CoJMC Learning Communities take Big Trip to Chicago

Sunday, October 25, 2015 - 7:00pm

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications Learning Communities traveled to Chicago Oct. 1-3 to explore a variety of career directions.

The CoJMC has two learning communities – Advertising and Public Relations, led by advertising and public relations professor of practice Phyllis Larsen, and Media Smarts, led by broadcasting and journalism professor Jerry Renaud – with a total of 17 students going on the Big Trip to Chicago.

Learning Communities are groups of students with a shared academic interest and/or experience who live together on the same residence hall floor and learn through at least one shared class, as well as connect with upper class student mentors and faculty and participate in networking with industry professionals.

The students visited several marketing communication agencies. They visited Razorfish, where they toured the digitally focused agency and met with recruitment specialists who discussed how to prepare for internships and how to stand out in the agency world. They also visited Edelman, one of the world’s largest global marketing communications firms, where they met with young account executives who talked to them about their experiences.

“I think going to Razorfish was the best part of the trip for me because it was a moment of ‘this is exactly what I want to do, this is my dream job,’” freshman advertising and public relations major Rachel Becker said. “It was also my first time going to Chicago, I loved getting to see all the sights.”

The Media Smarts learning community attended the Edelman visit with the ADPR community, but they also toured the Chicago Tribune, where they learned about the process of putting together a newspaper and spoke with editors.

All the students had the opportunity to visit the communicators for the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. They met with a panel that included digital communications, media relations and public relations specialist.

In addition to the industry visits, students attended a Second City performance, visited 360 Chicago, the Navy Pier and Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. 

17 CoJMC students went on the Big Trip to Chicago