Communication Department - University of California, Santa Barbara

Happy Valentine’s Day from UCSB Comm! All good vibes and affirmations coming to you from Undergrad Advisors Abby Salas and Sal Gonzalez! 💘💗💞💖💓

🎉Travis Dixon, an alumnus of UCSB‘s doctoral program, was recently honored with the David L. Swanson professorship at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne.👏 Named faculty appointments are awarded to the most distinguished scholars, and this specific professorship honors a professor with ”exceptional scholarship, mentorship, and teaching“ throughout their career. In addition to an extensive CV with publications in leading communication journals, popular communication textbooks, and top paper awards at NCA and ICA, Dr. Dixon is beloved by his students and advisees for his ”empathy; guidance; a loving and affirming spirit; the ability to critique with compassion; an ability to recognize and meet people’s needs; the ability to stand in the gap for others and have their back; and, most of all, the ability to sustain support well past when his students have graduated.“ Travis Dixon earned his master’s degree and one of the first doctoral degrees given from UCSB‘s Department of Communication. Congrats, Dr. Dixon!🥳

Meet Abby Salas, our new Undergraduate Academic Advisor!
A proud UCSB alumna (Class of 2024), Abby is passionate about lifelong learning, student success, and family communication. When she’s not advising, she’s running marathons, diving into humanities topics, or visiting her family in the San Fernando Valley.
Connect with Abby in SSMS 4005 and let her guide your academic journey! 📚✨

Big thanks to the UCSB Alumni Council for hosting our Transfer Student Welcome Event! 🎉 We loved meeting our new transfer students and sharing tips for thriving in the Comm Department.

Join us for this year’s Steven Chaffee Memorial Lecture with a special guest, Prof. Jeffrey Hall from the University of Kansas!

🧠 Dive into the fascinating world of social media and explore how irony, context, and digital thriving shape our online experiences. Whether you’re curious about digital communication or interested in the psychology behind social media interactions, this talk is for you!

📅 Friday, October 18, 2024
🕒 3:30 - 5:00pm
📍 SSMS 1009

Don’t miss out on this insightful event! 💬💻✨

Meet Graham Glass, a UCSB senior and Communication major who spent this summer pursuing his passion for music as an intern at Red Light Management in Los Angeles! 🎧✨

From working alongside the music industry’s top managers to applying his UCSB Comm skills every day, Graham’s experience has been a dream come true. 🎶 🌊📚

We’re so proud of his journey and excited to see what the future holds! 💫

Meet Carley, one of our amazing students who spent 6 unforgettable weeks studying in Rome, Italy! 🇮🇹
From exploring ancient landmarks to diving deep into Italy’s culture, all while earning class credits, Carley made the most of her summer abroad. She connected with fellow UC students and fulfilled lifelong travel dreams.
Carley’s journey is just one of the global opportunities available to UCSB Communication students! ✈️✨

Exciting News within our COMM Community! 📚✨

The UCSB Communication Department is thrilled to announce the open access publication of “Social Processes of Online Hate,” edited by UCSB’s very own Professors Ronald E. Rice and Joseph B. Walther, now available from Routledge Press! 🌟

This has been in development from Rice and Walther’s symposium on campus in May 2023, which inspired this collection.

Head to the link in your bio to check out the full online copy!


Our Comm Gauchos are out and about this summer, making waves in the world of Communication with the coolest summer internships! 🌊 👔

Meet Mannie Manzone, a Communication major from the Class of 2024. Mannie is working at the Walt Disney Company just south of Santa Barbara in Glendale, CA. 🐭🏰

Stay tuned for more summer internship spotlights from your fellow Gauchos here on the UCSB Comm Instagram page! If you’re interested in being featured on our page, fill out the internship/abroad spotlight google form in our bio!

Reflecting on an incredible day of inspiration, connections, and growth at our 17th Annual Communication Career Day! 🤝🌟 From insightful advice sessions to impactful networking opportunities, our students gained valuable insights and forged meaningful connections with industry leaders. Thank you to all our alumni, speakers, and attendees for making this event a huge success! 🙌