School of Communications Our Work and Research

From investigative reporting to presenting at national conferences, raising awareness of gender bias in the media and creating mobile apps — our alumni, faculty and students are helping to shape the fast-moving edge of the communications frontier. For our students, the combination of theoretical and practical learning they receive at Quinnipiac gives them the skills and opportunities to do good work and the confidence to do the kind of work that redefines industries.

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In the field and embracing the spotlight

On campus and off, communications students and faculty are accomplishing great things in their respective disciplines. They break stories both locally and across the globe and develop public relations campaigns for nonprofit organizations. They run student media with the same level of professionalism as established radio and television shows and newspapers.

Finding the right source, angle and word comes naturally to alumni and current students. Like their professors, they are gifted storytellers who use every medium to craft narratives that are compelling and factual. When they combine their efforts, the results have been award-winning pieces of investigative reporting and programming.

Partner with real clients at The Agency

Interested in pursuing a career in advertising, marketing, public relations or graphic and interactive design? Build your portfolio and sharpen your skills as you work with real clients at The Agency — our award-winning and student-run interdisciplinary firm.

Within The Agency, students assume roles that prepare them to step in and succeed in professional environments. Some students will serve as dedicated account executives, mastering the art of professional communication as they manage client relationships, set project deadlines, identify key deliverables and share external feedback with their colleagues. Others will work as functional subject matter experts, taking the lead as vice presidents in copy, design, social media or video to deliver the materials and strategies that address the holistic communications needs of their client portfolio.

Offered as a 400-level elective, The Agency epitomizes learning by doing. Under the guidance of our esteemed faculty — many of whom are experienced communications professionals outside of academia — The Agency has successfully funneled student creativity and passion into projects spanning website and app design, social media, print collateral and promotional materials, market research and data analysis, media relations and community engagement and strategic planning and branding.

Student-run Agency earns industry awards

Students collaborating during a meeting for The Agency in the School of Communications. — Students at The Agency work to finalize a new internal logo.

Governor Ned Lamont with student members of The Agency at CT Innovation. — The Agency meets with a new client, Ellis Brooklyn, at the CT Innovations office in New Haven. Agency members had the chance to meet briefly with Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, who is working to bring more innovative, growing companies to the state.

In Their Words

Ephemia Nicolakis ’23, MBA ’24

Account Executive at The Agency

Working at The Agency at Quinnipiac with other like-minded and motivated students makes me excited to do our client work! I have learned everything from client management to teamwork to time management with the best professors and classmates by my side.

Louis E. Stamoulis ’23

Senior Account Executive at The Agency

My experience working at The Agency has been invaluable. I have learned so much about client relations, team building and professionalism. I have thoroughly enjoyed serving as Senior Account Executive and have decided to continue this work next semester with a whole new set of clients. I look forward to putting the skills I have gained across writing, delegating and internal communications to use.

Jillian Catalano ’23

Vice President of Copy at The Agency

My experience thus far in The Agency has taught me a great deal about myself as a future public relations professional. Getting the opportunity to take the lead on projects involving real clients has been both rewarding and valuable. I would recommend this course to anyone who has the desire to gain experience in the industry.

Mason Glod ’23

Senior Account Executive at The Agency

The Agency has taught me how to apply the lessons I have learned in a real-world setting. This class has allowed me to develop communication, management and public relations skills that I know I could not learn in any other class. My experience in this class has certainly made me feel more prepared to enter the professional workforce.

2022 School of Communications Student Awards

Each year, the School of Communications holds an awards ceremony to recognize the extraordinary work of students across our majors and programs of study. Learn more about our exceptional students and the impact they've made in their program and within the Quinnipiac University community.

Toyloy (TJ) Brown

This award is presented to an individual who exemplifies the kind of student the School of Communications hopes to graduate: smart, dedicated, and prepared to make a difference.

TJ is graduating with a 3.95 GPA and will be interning at USA Today as part of the prestigious Sports Journalism Institute program. A passionate and dedicated journalist, TJ has been a valuable member of the Quinnipiac Chronicle since 2019. Whether it is writing provocative opinion columns or reporting on the experiences of underrepresented students on campus, TJ brings a deep sense of humanity and compassion to his work.

TJ has also proved to be a strong leader on campus. In addition to serving as The Chronicle’s managing editor, his leadership extends to his work on QU Culture, a campus organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of underrepresented students. As co-founder and executive editor of QU Culture Magazine, TJ contributes to a vibrant student media community that seeks to diversify campus discourse about arts, culture, identity and race. We are proud to have had TJ as a student not only because he is an outstanding journalist but more importantly because he is an outstanding person.

Shannon Flaherty

Shannon was recognized during the Undergraduate Awards ceremony for her hard work towards bettering the Student Programming Board through creativity, communication and passion. She has shaped both her organization and our bobcat student community throughout her entire time here at Quinnipiac.

Her leadership and guidance through the uncertainty of virtual programming helped SPB think outside the box and still deliver high-quality experiences to its students. Most recently, her quick thinking and ability to pivot on a moment's notice turned a significant and highly-visible challenge into a successful event over a matter of a few hours.

Outstanding Achievement in Advertising and Integrated Communications

This award is presented to a graduating senior who has shown high academic achievement, made significant contributions to the program or campus life and has shown excellent leadership qualities.

2022 Winner: Caitlin Dawling

Leadership Award

This award is presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated excellence in working within groups and teams, managing productive collaborations and acting ethically, constructively and responsibly in the process of achieving individual and common goals.

2022 Winner: Grace Sablich

Outstanding Achievement in Film, Television and Media Arts (BA)

This award is presented to a graduating senior who has shown exemplary academic achievement, made significant contributions to the program and our filmmaking community and shown excellent leadership qualities on campus.

2022 Winner: Talya Castonguay

Outstanding Achievement in Film, Television and Media Arts (BFA)

2022 Winner: Benjamin Labadia

Screenwriting Award

This award is presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated a talent, passion and dedication to the craft and art of screenwriting.

2022 Winner: Natalie McGlowan

Scholarly Research and Writing Award

This award is presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated exceptional scholarly research and academic writing.

2022 Winner: Zoey Metzner

Creative Vision Award

This award is presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated exceptional talent for creative expression as well as technical fluency.

2022 Winner: Kanayochukwu Umelo

Leadership Award

This award is presented to a graduating senior who has made significant contributions to the program and campus life while displaying excellent leadership qualities.

2022 Winner: Frank Scott

Responsible Citizenship

This award is presented to a graduating senior who embodied the spirit of collaboration on and off set while exemplifying responsible citizenship on campus.

2022 Winner: Charles Copeland

Outstanding Achievement in Graphic and Interactive Design

This honor is presented to a graduating senior who has shown academic achievement, community engagement and a high standard of creativity and innovation.

2022 Winner: Corey Windham

Portfolio Award

This award is given to the student whose portfolio of work exemplifies the highest in originality, visual design, technical skill and the emergence of a personal vision and voice.

2022 Winner: Caitlin Dawley

Visual Design Award

This award is given to the student whose body of visual design work exemplifies the highest quality of visualization and execution of design for web, mobile, print and motion.

2022 Winner: Jessica Bischer

Technology Award

This award is given to the student whose body of work exemplifies the highest level of technical skills in coding, software and hardware.

2022 Winner: Karalyn Kachmar

Typography Award

This award is given to the student whose body of work exemplifies the highest level of typographic skills and innovation across all mediums — print, web, mobile and motion.

2022 Winner: Ariana Laneri

Design Research Award

This award is given to the student whose body of work exemplifies the highest execution and standards utilizing all methods of the design process.

2022 Winner: Victoria Lorenz

Outstanding Achievement in Journalism

This award is presented to a graduating senior who has shown high academic achievement and made significant contributions to the journalism program and campus life while showing excellent leadership qualities on campus.

2022 Winner: Chatchai (Chatwan) Mongkol

QuLitzer Outstanding Capstone Project (HQNN)

This award is presented to a graduating senior for producing an outstanding capstone project in HQNN that brings together the writing, reporting, storytelling and creative multimedia skills learned in journalism and other courses taken at Quinnipiac University.

2022 Winner: Riley Millette

QuLitzer Outstanding Capstone Project (QNN)

This award is presented to a graduating senior for producing an outstanding capstone project in QNN that brings together the writing, reporting, storytelling and creative multimedia skills learned in journalism and other courses taken at Quinnipiac University.

2022 Winner: William Dean

Student Media In-Depth Reporting

This award is presented to a graduating senior for producing an outstanding two part, deeply reported and expertly written in-depth series of articles.

2022 Winner: Riley Millette

Student Media Investigative Reporting

This award is presented to a graduating senior for producing a series of outstanding, deeply reported and expertly written investigative articles.

2022 Winner: Chatchai (Chatwan) Mongkol

Student Media Covid Continuing Coverage

This award is presented to a graduating senior for producing and reporting a series of outstanding television and web stories.

2022 Winner: Luca Triant

Outstanding Achievement in Media Studies

This award is presented to a graduating senior who has shown academic achievement and made significant contributions to the program and campus life while displaying excellent leadership qualities on campus.

2022 Winner: Gabriela Alvares

Excellence in Research Award

This award recognizes the student who best demonstrates the ability to conduct quality research and analysis that shows a deep understanding of current media industries and trends.

2022 Winner: Vera Helein

Excellence in Communication Award

This award recognizes the student who best demonstrates skill in written and/or visual communication. Evidence of this skill can be shown in academic, professional and/or creative writing capacities.

2022 Winner: Erin Fennel

Leadership Award

This award recognizes the student who best demonstrates leadership or management abilities that successfully facilitate group collaborations. This leadership expertise can be demonstrated through coursework as well as co-curricular activities.

2022 Winner: Corrina Caimi

Media Industries Guru Award

This award recognizes the student who best demonstrates a deep understanding of the diverse media industries we cover throughout our program. This student’s knowledge is evidenced through class participation, coursework and internship experiences.

2022 Winner: Jennifer Greene

Media Enthusiast Award

This award recognizes the student who embodies the spirit of media studies by demonstrating a passion for a particular media topic through class participation, coursework, internships and/or co-curricular activities.

2022 Winner: Mike McGurrin

Outstanding Achievement in Public Relations

This award is presented to a graduating senior who has shown high academic achievement and made significant contributions to the program and campus life while displaying excellent leadership qualities on campus.

2022 Winner: Rajan Doering

Leadership Award

2022 Winner: Kelly Lyon

Faculty Award for Academic Excellence

These awards are presented to graduate students who have shown high academic achievement, made significant contributions to their program and have the potential for great future successes.

Master of Arts in Cinematic Production Management

2022 Winner: Danielle DiMauro

Master of Science in Journalism

2022 Winner: Emily DiSalvo

Master of Science in Public Relations

2022 Winner: Katie Dansereau

Master of Science in Sports Journalism

2022 Winner: Lauryn (Lo) Yarnall

Master of Science in Interactive Media and Communications

2022 Winner: Joshua Gorero

Alumni Spotlight

Jonathan Grado ’13 is using the skills learned in design and social media to develop marketing plans for his family business, Grado Labs.

Journalism students visit Nicaragua

Telling Global Stories is a course that immerses students in the history, economy, media, politics and culture of Nicaragua and culminates in a trip to the Central American country during spring break. In the cities of León and Chinandega, students conduct interviews with a range of Nicaraguan citizens, including market vendors, farmers, fishermen, teachers, artists and former revolutionaries.

“Students are not only learning about a different country and culture, they also get the chance to practice real journalism,” said Margarita Diaz, associate professor of journalism.

The stories and photography that Diaz’s students return with are collected and published on the blog Tellingglobalstories.org. They reflect day-to-day life in a poor country deeply affected by decades of civil war, political corruption, economic downturn and a complicated relationship with the United States. Moreover, they challenge commonly held beliefs about Nicaragua and its people.

Read the blog