By Lauren Irwin (Jour鈥�22)
In May, 15 excited CMCI students felt the wheels of their airplane touch down on a runway in Paris. It was the start of a new听adventure: a monthlong education abroad program focused on international strategic communication.
Each year, the Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design offers strategic communication students, and other students in CMCI or across campus, the opportunity to spend four weeks in Paris and Amsterdam. Through the program, they are able to learn about professional practice from an international perspective, all while exploring new cultures and gaining four APRD course credits.
鈥淏eing able to travel around Paris and Amsterdam with the APRD program has given me the opportunity to go places I thought I would only see pictures of,鈥� said Sierra George, a fourth-year strategic communication student.听
The program, which CMCI launched in 2018, is led by Assistant Professor Jolene Fisher and Associate Professor Toby Hopp. This year, students explored different cultures while touring museums and visiting architectural landmarks. The group learned from top firms like PricewaterhouseCoopers, or PwC, which is one of the largest professional service networks in the world.
They spoke with CU alumnus, Luke Purdy (Advert鈥�11), about environmental sustainability at Wieden+Kennedy, a global advertising agency best known for its work for Nike. In 2021, Amsterdam in the network to achieve B Corp certification, which requires organizations to implement practices that benefit people, communities and the planet.
The goal of the program is to expose students to international perspectives and professional expertise in strategic communication. In past years, students met CU alumni working abroad in top-tier organizations, like L'Or茅al and Publicis Conseil, and explored topics like storytelling, global audience engagement and social media marketing.
鈥淲hat we are learning in class we are able to see and put to use while being abroad,鈥� said George, who is pursuing the APRD advertising track and a minor in creative technology and design. 鈥淭he opportunities to meet with professionals from Wieden+Kennedy and PwC听and go to their offices has gotten me excited about what my future could look like.鈥�
Students who are interested in joining the summer 2023 program can apply through the and attend an information session led by faculty members, Toby Hopp and Jolene Fisher. Check out the to see snapshots of past trips!
The deadline to apply for the 2023 Global Seminar: International Strategic Communication program is Nov. 1.
