The School of Communication is committed to supporting Ohio State University’s efforts to promote inclusive excellence. Welcoming differences, making connections among people and ideas, and upholding equal rights are among OSU’s core shared values. These ideas are also at the heart of the College of Art and Science’s vision of what a 21st century land-grant university should be.
In the School, we have been pursuing these goals in a variety of ways. For instance, in February we embarked on a partnership with the NBCU Academy. The NBCU Academy works to elevate the next generation of journalists by providing tools and resources that help underrepresented communities have a stronger pipeline into newsrooms across media and technology. Through this partnership, our students have access to NBCU Academy’s regular virtual programming, NBCU reporters are engaging our students in the classroom, and the company is actively encouraging our students to apply for internship and career opportunities.
In April, we awarded the first eight scholarships funded by the NBCU Academy. These awards are designed to support students who are pursuing careers in the news industry and who are committed to creating content reflective of diverse communities.
Our student organizations are another way we are working to promote inclusive excellence. For example, the Black Advertising Strategic Communication Association (BASCA) has formed partnerships with top marketing and PR firms, including G&S Communications and The Shipyard, to establish internships and mentoring programs. And last November, BASCA members, led by faculty advisor Prof. Osei Appiah, traveled to New York City, where students had a chance to meet with representatives from several companies including Spotify, Showtime, Warner Music Group, Victoria’s Secret, G&S Communications, and WeWork. Following this trip, G&S Communication put together a pair of podcasts, one featuring Prof. Appiah and the other focusing on three current BASCA members.
These opportunities, and others like them, can pay big dividends for our students after graduation. Here are just a few examples of the success that our recent graduates are having. Adrian Ward (’21) is a consulting analyst at Accenture, a leading consulting firm. Ezequiel Herrera (’20) is a talent acquisition specialist for Southwest Airlines. Akayla Gardner (‘21) works as a White House Reporter for Bloomberg News and recently appeared on air covering President Biden’s trip to New York on MSNBC. And Santiererra “Santi” Hutson works for U.S. News and World Reports, and recently helped launch the publication’s Best Places to Retire List in November of last year.
It's not just recent graduates who are making waves. Katelyn Jackson Nnake (’06), the head of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Corporate Social Responsibility for Klaviyo, was recently named an Emerging Leader by the College of Arts and Sciences. Nnake also recently finished her term as a member of the Greater Washington Urban League Board of Directors and currently serves as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Corporate Advisory Council.
The School is proud of our students and alumni, and of the ways that we have been able to help them prepare for their careers. There’s more work to do, but we have a clear path forward.
Kelly Garrett
Director, School of Communication
