Calvin University Communication Department

Flashback Wednesday? Why not? Flashback to an early milestone for Calvin's Master of Media and Strategic Communication (MMSC) program!

Shortly after the program launched, MMSC students were already making their mark on the industry. In June of 2023 the Skylight team, Calvin's student-run creative agency, earned a prestigious Silver D Award for Best Social Media Campaign, showcasing the talent, creativity, and collaboration of Daniel Baas, Alexis Bonner, Shelly DeJong, and Arianna Koeman.

As part of COMM 550: Creative Media Agency, students worked with a real-world client, Verizon, to develop a campaign promoting Apple, Beats, and Bose accessories available in Verizon stores. Through Skylight, students gained hands-on agency experience while producing award-winning work.

"Being able to work together as a cohort on the big picture of the campaign, but then leaning on the individual strengths that each person brought to the table to create our deliverables, made for a much richer experience," shared Daniel Baas, the project's Account Director.

This achievement was one of the first signs of what the MMSC program would become: a graduate program where students tackle real communication challenges, build professional portfolios, and earn recognition for their work. And today, that tradition continues as MMSC students and alumni make an impact across industries and organizations.

Strong from the start. Still going strong today.

Congratulations to Grace on her summer internship with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation!

Grace recently began her role as Communications Intern, where she will help develop promotional strategies for programs and events, edit press releases, create digital content, design graphics, and capture photos at important Foundation events.

This opportunity brings together her interests in politics, public service, and strategic communication while providing invaluable hands-on experience.

We're incredibly proud of Grace and grateful for the outstanding internship opportunities available to our students through organizations that are making an impact in our communities and beyond.

Join us in wishing Grace a great summer as she gains real-world experience at one of West Michigan's most respected institutions!

Great internships continue to create meaningful opportunities for our students!

Strategic communication and marketing management student, Mary Claire Davis, recently reflected on her internship experience at Steelcase where she has spent the past five months serving as a Marketing Operations Intern.

During her internship, she has contributed to executive communications, internal marketing initiatives, leadership reporting, and company-wide events that support one of West Michigan’s most respected organizations.

Among her accomplishments, Mary Claire developed executive-level presentations for a three-day Marketing Town Hall, created communication resources to improve collaboration and efficiency across marketing teams, and designed a leadership management framework to provide greater visibility into organizational performance.

She credits her experience to the support, professional connections, and personal growth she has gained through mentorship and collaboration with Steelcase leaders and colleagues.

We are grateful to our industry partners who invest in the next generation of professionals and provide students with opportunities to gain valuable real-world experience before graduation.

Congratulations to Mary Claire on an outstanding internship experience, we look forward to seeing what she accomplishes next!

In just a few short months, Andrew made a meaningful impact through his multimedia communications internship with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working with the Habitat Restoration team at headquarters.

His work focused on supporting a national conservation strategy built on collaboration, bringing together federal agencies, local governments, organizations, and private landowners to protect and restore critical habitats.

During his internship, Andrew developed a series of educational fact sheets and launched an ongoing video project highlighting species recovery efforts. His work helps translate complex scientific research into accessible, engaging content that demonstrates the real-world value of conservation for both people and wildlife.

He also credits his experience to the strong mentorship he received, fellow professionals investing in his growth as a science communicator and helping prepare him for the next steps in his career.

As Andrew transitions into an exciting new opportunity this summer (stay tuned!) we’re proud to see him applying his communication skills in ways that create real impact.

Here is Andrew pictured with Calvin alum, Kourtney Stonehouse, a biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service!

We love that our professors' influence goes beyond the classroom!

Check out this week's Care and Feeding Podcast from Slate featuring Professor Good.

Good discusses how rewarding kids for reading can help build their
reading habits and “muscles.”

This is important for more than just academic learning: reading also helps build empathy and creates opportunities to connect with others over the power of a good story.
https://slate.com/podcasts/care-and-feeding/2026/05/summer-reading-challenge-for-kids?fbclid=IwdGRjcAR4C3hleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeFZ4AhbkejoF4OQJjtMmyyQuOVq1NkYfu-XSLQMUdyPi_SRP3FBGox_ROTkI_aem_YWdncwAg0gSkcJGJhHKXV0iITDln&brid=YWdncwGFcqEWgYhf4gNBqejLDPil

Does Your Kid Hate Reading? This Challenge May Change Their Mind. Why bribing your kids to read works.

Congratulations to the 2026 communication department graduates!

You are a truly intelligent, creative, beautiful group of humans ready to be agents of renewal in this great world!

Congratulations to our Master of Arts in Media and Strategic Communication graduates! This cohort of the MMSC was phenomenal. They are incredibly talented and we are so proud of them!

Congratulations to the first graduate of our Sports Communication major - Levi Suter! 1st gen student, 1st sports communication major graduate. We can't wait to see what he will be1st at next!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DYAw4RvCeq4/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Different path, same drive. Levi Suter grew up dreaming about space, dinosaurs, and becoming an astronaut. Over time, that curiosity turned into a love for sports and the stories behind them. At Calvin, he became the first to graduate with a degree in Sports Communication, combining his passion with a talent for connecting with people. Now, he’s heading into a career in internal communications, where he hopes to help organizations and the people in them grow #CalvinGrad2026

The Spring Film and Media Showcase did not disappoint! It was an incredible evening celebrating our talented students. Their creativity, powerful storytelling, and masterful production abilities were on full display. We couldn't be prouder of our film and media students!

We loved seeing some of our favorite seniors at our senior celebration last week. Commencement is next! Congratulations to all of our amazing students - we're going to miss you!