Lakeland Mirror

Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: Opinions

Pledging Musko [Click to enlarge]

As I approach the end of my academic career at Lakeland College, I thought I would attempt to bring some insight and editorial to you all from a Lakeland student perspective. In this new column, which I've dubbed, "Pledging Musko," I will speak about things on the minds of Lakeland students and my own. Whether it's your own concerns on seemingly unfair academic policies, or my own wish to park in front of my handicap accessible Morland apartment, together we can keep Lakeland College higher-ups educated on the interests of its blue and gold wearing Musko pledges.

With that, I encourage readers to submit suggestions. Explain what is on your mind, and we can investigate solutions. Communication is the key, feel free to e-mail me any time.

The topic of this week's column: Lakeland College's lack of a communications major. Two years ago Martha Schott, director of student publications, sent a proposal to The Majors and Minors Review Committee in request to add a communications major to the curriculum at Lakeland. Unfortunately, it was shot down due to Lakeland already offering a large number of majors.

A communications major is one of the most sought after undergraduate degrees in the United States. The Princeton Review ranked it eight out of the top ten most popular majors in 2005. Lakeland has seven of the ten on the list. The other two lacking include nursing and political science (pre-nursing doesn't cut it).

So why would I, or anyone, like a communications major at Lakeland College? What is the big deal? Well, after a long hot summer in Washington D.C. this summer, I've seen the value in communications. From June through August I attended the Institute on Political Journalism, an internship program at Georgetown University, where I took courses and worked for HSToday magazine (Homeland Security Today.)

There, I learned quickly what communication skills are needed to be a professional journalist, in a city with the highest learning curve in the realm of political journalism. I now see that if Lakeland had a communications major, I could enhance these skills as I finish my undergraduate education.

Continued...

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