Communication Career Day
Each spring the Communication Alumni Council helps the Department sponsor Communication Career Day. On this day, dozens of alumni return to campus to participate in speed advice sessions that help our undergraduates gain insight into the variety of professions and diverse career paths chosen by our Communication alumni. This annual networking event brings 200+ Communication students together with alumni for career workshops, industry connections, and professional socializing. Students meet with alumni and receive one-on-one career guidance, learn from expert speakers, gain experience, and learn about opportunities as interns or employees, from student/alumni networking sessions.
Our alumni represent a wide array of communication careers, including media and entertainment, sales and marketing, advertising, public relations, public affairs management, law, education, training and development, human resource management, accounting and financial management, and social media. They hold positions in a variety of profit and non-profit organizations that include high tech companies, talent agencies, media organizations, public relations firms, governmental organizations, financial companies, pharmaceuticals, health care organizations, and marketing firms. This is also a great opportunity to meet with fellow alumni and give back by sharing your career experiences with the next generation of communication leaders.
We share updates here and on our social networks, so please consider following us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
For questions or information about this event or our alumni programs, please email the Alumni Council at comm-alumnicouncil@ucsb.edu or click here to go to the Comm Alumni Council webpage.
Interested in getting involved and giving back to your Department? Contact Norah Dunbar or click here to go to the Department Give page.
Communication Career Day is an annual professional development event for UCSB Communication students, featuring a career advice panel, alumni-student networking, and a departmental news update. Career Day is a part of UCSB's All Gaucho Reunion weekend.
The 17th Annual Communication Career Day 2024 was on Saturday, April 20, Corwin Pavillion, 1-3:30 pm
This year’s theme is Hitting Your Stride
1:00 Welcome and Introductions
- Department Update from Tamara Afifi, Department Chair
- Alumni Council Update from David Bellinger, Communication Alumni Council Chairperson
1:10 Alumni Panel - Hitting Your Stride
1:30 Alumni/Student Networking Commences
3:30 Closing Remarks
3:40 Alumni Only Reception with Faculty and Grad Students (Food & Beverages provided)
The theme for the 16th Annual Communication Career Day, 2023 is: Think Big, Start Small
Saturday, April 29, Corwin Pavilion, 1-3:30 pm
Please register (for free) here: https://shoreline.ucsb.edu/COMM/rsvp_boot?id=2070127
This event is a way to connect current UCSB undergraduate communication majors with alumni from our program.
There will be both a panel discussing careers for Comm majors and a chance to network with Alumni.
Download the full program here, which also lists all Alumni (with photos and bios) participating in round-table discussions with students.
Agenda:
1:00 Welcome message from UCSB Communication Alumni Council Chairperson
Dr. Eric Zackrison
1:15 Department Update
Dr. Tammy Afifi
1:30 Panel Discussion - Think Big, Start Small
Moderator:
Wendy Garcia
Panelists:
Bryana Ryan, COO/Director of Operations at Referral Wave
Desiree Flores, Director of Social Impact of the United Talent Agency Foundation
Nick Duggan, Leadership and Career Coach at Deeper Work
2:00 Structured Networking Hour
3:15 Closing Remarks
The Theme for the 15th Annual Communication Career Day, 2022 is: The Power of the Pivot.
Saturday, April 30th from 1 pm to 3:30 pm, In Person and via Zoom
Program:
1:00 Welcome message from UCSB Communication Alumni Council Chairperson
Dr. Eric Zackrison
1:15 Departmental Update
Dr. Tammy Affifi
1:30 Panel Discussion - The Power of the Pivot
Moderator: Wendy Garcia
Panelists:
Cody Corona, Directorr of Product, Electronic Arts https://www.linkedin.com/in/codycorona/
Kimia Kalbasi, Senior Social Media Manager, AdRoll https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimiakalbasi/
Nikita Packard, Director of Business Development, Impact.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-packard/
2:15 Networking Hour - Structured networking allowing students and alumni to interact
3:15 Closing Remarks
The 14th annual Communication Career Day, 2021—virtual for the first time—was held during the All Gaucho Reunion weekend on April 24 from 1:00-3:30pm.
Learn about careers in Communication and interact with successful Communication alumni!
This year's theme: Transitions.
Register for this year’s virtual event via Shoreline at: http://cglink.me/2dD/r921009 You will receive the Zoom link.
1:00-1:30: Welcome and Introductions
Departmental Update – Norah Dunbar
Alumni Council Update – Alexandra Platt
1:30-2:00: Career Panel – Moderated by Eric Zackrison
Jamie Morgan – Head of Technical Recruiting at Cruise
Takako Suzuki – Statistician/Data Scientist at Neustar
Diana Nguyen – Learning and Development Program Specialist at Apeel Sciences
2:00-3:15: Alumni/Student Networking
3:15 Closing Remarks
Communication Majors and Pre-Majors!
Following the keynote panel, dozens of Communication alumni will interact with participants in small groups to offer individualized career advice to Communication students. Freshmen and sophomores gain insight into the variety of professions and diverse career paths chosen by our Communication alumni. Juniors and seniors learn tips about entering the workforce.
Communication Alumni—We need you!
What career advice would you give to today’s Communication students? UCSB Communication alumni are invited to discuss their careers and career paths in small group breakout discussions with majors and pre-majors. After the event with the students, alumni are invited to participate in an online networking event. Join your friends and other alumni who will join us from all over the world for a chance to reconnect.
Here are some sites and tips for a major transition: Entering or transitioning in the workforce during COVID-19, provided by Jamie Morgan, a Comm Alumni Council member:
- Tips for Graduates Entering the Workforce During COVID-19
- How New Grads Can Look for Their First Jobs During the Pandemic
- 7 Essential Tips for Working from Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic
- Five Strategies to Help You Navigate Career Transitions (Opinion) | Inside Higher Ed
Because the 2020 All Gaucho Reunion was cancelled due to the coronavirus, the 2020 Communication Career Day event was not held.
The 11th Annual Communication Career Day was held April 27, 2019. To download the full program, click here.
The 2019 Communication Career Day was a huge success! Here are video testimonials of attending students who share their experience and key takeaways.
Miya - Watch on YouTube
Riddhi - Watch on YouTube
Vivian- Watch on YouTube
Immediately following the event, we hosted a reception for alumni from 4:00 - 5:00 pm at the Corwin Pavilion. We invited our Alumni to join us for this afternoon event and stay to reconnect with other alumni and faculty.
For programs, lists of participants, and news articles of past Communication Career Day events, click on the following links.
Click here for a Facebook photo album of the 2018 event.
Here's a 3-minute interview of Audra with Alumni Council member Justine Miller:
Here is Audra Lowe's Keynote Address on Career Planning for UC Santa Barbara Department of Communication Career Day 2018 (20 min).
Here is Maureen Carrig’s Presentation on Salary Negotiations for UC Santa Barbara Department of Communication Career Day 2018 (14 min).
Here is Jody Miller’s Presentation on Choosing Happiness as Part of Career Planning for UC Santa Barbara Department of Communication Career Day 2018 (14 min).
2014 - 6th Annual Career Day (part of 30th Anniversary)
2009 - 1st Annual Career Day (part of 25th Anniversary) Watch the 25th Anniversary slideshow created for our inaugural Communication Career Day.