Samantha Lake, MA 2008

I am an instructor for WorkOne. For those of you that are unfamiliar with WorkOne they are an agency the government set up to help the unemployed find work, by getting the skills they need and also getting them enrolled into higher education. Currently they only teach Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, as well as resumes, cover letters, interviewing, and other skills.  I plan on developing a few other courses, over the next few months.

I am actually the only instructor who has any teaching experience, so my first week has been very productive. On my third day I started redesigning the Microsoft Word course. I have also been making handouts because these classes needed supplemental materials.  The students have been very appreciative of the extra handouts.

I have never encountered so many students who were so grateful and appreciative, for the chance to be able to learn.  They have lost so much, so being able to help them is personally fulfilling. My co-workers are also appreciative to have me on board, and made it a point to let me know yesterday when several of them came up and thanks me for all I have done.

I am so happy that I found a place where I can use everything that I learned at IPFW (both teaching and from classes) and apply it to make an organization better.

Heathyr Harkless, MA 2009

I accepted an offer from the St. Joseph County Family and Justice Center as the new Victim Services Coordinator.  This is a newly created position funded by the US Department of Justice- Office of Violence Against Women and manages the collaborations and various services that are available to victims of domestic violence.  I will be managing the volunteers and various services that the organization offers to victims of domestic violence. I’ve also been hired as adjunct faculty for IUSB and Ivy Tech teaching Public Speaking and Interpersonal classes.

I believe the combination of my MA in Professional Communication and BA in Sociology and Gender Studies will serve me greatly working in this position.  Having gone through the MA program I was able to develop my research skills, public speaking and education skills through my Graduate Assistantship, and both my knowledge and application of interpersonal skills.  

I was also pleased to have an opportunity to use my synthesis research to my advantage during my interview. I was able to discuss the boundaries between the teacher-student relationship and roles as it could be compared the the therapist-client relationship that occurs in their services.  From my synthesis research I know the key to maintaining ethical relationships with students was to remain student-focused and make decisions student-focused decisions.  In regard to co-dependency and self-disclosure, I believe my synthesis information may be able to be compared for therapists to remain client-focused rather than communicating with clients out of self-serving interests.  This principle of professional relationships was not only useful in my interview, but will also be applicable in managing my volunteer therapists and prevention/maintenance of co-dependency between the therapist-client roles.

Judith LePera Dutill, MA 2006

Since earning my MA in Professional Communication (‘06) at IPFW I moved back to my home state of Pennsylvania.  My first position out of the program was as Retention Specialist at Rosemont College in suburban Philadelphia.  In this position I designed and conducted a communication audit in order to study student retention patterns in their schools of graduate and professional studies.  Based on the results of this study I was able to make recommendations to the school which informed the drafting of the college’s first retention plan. Simultaneously, during this time, I continued as an adjunct faculty member at various institutions teaching courses in communication. 

Eventually, I phased myself into full time adjunct teaching and academic advising.  I was recently offered and accepted a full time tenure track faculty position at Harrisburg Area Community College’s York Campus and I look forward to continuing my work in the field of communication as an educator beginning Fall 2009.

These experiences would not have been possible without the confidence and knowledge that I gained during my graduate studies at IPFW.  I was nurtured by a caring, knowledgeable, and professional faculty who I viewed as professors and mentors during my studies.  The program afforded me the flexibility to focus my studies on my own personal interest in communication in the higher education setting. The program transformed my life and my professional career.

Aleshia Panbamrung, MA 2008

My graduate education through the communication department has been priceless to me personally and professionally.  With my Master’s in professional communication I have been able to expand my career to become the associate director of a federally funded nonprofit agency (Northeast Indiana Area Health Education Center NEI-AHEC). I have also become a more informed and critical citizen and consumer of information.  Finally, I am now able to exercise my agency using effective strategies and perspectives that I gained through my studies.

Dena Woerner, MA 2008

I held a BA in Marketing and background in Travel and Tourism before going to IPFW to earn a MA in Professional Communication.  After graduation, I was hired as the Communications Manager for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.  In this position, I am the direct supervisor of four travel writers located throughout the state, two photographers, an AV coordinator and an assistant.  I am the editor for all travel and tourism communication whether it be video, print, or electronic media.  I work with two agencies, CJRW for advertising and marketing, and Aristotle for our website—Arkansas.com.  I write key note speeches and addresses and am a primary media contact for the tourism department.  A few fun things I already encountered in this position are spending a couple weeks with the film crew of NHK (Japanese Public Broadcasting station) while they filmed a 90-minute documentary on agriculture and rice production in Arkansas, visiting and walking through the vineyards of Northern Arkansas, touring P. Allen Smith’s garden retreat at Moss Mountain, and an upcoming Carp fishing trip with the Discovery Channel UK.  You can check out Arkansas.com and Arkansasmediaroom.com to see what our communications team does.
 
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t use something I learned from my classes at IPFW.  I often wondered if I would really use the theories, papers, case studies, and readings that I was exposed to while working on my degree.  I don’t have to wonder anymore.  One of the most challenging areas of my job is the management of a creative team which is located through the state of Arkansas.  The communication skills learned at IPFW are vital to my success in this position.  If I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.  I am so glad that I chose Professional Communication as my primary discipline and that I had the excellent professors of IPFW instructing, encouraging and guiding me.  I would strongly recommend this program to anyone that wants to pursue a career in upper management and communication.

Dena Woerner
Communications Manager
Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
phone 501-682-7606 fax  501-682-2523
1 Capitol Mall, Rm4A-900
Little Rock, AR  72201
www.arkansas.com

Scott Hoyer, MA 2006

I moved out here right after I graduated last year and have been working for Nielsen Media Research every since then. Right now I work in the TV ratings division and compile the data for a select group of homes in the Chicago area. I hope to be transferring over to the stat research dept. down in the loop in the next year or so, unless something else pops up.

Jeanette Dillon, MA 2001

I graduated with a Masters in Professional Communication in 2001. Just months after graduating, I secured the position as the local Morning Edition host and producer at Northeast Indiana Public Radio (www.nipr.fm) in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Within six months I was promoted to News Director and I’ve enjoyed working in that capacity for the past seven years. My Masters was integral to being hired. While I had many years of broadcast experience in commercial radio, that commercial aspect was actually less attractive to public radio management than my educational experience. Today I enjoy working with young, nascent broadcasters who intern in the New Generation Radio project. I launched the project two years ago after recognizing the need to help young people gain public radio experience while helping Northeast Indiana Public Radio gain local news programming.

Sarah Nichter, MA

I’ve been the public information officer at the Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation Department for the past 5+ years. In addition to public information and press conferences, I do marketing, grant writing, sponsorships, community relations, and anything else you can name that has something or other to do with these topics!!! Sometimes I wish there were three of me. But most of the time, I love what I do and feel I have found my niche. It wouldn’t have happened without IPFW…

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Joel Cotton, MA 2005

Joel Cotton is Assistant Basketball Coach at Anderson University.

John Milentis, MA 2003

Currently completing dissertation towards a PhD in Education Administration through Indiana State University, and Executive Director of Resource Development at Ivy Tech Community College in Fort Wayne, IN.