Have you ever missed an event or a deadline because an email got buried or a text never went through? How often do you check bulletin boards for posters or Instagram to find what events are happening this weekend? Do you even check these channels, or do you get all of your information through word of mouth, either from your friends or professors? These are important questions to ask if we are to improve our digital communication here at Andrews University. It’s imperative that we stay informed on all the things happening around us.
Communication is very important for the well-being and structure of our campus. Different tools are used to keep students up to date on events, deadlines and even emergencies. To make sure all students are receiving information effectively, surveys and studies can be done to assure everyone is satisfied. Karis Lyons, a senior majoring in digital communications and minoring in leadership, has taken it upon herself to optimize how important information is communicated on campus. The topic is the focus of her Honors project titled, “Reimagining Campus Communication: A Study of Student Information Needs and Channels.”
When choosing a topic for this thesis, Karis was very interested in better understanding how students connect through our variety of communication tools. Emails, social media, word of mouth, print, and other channels all play a role in how information is spread. This study will help identify ways to improve how information is shared and received. Her goal is to not only strengthen campus communication but also build a stronger sense of community, engagement and belonging among the student body.
The whole purpose of the project is to see how Andrews students currently interact with the existing communication methods and how to improve them. “I’m interviewing students, trying to learn more about their communication preferences, how they’re currently receiving information…through various channels. Email, print, Instagram, all the channels, and what they would prefer.” Karis said. Her main goal is to see what can be changed to better improve students’ needs. Our ways of communication need to evolve with the era, and digital communication methods grow more each year.
Karis is looking for more students to participate in this study through interviews that will expound on the concerns brought up in the survey. These can be in-person or virtual, and if interested, students can contact Karis through her email, karisl@andrews.edu, before the month ends. This data will be presented anonymously and greatly help in the effectiveness of campus knowledge. Please contact her ASAP so she can use this information to improve how we communicate.
As a campus, we want to be involved and informed about what's going on around us. The only way that can happen is through the digital communication we use daily. So please reach out and help with the research to improve how information is spread. Your input could help shape how we communicate on campus and change things for the better.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.