Department of Communication

Exciting. Confusing. Inspiring. Intimidating. Being a first-generation college student can bring many challenges and emotions. If you are a first-gen student, know that you are in good company. Here, ten UW Arts & Sciences students/alumni who've been in your shoes offer their thoughts on surviving — and thriving — as a first-generation student at the UW. 

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our faculty and staff, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our students and alumni, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.

This week, attend the Psychology Edwards seminar, check out the First Wednesday Concert Series in the Allen Library, tune into the first lecture of the Democracy in Focus Lecture Series, and more. September 30, 12:00 – 1:20 pm | Psychology Edwards seminar talk with Alex L. White, Ph.D., Columbia University, Kindcaid Hall Can you recognize two...

As students and their professors head back to college classrooms and lecture halls this fall, the elephant in the room is ChatGPT. Katy Pearce, associate professor of communication at the UW, is quoted.

This summer, 14 European reporters came to the U.S. to study the art of narrative journalism with Lauren Kessler, senior affiliate professor of communication. The two-week intensive workshop was sponsored by Forum for Journalism and Media, a Vienna-based nonprofit dedicated to the continued education of working journalists, supported by the U.S. Embassy in Vienna, and hosted by the UW Department of Communications.

Personal stories are integral to Interrupting Privilege, a UW program that leans into difficult intergenerational discussions about race and privilege.

"Growing numbers of reporters and editors, tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop, are exiting the profession, citing burnout as the reason for their departure," writes Matthew Powers, associate professor of communications at the UW.

Fueled by coffee and enthusiasm, Marina Blatt and other communication majors met with multiple alumni during a Career Exploration trip to Washington, DC. 

The College of Arts & Sciences celebrates undergraduate and graduate students from across all four divisions, who are recognized for making the most of their time at the UW. 

Becoming an effective public speaker requires planning and practice. Professor Matt McGarrity and consultants at the UW Center for Speech & Debate are available to help.

Admitted students and families can engage with the College of Arts and Sciences through several department and program specific events over the next few weeks.

Identity Unboxed, a podcast created by alums Tiana Cole and Brad Blackburn III, explores the experiences of Black professionals in the Seattle area.

Alexa Bednarz (BA, Communication, 2012) turned an idea for environmentally friendly roofing material into Eco-Shelter Inc. Its first manufacturing facility will open in India in 2024. 

Tom Mara, who helms the Seattle International Film festival, is making history by transforming the Cinerama into SIFF Cinema Downtown. While at the UW, Mara studied broadcast journalism, which pointed him toward work in public radio.