Building History: JMU’s First Bateman Teams

By Hope Gallagher (’17)

When JMU students go head-to-head in a national competition, two things happen: great work and great experience.

Before the judges even look at the entries, this makes the prestigious Bateman Case Study Competition a win-win for the JMU Chapter of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) members.

The Bateman competition is an annual, nationwide campaign that began in 2011. They ask teams of four or five students to create full public relations campaigns through research, strategy development, implementation, and evaluation.

And for the first time in program history, SCOM students are competing. Because one team would be too predictable, two teams from PRSSA are entered in the 2016-2017 competition.

The top three teams receive monetary prizes, and get to pitch their idea in-person to the judges.

The winner’s campaign becomes the inspiration for a real-life campaign by Bateman competition. It’s an incredible opportunity, and not one to be taken lightly.

The competition begins today.  Read more Building History: JMU’s First Bateman Teams

From Social Media to Undecided Voters: Real-Time Political Communication Research for SCOM Faculty, Students

By Carrie Holland (’17)

This year’s presidential race has been like no other.

When candidates speak, spar, and court voters in the countdown to the election, political communication takes center stage. So does political communication research.

That’s provided an exciting combination for SCOM faculty Dr. Dan Schill and Dr. Lindsey Harvell-Bowman, and their political communication students.  Both professors are involved in nationwide individual and collaborative research projects and share these opportunities with their students.

Read more From Social Media to Undecided Voters: Real-Time Political Communication Research for SCOM Faculty, Students