Student Organizations in the Scripps College of Communication
The Scripps College of Communication's student organizations connect you with students who share your interests and with the industry you want to enter. They also provide you with opportunities to gain practical experience that will help you when it’s time to find an internship or begin your search for your first job after graduation. And because they send a representative to the Scripps College of Communication’s Council of Student Organizations, they also give you a voice in campus affairs and college policies.
1804 Communication
Previously ImPRessions, 1804 Communication is an entirely student-run public relations firm based in Athens, Ohio. The firm operates as a subsidiary of the Hugh M. Culbertson chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) at Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. 1804 Communication is also a PRSSA nationally affiliated, student-run firm through PRSSA National’s standards. This year, we have merged with ThumbPrint, the advertising agency on campus to align with what is happening in the industry. This will improve the experience of our members and give them a breadth of opportunities that were not available to them before.
The most important function of 1804 Communication is to provide students at Ohio University with professional experience that will prepare them for future internships and employment opportunities. 1804 will serve clients on the national and regional levels as well as local clients in Athens. 1804 Communication provides organizations with full communications and marketing services free of charge. Our professional and knowledgeable students are wowing clients year after year with their dedication, passion and creativity.
All-Campus Radio Network Media (ACRN)
ACRN Media is a media group on campus centered around an Internet 24/7 college-rock radio station. We produce audio and visual content, host talkcasts and specialty shows, DJ at events on and off campus, and write about all things media.
Associated Press Sports Editors
The purpose of this organization is to help students pursuing a career in sports journalism to become better journalists. We do this through workshops, guest speakers and weekly meetings in order to help our members improve their craft and build connections within the sports journalism field. We also promote and support events that center on diversity and inclusion, as that continues to be a problem in sports journalism.
Audio Engineering Society (AES)
Ohio University Audio Engineering Society is a student chapter of the Audio Engineering Society, the only professional society devoted exclusively to audio technology. The AES is an international organization that unites audio engineers, creative artists, scientists and students worldwide by promoting advances in audio and disseminating new knowledge and research.
Backdrop Magazine - Scripps Magazine Society
Backdrop is an award-winning life and style publication by students for students. Our magazine represents the iconic flavor of college life, with Ohio University and Athens as our backdrop. It informs, intrigues, entertains and reflects its readers in the Athens community. We cover current issues, style, culture and the feeling of college life as we live it.
Black Student Communications Caucus (BSCC)
Utilizing communication as a powerful tool, the mission of the Black Student Communications Caucus is to encourage personal/professional development and increase participation on the Ohio University Campus and in the Athens community.
Bobcat Esports
Bobcat Esports is the organization for all Esports Teams and Orgs on campus. We host a multitude of events throughout the year. Funding from the events goes back to affiliated Teams and Orgs. Charity fundraisers will be organized soon as well. Ignore the meeting times listed on OrgSync they are placeholders. Every org and/or team has their own meeting times. We currently have teams for Smash, Overwatch, Rocket League, CS:GO, Fortnite, and Heartstone. We are looking at expanding to include League of Legends, Rainbow Six, Fifa, Madden, and NBA2k. We need more members to make this happen. In the meantime, feel free to join us for some good fun and meet fellow Bobcats! After you've joined here on Org Sync please check the website link and join our Discord! We'll be adding our Facebook and Twitter pages soon!
Bobcat Productions
Bobcat Productions is a completely student-run video and multimedia production group at Ohio University. We believe students have the right to create their visions. From television to YouTube, and from Vimeo to iTunes, our content spans across nearly every medium. We believe that through creating, foundations are established that allow students to tell their story. We believe students should take their education beyond the classroom and challenge themselves to learn more. With a variety of projects, there is always an opportunity to master a skill or learn something that interests you. We pride ourselves as being an organization with some of the most learned individuals on campus. We believe that as an educational organization, it is our responsibility to inspire one another. It is our responsibility to challenge one another to become better storytellers, writers, leaders, and financially capable citizens. Our club prides themselves in both preparing and Inspiring knowledgeable leaders in the entertainment industry.
Brick City Records
Brick City Records is Ohio University’s premier record label and focuses on providing students real world experience in multiple aspects of the recording and music industry. Brick City is operated by School of Media Arts & Studies students and works with musicians to provide recording, promotion, distribution, publicity, and concert booking services. Each year, Brick City produces and distributes new releases for a select number of artists, culminating in a large release concert in April.
Film Fam
A YouTube based video creating club/community for vloggers/lifestyle videos. Any help in areas such as video editing, producing, directing, networking, social media, journalism, audio producing, animating, etc is needed. We create fun challenges, vlogs, skits and college related videos for anyone to view.
Game Developers Association
The purpose of this organization is to work as a group on improving the game development skills of students at Ohio University. Through individual and team based projects, occasional special weekend events, and finally through one-on-one tutoring, the organization works on preparing students for life in the industry, as well as building portfolios.
Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab
The Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab, an initiative of Ohio University's Scripps College of Communication, was developed by the School of Media Arts & Studies faculty and staff to provide the Appalachian Ohio region with training, education, and an opportunity to develop technical and creative skills with digital game technology.
Gaming Association (OUGA)
Ohio University Gaming Association (OUGA) is Ohio University's premiere video game club. We meet every Friday at 7 p.m. at Schoonover 450 to hang out and play video games. It's fairly casual, but if you play a game competitively and want to get other into it, that'd be fantastic. The room in Schoonover has tons of TVs if you want to bring your own consoles to share the games you like with every one, just grab one of the 20 something TVs in the room. We also bring our own setups for you guys. Please note that the TVs only accept HDMI input(all the tvs have their own HDMI cord already, so no need to bring your own). If you want to bring something like a Gamecube or older console that uses component cables, you'll need to bring your own TV that's compatible. We can provide an Ethernet connection, but you need to bring your own Ethernet cable. The doors to Schoonover will lock at 10 p.m. Join the Bobcat Esports Discord if you have any questions or want to become involved in any of the gaming related clubs on campus, this Discord serves as a hub for as many gaming related clubs are willing to join.
Her Campus Ohio U
Her Campus is an online magazine written for college women. Our content ranges from health, beauty, news, advice and personal essays. Everyone from any background or major is welcome to join! We are a platinum level chapter placing us in the top quartile of all Her Campus chapters around the world!
Kappa Alpha Zeta
Kappa Alpha Zeta is a professional fraternity for students passionate about advertising, marketing, media, PR, social media, and leadership. KAZ will act as a space for members to work together to further their networking, leadership, and communication skills. It is intended to act as a bridge between the strategic communications and business worlds. KAZ is for leaders who strive for success, and also want to give back to the community and help grow the skills of others. We chose to use the word fraternity to describe this organization because it will bring together a group of leaders to share friendship and a common passion. We intend to provide portfolio building opportunities and projects, leadership workshops, speaker events, and more. Kappa Alpha Zeta is designed to push students toward success and achieve their dreams and goals.
Lambda Pi Eta
Lambda Pi Eta is the official Communication Studies honors society and the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University is home to the Beta Mu chapter of LPE. Being a member of the Beta Mu chapter of LPE is a prestigious honor for communication studies majors to join in the long tradition of celebrating academic excellence through the national honor society. To be eligible for membership, student must have completed at least 60 semester hours overall with at least 12 hours in their COMS major. They must also have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.0 overall and 3.25 in COMS courses. LPE hosts meetings to help members and COMS majors grow academically and to come together as community to celebrate our course of study. LPE is most famously known for their annual “Puppies and Pizza” night that allows students to destress while playing with puppies and enjoy pizza and conversation with other COMS majors.
MDIA Graduate
As part of the Scripps College of Communication, we seek to foster innovation in student research and creative work. We are a global community and are dedicated to academic excellence and social support of MDIA graduate students.
Multimedia Society
The Ohio University Multimedia Society is a collaborative group of students from all disciplines within Ohio University. Our group is composed of members ranging from the freshman to senior classes with all levels of experience. All undergraduate and graduate students are welcome and encouraged to join.
We have weekly meetings highlighted by group officer presentations, Google hangouts with industry professionals, and a compiling database of inspiration, tutorials, and multimedia firm locations. OUMS works to keep its members updated on the latest digital trends at our weekly meetings by talking about the latest design news or sharing new inspiration. We also take networking trips to cities like New York, Chicago, and Washington D.C. We’ve visited places like Tumblr, New York Times Interactive, Wondersauce, and NPR.
National Communication Association Student Club (NCASC)
National Communication Association Student Club (NCASC) is a professional organization dedicated to teaching communication students more about the field of communication as a whole. It accomplishes this through interactive workshops, guest speakers, mentoring programs, networking trips, and job shadowing. NCASC is open to all communication majors.
Faculty Advisor: Jerry Miller, millerj5@ohio.edu
National Press Photographer Association (NPPA)
The NPPA is the leading voice advocating for the work of visual journalists today. Our education initiatives seek to equip our members and prepare the emerging generation of visual journalists in the face of an ever-changing media landscape.
Ohio Sports Broadcasting Club
Ohio Sports Broadcasting Club is an outlet for radio and TV play-by-play announcers, color commentators, sideline reporters and sports show hosts to meet, discuss and practice the profession.
Ohio University Speech and Debate Team
Ohio University’s Forensics Speech and Debate Team consistently wins regional and national awards. In 2012, the team was honored at the Ohio State House for their consistent record of superior performance. The Speech and Debate team competes each year from September through April, providing the opportunity for OHIO students to meet outstanding undergraduates from 300 or more colleges or universities in intellectual competition. Approximately 20 tournaments at other schools and several held on the Athens campus enable students to develop skills in debate, extemporaneous speaking, oratory, rhetorical criticism, and oral interpretation. Most travel is funded, and scholarship opportunities are available. This diverse group of fun-loving, hard-working individuals welcomes any and all interested students of any major. No prior experience is necessary.
Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Talbert, jtalbert@ohio.edu
Online News Association
The Online News Association chapter of Ohio University’s mission is to foster the growth of digital media at OHIO! Our meetings offer noteworthy advice from successful digital media professionals. Learn new skills taught in our ONA @ OU technical skills workshops. Engaging conversations with fellow journalists, innovators and creative minds.
People Organizing Communication Objectively
A student group focused on the interplay between communication and politics. Engaged in a diversity of political communication research, discussion, engagement, and community service.
Faculty Advisor: Benjamin LaPoe, lapoeb@ohio.edu
Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)
The main goal of PRSSA is to offer members beneficial relationships with public relations practitioners that facilitate the learning, acquiring and development of professional skills -supplemented by educational knowledge- to be applied in everyday decisions.
We meet every week and host professional speakers to add in-person networking opportunities for our members. Our chapter prides its self on providing essential real-world experience matched with up-to-date educational tools in order to best prepare our members to be the best communicators post-graduation. For meeting times and location, please refer to our website.
Rough Cut Collective
Patrons of this club work on original shorts that incorporate elements not commonly associated with student productions. This includes experimenting with the use of visual effects, practical effects, lighting, advanced camera movement, and unique audio elements. Members of this club have the option to participate in any or all of the pre, post, or production sides of the films. No prior knowledge is required to join the club, everyone welcome.
Scripps Hispanic Network
Scripps Hispanic Network is an outlet dedicated to provide advancement for Hispanic-journalism students, and those interested in Spanish-speaking communication fields. SHN is an organization aims to offer networking opportunities inside and outside of Ohio University, workshops and academic events for aspiring journalists to learn and network. We also work to expand the understanding of cultural identity in the interest of Hispanic communication students.
Social Connect Society (SCS)
Social Connect Society (SCS) is a student-run organization that emphasizes professional networking through social media and focuses on social media marketing.
Society of Photographic Illustrators (SPI)
The Society of Photographic Illustrators (SPI) is a student-run organization founded in 2004. It is comprised of mostly visual communication students seeking opportunities to learn about the commercial photography field outside of the classroom. Club activities include workshops, demos, professional speakers, constructive group critique, a yearly showcase, a yearly printed publication of student work (the "SPI Book"), and other activities aimed at developing student photographer's knowledge and expanding their experience.
Society of Professional Journalists (OU SPJ)
OU SPJ is the Ohio University chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, a national organization dedicated to the practice of journalism and high ethical standards for journalists. OU SPJ is a great organization to be involved with as an aspiring journalist as we offer many networking opportunities in and outside of OHIO, workshops that all student journalists can learn from, meetings with several high profile visiting speakers, leadership opportunities for students at any point in their academic career and much more.
Soul of Athens
Soul of Athens provides an opportunity for students from varying media disciplines to join together and create a collaborative project each year. It began in 2007 as a showcase that explored the characters and stories of Athens, Ohio, a small community in the foothills of Appalachia. Facilitated by the School of Visual Communication, students have the opportunity to reinvent the process. In its essence, for one term the students create a concept, produce content, design presentations, and handle the management of their team.
Faculty Advisor: Stan Alost, alost@ohio.edu
Spoon University
Spoon University is an online food and lifestyle community where college students have a chance to come together and share anything their little foodie heart desires. Whether you want to write about the newest spaghetti pie recipe you saw on Pinterest, or are just eager to share healthy dorm food tips, Spoon University has a place for you!
Student Professionals of Communication Studies
An organization dedicated to helping communication students develop professional skills, their main focus is to aid students of the Scripps College of Communication in networking and exploring career paths. On a bi-weekly basis, they give members the opportunity to meet and discuss future internship and career opportunities with professionals in their field of study. They also create connections with Bobcat alumni, hold interviewing workshops, help students improve their resumes and host networking trips, among other opportunities.
Telecommunications Systems Management Association (TSMA)
Telecommunications Systems Management Association (TSMA) is a student organization that brings together students, faculty and alumni/alumnae to develop skills and knowledge in the communication technology and regulation industries for now and after graduation. Activities TSMA sponsors include resume help, job placement assistance, field trips, service projects and guest speakers who cover a variety of topics. Twin highlights of being a member of TSMA are the networking capabilities between students and guest speakers and the hands-on experience from service projects.
The New Political
The New Political provides honest, independent coverage of politics and political issues by lending a comprehensive, alternative voice to Southeast Ohio’s online, multimedia presence. The New Political is much more than a politically exclusive publication — it also provides commentary on social justice, political activism, and current events from across the United States of America. Dedicated to Ohio University students and the Athens community, The New Political’s mission is to educate and empower its public to form enlightened opinions and judgments about today’s most significant political debates.
The Post
The Post, an editorially independent, student-run media outlet serving Ohio University, Athens and Athens County, provides coverage of campus, city, state, sports, features, national and international issues while serving the purpose of educating its readership and its student employees.
The Post was founded at Ohio University in 1911 as The Green and White. Through the past century, the newspaper has undergone countless metamorphoses, but it has always been student-run and its content has remained independent from the university.
Roughly 100 student editors, reporters, graphic designers, copy editors and photographers work out of 325 Baker University Center to publish the newspaper every week classes are in session, as well as create consistent daily online content for thepostathens.com. Its coverage includes campus, local, entertainment and sports news, in addition to original features, multimedia and more.
Thread Magazine
Thread is a quarterly online fashion magazine directed at both men and women. The publication is completely run by students and is created with integrity and dedication. Students work in a diverse selection of departments including editorial, creative, business, and public relations.
VARIANT Magazine
VARIANT Magazine is a print and online publication focusing on all aspects of fashion. We value diversity and aim to represent ALL types of people in our issues. We offer opportunities for involvement including, but not limited to, modeling, writing, hair/make-up, styling, photography, videography, public relations, advertising and event planning.
Women in the Music Industry (WIMI)
Women in Music Industry fosters a mentorship series with female professionals from various fields within the music industry. Those involved in WIMI get access to exclusive networking opportunities and attend regular mentoring sessions via Skype for professional growth and career insight from industry leaders. They also participate in social and business development events with other members of the organization.
WOUB's Student Professional Development Program (SPDP)
The goal of the WOUB’s Student Professional Development Program (SPDP) in the WOUB Center for Public Media is to introduce students to the craft of video production, broadcasting, on-line services, community outreach and other media services. SPDP offers hands-on training and experiences that complement classroom learning for students majoring in related fields or who want to explore those fields. Students produce various programs, including local sports programs such as the Emmy-award winning Gridiron Glory and Bobcat Blitz.
Faculty Advisor: Atish Baidya, baidya@ohio.edu