Tag Archives: AGCJ

Researchers develop curriculum to improve communication skills of science majors

Posted on by

Researchers at Texas A&M University and Prairie View A&M University are developing curriculum designed to strengthen the communication skills of agricultural, natural resource and food science graduates. Holli Leggette and Theresa Murphrey, faculty members in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, are developing seven modules of instruction to enhance the communication skills of Texas A&M and Prairie View A&M students as they prepare to become career-ready. “Every student who graduates from a college of agriculture across the country needs to have a basic understanding of communication… Read More →

Texas A&M’s radio broadcasting program places 90 percent of graduates with industry jobs

Posted on by

Students interested in landing a job in radio broadcasting immediately after college should look no further than right here in Aggieland. Since 2010, the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications’ radio broadcasting program has been steadily building, and in the last four years, approximately 90 percent of students who are actively seeking jobs in the radio and records industry find them prior to graduating – at some of the hottest companies from the East Coast to the West Coast. Billy McKim, associate professor of agricultural communications and… Read More →

Experts say eye-tracking technology will revolutionize how communicators design messages for consumers

Posted on by

As society becomes increasingly visual, researchers at Texas A&M are testing how eye-tracking technology can change the way advertisers and communicators tailor messages to their consumers and audiences. Tobin Redwine and Billy McKim, professors in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, say that the goal of visual communicators is to direct their audience to the most important point in everyday items, whether that is advertisements, surveys or social media applications. “Understanding how people process images, from emojis to infographics, helps us better understand how to craft… Read More →

Helping New Agricultural Leaders Hit the Bull’s-eye

Posted on by

Today’s agricultural leaders, educators and communicators have a moving target to hit in their industries. Information that once would have taken weeks and months to generate can now be found in a few minutes. Today’s communication and education professionals have instant access to nearly unlimited amounts of information which they can disseminate to the world in just seconds. It’s an exciting time, but keeping up with the latest tools and techniques can feel like aiming an arrow at a moving target while running on a treadmill! To ensure… Read More →

Students Attend Professional Development Conference in Kansas City

Posted on by

By: Mollie Lastovica Four students in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications attended in the National Association of Farm Broadcasters Annual Conference in Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 13-15. Undergraduates Karina Farias, Jennifer Enocksen and Jackie Hill, along with graduate student David Walther represented the university while fostering relationships with industry professionals and learning about current trends and technologies affecting broadcast journalism. “I attended numerous workshops which offered a wide range of topics including social media, agriculture policy and target audience,” said Hill, a senior agricultural communications… Read More →

Department receives $25,000 endowment from Country Radio Broadcasters

Posted on by

By: Mollie Lastovica Students and faculty involved in radio broadcasting projects, classes and research will benefit from a $25,000 endowment given to the ALEC Department by the Country Radio Broadcasters. Released Nov. 4, the endowment will serve as a financial basis for improving radio instruction within the department and giving students interested in radio broadcast the expertise needed to pursue those dreams. “It is very nice to see that the profession recognizes that students need their support,” said Assistant Professor Billy McKim, Ph.D., who instructs all radio courses…. Read More →

Five ALEC Students Gain Real-World Experience through State Fair of Texas Internships

Posted on by

By: Mollie Lastovica Four agricultural communications and journalism students and one agricultural leadership and development student gained real-world experience in public relations, event coordination and social media marketing through internships with Cultivate Agency at the State Fair of Texas. The AGCJ students, Caitlin Powers, senior, Caitlin McKenna, junior, Chelsea Phillips, senior, Erin Brown, junior, and ALED junior Molly Dutton each worked in Dallas for a week’s span throughout the month of October. “I gained a greater understanding of the behind-the-scenes work it takes to relay information to the… Read More →

Sheppard ’47 Funds Endowment to Support KAMU-TV

Posted on by

By Caitlin Powers Frank Sheppard, Ph.D., ‘47 has gifted the department with an endowment to support AGCJ 409, television production for agricultural journalists, a course that teaches students to utilize and broadcast on the Brazos Valley public broadcasting station, KAMU-TV. Sheppard paid a special visit to the spring 2014 class March 31. “I love the fact that we produce a real television show,” Jennifer Enocksen, junior agricultural communications and journalism major said. “It makes the broadcasting industry less intimidating as a career option because you’ve already been there… Read More →