Spring 2024
CONNECTION
INVESTING IN STUDENTS Greetings, and welcome to the College of Communication & Information Spring 2024 Connection newsletter. When I chose a career in academia, I knew I was choosing a life dedicated to investing in students. Having taught more than 1500 students in classes, and now having the opportunity to interact with hundreds of students each semester as dean, I can confirm that this was one of the best investments I’ve ever made! Our students become wonderful alumni, colleagues, employers, and staunch champions. Their flourishing – your flourishing! – is truly the rising tide that raises all ships. I delight in the fact that I am surrounded by staff, faculty, alumni, employers, Florida State University, and the State of Florida itself, all of whom invest profoundly in our students every day. It gives me joy every time we are able to invest in our students by leveraging the resources of the College – many of which come from our incredibly generous and committed donors, to whom I offer my extensive thanks! Most often, we are investing in excellence among our students through scholarships, travel to hard-earned national competitions or important networking trips, or equipment needed to support career readiness. Occasionally, I am sobered by the need to invest in a student who is experiencing a grave challenge. Such situations, while thankfully rare, make me especially grateful that our college is able to help. And I turn my attention to you, dear reader: How do you think the College of Communication and Information can make sure our investment in our students is the best it can be? And how would you like to engage with us? Please reach out to info@cci.fsu.edu and let us know how you are doing. I would love to hear from you and to meet with you if possible. I have 11 trips to various locations in the calendar for 2024, so you never know where I might appear! As you flip through the pages that follow, you will encounter professional successes, global travel, and impactful applications of classroom learning. In each case, our collective investment in our students has led to meaningful success. I hope you enjoy reading about them in more depth throughout this issue of our Connection newsletter.
Michelle M. Kazmer Dean