before they enroll in college. But many don't. Read about Mike Amenti's non-traditional journey to complete his degrees.

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Exec-In-Residence John T. Carson Inspires Business Students

Alum Carson is the Vice President of Health and Wealth Administration at Alight Solutions Enterprise in Boston, a leading provider of human capital solutions.

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Enactus Club Hosts “Executive Round Table” at the Center for Community Action

The event was part of Enactus’ Uwork project, a student-led initiative designed to provide training and skills to high-risk job seekers in Central PA.

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Business Students Go Behind the Scenes in Washington D.C.

Alumnus Daron Denny led the business students on a two hour private evening tour of the US Capitol.

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Alex Kiepert: Building a Future in Finance

Alex Kiepert is a freshman double majoring in Accounting and Finance at the Shields School of Business.

Learn more about Alex

Kovatch Named as Finalist for Senior CLASS Award

Saint Francis senior guard Jess Kovatch has been named as a finalist for the 2018-19 Senior CLASS Award.

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Top Business Execs Attend Dr. Zan Lecture in Honor of Former Alum

Top investment managers from two leading financial service companies visited Saint Francis University to honor Mr. Terry Laughlin.

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Shields' Business Leaders Recognized on Top 100 List

Dr. Randy Frye and Nicole Bauman have been named to Pennsylvania Business Central's Top 100 People list.

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David Butler: From Soccer Star to International Sports Marketer

Saint Francis soccer alum David Butler ('12) always dreamed of a professional career in soccer but has used his SFU marketing background to secure the next best thing.

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SFU Named 2019 Sheetz Premier Tier School Partner

Saint Francis University has been named a 2019 Sheetz Premier Tier School Partner. It is the second consecutive year SFU has earned the achievement.

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Accounting and Finance Grad Featured in New York Times

Lindsay Corner, a 2015 Accounting and Finance graduate, was recently highlighted in a New York Times article titled "Young Women Have to Play Catch-Up in Retirement Savings".

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Marketing Students Work with Local Businesses

Students presented their findings to business owners at the Shields School of Business on December 11th.

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Business Students Partner with Johnstown's Vision 2025

“Our students have gained resume-building, real-word experience while contributing the Vision’s grassroots efforts to help revitalize a local area. Their work is a win for the both the partner and the students.”

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Communications Students Present Social Media Strategies to Chamber of Commerce

Communications majors presented Social Media Strategies for Non-profits at the Blair County Chamber of Commerce on Friday, December 7, 2018.

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Ali Evans: Seizing Every Business Opportunity

Ali Evans is a Finance and Accounting major at the Shields School of Business. She is graduating in December 2018.

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Executive-In-Residence: Andrew Maloney

Andrew graduated in 2005 with a B.S. in Management and minors in History and Political Science. He now works for a boutique hockey agency that represents players from Canada and Europe in the NHL, AHL and European leagues.

Learn more:

MBA and MIS Programs Named Among Top in the Nation

The Shields School of Business MBA and Management Information Systems (MIS) programs have been recognized among the top in the nation by OnlineMBAPage.org.

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Students Speak at Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence

The group spoke to 19 junior and senior high school students participating in the year-long Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), a nationwide initiative that teaches young people how to start their own businesses.

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Shields Students Talk Business at PNC Park

More than 30 Communications, Marketing, and Management students from the Shields School of Business traveled to Pittsburgh for a day-long Business Marketplace Excursion.

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University Mourns the Loss of Alumnus Terry Laughlin

Terry Laughlin was a 1977 Accounting graduate.

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Communications Dept Hosts High Schools for Journalism Competition

The Saint Francis University Communications department hosted high school students from State College, Tussey Mountain, and New Day Charter, for the Pennsylvania State Press Association student journalism competition.

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Over 30 Business Alumni Attend Mentorship Day

Over 200 Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Management, and other Business majors had the opportunity to meet with the accomplished alums, many of who were in their shoes just a few years ago.

Learn more about Mentorship Day

Shields Students Travel to CA for Enactus World Cup, Visit Google

Students from Shields School of Business traveled to San Jose, CA to attend the ENACTUS World Cup.

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Executive-in-Residence: Timothy Smith

While in Loretto, Mr. Smith met with classes, networked with students, and caught up with his former professors and mentors.

Gabrielle Garritson: Pilot in Training

There is major demand for new pilots. The industry will more than double in size over the next 20 years. Read about Gabby's reasons for becoming a pilot through the new Aviation program.

Read Gabby's Story

Accounting Student Wins Sigma Beta Delta Fellowship Award

Rebecca Kasun is the first Saint Francis University student ever selected for this prestigious academic award.

Comm Chair Wins Dissertation Award

Dr. Kelly Rhodes presented her study, Influencing Corporate Social Responsibility Decision Making in a Major League Baseball Team: A Case Study, as part of the conference.

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SFU's Roots Run Deep in Seattle

Assistant Professor of English, Dr. Roxana Cazan, along with some colleagues, truly valued meeting up with SFU alumnus, successful business leader, and generous benefactor, Mr. Bill Adamucci during a recent trip to Seattle, WA.

Learn more about their incredible trip

James Morhard: How I Survived a Plane Crash

The Saint Francis University alumnus recalls the harrowing tale of his survival of the 2010 Alaskan plane crash that killed U.S. Senator Ted Stevens.

Read his incredible story

Tiffany Farabaugh's MBA Led to Her Dream Career at Amazon

Tiffany Farabaugh’s incredible drive led her to a career at one of the largest retailers in the world.

Tiffany's story

From Military to Executive: Tami Clark Proves it's Never Too Late to Get Your Degree

Tami Clark details what it's like to be an adult learner at Saint Francis, and how the experience changed her life.

Learn more about Tami Clark

SFU Business Grads Open Meadows Ice Cream in NJ

Two Saint Francis University Shields School of Business Alums will open the 27th franchise location of the Meadows Original Frozen Custard.

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ENACTUS Team Receives Student Fellows Grant

The Shields School of Business Enactus Team is proud to announce the award of a $5000 BNY Mellon Enactus Student Fellows Project Grant.

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Backpack-to-Briefcase Partnership with Local Businesses Offers Real-World Experience

A unique partnership between local business and the Saint Francis University Shields School of Business is providing students opportunities to learn outside the classroom and engage in community outreach.

Inside the Program

Shields Professor-in-Residence Program Benefits Local High Schools

The SFU Professor in Residency Program is giving students at local Catholic high schools an opportunity to receive college credits, without leaving their classroom.

Learn more about the program

CSOR Director Published by Harvard Business Review

Dr. Edward Timmons' article, entitled "More and More Jobs Today Require a License. That's Good For Some Workers, But Not Always For Consumers", highlights the effects of occupational licensing.

Read the article

Shields Business Programs Receive Unconditional Accreditation

The Shields School of Business eight business programs fully met the IACBE's nine principles of excellence in business education without notations of improvement being required.

Learn more about accreditation

Shields Grad Receives Top Air Force Honors

Nicole Neal is the Director of Operations for the Air Force Audit Agency at Andrews Air Force Base, MD.

Read Nicole's journey from top athlete to Air Force honoree

Mentorship Program Connects SFU's Past With Future

"One one of our strengths as a university—and especially within the Shields School of Business—is the incredible success of our alumni and their strong affinity for our school and programs.”

How the SAM: Flash Forward Program works

Singing to her own tune

Sydney Petro loves to sing for special events, but upon her graduation in 2018, she has even bigger plans to become an event planner in Pittsburgh, using her marketing degree to help along the way.

Read her story

HR Game Changer

2002 Management grad Jason Hite was named a “2016 Game Changer" by Workforce Magazine.

Get the details

Back to school

The move-in dust has settled, and our students are getting down to business with the first week of classes already under their belts!

Check out statistics, video links, photo galleries and more

Extra, Extra!

The Spring/Summer 2016 issue of the Saint Francis University Magazine has hit the shelves (and is in the mail)!

Catch up on all the latest stories in this issue

Giving homeless a FareStart

What do Seattle's "most socially responsible crouton" and Saint Francis University have in common? Bill Adamucci (Economics '66), that's what.

Bill Adamucci Profile

Already reaching higher, striving to go far

Desmend, an incoming freshman in the petroleum and natural gas engineering program, is no stranger to Saint Francis University. Participating in the University’s Upward Bound Program, he was one of only 1,000 scholarship recipients, out of 53,000 applicants across the U.S.

Read his story

More than just numbers

For the past five decades Sam Ranaudo has been helping families plan for and enjoy their futures. As a chartered financial consultant, he takes pride in knowing that his advice has put generations of families through school; has prepared couples for retirement; and has provided for families in some of their most dismal times.

Read Sam's story

Poland Bound: World Youth Day 2016

Matthew Fraley (Digital Media/Marketing major) has been selected to take part in the Knights Pilgrimage to Krakow and World Youth Day 2016. Congratulations!

Learn more about the trip.

Eyeing the Goal: Pablo Medina

Pablo Medina came to Saint Francis University from Mexico City, Mexico to play Division I Soccer and now is on the cusp of leaving it as a young investment banker executive with Bank of America – Merrill Lynch.

Read Pablo's story

On a Mission

During her time at Saint Francis University, alumna Leah Kessler was heavily involved in clubs and activities. Now, she is spending time on mission trips, serving as a representative for Bausch + Lomb, where she currently works.

Alumni Profile Leah Kessler

Nationals, here we come.

The Saint Francis University chapter of ENACTUS is headed to the National Exposition after winning the title “Regional Champions” in the ENACTUS Regional Competition.

Find out when Nationals are

Happy 10th anniversary, Spring Break in London!

Founded 10 years ago by Dr. Frye, Dean of the School of Business, the Spring Break trip to London celebrated its 10th anniversary. Over the 10 ten years, approximately 210 students have made memories and experienced life abroad in London.

Read more about the trip
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