CU Denver Department of Communication

Are you still looking for a summer course? Check out COMM 4720/5720: Dynamics of Global Communication!

This course explores how communication shapes and is shaped by global forces, including culture, technology, media, and international relations. Whether you're interested in international careers, media studies, or simply want to understand how ideas travel across borders, this course offers valuable insights and practical frameworks.

Course Highlights:
• Fully online and flexible for summer schedules
• Engaging readings, discussions, and real-world case studies
• Applicable to a wide range of majors and career paths

Register now!

Congratulations to graduate students Ethan Howes and Anda Edmondson, who both presented their work at the CU Denver Department of Communication’s recent Spring 2026 COMM MA Symposium. Ethan Howes discussed “Sensemaking in Crisis: How college students are interpreting the environmental crisis through Instagram messages,” while Anda Edmondson presented their project examining “Social Media Rhetoric: How Defining Ownership Influences AI Learning.”

Congrats!

+MA

Hey COMM Students! Don't forget to enroll for summer classes! Do it now!

Congratulations to Associate Professor Soumia Bardhan for receiving the WSCA Distinguished Teaching Award for Inclusive, Innovative Pedagogy!
The WSCA (Western States Communication Association) Distinguished Teaching Award honors faculty whose teaching shows sustained excellence and helps students link what they learn to broader social, cultural, and global contexts. Recipients are selected from across the Western United States and are recognized for commitment to teaching innovation, inclusive learning, and long-term student impact.
“In Bardhan’s courses, students explore how local experiences, in classrooms, communities, and institutions, are shaped by global forces, power relations, and the histories behind the stories we tell. Students are encouraged to question dominant narratives, reflect on culture and positionality, and examine communication within interconnected local-global dynamics.” See the full CU Denver CLAS Newsroom article here: https://clas.ucdenver.edu/newsroom/2026/03/13/associate-professor-soumia-bardhan-receives-wsca-distinguished-teaching-award-inclusive
Bardhan is an Associate Professor in CU Denver’s Communication Department. She also received the 2025 CLAS Teaching Excellence Award and has taught more than 20 courses across programs and learning formats.
The award was presented on March 1, 2026, during WSCA’s annual conference in San Diego.

Thank you to everyone that joined us this week for our annual Communication Day celebration!
Celebrating twenty-six years in 2026, the department's annual Communication Day is a celebration of the many ways communication enriches our daily lives, advances our professional goals, and feeds our democracy. To celebrate communication-in-action, we invite community experts onto our campus, where we ask local practitioners to share their knowledge with our students, staff, and faculty, hence merging traditional classroom spaces with embodied and experiential learning.

For more about this year’s event, please visit: https://clas.ucdenver.edu/communication/communication-day-2026

FINAL REMINDER! COMMUNICATION DAY EVENT HAPPENING TODAY!
Event details:
• Date: Tuesday April 7
• Time: 11:00am-1:15pm (with a break from 12:15-12:30pm)
• Location: The Lawrence St. Center, 1380 Lawrence Street, 2nd floor Terrace Room
SNACKS PROVIDED!
REGISTER TO ATTEND HERE: https://clas.ucdenver.edu/communication/content/comm-days-event-registration

Celebrating twenty-six years in 2026, the department's annual Communication Day is a celebration of the many ways communication enriches our daily lives, advances our professional goals, and feeds our democracy. To celebrate communication-in-action, we invite community experts onto our campus, where we ask local practitioners to share their knowledge with our students, staff, and faculty, hence merging traditional classroom spaces with embodied and experiential learning.

Before the keynote event, the Department will honor the following award winners:
• The Sonja K. Foss Academic Excellence Award: MOLLY BELLOU LARSON
• The Sonja K. Foss Academic Excellence Award: ALEXA SMITH
• The Robley Rhine Student Leadership Award: GUADALUPE MALDONADO
• The Friend of the Department Award: CHLOE DECHIRO
• The Friend of the Department Award: JOAN FISHBURN
• The Barbara J. Walksz Distinguished Alumni Award: JESSICA GODO
This year's keynote speaker is Dr. Thomas R. Dunn from Colorado State University. His speech is entitle, Q***r/Local/Rhetoric: "Engaging the Q***r Past with the Q***r Memory Project of Northern Colorado." Following Dr. Dunn's keynote address, a faculty panel will continue the discussion by highlighting some of their current scholarly work.

OIA's Jennifer Szumski gave a presentation on the assistance provided to ICB students as they transition and the overall advantages of studying in Denver. was well- represented at the April 3rd meeting!

CU Denver exchange students are eager to soak in aspects of China's rich culture during their semester in Beijing!

Led by Prof. Mia Fischer, Interim Co-Chair of the Comm Department, students in her Communication & Sports class were treated to a field trip to Beijing's Bird's Nest. This is a major stadium that has witnessed top performances by the world's athletes. CU Denver Exchange students also joined in the fun!

Highlights from Kevin Krolicki, Reuters' Greater China Bureau Chief on AI & Journalism! .I.