CALENDAR ITEM: MU Hosts ‘Let’s Talk,’ Communication Week, 2014

Story Contact(s):
Jeff Sossamon, sossamonj@missouri.edu, 573-882-3346

WHAT: The annual COMM Week, MU’s Department of Communication’s yearly conference, will convene April 21 – April 25 on the University of Missouri campus. This year’s theme, “Let’s Talk” includes a lineup of guest speakers including alums of the program who are presenting their life stories and successes with current communication students. Thursday will include a poster session in Stotler Lounge where undergraduate students will present their research.

“Our theme of ‘Let’s Talk’ sounds rather technophobic in this day of tweets, ‘friending,’ texting, and the Internet,” said Michael J. Porter, associate professor of mass media and chair of the Department of Communication at MU. “Yet, we thought it is perhaps even more relevant that we not forget some of the basics of face-to-face communication.”

Michael Mulvhill, BA ’94, senior vice president, programming, research and content strategy, Fox Sports Media Group, New York, will present his keynote address: “The ties that bind: sports, media, and relationships that matter,” at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 23, in Stotler II & III, Memorial Union.

Presenters also include:

• Deb Snellen, BS Ed ’79, MA ’80, director of organizational and professional development at MU, who will present her lecture, “Clichés, cultures, and competencies: overcoming barriers to leadership development for millenials,” at 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 22, in 001 Switzler Hall.
• Stan Silvey, BA ’87, director of Mizzou Network, MU Athletic Department, will present “Writing for broadcast in three,” at 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 22, in 301 Switzler Hall.
• Michael Atchison, BA ’90, JD ’93, author of “True Sons: A Century of Missouri Tigers Basketball,” will present his lecture, “How to build a better team: group cohesion, conflicts, and getting things done,” at 9 a.m., Friday, April 25, in 201 Switzler Hall.
• Ty Christian, BA ’77, managing partner, TRC Consulting Group, and former marketing strategist for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, will deliver his lecture, “The man, the movement, the memorial: the marketing of a memorial on the National Mall,” at 11 a.m., Friday, April 25, at 1209 A/B MU Student Center.

WHERE: MU campus, see conference website for details.

WHEN: Monday, April 21 – Friday, April 25

NOTE: The seminar series is free and open to the public.

For more information, please visit: http://communication.missouri.edu/?q=comm-week