Category Archives: Academic Matters

Gearing Up For Registration

By Estela Suarez

Another semester has flown by and it’s that time of year again when seniors are getting ready to wrap up and everyone else starts thinking about class registration for the Fall semester! As of right now, courses are live on Spire and ready to be added to your shopping cart, but before we get to that here are some things to look out for when registering for classes:

When Is My Enrollment Appointment?

Registration takes place in order of seniority by credits, so the more credits you have, the earlier your appointment time will be. You can look to see when your appointment will be on Spire. This can be found under the ‘Enrollment’ tab under ‘Enrollment Appointment.’ You should be able to see the date and time that you are scheduled to pick classes. Below is the general list of ramp on dates:

April 4: Athletes, ROTC, Veterans

April 11-12: Seniors (87+ credits)

April 14-15: Juniors (57-86 credits)

April 20-22: Sophomores (27-56 credits)

April 25-26: Freshman (</= 26 credits)

What Classes Should I Take?

When choosing classes you should take into account any Gen Eds and major requirements that you have left, and plan out when you will take those. To access the courses you have left to take, as well as the number of credits, you can go to the Academic Requirement Report on your Spire. To access this you’ll want to go to the Main Menu tab in Spire, click on Academics, and finally click on Academic Requirements (ARR).

Once you arrive at your ARR you should expand all tabs in order to see all of the requirements and credits that you have completed, as well as those that you have yet to complete. The classes you have passed will be marked as satisfied (marked with a green check-mark icon), the classes you are currently taking will be marked as in progress (marked with a yellow diamond icon), and your remaining requirements will be listed as not satisfied.

Am I going to graduate on time?

First, this is a friendly reminder that there is no “right” time to graduate and that we are all on our own timeline and journey. That being said, to graduate from UMass you need to complete a total of 120 credit hours, which will include major, college, and university requirements. In order to graduate in a 4-year timeline, you should aim to complete, on average, 15 credit hours per semester or 30 credit hours per academic year. It is always good to keep tabs on many credits you have completed, how many you are enrolled in, and how many you have left in order to determine about how long it will take you to complete your undergraduate degree.

How to ease the registration process:

Come to Peer Advising!

The peer advisors are here to help and answer any questions you may have about this process. We recognize that registration is a stressful time of the semester, and therefore want to work with you to make this process as smooth as possible. If you feel that you have questions that don’t require an academic advisor, drop into the peer advising office in the Comm Hub (N323)!

Peer Advising drop-in hours:

Monday: 10 am – 4 pm

Tuesday: 9:15 am – 4:30 pm

Wednesday: 12 pm – 4 pm

Thursday: 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Meet with an Advisor:

We always recommend that you meet with your advisor regularly in addition to during registration time. By doing this earlier in the semester you can ease stress during the registration period and feel more at ease with the registration process. Your advisor can help answer many questions you may have, make sure you’re on track to graduate, and point you toward any resources you may need for anything outside their capacity. As registration gears up, remember that advisors will have a busier schedule than usual so book your appointment sooner rather than later! To make an appointment, log into Spire and on the bottom right-hand corner there should be a ‘Primary Advisor’ tab with your advisor’s information.

Navigating course registration can be difficult, but it doesn’t need to be! By using resources provided to students by UMass and planning ahead this can be a pretty easy process. Good luck on registering for classes!

Landing a Summer Internship

By Mia Ransom Yance

Summer is slowly but steadily approaching. No matter what year you may be, you may be starting to apply for internships or are actively seeking job/internship opportunities. Here are some tips on how to find internships and set yourself up to be a great candidate!

Finding an internship:

Start Looking Now

It is never too early to start looking for internships. Many summer internship programs open in December-January, so keep that in mind for your future research. As internships continue to open, search Handshake, LinkedIn, SBS Pathways, and Google. There are plenty of opportunities and you will find one that connects to your interests. Make sure to actively read your emails as opportunities are frequently featured in the Comm Connection and SBS Pathways newsletters.

Apply to more than one internship

I know it can be easy to find one thing that interests you and stick with it, but it is super important to apply to more opportunities. Having more options and being able to get your foot into different fields is always better than not having a backup plan. Apply to internships that interest you and even apply to something you are on the fence about. You can learn transferable skills and strengthen your experiences.

Network

UMass is a large campus, full of people who have had so many diverse experiences. Consider talking to a friend, professor, alumni, or even just connecting with someone on LinkedIn to learn about new opportunities. You can connect with SBS advisors to learn more about your specific interests and needs at 128 Thompson Hall or Zoom. The Communication Peer Advisors are here to help you, so if you ever want to talk about our experiences come to our office hours!

Applying & Finding Support

Resume & Cover Letter

Make sure your resume is updated prior to applying. Add in any experiences and skills you feel will successfully reflect your work ethic and personal goals. If you find yourself struggling with formatting or want to see a reference, check out SBS’s resume tips and tricks linked here. As a general note, keep your resume to one page, make sure the font is clear, and ensure that your bullet points are cohesive. A cover letter is not always required but is something you should learn how to do in case it is ever requested. A cover letter outlines why you are a good fit for the job, what draws you into the specific company you are applying for and gives a hiring manager a feel of who you are. For more details on cover letters, click here.

Scholarships

If you have secured an unpaid internship there are resources to aid in your funding. Academic Works provides hundreds of scholarship opportunities that can help support you financially.

Good luck with your search and let us know if you have any questions!

Best Places to Study in the Center of Campus

By Emily Costello

With midterms approaching slowly but surely, it is important for us students to find a study spot where we are both comfortable and can remain focused. Finding a good study spot can create an environment where you can be successful in your studies whether it be group work, doing homework, or studying for exams.

W.E.B. DuBois Library

The library is the first place that comes to mind when everyone thinks of study spots. The Procrastination Station on the first floor gives students the opportunity to grab a snack and a drink to help them stay focused. The library also has a large variety of floors to choose from. One of my personal favorites is floor 9, which is a more group-friendly environment with couches and large tables. This floor is great for group work or if you are looking for more of a loud environment. When I am looking for a quiet place to study in the library, I usually go to floor 11, which is a quiet floor with desks surrounding the windows, which adds a nice view.

Integrative Learning Center

As a Communication major, I have spent hours upon hours studying in the ILC. When I am looking for a louder space, I like to go to Peet’s Coffee and sit in the couches around there. The Communication Hub on the 3rd floor is also a great place to study, as it is relatively quiet and has great natural light, which I find helps me stay focused.

Student Union

The new Student Union is a fantastic place to get work done. I found that since the Student Union is very new, there are a lot of outlets for charging devices, and the furniture is comfortable as well. Earthfoods Cafe makes for a great place to grab a snack or meal while studying too!

South College

The place on campus where I have found the best to do quiet, independent work is South College. On the first floor of South College, there is a large open area with tables and chairs and I have always found this to be a place where I can focus easily. On the second floor, there are study desks and rooms which I find to be a productive environment for myself as well.

Outside!

As the weather gets warmer, I have found that studying outside can enhance my productivity. During a busy day, it is nice to sit outside either on the steps of the campus center or the Adirondack chairs by the student union. Getting fresh air can help you think clearer, even if it is for a short time!

Getting Back Into the Groove of the Semester

by Estela Suarez

After six weeks away it can be difficult to get back into the groove of classes and campus life. Everyone deals with this transition differently, but here are a few things that could help you ease back into it all:

Find a way to track your schedule

Whether it is an old-fashioned pen to paper agenda or using Google calendar, figure out the best way for you to track your schedule. Between classes, extracurriculars, and job schedules, being a college student can be quite hectic. To avoid double booking yourself, make sure to track your commitments through a calendar so you know what to expect each day and when you have open availability.

Keep track of your syllabi

As a continuation from the last step, you’re going to want to make sure you include all due dates, exam dates, and other important assignments in your calendar. This way you are always on top of your work and can easily see when things are due throughout the week or month. In my opinion, it helps to have all my due dates as well as schedule dates on the same calendar so I can plan my time accordingly.

Set yourself up for a successful semester

If you know that there are little things that help you succeed in school make sure you complete those tasks! So for me, I like to set alarms and reminders for assignments that are due so that I always meet my deadlines. I also know that I need a good night’s sleep before having a full day of classes so I try not to be up too late the night before. Try to figure out what your best practices are this semester and do your best to stick to them.

Don’t stop doing activities that make you feel fulfilled

With the hustle and bustle of the start of the semester it can be hard to keep up with things that we do solely because we enjoy them. Something I have found helpful is putting “me time” into my calendar. This is time that I schedule out of my week to do things that I enjoy and are not school or work related. Some days it’s learning a new recipe, some days it’s ordering take out and not leaving my couch, some days it’s going to the gym, and some days it’s seeing my friends. You can’t pour out of an empty cup, so make sure to not only keep filling your own cup but make it a priority.

Here at the Communication department we look forward to a bright and successful semester. If you have questions or concerns regarding classes please come into the Peer Advising drop-in hours!

Welcome Back!

By Erin Diacik

Welcome back to campus for the 2022 Spring Semester! After a long, and hopefully relaxing, winter break, classes for the spring resume on Tuesday, January 25th. As we approach another on campus semester, keep reading for some helpful reminders and tricks to start this spring off strong.

The Faculty Senate Rules Committee has approved extending the official add/drop deadline to be a two-week time period instead of one week.This puts the last day to add or drop classes with no record as Monday, February 7th. If you are a full-time student, you must be enrolled in at least 12 credits, so double check your schedule to ensure your status as either a full or part time student.
Take note of the Spring 2022 Academic Calendar. This calendar provides dates for any holidays, including spring recess and important registrar deadlines. Make sure to keep track of these important dates to look back on later.
As per UMass policy, all eligible students and faculty are required to have their Covid-19 vaccine booster prior to the start of the semester. As always, remember to mask up wherever they are required, and take advantage of UMass’s unobserved testing.
If you have any questions or concerns, schedule an appointment with a professional advisor via Navigate, or drop in to the Peer Advising office, located in N323. No appointments are necessary to speak with the Peer Advisors. They are a great resource for quick or last minute registration questions! Their current drop-in hours are listed on the Department of Communication web page.

As we begin another semester during a time of uncertainty, make sure to take care of yourself during the cold winter months. While you keep up with your academics, don’t lose track of your mental health. Whether that be starting a daily journal, speaking with a professional, or moving your body, take some time each week to do something for yourself. The Department of Communication wishes you a healthy and successful spring semester!

Introducing the 2020-2021 Communication Peer Advisors!

By Summer Kaeppel

This year has been uniquely challenging and it feels as though seemingly everything has changed. Though the Communication Peer Advisors have not been able to provide support to students in person, we have created new models of providing guidance and support to both our students and to each other. It is unclear what exactly the future is going to look like, but one thing that is certain is that this department will continue to be present for its students.

Many of the Peer Advisors, myself included, will be graduating in May. The end of our undergraduate career and our roles as PAs is bittersweet; though many of us are sad to be leaving behind a position that was formative to our senior year, it also means that we are opening up spots for younger students to have their turn. I caught up with the incoming PA team for the 2020-2021 school year and am excited to introduce each of them!

Rebecca Aiken ‘21: Along with being a Communication major I’m also a Journalism major. My favorite class that I’ve taken so far in the Comm Department was Prof. Anderson’s COMM 231: Intro to Film & TV Production Concepts. I’ll be a senior when I’m a PA. I love to travel, I write for Amherst Wire, I love to take the fitness classes at the Rec Center, I work at the Student Success Office, and I’m super outgoing, so I’m excited to meet all of the students that come in for advising! What I’m most excited for while being a PA is getting to help others solve problems and hopefully have them leave with a smile after we meet.

Kyle Balis ‘21: I am currently a junior at UMass, and I got the opportunity this past semester to study abroad in Manchester, England, before unfortunately having to come home due to the pandemic, but it was an amazing experience. I am from Dedham, MA. I am very passionate about film and am currently going through the process of applying to BDIC, to double major Film Studies with Communication. One of my favorite Communication classes I have taken is Comm 441: Principles and Techniques of Film Style Production, where you make short films that really require you to think creatively. I am very excited to be a Comm PA this semester because I’m sure the fall is going to be very busy as everyone returns to campus after a long time away and I’m excited to not only be able to help during this time in any way I can but also to learn a lot along the way!

Sade Brooks ‘22: I’m a rising junior, a Communication major and a French minor. I’m involved in the Black Student Union (BSU) and the NAACP organization on campus. I was previously a History major and I have a strong interest in social justice reform/issues. I’m a dog lover, I have a Havanese-poodle named Milo, he’s 4. One cool thing about me is that I am currently learning two languages: French and Amharic. A life goal of mine is to become fluent in at least five languages. The most exciting aspect of Peer Advising I look forward to is connecting students to academic resources and hosting professional development events.

Hannah Ellison ‘21: I am a rising senior Communication major with a minor in Spanish. I’m from East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, which is a small town near Springfield. When I came to UMass Amherst I was undeclared and so unsure about what I wanted to study, but when I learned about the Communication major, I knew it was a fit! Out of all the classes I’ve taken I’d have to say my favorite has been Comm 228: Visual Communication. Besides my studies here, I work as an Office Assistant for University Relations and am part of the Marketing Club. UMass and the Communication Department have made me feel so at home and I hope as your Peer Advisor l I can help answer any questions you have!

Gabby Grondalski ‘21: Aside from being a senior Communication major, I am also pursuing the Education Minor and Media Literacy Certificate. I am from Charlton, MA, which is located in Central Mass. Since my freshman year at UMass, I have been a member of the tuba section in the Minuteman Marching Band. I am also currently a sister of the Music Fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota and will be the Chapter President this upcoming year. This is my first year as a Peer Advisor, and I am excited to help provide guidance to students who are looking to join or are already a part of the Comm Major!

Elizabeth Jacobs ‘22: I am a Communication and Marketing double major pursuing a film studies certificate. My favorite Communication class I have taken so far is COMM 597: Advanced Video Production with Professor Kevin Anderson. I love film production and being in a small class with upperclassmen was super fun, as I was a freshman when I took the course.

Over the past two years I have interned for the Film Studies Department at UMass, doing social media and helping out with the Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival and the Latin American Film Festival. I am currently working on my honors thesis, which is a feature-length documentary film on my adoption from Cambodia and the baby trafficking scandal behind it. In addition to my interest in film production, I love photography and music. What I am most excited to do as a Comm PA is to organize more events on film production and spur an interest in students about film. I am also excited to meet students and become a friendly face around campus for them to ask any questions that they have.

Grace Keller ‘22: I am a junior Communication major with an IT minor here at UMass. I am from Northborough, a small town in central Massachusetts. I spent my freshman year commuting to Framingham State University, where I took some general education courses. I decided to transfer to UMass my Sophomore year because of all the opportunities I knew UMass held for their students. After getting situated on campus, I joined a few clubs such as Women in Business, the social entrepreneurship club, as well as Campus Crusade. I am constantly looking for new opportunities at UMass and being a Peer Advisor is one I am extremely excited about. I am eager to use my experiences in order to help other Comm majors with their time here at UMass!

Estela Suarez-Hernandez ‘22: I’m a rising junior at UMass, double majoring in Communication and Journalism. I grew up in South Florida and decided to come to UMass for my undergrad education, which was a big adjustment. I have loved my time as a Communication student and I believe my favorite class so far has been Comm. 287: Advertising as Social Communication with Professor Sut Jhally. In addition to being a student at UMass, I am also in a sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, and hold an on-campus job doing marketing and communications for Smart About Money, a peer-to-peer financial wellness organization. I am excited to be a part of the Comm. PA team, especially getting to know and helping other students!

Emaan Tariq ‘22: I’m a Communication major and my favorite Comm class has been Comm226: Social Impact of Mass Media because it is very relevant to media and the culture that comes out of it, and what culture goes into media. I’m on the board for the Pakistani Students Organization which is a great way to keep involved with the UMass community as well as my culture. As Comm PA, I’m most excited to meet new people as well as become more accustomed to the major!

In addition to our new PA’s, two of our current PA’s who are not graduating this May will be continuing on with the team. Kayla Noel and Aaliyah Quintal will be helping our new PA’s transition into the position.

Kayla Noel: I am a double major in Communication and Journalism. I’m here to help you accomplish your academic, social, or spiritual goals. I recommend you write them down and let’s work on them together. College is a different world; take your time, ask questions, be in the moment, and most importantly be yourself. You’re going to accomplish great things!

Aaliyah Quintal: I am a junior English and Communication, double major. I am from Fall River, Massachusetts and I love fashion, gaming, and red lipstick. I am very excited to meet you all and provide whatever help I can to ensure your year goes as smoothly and enjoyably as possible. As your peer advisor, I hope that I can be a friendly face around campus for you all to come to, whatever your needs may be.

Congratulations to the PA’s of 2020-2021, both new and old! This diverse group of student leaders were carefully selected to ensure that Communication students have the best support possible.