A number of students within the Department of Communication traveled during the fall 2025 semester. Accompanied by their faculty advisers, the students represented their organizations and the university at large making new connections and learning more about their disciplines.
The Appalachian
The Appalachian, App State’s student-run newspaper, sent members of their staff to both DC and California during the fall semester. In October, two members of The Appalachian attended MediaFest25 in Washington, DC hosted by the Associated College Press, College Media Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. Our students joined journalism professionals and students from across the country for sessions, hands-on training, networking, and career development, in addition to accepting The Appalachian’s Pinnacle awards. Additionally, our students were able to take a tour of CNN’s Capitol Hill newsroom.
In November, The Appalachian sent a different delegation of students to Fullerton, CA to attend the 2025 CMBAM Annual Conference. Students connected with other sales, marketing, design and management students — and advisers — about independent student journalism. Former Business Manager Ethan Batchelor (‘25) hosted a session titled “Introducing the Entrepreneurial Mindset into Student Media”.
PRSSA
Student members of App State’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter traveled to Washington, DC in October to attend the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) annual ICON conference. The conference brings together communication, marketing, and public relations professionals and students from across the country to provide professional development opportunities in the communication industry. “The growth of the App State PRSSA chapter is a tribute to the talent and initiative of our students. The current executive board has been very strategic and creative in rebuilding the chapter the past few years, and the students attending the ICON conference represent the latest step in this endeavor,” said Jack Jeffery, App State PRSSA faculty advisor.
Ad Club
The Department of Communication relaunched the Advertising Club in the spring of 2025 (a chapter of the American Advertising Federation). As part of their re-entry into the organization, nine App State students and faculty advisor Ginger Hansen attended the AAF National Student Career Conference in NYC in November. This was a stellar opportunity for the chapter initiators and leaders to interact with other students and gain best practices and ideas for forming the App State chapter. The conference was hosted by Paramount Advertising and allowed attendees to spend a day in their Times Square headquarters, as well as provided creative challenges, company immersions, and insight into new Google AI tools.
three students walking away from the camera in California, palm trees in background
