On Friday, September 17th, the students within Alcorn’s Mass Communications Department voted to crown the inaugural Mr. Mass Communications 2021-2022. To go along with the recent wave of Misters being presented in different positions throughout the campus it seemed only fitting to have a representative for the Department. With a 28-12 victory over his opponent, Joshua Harvey became Mr. Mass Communications.
Harvey, 21, a Senior Mass Communications major from Natchez, Mississippi is a renaissance man who has a passion for numerous types of media such as video, photography, and television production. While at Natchez High School (NHS), Harvey was a member of the Beta Club, the Honors Society, the Key Club, a member of the NHS Media team, NHS’s Choir, and a member of the band. Before graduating high school in 2018, he realized that he needed to choose an institution of higher education that would provide him with the necessary skills to succeed in the field of Communications. That institution was Alcorn State University. “Besides Alcorn being a place where my family members attended, I chose it because it was closer to home, financially reasonable, had a great environment, and a place that I felt I could perfect my craft,” Harvey stated.
Once in the Department, Harvey jumped in consuming everything that it had to offer. He became a member of The Mass Communications Club, a member of ASU TV-13 (Alcorn’s TV station), and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). Not to be complacent with the organizations within his own Department, to make himself more well-rounded, he joined the National Society of Leadership and Success, Honors Society, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and IMPACT Community Service Group.
Even with a full plate of classes and organizations, Harvey felt that he needed to do more for not only himself but for his classmates and Department. Harvey stated, “I realized that, although the title of Mr. Mass Communications is new, it carries a lot of weight. As a leader, you’re not really leading, but listening to what other’s have to say. You’re more so a follower in a leadership role. I felt that I had the qualities to run for this position and win it.” Harvey’s platform, while running for the title, was ‘Light’s, Camera, Action’. He wanted to show the potential voters what type of avenues that they could take by majoring in the Mass Communications field.
Once announced the winner, Harvey discussed with his constituents that he plans on implementing workshops for the Freshmen and Sophomore students to get them more acclimated with the Department. For the upperclassmen, he plans on hosting workshops that will help them improve their resumes and writing skills.
Harvey, who graduates in May, plans to further his education in Communications by attaining a Masters degree at The University of Southern Mississippi.