Careers in Communication Studies

Lydia Fuqua (2013)
Masters Student in Theatre Education
Emerson College
Boston, MA

Communication Studies Programs at Fort Hays State University fueled my desire to take my education to the next level and provided me with the tools I needed to succeed in my ambition. Not only was I able to dabble in a variety of Communication and Theatre classes, but I also had the opportunity to step outside the classroom and gain experience with a ton of hands-on opportunities. I obtained a well rounded education, gaining multiple perspectives and increasing my knowledge in a wide array of subject fields. From creating various multimedia to planning and executing events from start to finish, I received a hands-on education in a broad range of areas. The instruction is top notch and the attention given to students by faculty members is unbeatable. Nowhere else can you find the perfect blend of communication theory and the chance to apply what you have learned in a real world setting. I truly believe that my ability to explore my interests within the program enabled me to achieve many great feats in a short amount of time and prepared me for the next step in my journey.

Riley Adam Voth (2011)
Pastor Crosspoint Church
Lawrence, KS

I do ministry in several contexts, online and offline. I'm one of 10 pastors in a multi-site church with sites all across Kansas and growing. This means I'm not usually the teaching pastor - occasionally I fill that role, too - but my typical duties are making sure our site is healthy, both the individual lives and organizationally speaking, that we're in sync with the church as a whole, and that we are reaching, serving, and loving the community we're in. I innovate and lead in both new and trusted ways to do these things every week. I also began blogging a few years ago and am now to a point where this has begun to turn a revenue and provide me other opportunities for training, speaking, and creating resources. It fits in with my life offline really well because if I'm meeting with people, counseling, teaching, and leading, it helps to continue to work out these things and be a thought-leader online as well. It provides resources for people throughout the week that they wouldn't have otherwise. My time at FHSU, and specifically in Communication Studies Programs, taught me the importance of continually learning - studying culture and adapting to what works. This is one of the most important things a professional communicator must do. Many might think, "What does a Public Relations degree have to do with ministry?" But I would say that there was no better degree I could have received for it. I'm putting into practice things I learned in the program every day: listening to and observing the desires of people, communicating in a consistent but contextual way that appeals to them, persuading people to make choices that can change their entire lives, crisis control, and more.

Connor J. Beer (2011)
Personnel Consultant
Medix Staffing Solutions
Overland Park, KS

I work in the Professional Services Department where I am in charge of working with high profile clients and finding them candidates that fit their needs. These positions could be anything from Medical Coders, Billers, Nurses, or Receptionists to Mortgage Loan Processors, Financial Analysts, and Account Executives. After I find these individuals who meet the job criteria I interview them both over the phone and in person. I then submit them over to the client where it is a battle to have the best candidate among other staffing agencies. After I get a candidate hired on I become their Supervisor in charge of their payroll, taxes, and termination. Fort Hays is an amazing institution that gave me the tools needed to succeed in my future endeavors. My teachers in Communication Studies Programs are the people who helped me realize where my true potential lied. I started to realize that the way we communicate as humans could be a learned attribute, which is what really drew me into the field of study. Many of the theories and underlying criteria that I learned from classes such as Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Culture and Climate, and Conflict Management helped me to be an effective communicator.