From the Dean

As you scroll through this newly reformatted version of The Communicator, I hope the value of a multimedia platform for our stories becomes apparent. In this “issue,” you’ll have the chance to hear our faculty and students tell you their stories, and you can see their work much more readily.

After all, most of our students’ work is now produced digitally and our faculty teach using multimedia tools and techniques. This is important, as we’re preparing our students to enter a world of work and citizenship where they must be effective in the online realm.

That’s not to say we’re abandoning print entirely. Our Annual Report — a publication that is meant to have a long shelf life and serve as a reference of sorts for the Bellisario College — will come to you in your mailbox later this summer.

I loved poking around the site and discovering its features, and I hope you do, too. In the process, I was able to listen to a podcast from our Hollywood program, rewatch Vince Sadusky’s entertaining and wisdom-laden virtual commencement speech, and search the Alumni Notes section to see photos and blurbs about alumni across the decades.

I was also able to watch the “Year in Review” video and relive great memories. This video captures the truly unprecedented nature of the past academic year, as we moved quickly and successfully to remote instruction from mid-March to early May.

An especially timely story focuses on the challenges our alumni in television news and sports are facing as they strive to practice great journalism in the midst of a pandemic. Most of the alumni whose stories appear have graduated in the past five years. They have been well prepared for this moment, thanks to their experience with the award-winning “Centre County Report.”

I hope that as you explore the site, you’ll continue to be impressed with the breadth and depth of our faculty, staff and student talent and the impact of our programs, which reach beyond the University.

I also hope you’ll give editor Steve Sampsell your feedback about what worked for you (and what didn’t). Our goal is to make The Communicator a source of news and inspiration for you.

As we forge into the fall semester with our Back to State plans, I look forward to sharing our ongoing success with you.

Stay in touch!