WSU Dept. of Communication students use capstone projects to serve local Detroit communities, learn vital career skills
For Wayne State University Department of Communication students, serving their Detroit neighbors and transitioning from college to career goes hand in hand.
Most recently, Warriors in the department's capstone course for communication studies majors worked with local groups throughout the winter 2024 semester to promote anti-bullying in schools and colleges, develop campaigns against drunk driving, and foster awareness of environmental pollutants in the surrounding communities.
The three projects were Love Laces, the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities, and WSU's Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR).
“Through each of these service learning projects,” said Rahul Mitra, associate professor of organizational communication, who taught the course, “WSU students in the Department of Communication are not just helping protect and care for our communities, but also learning project management, content design, and team communication that are vital transferable skills in any workplace.”
Love Laces, a local small business that inscribes positive affirmations on shoelaces and apparel to inspire love for self and others, provided an opportunity for WSU students to work on an extensive campaign to empower kids and college students to stand up against bullying.
Tresa Deal-Galloway, founder of Love Laces, has long been a staunch advocate for anti-bullying, leading measures like the annual Bullying Awareness Walk in Detroit. “Working with her,” said Mitra, “WSU students developed a series of infographics and short videos for TikTok and social media, along with press releases, a media/marketing kit and website design plan, which should help Love Laces in its advocacy against bullying.”
Another group of students worked with the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities to create a series of infographics and videos for wide distribution targeting Detroit sports fans to promote messages of safe driving. The communication material is especially geared toward fans of the Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings. Alliance is at the frontlines of the substance abuse epidemic, with a variety of programs for prevention, recovery and wellness.
“They did a great job on their project, in my opinion, and they conducted themselves professionally during the process,” said MaryAnn Vergith, Alliance’s prevention program director. “We will definitely utilize the products they created. Overall, it has been a great experience, and I would welcome the opportunity of doing it again.”
A third group of Warriors partnered with WSU's CLEAR, which is funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to monitor and remediate the health impacts of a class of environmental pollutants called volatile organic chemicals.
VOCs are found in many common household and industrial products, and are often in the soil, air and groundwater of neighborhoods near industrial sites. The students developed short-scripted animation videos to highlight the health implications of VOCs, convey the cutting-edge research being done by CLEAR, and empower Detroit residents to take action.
“Students in this course, and several other courses we teach in the department, take the communication theories, processes, principles, and practices they learn to promote positive social change in the very communities where they live and work,” said Department of Communication Interim Chair Pradeep Sopory. “This not only helps the communities, but also prepares our students for rewarding careers.”