Communication Studies Department Honored
Congratulations to the El Camino College Communication Studies Department, which was recently recognized with the 2019 Model Communication Program Award at the Western States Communication Association's (WSCA) 90th convention in Seattle. The annual award honors one community college communication program and one elementary/secondary school that demonstrate excellence in communications. Award-winning programs cover a wide range of the communication discipline, including outstanding communication teachers, integrated curricular and cocurricular activities, and strong administrative support. ECC's program was honored for exemplary diversity, scholarship, forensics success and high transfer and degree-completion rates.
The convention featured conferences for undergraduate and graduate scholars, in addition to workshops and panel discussions. El Camino College communication studies professors Diana Crossman, Mark Crossman, Rosemary Swade and Chris Wells accepted the award and presented a panel discussion about the college's communication studies program, which offers degrees, certificates and includes the powerhouse forensics program. The ECC forensics team recently won three national titles at the National Parliamentary Debate Association's tournament, including the overall national championship. The awards sweep is a first for the ECC program and only the second time in history a community college earned the top spot. In 2018, ECC's forensics team secured a No. 1 ranking and won overall sweepstakes at every one of the six tournaments entered. The team won community college national championships in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, and every year from 2007 to the present. Forensics team members also judge and/or coach high school tournaments and teams.
Communication studies faculty regularly publish and present research on a variety of topics and also lead panel discussions and presentations in collaboration with the ECC Center for the Arts. Courses focus on integrity and honesty while preparing students to speak persuasively. Critical thinking, reasoning, effective listening, research, teamwork, self-management and creative problem-solving are major components of communication courses.