The Mass Communications Department at Alcorn State University (ASU) recently received many much-needed upgrades which will prepare its students for the workforce, but it was no easy task procuring the necessary items for the improvements.
Dr. Eric Dogini, Assoicate Professor and Coordinator for the Department, upon his arrival at the University in 2019 and seeing its content, came to the realization that mass improvements needed to be made. So, in 2020, then President Dr. Felecia Nave and then Provost Dr. Ontario Wooden, visited the Industrial Technology Building where the Mass Communications Department is housed. While there, Dr. Dogini gave the two a tour of the facility and pointed out the help that was eagerly needed. Upon seeing the Department’s condition, Dr. Nave and Dr. Wooden promised that a change would be made.
Afterwards, through diligence and hard work, the three procured a grant by Title III for 5 years to improve the Department so that it could receive its accreditation by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) which is a ‘nonprofit, educational association of Journalism and Mass Communications educators, students and media professionals’. With the grant money it was divided up into four phases. The first phase was to improve on the aesthetic of the classrooms with new desks and state of the art smart boards. The second phase was to have a computer lab for the students within their own building. The grant money appropriated for 2 labs (16 computers in each with state-of-the-art software).
Phase 3 consisted of injecting a Podcast room within the Department for the students with the proper equipment needed. Phase 4 of the proposal was the construction of the studio for ASU TV-13 (Alcorn’s TV station). Before any planning took place Dr. Dogini traveled to Mississippi State University and Jackson State University to observe their studios to get an idea of how Alcorn’s studio should look. After finding the engineers to build the studio, construction began with a news desk, cameras, a talk show area and an up-to-date control room. The final part of the studio will be to put LED lighting throughout the area which should be complete before Summer 2025.
Dr. Dogini stated, “The Department, for the most part is complete. It is up to standard. Any of our students can walk into any television station in the country and obtain a job.”
For more information on the Mass Communications Department at Alcorn you can contact Dr. Dogini at (601) 877-6632 or at edogini@alcorn.edu.
