Fifty-eight students from the graduating Class of 2011 at Saint Mary's will receive a degree in Communications, according to senior and communications major Sara Zwolski. The College will celebrate "COMM Week" this week to honor these women.
Senior communications major Casey Larson will attend film school at the University of Southern California after graduation. She said her dream job would be to edit movies or TV and movie trailers.
"Yes, like Cameron Diaz from ‘The Holiday,'" she said.
Marketing, public relations and advertising are the main career draws for communications graduates, but Larson said the jobs within these fields are diverse.
"Hospitals need human resource departments, schools need to be advertised, celebrities need public relations," she said. "The options are endless."
COMM week includes a range of activities, Zwolski said. The department hosted a panel of seniors Monday to discuss senior projects, internships and after-graduation job opportunities.
Zwolski said one of the students at the panel switched her major from business to communications and was excited to learn she would have just as many career opportunities, if not more, in her new field.
"Any business will need someone like a COMM major," Zwolski said.
A workshop promoting the creation of professional portfolios was held Tuesday. Other events during the week include decorating the Department of Communications hallway and hosting a discussion titled "Stop & Listen: Autism Sings at Main Street Grille" Wednesday evening at 7 p.m.
A pizza luncheon Thursday will focus on job and internship opportunities for COMM majors. Professionals such as professor Susan Guibert, who works for Notre Dame Magazine, and WSBT reporter Colleen Ferierra will speak with students. A free breakfast will be offered in the communications department for students Friday morning.
Zwolski said senior majors were excited to talk to underclassmen about their experience with communications.
Senior Jenna Lewanski said she hopes to use her COMM degree for a career in public relations in the hotel industry.
"People need to promote their business as is, but now even more so as the economy remains in recovery," she said.