Today, the Department of Communication in the School of Communication and Information (SC&I) will launch its fourth annual #BeCOMM communications and social media campaign to celebrate and promote the communication major at Rutgers and inform undeclared majors, transfer students, and prospective Rutgers students about majoring in communication at SC&I.

One of the highlights of the #BeCOMM campaign will be the COMMchella Music Festival which will take place on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at The Yard on the Rutgers College Avenue campus from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event will showcase music acts including several that feature current Rutgers communication majors. COMMchella is free for all attendees, including Rutgers University students, faculty, and staff.

“The BeCOMM campaign has grown into a powerful showcase of what our communication program stands for,” said Communication Department Chair and Professor Marya Doerfel. “COMMchella has become a significant event on the Rutgers calendar, marking how we bridge academic theory with real-world impact. The campaign doesn’t just celebrate our department – it immerses our students in experiential learning that turns knowledge into action, preparing them to tackle the challenges organizations face today.”

The COMMchella music lineup will be headlined by SNACKTIME, the house band for “They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce” on ESPN. COMMchella will kick off with Deep Treble, Rutgers University’s premier co-ed a cappella group that finished second place in the 2024 ICCA Mid-Atlantic quarterfinals and is comprised exclusively of Rutgers University students including Hannah Mathew COM’26. Also performing will be Jake Thistle COM’26. Thistle was recently recognized by the Boston Herald as one of the “Rising Music Stars of 2025.” Blush Boy, a music act that includes Rutgers graduates as bandmates, will round out the COMMchella music lineup.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform, Max, Conagra Brands, RWJBarnabas Health, Manasquan Bank, Mars Wrigley and Terebey Relocation Team are supporting the #BeCOMM campaign and COMMchella Music Festival as corporate partners. 

In addition to the music, COMMchella will offer a variety of other free activities to support the academic and professional growth of Rutgers communication majors. The SC&I office of career services will host interactive career conversations to enable students to gain job interview skills, resume writing clinics, and a LinkedIn photographer offering students free professional headshots to help enhance their online presence. Members of Rutgers student organizations focused on the communication major, related skills, and professions will also attend the event and engage with attendees. These include RU Sure, Scarlet PR, PRSSA, Rutgers Public Speaking Organization, Rutgers Riot Squad, and SC&I’s Master of Communication and Media (MCM) Graduate Student Association.

The COMMchella Music Festival on April 2 will showcase music acts including several that feature current Rutgers communication majors. COMMchella is free for all attendees, including Rutgers University students, faculty, and staff.

COMMchella will also feature appearances by the Department of Communication faculty; the Scarlet Knight mascot; a sketch artist; the pop-up shop RU Thrifty; free Krispy Pizza; and free #BeCOMM branded merchandise, all while supplies last.

More than 25 recent SC&I graduates who majored in communication are expected to attend COMMchella and participate in interactive career conversations. One alumna whose attendance is confirmed is Jaylynn Cardona COM’22, NCAA Partnership Coordinator at Warner Bros. Discovery.

“As a Rutgers communication major who was a student in the first course in the spring 2022 semester that developed the #BeCOMM campaign and produced the first COMMchella Music Festival, I am excited, but not surprised, by its evolution,” Cardona said. “The valuable lessons I learned and the experiences I had in the courses offered by the Rutgers communication major have been key to my success in my career and current role at Warner Bros. Discovery where I collaborate with our advertisers, all of which are category-leading companies and brands.”

In addition to the music, COMMchella will offer a variety of other free activities to support the academic and professional growth of Rutgers communication majors.

Students in the Strategic Public Relations Event Planning course taught by Mark Beal, assistant professor of professional practice, communication, are spearheading the #BeCOMM campaign and managing the COMMchella Music Festival.

To promote the campaign, the students will produce and distribute content throughout March and April via earned and social media to highlight the five communication major specializations: Health and Wellness Communication; Leadership in Organizations and Community; Relationships and Family Communication; Strategic Public Communication; Communication and Technology; and Public Relations.

To stay updated on the #BeCOMM campaign and the COMMchella music festival, follow @ru_becomm on Instagram and TikTok.

Learn more about the communication major at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information (SC&I) on the school’s website.