Samford  University's Department of Journalism and Mass Communication and Communication Studies has joined related programs from more than 40 other colleges and universities in the National Millennial/Gen Z Community organization. The group participates in multi-generational discussions with key influencers in business and government with a goal of informing one another on Millennial and Gen Z thought and challenging misconceptions created by generation gaps. Fall Zoom conferences brought students together with representatives of Singapore Airlines, Disney Channel, IBM and The RAND Corporation.

“In a typical meeting, we will pose questions to the company to learn more about who they are and what they do, and then they will pose a series of questions to us, centered on learning how we think or perceive certain issues or the work they do,” said student Kaitlyn Baker, who serves on Samford’s team with Molly Helms, Abby Chiles, Thomas Cleveland and Sam Carbonara. “It’s been awesome to learn from some of the biggest leaders in the business world — to learn what they look for when they hire employees, and their advice for us as rising young professionals.”

The students participate in the conferences and blog about their experiences as part of a public relations practicum for professor Betsy Emmons. Emmons helped develop a similar remote learning and networking project with Samford’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter this summer. Both initiatives support the department’s commitment to providing career-oriented learning experiences while the COVID-19 pandemic limits in-person guest speakers and internships.