Internships
The Department of Communication encourages students to participate in an internship during their junior or senior years. Internships benefit students in a number of ways, including:
- Students will get a feel for the ways in which an education in communication is translated into the world of work.
- An internship will advance that education even further.
- Students will be more viable in the job market upon graduation because of their experience.
The Department is committed to developing internship opportunities for all Communication majors whether your major is Media and Public (COMM) or Interpersonal and Group (COMI). Students within the various communications programs have interned at many different types of sites, including broadcast stations, advertising agencies, and social service organizations. We will work with you to find an appropriate site for your internship, although your active pursuit of internship sites will serve you well in developing job-seeking skills.
Internship Guidelines
To begin the internship process, please review the Department of Communication internship guidelines.
- The Department assumes the responsibility of matching site specific needs and the academic preparation of the student.
- Internships should be limited to junior and senior students.
- An intern is expected to devote a range of 9-11 hours per week to the internship experience per three (3) credit hours earned. The total hours (approximately 150) may be configured in any fashion according to the needs of the student and the on-site supervisor.
- The student will keep a journal of the experience. A summary analysis and the journal itself will be submitted to the faculty member overseeing the internship. In most cases this will be the Director of Internships. When the faculty supervisor is not the Director, the summary analysis and journal should be forwarded to the Director after the grade has been assigned.
- Mid-term and final evaluations of the student's performance by the on-site supervisor will be part of the overall evaluative process.
- The student will debrief the experience in a conference with the Director of Internships.
Contact Information
For more information, you can contact Mary Lou Brink and Daniel Reed (fall and spring internships) or Adam Dircksen (summer internships). Or, if you are on campus, you can stop by the office (Neff Hall 230) to pick up an application form.
Graduate School
"As a graduate (1998), I can attest to the viability of an advanced communication degree, and in no small way, owe my success to the education I received as a graduate student within the IPFW Department of Communication. The program builds a foundation of knowledge, flexibility, and application that goes well beyond a typical MA and, ultimately, adds depth and breadth to nearly any professional path you may choose."
JoElla Shepherd
Branding & Communications Consultant
TMP Worldwide/Monster.com
So... why choose IPFW's Department of Communication grad program?
- Convenient - All graduate-level courses are offered in the evenings, so students can earn their master's degree while still working and attending to home and family matters.
- Realistic - Students may complete the program in as little as two academic years.
- Flexible - Professors are open to new perspectives on the study of interpersonal, organizational, media, and rhetorical communication. You can design your own program!
- Practical - The required core of the program is added to a list of specialized options to offer you a plan of study suited for your career goals.
- Outstanding Faculty - We offer a distinguished community of respected professors.
Professional Organizations
National Communication Association
The discipline's largest organization, concerning itself with research, teaching, and service, primarily in the United States, including an expansive section for students and a database of graduate schools.
International Communication Association
This organization is more exclusively focused on research than NCA.
American Communication Association
An online-only organization.
Central States Communication Association
The regional association for our area. Also, there are organizations for the eastern states, southern states, and western states.
International Association for Conflict Management
An association that specializes in conflict management in family, organizational, societal, and international settings.
American Forensic Association
An association that specializes in argumentation, rhetoric, and competitive forensics.
International Association for Relationship Research
A scientific and professional organization dedicated to the study of personal and social relationships.
University Film and Video Association
An excellent resource for those who are interested in the making and teaching of film and video.
Society of Cinema and Media Studies
SCMS is a professional organization of college and university educators, filmmakers, historians, critics, and others devoted to the study of the moving image.
Modern Language Association
The Modern Language Association of America provides opportunities for its members to share their scholarly findings and teaching experiences with colleagues and to discuss trends in the academy.
Coalition for Health Communication
The Coalition for Health Communication is an inter-organizational task force whose mission is to strengthen the identity and advance the field of health communication.
Department of Communication Awards
Outstanding Service Award
This award recognizes a student who provided valuable service to the department and is selected by faculty nomination and vote.
Outstanding Academic Achievement Award
This award honors a senior with one of the top five academic records in the department, recognizes scholastic achievement, is selected by faculty, and acknowledges the student's accomplishments.
2013 Winner: Caylen McPherson
Outstanding Graduate Student Award
This award honors a graduate student's outstanding achievements that, by her or his own contributions, has brought recognition to her- or himself, the department and the university.
2013 Winner: Ellen Klaus
Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award
This new award honors a graduate student's excellence in the classroom and his or her contributions that served to enrich COM 114: Fundamentals of Speech Communication.
2013 Winner: Jillian Dahm
IPFW NCA Graduate Student Award
This award recognizes a top student attending the annual meeting of the National Communication Association. The award includes a complimentary student membership to NCA and $100 toward travel expenses.
Naseem Rachdi Memorial Scholarship
Established in March of 2007, this award was created to benefit full-time IPFW undergraduate students. The Scholarship commemorates Naseem Rachdi, who, in his short life, exhibited a remarkable talent for communication. The scholarship is designed to help promising communicators realize their own potential.
Conference Money
If you are a graduate student and are presenting at a conference this year, you may apply for money to travel.
Purdue Graduate Student Association
The Travel Grant Program is sponsored by the Purdue Graduate Student Association and is open to Purdue graduate students on all Purdue campuses. Application forms and other information are available from the Purdue Graduate Student Association.
Department of Communication
There are, generally, some funds available from the Department of Communication. In order to apply for these, you need to send the following to Dr. Carr at least 60 days in advance of departure:
- The conference you are attending (including dates, location, etc.)
- Your role at the conference (presenting a paper, member of a panel, etc.)
- Your estimated expenses for the conference (it is highly unlikely that funding cover all of your expenses).
IPFW Graduate Student Travel Grant
You may also check into the IPFW Graduate Student Travel Grant (PDF).
Scholarships that are available to students
High School Student Criteria:
Student must be an incoming freshman and be a graduate of a public school in Allen County, IN or from an Indiana county bordering Allen County, IN (Adams, DeKalb, Huntington, Noble, Wells, or Whitley).
The student must enroll full time and be a communications major. All high school applicants must be recommended by a high school teacher of English, Communication, Journalism, or a related field.
Students must demonstrate participation in relevant extracurricular activities such as media production, speech teams, debate, yearbook involvement or other clubs or organizations related to media studies, communication or writing.
The award is based on merit and demonstrated financial need. To demonstrate financial need, the student must file a 2008-2009 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so that it is received at the federal processors by March 10, 2008.
Application form: Naseem Rachdi Memorial Scholarship (High School Student)
Continuing Communication Undergraduates Criteria:
Enrolled full time: 12 credit hours
A 3.0 cumulative GPA in good standing.
Declared as a major in the Department of Communication.
Demonstrated financial need.
Complete scholarship application.
COM major or previous recipient will be awarded the amount of $500 per year – granted (in-full) at the beginning of the fall term.
To apply, complete the application below and submit it to the Communication Department, Neff 230, by March 15.
Application form: Naseem Rachdi Memorial Scholarship (Undergraduate)
Contact
Communication Department
Neff Hall 230
2101 E. Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499
Phone: 260-481-6825
Withers Scholarship:
Junior or senior status at IPFW the year of the award
- Academic major in either Education, History, Political Science, English, Communication, or Theater
- Minimum 3.3 grade-point average (based on a 4.0 system)
- Full-time student status each semester of the award (12-15 credit hours)
- United States citizenship
A Withers Scholar may apply for a second year award. Following is the link to the scholarship information and application: Withers Scholarship
2101 E. Coliseum Blvd.
