As part of its ongoing #BeCOMM campaign, a communications and social media campaign to celebrate and promote the communication major, the SC&I Department of Communication announced today its inaugural #BeCOMM Talk Show which will take place on Tuesday, October 24 at The Yard on the Rutgers College Avenue campus from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (The rain location will be Scott Hall, Room 123). The #BeCOMM Talk Show is free for all attendees, including Rutgers University students, faculty, and staff.

Timed with National Free Speech Week which takes place each October to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of speech, the #BeCOMM Talk Show will be hosted by Mike Emanuel, COM’90, Fox News Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent.

The #BeCOMM Talk Show will be hosted by Mike Emanuel, COM’90, Fox News Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent.

Guests who will appear on the #BeCOMM Talk Show and be interviewed by Emanuel will include:

• Gordon Deal, COM’89, National radio show host of This Morning, America’s First News
• Jason Gaines, COM’17, Rutgers Future Scholar brand ambassador
• Maya Jacobs, COM’21, Beauty and fashion social media influencer marketer
• Jenn Dunne Keeney, current Master of Communication and Media (MCM) student and Broadways actress who has appeared in Chicago for the past decade
• Tyler Koy, COM’24, TikTok social media influencer with 4.3 million followers
• Grace Lewis, COM’21, Host of the Tall Poppy Talk podcast
• David Pangilinan, COM’16, Manager, Insights and Cultural Intelligence, Paramount
• Jake Thistle, COM’26, Singer and songwriter     

“We are excited to host our inaugural BeCOMM Talk Show this fall which complements our annual COMMchella Music Festival each spring,” said Communication Department Chair and Professor Marya Doerfel. “The BeCOMM Talk Show celebrates Free Speech Week, our graduates and what we are doing as a program while showcasing how our students turn theories about communication into interactive, engaging, informative, and fun events for our community.”

The event will feature appearances by the Department of Communication faculty; the Scarlet Knight mascot; a LinkedIn photographer offering students free professional headshots to enhance their online presence; a sketch artist; free Krispy Pizza; and free #BeCOMM branded merchandise including winter hats and socks (all while supplies last).

“I credit the communication major at Rutgers University for successfully setting me on a career path that has led me to where I am today – working in an innovative research, insights, and trends role at one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies,” said David Pangilinan, COM’16, Manager, Insights and Cultural Intelligence, Paramount.

“I credit the communication major at Rutgers University for successfully setting me on a career path that has led me to where I am today – working in an innovative research, insights, and trends role at one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies, Paramount,” said Pangilinan. “The communication major community at Rutgers including the courses that are extremely hands-on, professors who are eager to help, and fellow classmates who challenged my thinking not only provided a strong foundation for my professional and career development, but they continue to remain an invaluable resource today. That’s testament to the power of being a communication major at Rutgers University. It extends well beyond your days as a student and throughout your career.”

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 #BeCOMM Talk Show.

To promote #BeCOMM, the students will produce and distribute content throughout the fall semester 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, #BeCOMM Talk Show and the COMMchella Music Festival, follow @ru_becomm on Instagram, TikTok, and X, formerly known as Twitter.

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