Flagler College announces Communication Week 2012

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL (02/14/2012)(readMedia)-- Flagler College will be hosting the seventh annual Communication Week March 5-9. Communication Week will feature speakers with a variety of backgrounds and experience in all areas of communication. Industry professionals will share their knowledge with students by talking about their careers and offering industry-related advice. Communication Week will also feature open discussion panels with communication professionals, as well as an alumni panel, comprised of Flagler College alumni who have been successful in the communication industry.

"There is a diversification of professionals coming in this year that we have not had in past years. The speakers at COM Week bring a sense of convergence, proving that communication is not just public relations, journalism, or advertising, it is everything coming together into an integrated package," said Rosemary Tutt, APR, CPRC, and assistant professor of communication and faculty coordinator for Communication Week 2012.

This year, Flagler College is proud to welcome the Emmy-award winning Chris Gordon as the keynote speaker for Communication Week 2012. Gordon, a legal analyst and reporter for NBC4, lawyer, and founder of LawScope, has worked in the industry for over 25-years as a TV anchor, reporter, and interviewer. Gordon has been a legal analyst for Court TV and has appeared on numerous television networks and radio stations across the country to discuss trials, court decisions and Supreme Court rulings. Gordon has won Emmy's in the categories of "Hard News," "Outstanding Program" and "Best Feature." Gordon has also received the American Bar Associations Certificate of Merit twice for his TV series "How to Sue in Small Claims Court."

"Communications students can have direct face to face contact with professionals in all aspects of the communication field. Students can ask questions, get business cards, and make an initial contact for internships or jobs. There are all kinds of opportunities students can take advantage of at COM Week," said Professor and Communication Department Chair Dr. Tracy Halcomb.

Speakers at Communication Week include Deirdre Breakenridge, a PR industry veteran, member of PRSA, author, and co-founder of PRStudChat, an interactive twitter account that allows her to have conversations with Public Relations students and professors; Sonia Thomasino, the producer of Jacksonville Fashion Week; Kevin Punsky & Cynthia Weiss, of Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville; Sam Kouvaris, a sportscaster for WJXT -TV- Jacksonville; and Lou Dubois, a Flagler alum who will speak about the convergence of journalism and social media. There will also be a panel discussion with local film makers.

Gordon is scheduled to speak at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 5. Additional presenters and in-class speakers will be scheduled at various times throughout the week. All presentations by featured speakers will take place in the Gamache-Koger Theater of the Ringhaver Student Center, 50 Sevilla St. Panels, keynote and featured speakers will be open to the public. For real time updates and details about COM Week, follow Flagler College PRSSA @FCPRSSA and search for the hashtag #FlaglerCom.

The Flagler College chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America and the Flagler College Communication Department sponsor and host this event each spring.

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Flagler College is an independent, four-year, comprehensive baccalaureate college located in St. Augustine, Fla. The college offers 24 majors, 29 minors and two pre-professional programs, the largest majors being business, education and communication. Small by intent, Flagler College has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, as well as a satellite campus at Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, Fla. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review regularly feature Flagler as a college that offers quality education at a relatively low cost; tuition is $22,500, including room and board. A relatively young institution (founded in 1968), Flagler College is also noted for the historic beauty of its campus. The main building is Ponce de Leon Hall, built in 1887 as a luxury resort by Henry Flagler, who co-founded the Standard Oil Company with John D. Rockefeller. For more on Flagler College, visit www.flagler.edu.

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