Author: Jason Hartsel

Martin O’Malley, former Governor of Maryland, and Mark McKinnon, co-creator of Showtime’s The Circus, both delivered keynote speeches at the Political & Policy Communication Forum on Tuesday, October 25th in Dewberry Hall. Sponsored by the Department of Communication’s Insight Committee, the annual forum’s focus this year was “impact, ethics, and the art of persuasion.”

Since we are in the final days of a heated presidential campaign, the forum’s speakers and panelists explored the topic of political communication with the goal of engaging students in a conversation about the credibility of presidential candidates, the challenges of fact-checking, false equivalencies in journalism, and the ways voters can empower themselves to make informed decisions despite the many distractions of this election cycle. The interactive forum provided future communicators with the necessary tools to succeed along their chosen career path.

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George Mason University’s Fall 2016 Career Fair was held October 5th and 6th, bringing over 100 employers and recruiters to the Fairfax campus each day. These employers are looking for the best and brightest that Mason has to offer, and the students who attend try their best to make a good impression. But many students are new to the professional world and may not be aware of the specific things that employers look for when evaluating potential hires.

Rodger Smith’s COMM 148 (Radio Workshop I) students interviewed employers who were recruiting at this semester’s Career Fair to get the inside scoop on successful strategies that can help you stand out from the competition and land a job. Listen to the brief interviews below for tips and tricks on everything from resumes (keep it simple), appearance (dress for the job you want), eye contact (coveys strength and focus), preparation (research the company in advance), and the all-important first handshake (firm and confident).

Khafre Barclift interviews Dennis Favilla of Sheehy:

Rodger Smith interviews Beth Wright of Enterprise:

Zach Hamilton interviews Emma Rutka (2012 alumna, Interpersonal Communication) of PenFed:

Rosemary Idisi interviews John Taber of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission:

George Mason University has partnered with Strengths Academy and made the StrengthsFinder Assessment available for FREE to all Mason Students! This assessment allows students to gain greater insight into their natural talents and strengths with the goal of improved academic, personal, and professional outcomes.

According to the Mason’s website, “The vision of the Strengths Academy is to create and sustain a culture of strengths across the university. For the past 10 years, thousands of Mason students, faculty and staff have completed the Gallup Organization’s StrengthsFinder assessment.”

On Friday, September 30th, Student Media’s leaders, staff, volunteers, contributors, and faculty advisors gathered to explore their strengths together in a fun and interactive workshop coordinated by the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) office.

Participants learned the role their top strengths play in shaping their lives and personalities, as well as how to maximize their impact as a student and a leader by applying their strengths in productive ways. The workshop emphasized connecting with others, building personal talents, and finding success by understanding your strengths and those of your peers.

Special thank you to all those who attended and the LEAD Team, Jenn Robinson, and Rashaan Mateen for facilitating the workshop!

Do you know your Strengths? Click here to take the Gallup assessment.