Department of Communication

Spring Forward 2026

The Department of Communication invites alumni, faculty and students to Spring Forward — our annual tradition of bringing alumni back to campus to share their experiences, insights and career journeys with current students and faculty — Thursday, March 26 (online), and Friday, March 27 (in-person). 

If you're a Spring Forward regular, please note that this year's in-person event will be held at the McKinney Alumni Center and will be quite different than in years past. We've partnered with the Office of Alumni Engagement, who are generously sponsoring the event and helping us invite all COM alumni, across all class years, to come back to your home department for the day. 

We welcome all COM alumni, faculty and students to join us for a luncheon, three focused alumni panels, student-alumni networking breaks, and an evening wine reception designed to spark conversation, connection and inspiration across generations of Mountaineers. It’s a day that celebrates where our graduates have gone and the paths our students are preparing to take. 

Register today (space is limited!) for the in-person event and plan to join us for a day showcasing the strength and spirit of the App State Communication community. 

If you're interested in participating or attending the online (Zoom) panels on Thursday, March 26, please email springforward@appstate.edu for more information.

Schedule, Friday, March 27

All events listed below will take place at the McKinney Alumni Center. (Check back soon for speaker bios.)

11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. luncheon

1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Panel: Planting the Seeds: From First Job to Career Growth

Featuring Alexandra Berg '21, Emily Broyles '22, Rachel O'Hare '21, Kristina (KP) Panuski '03 and Dennis Saunders '19

2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Panel: Finding My Way: Leveraging a Communication Mindset Across Different Career Paths

Featuring Melissa Alsup '20, Eric Czarnecki '23, Ethan Gilley '13, Dana Mathews '13 and Kevin Tooley '13

4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Panel: The Ecosystem of Communication: How Diverse Roles Intersect

Featuring Paola Bula Blanco '21, Isabella Hendershot '24, Paula McKenna '23, Jeff Merritt '89 and Lee Sanderlin '18

5 p.m. to 7 p.m. wine reception for COM alumni, graduating seniors, and faculty 

Questions? 

Reach out to us at communication@appstate.edu or springforward@appstate.edu. We look forward to welcoming you back to campus, Mountaineers!

Spring Forward 2025

March 27, 2025
March 28, 2025
Walker Hall

Alumni, the Spring Forward team is excited to announce our Spring Forward 2025 Event. Please save the dates of March 27th and March 28th. More details are coming.

Spring Forward 2024

March 21, 2024: Zoom Panels
March 22, 2024: In-Person Panels
Walker Hall

Spring Forward is the Department of Communication's annual one-day alumni and student networking event. Alumni return to campus to engage and share career knowledge with students via a series of panels. This event also allows students to learn about different career paths and network with alums working in the field.

Spring Forward 2023

March 31, 2023
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Walker Hall • Rooms 103B, 104 & 148

Spring Forward is the Department of Communication's annual one-day alumni and student networking event. Alumni return to campus to engage and share career knowledge with students via a series of panels. This event also allows students to learn about different career paths and network with alums working in the field.