Cmty Dev & Apld Econ: SL:Public Comm Capstone

Students work with non-profit and municipal community partners to develop professional level communications strategies and materials. Students complete their professional public communication portfolios and resumes. Prerequisites: Senior standing; CDAE 1240, CDAE 1150, and CDAE 2210 or CDAE 2200.

Pre-req/corequisites: CDAE 1240, 1150, and CDAE 2210 or 2200 COM majors or instructor permission; Junior or Senior standing; Open to Degree and PACE students

The Public Communication Capstone is a service-learning course that pairs groups of students (Communication Action Teams- "CATs") with non-profit and municipal community partners to develop professional-level integrated communication strategies and materials. Using the skills developed throughout their tenure at UVM, students use the real-world projects to demonstrate their competencies in leadership and teamwork, research, evaluation, written and visual communication, technology, event planning, fundraising, social marketing, and media literacy. This course provides authentic communication experiences and prepares students for future careers in public communication, all while meeting the needs of the community partners.

Students are expected to attend class weekly and attend all community partner meetings with their group. In class and through work with their community partner, students will: • Use project management skills by taking a project from concept through planning to implementation. • Demonstrate professionalism, compassion, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, planning, informed decision-making, teamwork, and presentation skills. • Tailor a communication strategy to meet a partner’s needs. • Create professional-level communication deliverables. • Interact professionally with community partners. • Identify and overcome barriers to project development. • Identify and work with personal and professional strengths and weaknesses. • Work productively in a group setting. • Create portfolio items through the service-learning project. • Develop a unique mission- or personality-based professional brand for job application materials. • Develop skills to effectively work and collaborate on projects remotely.

Students will be evaluated based on their class attendance and engagement, group work for and engagement with their community partner, and individual work for their job application materials.