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Division News and Events

Intercultural Communication Conversations

The first two episodes of Intercultural Communication Conversations are now posted on YouTube.  This first session features Bert Ballard being interviewed by divisional dean Ken Waters. The duo discuss Operation Babylift, the evacuation of orphans from Vietnam in the mid-1970s. Dr. Ballard was one of those children who ended up being relocated to the United States.  The second video is an interview with recent Pepperdine graduate Fangyu Emily Wang. Wang's master's thesis in Communication looked at issues of personal identity among Chinese students studying in the United States.  She also shares with viewers some insights into the differences between Chinese culture and that of mainstream culture in the U.S. Dr. Milt Shatzer addresses the difficult issues in the Middle East, while Dr. Tiara Na'Puti discusses the communication challenges of the indigenous people of Guam.

Documentary

The documentary [Un]Common Sounds, directed by Professor of Communication Craig Detweiler, highlights music scholars participating in an inter-faith symposium – both in discussion and performance and is replete with images of Lebanon and Indonesia.

Documentary

The documentary "Surf, Sand and Silversides: The California Grunion" was presented at the 2012 San Francisco Ocean Film Festival. The doc chronicles the work of biology professor Karen Martin and others in their research of the grunion that inhabits our coastal waters. Mike Murrie, professor of broadcasting, helped produce and direct the award-winning presentation. View the trailer.

Alumni Perceptions Surveyed

To better establish a benchmark of alumni perceptions of the Communication Division, we surveyed 750 alumni from the years 2000 to 2011. One-hundred-thirteen responded, a 15% response rate. Useful findings from survey respondents included:

  • Fifty-seven percent found a job within three months of graduation, while another 18 percent found a job within six months of graduation. One-quarter of the graduates failed to find a job within six months to a year of graduation.
  • Students reported finding work in a number of professions, with nonprofit organization/Christian charity (27.5 percent), Marketing Communication (20 percent), news and information (13.8 percent), Media entertainment (10 percent), law (8.8 percent) and public relations (8.6 percent) topping the list.
  • Eighty-three percent said their current employment was directly or somewhat related to their major.
  • Just fewer than 37 percent reported that they went on from Pepperdine to attend graduate school. Of those students, 61.7 percent (N=29) attained a master's degree. Another 17 percent (N=8) received a professional degree in law, architecture or another area, with 6.4 percent (N=3) attaining a Ph.D.

A series of questions asked about student satisfaction with the division. The results indicate overall satisfaction with the academic experience. The vast majority of students felt satisfied or very satisfied with their academics. Of note, however, is their perception that job placement services were lacking.