The event has been moved to Tuesday, April 9 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in The Yard on the Rutgers College Avenue campus. 

Today, the SC&I Department of Communication will launch its third 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 3, 2024 at The Yard on the Rutgers College Avenue campus from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The event will showcase six popular music acts including several that feature current Rutgers communication majors. COMMchella is free for all attendees, including Rutgers University students, faculty, and staff.

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.

“We are so proud of BeCOMM and COMMchella and we are excited to launch our third edition of the campaign and music festival,” said Communication Department Chair and Professor Marya Doerfel. “It not only celebrates what we’re doing as a program, but it literally showcases how our students turn theories about communication into interactive, engaging, informative, and fun events for our community.”

The COMMchella music lineup will be headlined by SNACKTIME, a popular band based in Philadelphia. Members of the Rutgers University Marching Band will kick-off COMMchella followed by Deep Treble, Rutgers University’s premier co-ed a cappella group that recently finished second place in the 2024 ICCA Mid-Atlantic quarterfinals and is comprised exclusively of Rutgers University students including Celina Del Duca, COM’24. Deep Treble will be followed by Jake Thistle, COM’26. Thistle was awarded Indie Boulevard’s “Best Americana Song of 2022” for his song “Ghosted Road.” Other music acts scheduled to perform include Ophiocoma and Kyphosis which both include Rutgers students as bandmates.   

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, 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.

More than 20 recent SC&I graduates who majored in communication are expected to attend COMMchella and participate in the interactive career conversations. One alumna whose attendance is confirmed is Danielle Montana, COM’16, Senior Vice President at Peppercomm.

“The principles taught as part of the Rutgers communication major have been critical to my success as a seasoned public relations practitioner,” Montana said. “From campaign management and leadership skills to press material development and event planning, I learned from professors with depth-of-experience, and still leverage this expertise as an agency senior vice president eight years following graduation.”

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.

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.

 

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.