On March 28, 2022, the Department of Communication in the School of Communication and Information (SC&I), Rutgers University–New Brunswick, launched a campaign titled, #BeCOMM, to celebrate the communication major and inform undeclared majors, transfer students, and future Rutgers–New Brunswick students accepted into the School of Arts and Sciences.

The #BeCOMM campaign will feature more than 20 alumni to showcase the professional opportunities available to Rutgers communication majors.

One of the highlights of the #BeCOMM campaign will be a music event titled, COMMchella, which will take place on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at The Yard on the College Avenue campus from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and showcase four popular music acts featuring Rutgers communication majors, past and present. COMMchella is free for all attendees including students, faculty, and staff.

The COMMchella music lineup will kick-off with the band, The Thrill of Meandering, featuring Jordan Hurtado SC&I’21. Hurtado will be followed by Loveseat Pete, featuring Matt Keenan SC&I’23. The third act will be singer Cristina Ferucci SC&I’20, who recently released her first solo album. COMMchella will culminate with The Rockets, featuring current student Jackson Grundt SC&I’22. The Philadelphia-based band performs at college campuses.

One of the highlights of the #BeCOMM campaign will be a music event titled, COMMchella, which will take place on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at The Yard on the College Avenue campus from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The #BeCOMM campaign will feature more than 20 alumni to showcase the professional opportunities available to Rutgers communication majors. The content will include a “Spotlight Series” featuring recent Rutgers communication major graduates. Among those to be featured include Lindsay Balsamo SC&I’15, a NBC Sports Olympic Sales and Marketing executive; David Pangilinan SC&I’16, the Insights and Cultural Intelligence Manager at Paramount; Carl Casperson SC&I’21, a Sales Associate for the New York Jets; and Gianna Cretella SC&I’19, a TV Accounts Manager at The Walt Disney Company.

The #BeCOMM campaign will 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, through the campaign’s social media channels.

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

“I owe so much of my career to the opportunities and education that were provided to me as an undergraduate at Rutgers majoring in communication,” said Sarah Miller SC&I’19, a healthcare communications professional. “The skills that I learned in the classroom could often be directly applied to my internships and now my full-time position. Additionally, everyone – professors, fellow students, alumni ­– in SC&I were (and still are) always so willing to go above and beyond for a fellow Scarlet Knight in any way that they could, whether it was sitting for an informational interview, reviewing a resume, or making an introduction. In my experience, the endless opportunities offered at Rutgers – on top of the top-tier academics ­– are there for the taking for anyone who is eager to seize them! I am so thankful to Rutgers, SC&I, and the communication department for helping me lay the foundation for a successful career and being there, even after I crossed the stage in my cap and gown, as a community full of support.”

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

The campaign is being supported by RWJBarnabas Health, the official health care provider of Rutgers Athletics and a proud supporter of Rutgers University, as well as the SC&I student-run public relations and social media agency, Scarlet PR. The students will produce and distribute original content throughout March and April via earned and social media. 

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

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