College of Fine and Applied Arts

By Mary Anne Savage

Appalachian State University’s Department of Communication held its fourth annual Spring Forward networking event in mid-April. Spring Forward was created to give junior and senior communication majors the opportunity to network with alumni and prepare for life post-graduation. 

Spring Forward kicked off on April 12 at Lost Province Brewing Company. Visiting alumni and senior communication students were invited to mingle over snacks and drinks in a casual setting. 

Kaitlyn Reavis, a senior public relations major from Burlington, organized the Thursday night event. Reavis encouraged students to come saying “Even if you don’t know what you want to do, networking is a good way to learn from people. If you think you might want work with nonprofits or work in healthcare, you can get real-world advice.” 

The main event took place April 13 at HOW Space and the Beasley Media Complex. Communication students could choose form a variety of panel discussions based on their interests. 

Juliet DeRienzo, a senior communication major from Charlotte, served as the student proctor for the TV sales and station management and digital and content management panels. DeRienzo also attended multiple panel discussions. 

“I’m pretty nervous about graduation, but the alumni have been where I am now,” she shared. “It gave me hope hearing their stories.”

The 35 communication alumni came from all over the region and had varying levels of experience. Some had only been working for a year or two, while others had been in the field for 40 years. 

Alexis Williams, a senior communication major from Statesville, was in charge of contacting alumni for the event. 

“Most of the alumni were recommended by faculty and staff. Professors remembered them and admired the work they did while they were in college and have seen them through into their careers,” she shared. 

Brooke Wilson, account director at Moxie, was one of those alumni and said “I feel fortunate to have stayed in touch with my favorite professor from my time at App, Dr. Janice Pope, and she has generously offered me opportunities to stay connected with the department and its current students.” 

Wilson graduated from Appalachian in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a minor in marketing. When reflecting back on the event, she shared that, “Spring Forward is a fun, engaging and casual environment to connect with students, as well as other alumni. I thoroughly enjoy coming back to the High Country every spring to share my experiences... and my company has landed some great interns, too!” 

Spring Forward concluded with an evening social at The Local, where students, faculty and alumni had one last opportunity to connect and network. Many alumni said they were excited for this year's event to connect with students and faculty and as an excuse to visit Boone.  

About the Department of Communication 

One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Communicationat Appalachian State University focuses on preparing students to succeed in the varied fields within the communication industry. The department offers five majors – advertising, communication studies, electronic media/broadcasting, journalism and public relations – and a minor in communication studies. Graduates work in a wide range of positions in media, corporate, agency, government and nonprofit organizations. 

About Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University, in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina system, Appalachian enrolls about 19,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

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• Communication