Communication Studies Students Serve Community

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 junior and Trinity Haynes, a senior, found time to be the overshadowing 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

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, Evan Windham, a senior “Nothing bonds you faster to some people than communication studies major, doing something that’s worthwhile for someone and Taylor Harper, a senior sport management major, else.” The students considered their service volunteer at Living Proof small, but they walked out closer together than Recovery, a local non-profit. 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.

Trinity Haynes, a senior communication studies major, cleans tables at Living Proof Recovery, a rehabilitation center in Rome, Ga., that serves those dealing with addiction.

project involved a lot of heavy lifting both up and down stairs, but the group made it light work by laughing and enjoying each other’s company while doing it. However, that was not even the best part, according to Hunt. To him, the best part was making connections with the employees at West Rome Baptist. He said that the people made a great impression on his group from their wonderful display of leadership to their massive amounts of gratitude towards the students. Such a response to their work made the project, “very rewarding.” Hunt also recalled that the group actually walked away with large cardboard giraffes that the church no longer needed. These cut-out giraffes still stand in the student’s dorms today as room decor! Throughout their projects, the students acknowledged the malicious push-back of a shadowy villain who likes to drum his leathergloved fingers against each other and laugh in the face of every good thing…time. When asked, “What were some conflicts or hurdles that you had to overcome to complete the project?” Both Haynes and Hunt stressed that time was a huge problem. Coordinating their busy schedules with one another proved to be almost detrimental to the project. Availability was slim, but the need for the students to complete the project and serve their community was great. Time may be one of our biggest enemies, but these wise students realized that overcoming it and doing good in the community was worth more than they had anticipated. In fact, Haynes summarized the experience with this golden piece of advice, “Get involved in the community where you can, and don’t let ‘I’m too busy’ be your excuse, because I know it’s an easy excuse to have.” Hunt wanted his audience to know that “Procrastination is the biggest enemy as we learned.” These students speak powerful truth to the entire world by saying that finding the time to serve is hard, but it is worth it in the end. “Dong!” The clock strikes as it always does, but Mullen and his group of communication studies students did not let it win. From this nonprofit community service project, they beat time and simply learned how, when, and why to serve.