Fredonia Communication Department

07/31/2026

Paid ($1,500) undergraduate fellowship opportunity! Work alongside faculty on an innovative leadership and civic engagement project. Click the link to learn more and apply: https://fredonia-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/mcgowan_fredonia_edu/IQBDlSKuVvEtQ4DFIdL6bFaDAW8kuGc6Uba76kO1mbfNzHA?e=KAw2W4

07/12/2026

A group of Japanese students are visiting SUNY Fredonia for two weeks to get some English instruction as well as partake of cultural experiences ( like visiting Niagara Falls).
It's part of the University's Pathway Program.
Professor Mike Igoe gave them a lecture on "English will not Kill you !"
He also spent some time with them at Dunkirk's Music on the Pier as well as at the Fredonia Farmers Market

06/27/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Angela McGowan-Kirsch on being selected for the 2026 Innovations in Democracy Cohort through the AASCU American Democracy Project and Unite America. The program brings together faculty from across the country to advance civic learning and democratic engagement in higher education. We look forward to the innovative ideas and perspectives Dr. McGowan-Kirsch will bring back to the Department of Communication and SUNY Fredonia!

05/19/2026

Congratulations to Hana Gist, Communication Studies major and Class President, on speaking at Saturday’s afternoon commencement ceremony! 🎓

We are proud of Hana’s leadership, hard work, and the meaningful impact she made during her time at SUNY Fredonia. Representing the Class of 2026 at commencement is a well-deserved honor.

Congratulations, Hana! We can’t wait to see what you accomplish next. 💙

05/17/2026

From all of us in the Department of Communication at SUNY Fredonia — congratulations to the Class of 2026! 🎓

We’re proud of all you have accomplished and grateful to have been part of your journey. Thank you for the memories, hard work, and impact you’ve made on our department and campus community.

We can’t wait to see what comes
next for each of you. Once a Blue Devil, always a Blue Devil! 💙

05/04/2026

🎉 Student Spotlight: Molly Sunick 🎉
We’re excited to celebrate Molly Sunick for her outstanding work presenting at SURC!

During her internship with Iron Works, Molly gained hands-on experience applying communication skills in a professional setting. She worked on projects that strengthened her ability to connect with audiences, contribute to organizational messaging, and navigate real-world communication challenges.

At SURC, Molly showcased this work by reflecting on her internship experience—highlighting what she learned, the skills she developed, and how classroom concepts translated into practice. Her presentation demonstrated both professionalism and a strong understanding of how communication operates beyond the classroom.

👏 Join us in congratulating Molly on this impressive achievement! We’re proud to see our students representing the Communication major so well.

04/16/2026

Congratulations to this year’s Lambda Pi Eta inductees! 👏 We are proud to welcome you into the National Communication Association’s honor society and celebrate your academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to the field of communication.

A special thank you to our current Lambda Pi Eta members who joined us to support and recognize our newest inductees—your presence made the ceremony even more meaningful.

04/14/2026

Dr. Angela M. McGowan-Kirsch co-facilitated a preconference workshop on Promoting Civic Discourse Skills at the SUNY General Education Conference.

The session introduced a public deliberation model as a classroom-ready approach for engaging students in structured dialogue around complex public issues, with strategies for considering multiple perspectives, weighing trade-offs, and practicing informed civic engagement.

Pictured here with fellow SUNY Civic Fellows.

04/12/2026

Students in two of Professor Mike Igoe's classes got to hear some professional advice from Lilly Broadcasting's Corporate News Director, Scott MacDowell.
In the Public Speaking class Scott talked about "Presenting On Camera".
The Foundations In Journalism class learned about what they should be doing now while they're in colege to prepare for a future media career.

03/22/2026

Check out this interview with one of our instructors, Nick Smith, in The Buffalo Hive!

BTW, the Hive's editor is journalism prof Elmer Ploetz, and there are currently three Fredonia grads contributing to it and two current students serving as interns. Lots of Fred connections!

The WNY-based author and filmmaker discusses the independence, inspiration and integrity animals bring to his best-selling series

Nick Smith Whiskers in the Dark



LINK IN COMMENTS!!