“Communication Student for a Day” event brings 65 high schoolers to campus

Sixty-five local high school students had the opportunity to experience life as a Buffalo State communication student, learn about campus offerings, and interact with alumni and current majors during the first-ever “Communication Student for a Day” event on Monday, March 10.

Photos by Jesse Steffan-Colucci, Buffalo State photographer.

The day began with a panel discussion featuring four current communication students and notable communication alumni Evan DiPasquale, ’22, sports reporter for WNY Athletics; Claudine Ewing, ’92, reporter-anchor at WGRZ-TV; Kandis Fuller, ’92, senior communications specialist at the University at Rochester; Charles Gilbert, ’22, radio producer at Buffalo-Toronto Public Media; and Amber Witzlebein, ’21, communications specialist at Stanley G. Falk School. The panel offered insights and answered questions from high schoolers hailing from City Honors, LeRoy Junior/Senior High School, Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, Lancaster High School, Lockport High School, Mount Saint Mary, Warsaw Middle/High School, and Westfield Academy and Central School.

“We have thousands of amazing alumni who work in communication careers in Western New York and around the country,” said Deborah Silverman, chair of the Communication Department. “They are employed as TV news anchors and reporters, video editors, public relations professionals, social media specialists, film producers, sports reporters, news photographers, fundraisers, communication professors, and more. They had solid advice for the high school students on making the most of their college years.”

After the panel, the high school students attended a variety of communication classes, including a recording session for the television show Broadcasting Buffalo—currently being recorded in COM 347: Digital & Broadcast Producing and COM 334 Journalism Broadcast Operation—which allowed attendees to witness applied learning in action.

Students also learned about the university’s several student media organizations: the student newspaper, The Record; the FM radio station, WBNY-FM; Bengal Film and Television Productions; the Buffalo State chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America; and the Communication Honor Society, as well as internship opportunities. 

Silverman said this was a department-wide effort—one she hopes to repeat next spring.

“My sincerest thanks to our participating faculty who opened their classes to our visitors, and a special shoutout to our administrative assistant Wynne Barron Osiadlo, who partnered with me on planning this event,” Silverman said. “Based on the conversations I had with the high school students, they enjoyed the day.”