ISU’s School of Communication introduces new major

Image courtesy of Illinois State University 

NORMAL, Ill. – A new major was introduced into Illinois State University’s School of Communication this school year.

The sports communication program, launched this fall, has already attracted 68 students who have declared it as either their primary or secondary major.

Director of the School of Communication, Aimee Miller-Ott, explained that Sports Communication encompasses so much more than just broadcasting and media, as it also includes positions for trained communicators within actual teams and leagues that enable them to successfully operate.

“A lot of people assume that sports communication is just journalism and mass media, so you have people whose job is going to be a TV reporter, a sports broadcaster, play-by-play, which we do, but there’s also this other area where people are going to be working within the sports industry to be their communication specialists,” said Miller-Ott.

As for specific Sports Communication classes, the curriculum is currently being formed to work alongside existing communication courses. However, two classes have already been released and are ready for students to enroll in:

COM 259: Strategic Communication in Sports is a public relations–focused course that prepares students to effectively communicate on behalf of sports organizations. The class emphasizes the skills needed for roles such as a team communications director, where responsibilities include managing messaging and engaging with diverse stakeholders across the sports industry.

COM 341: Media Society in Sports explores how various social dynamics are reflected in athletics. The course examines topics such as the differing portrayals of men’s and women’s sports, and how athletes and teams express their identities through areas like sexuality and religion.

Dr. Miller-Ott mentioned that a wide range of courses will be available to students, giving them opportunities to engage with the many social and cultural dimensions of working in sports.

“We’re also developing courses focused on Friday night football, and how sideline reporters do their jobs and how they perform their work,” said Miller-Ott.

Students in the new major or in the School of Communication have many opportunities to get involved with extracurricular activities that can help them gain experience in the field of sports. Those include WZND, TV10, The Vidette, The Public Relations Student Society of America, Redbird Productions, and internships with Redbird Athletics.

Dr. Miller-Ott expressed excitement about the new opportunities this major will create, noting that strong student interest has already emerged even before significant advertising efforts. She emphasized that the program has the potential not only to attract more students to the School of Communication, but also to strengthen existing offerings while fostering new ones.

Another aspect of the major is that with it being specifically geared towards sports, it has the potential to make finding a job within the field easier because students will have specified training.

The School of Communication offers a strong and growing internship program, guided by internship coordinator Tom Lamonica and supported by alumni working in the sports industry who are eager to create opportunities for current students. Both within the school and beyond, there is a great deal of excitement and anticipation surrounding the continued growth of this program.

Students interested in the program are encouraged to contact Dr. Miller-Ott or their academic advisors for guidance on next steps and to learn more about the opportunities available within the major.