Susquehanna University Communications Department

Communication alums returned to campus on Saturday to talk with students at the annual Break Through event. Our alumni panelists shared insights about their career journeys and offered students valuable advice. The students asked many thoughtful questions about life after graduation. Thank you to our outstanding alums: Samantha Balsamo ’23, Advertising Sales Representative at Paramount, Zachary Newby ’16, Digital Director at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and Brendan Petrilli ’21, Associate Producer and Promotions Coordinator for 97.5 The Fanatic and 93.3 WMMR. Grateful for alumni who give back, students who engage, and all our wonderful people on campus who make experiences like this possible.

The SU PRSSA Chapter was presented a Silver Keystone at the Central PA PRSA Awards Luncheon on January 8 in Harrisburg. On hand to receive the award for the chapter’s “Hues of Hope” Organ Donor Awareness campaign were Grace Reusing; Dwendy Johnson, Gift of Life Coordinator; Sydney Renner; Linda Burkley, Faculty Advisor; and Quinn Conrey.

We’re so proud of all the amazing work our PRSSA chapter is doing!

Make your COMM assignments shine this spring semester 🌱
 
Join Katrina Hook ’26 for communications tutoring on Thursdays 2 to 4 p.m. at the Center for Academic Success in Fisher Hall.

Make your COMM assignments shine this spring semester 🌱
 
Join Katrina Hook ’26 for communications tutoring on Thursdays 3 to 5 p.m. at the Center for Academic Success in Fisher Hall.

The Communication Department’s sports media program teamed with the Career Development Center to host its second annual Sports Career and Networking Fair in the campus center. Sponsored by Little League International, the Nov. 6 event brought a dozen employers together with 75 students. Following the event, WOLF FOX56 sports director Bob Ide, who repped his station at the job fair, stopped by the campus video production studio for a tour from broadcast instructor John Foltz.

Thanks to sports media major Michael Lipscomb and broadcasting major Harrison Karch for representing the department at a School of Humanities presentation to the Board of Trustees during homecoming weekend. Always great to spread the word about the value of a degree in communications!

It was a busy football Saturday! Our comm students were behind the scenes and on the air, broadcasting the Riverhawks first home game of the season. Great hands on video and audio experiences for our sports media and broadcasting majors. Keep up the good work!

Congratulations to the Department of Communications Class of 2025! A special shoutout to this year’s award winners! Join us in celebrating their amazing achievements!🎉

Outstanding Senior Award recipients in the front row, from left, are: Emily Harris, Outstanding Senior in Film Studies; Abigail Lentini, Outstanding Senior in Broadcasting and recipient of the Larry D. Augustine Award for  Outstanding Service at WQSU; Sophia Pasquariello, Outstanding Senior in Professional Sales; Abigail Hooftallen, Outstanding Senior in Communication Arts. In the back are: Jaxson Purnell, Outstanding Senior in Sports Media; Nicholas Williams, Harry Haddon Journalism and Media Prize recipient; Madison Milheim, Outstanding Senior in Communication Studies; Avery Atkins, Outstanding Senior in Advertising and Public Relations; Riley Harker, Outstanding Senior in Journalism and Digital Content.

Congratulations to WQSU for receiving two “Excellence in Broadcasting” awards from the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters on Friday: one for Outstanding Radio Station Promotion for their Downtown Selinsgrove Tree Lighting, and a Judge’s Merit Award for their multi-platform broadcast of the SU football playoff game. Pictured from left to right: Ken Selinger, founder of WQSU, class of ‘68; Harrison Karsch ‘27; Matt Vargo ‘24; Dawn Benfer, general manager; Abigail Lentini ‘25; Lily Mandalas ‘27; Jaxson Purnell ‘25.

Join us tonight at Trax!

Congratulations to Brai Tate for accepting a summer internship at Perfect Game as a media intern. As a media intern Brai will be supporting both production and post-production, distributing and updating production documents, schedules and other paperwork, video logging and labeling, video editing, project management, and equipment organization. Along with this she will also be providing media and PR updates and team notes and observing in the media truck and on-field with roving reporter. We wish Brai the best of luck this summer in her internship and looking forward to she what she does with Perfect Game!

Congratulations to Olivia Haines for accepting a position post-grad at Gartner in Fort Myers, FL as a Sales Development Associate. As a Sales Development Associate Olivia will be participating in a 15 month development training program where she will be partnered with a Sales Executive to create customized strategic plans for sales territories, generate leads by prospecting potential clients, schedule calls with prospective and existing clients, educate prospects on the value of Gartner, and support follow up actions to enable progression and drive client engagement. We cannot wait to see what Olivia achieves at Gartner and wish her the best of luck in this new chapter post-grad!