College communications courses taking a step in right direction

Over the past year, I have complained more than once — shocking because I never complain — about the lack of education around social media and integrated marketing communications at the college level.

There are a few rock stars who have been out in front of the trends. Professors and communicators I respect a ton like Beverly Macy, Barbara Nixon and Beth Harte. These folks, and several others I’m sure, have been doing what they can for a while to make sure students 1) understand the implications of social media and 2) understand it is one component of the overall marketing mix and how to think strategically about the whole mix. But it seemed to me they were in the minority.

However, pass me the crow, because after my trip to the University of Kansas to speak to James Gentry’s convergence media class, I think I need to eat some. I was asked to speak about social media trends and that’s the presentation I put together (see below or click here).

But I was pleasantly surprised when a majority of the questions I got about the case studies I shared all tied to strategy and the overall marketing communications mix.

• I showed the Mortrin Moms case study and was asked how a company makes a decision internally to launch and create a video that could alienate so many of its target consumers.
• I showed the Old Spice video campaign and was asked how you work across communications departments to get a company to consider reallocating budget to take a chance on a new way to interact with customers.
• When we talked crisis communications and listening strategy, I had more than one student ask me how we incorporate digital and social media response protocol into an overall crisis plan.

These are questions we as communications professionals should be asking ourselves on a daily basis. And it was refreshing to hear students asking them and embracing that line of thinking. I even had one student come up afterward and tell me she had been focusing on social media specifically but wanted to make sure that was the right track. She asked if she needed to spend some time focusing on other communications disciplines. And another student shared he was getting ready to do an internship in strategic planning this summer, which made me smile really big.

I’ve heard about similar convergence media programs at other area schools — Missouri and Kansas State. And recently worked with interns from both schools who seem to have a better understanding of all pieces of the IMC mix. What used to be journalism classes seem to be turning into strategic communications and storytelling classes across different mediums.

It’s refreshing to see colleges progressing this way. Especially since they seemed to be kind of stuck in the past just a year or two ago. I think the professors like the ones mentioned above who have worked to change curriculum our future pros are exposed to should be commended. So much of a person’s philosophy on our industry comes from their college and entry-level years. Starting to think about strategy and the bigger picture in those years is vital. I know I couldn’t do a lick of strategic planning coming out of college. I’m glad to see that’s changing.

Oh, and they are still teaching AP Style, which I’m a huge fan of. And with that grammar nerd alert, back to eating my crow.

What are you seeing/hearing from college communications students you know? Do you think we’re seeing a wholesale change in how communications is taught? How are your local universities doing it?

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