Communication Students Serve the Community Story by Hayley Arthur Photos by Cooper Hunt
Time…so often we find that it is the big evil mastermind that obstructs us from good. Such was the case for a service project assignment for two communication studies majors. Cooper Hunt, a Evan Windham, a senior junior and Trinity communication studies major, Haynes, a senior, and Taylor Harper, a senior found time to be sport management major, the overshadowing volunteer at Living Proof Recovery, a local non-profit. villain when completing a project for their Crisis Communications class. For the students, the clock started ticking when Dr. William Mullen, Chair of the Department of Communication Studies and Professor of Communication Studies, assigned them a non-profit community service project for his class. The students could choose any organization at any time, as long as it was a non-profit that served the community. When asked why he assigned this project, Mullen explained that not only does serving the community build a reputation that’s essential to crisis leadership, but it also helps students work with people and organizations that deal heavily with crises of all kinds. Thus, the students were to learn about crisis communication, not just from the project itself, but also from the organizations the project served. Nevertheless, aside from the specific crisis communication applications, Mullen put it simply by saying, “The practical benefit of getting people out there is to learn how to serve.” The group in which Haynes served chose to give time and service to Living Proof Recovery, a rehabilitation center for individuals dealing with addictions, located in Rome, Ga. She, along with Evan Windham and Trey Lyles, both
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senior communication studies majors, and Taylor Harper, a senior sport management major and communication studies minor, deep-cleaned a classroom, cleaned and organized a clothing and shoe storage area, and cleaned an art therapy room. The work was dirty, but Haynes recalled countless moments of laughter, fun, and hilarious conversations the students had while mopping, scrubbing a table, or organizing a room. In fact, Haynes noted that the work was a fun and bonding experience for the group saying, “Nothing bonds you faster to some people than doing something that’s worthwhile for someone else.” The students considered their service small, but they walked out closer together than they had been and with a boosted sense of fulfillment. The project that Hunt and his group completed was just as tough, but equally as fulfilling. This small group of students also included Brayden Williams, a sophomore communication studies major, and Tanner Hopkins, Caroline Wheeler, Maverick Beaudreau, all senior communication studies majors. They gave their time and service to West Rome Baptist Church in Rome, Ga. The students took out garbage, cleaned the children’s facility, and organized a storage room. The
Brayden Williams, a sophomore communication studies major, and Maverick Beadreau, a senior communication studies major, do the heavy lifting at West Rome Baptist.
