Communications

Professional Concentration
The Communications department offers a 42 credit concentration in Professional
Communications. This program is ideal for those interested in graduate study or careers in public
relations, human resources, conflict resolution, events planning, management or administration
in any industry or field and for the development of effective communication skills in any
organizational or professional setting.

List of required courses: Molloy University - Communications (Professional Communications)—B.A. (smartcatalogiq.com)

Professional Communications Program Director:

Dr. Janice Kelly

jkelly@molloy.edu

Media Concentration
The Communications Department offers a 42 credit program in media preparing students for
careers in television and film. The program includes both studies and production courses where
students will understand the cultural and social meanings of the medium as well as get hands on
training in our state of the art television studio using high definition equipment creating news
stories, sitcoms, movies, documentaries and other forms of video content.
A degree specialized in media prepares students for a wide array of careers as a producer,
director, show runner, script writer, camera operator, broadcast journalist, video editor and much
more! As part of the program, Communication majors are required to complete an internship for
a media company, taking the skills learned in the classroom into a professional setting.

Television Media Program Director:

Dr. Tom Kenny

tkenny@molloy.edu

List of required courses: Molloy University - Communications (Media)—B.A. (smartcatalogiq.com)

A production based degree ideal for those who wish to learn both critical inquiry skills (writing, speaking, analyzing, critiquing) and multiple digital production skills needed to succeed in today's in demand careers in a variety of professional settings including media production, gaming, market research, technology and more.

Digital Humanities & New Media Program Director:

Dr. Sarah Evans

sevans@molloy.edu

In partnership with the School of Education this concentration is designed to prepare students for a successful career in teaching. The discipline of communications is changing rapidly as a result of emerging technology. More generally, media have created cultural changes which drastically alter the way students in these age-groups learn and the skills expected of them.

The Communications department offers a minor in Film and Television that will prepare you for a variety of careers in the media industry. Students will take hands-on courses in screenwriting and video production and editing to create several short films and documentaries.

For more information on the minor requirements click here:

The Communications department now offers a Game Studies minor. The ascendancy of gaming as a mainstream, professional career option offers opportunities that require new media skills and acute awareness of contemporary issues and debates in this rapidly growing industry. Through hands-on learning experiences, students will learn game design fundamentals as well as media production skills, common practices, and ethics related to careers in gaming and live streaming. New Media majors can pursue a concentration in game studies or majors from any program can minor.

For more information on the minor requirements click here:

Molloy University - Game Studies Minor

The Communications department offers a flexible minor in New Media designed to enhance your digital skills. Required courses for the minor provide essential knowledge, and a variety of electives allow specialization in areas like content creation, social media, digital strategy, and more. This minor is an excellent choice for anyone who will be working closely with digital media technology in their career.

For more information on the minor requirements click here:

Molloy University - New Media Minor

The Communications department offers a minor in Professional Communications that will prepare you for a variety of careers in any organizational setting. Students will take courses in public relations and advertising producing press releases, social media and ad campaigns, as well as media kits for many professional industries. For more information on the minor requirements click here:

Molloy University - Professional Communications Minor

"The Communications Department helped me to cultivate my skills as a filmmaker. From long
days of editing in the media lab, to directing in the TV studio, to scriptwriting for multiple
productions- the communications dept. provided me with all the tools needed to communicate
"story" through film."

"My journey with the Communications Department at Molloy was one of the greatest
experiences of my life. Getting to be a part of the COM family was always inspiring, challenging
and very rewarding. The education I received has prepared me for this exciting new chapter as I
enter into the communications world. The skills, life lessons and insights I gained from my
professors are invaluable tools and precious moments I will always cherish. Thank you to Brian
Cogan, Janice Kelly, Tom Kenny and Deidre Pribram for the wisdom they shared, kindness they
showed and the respect they had for each one of us. I'm certain it wasn't always easy dealing with
so much creative energy all in one place; but we are all so thankful for your patience and
understanding. Little did I know, through all of the hard work, how fast four years would fly by
and how much fun we would all have together. I am eternally grateful for this wonderful
experience, the relationships I made and the memories that will stay with me a lifetime."

"I have found a home with the COM department at Molloy University. The classes are engaging and interesting. I look forward to each class and the professors are always willing to go the extra mile to help. I appreciate and am grateful to be a part of this community!"

"There are many things I like about the communications program. Classes such as podcasting, Field production and Video Editing have helped me to become more adept at software such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Avid Media Composer. The Media program has led me to network and make friends who share my interests. There are many members of faculty that have been integral to my success here at Molloy. The media department has an extensive amount of equipment and resources that have been very helpful to use when doing assignments and personal projects."

A space for Molloy students to be creative by making movies, podcasts, scripts, and other forms of media. All content is original work outside of Molloy events such as short films, documentaries, and television productions, among other content.

Lambda Pi Eta (LPH) is the National Communication Association’s official honor society at four-year colleges and universities. LPH has more than 500 active chapters at four-year colleges and universities nationwide.

LPH became a part of the National Communication Association in 1988, and the association's official honor society in July 1995. It is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).

LPH represents what Aristotle described in Rhetoric as three ingredients of persuasion: logos (Lambda), meaning logic; pathos (Pi), relating to emotion; and ethos (Eta), defined as character credibility and ethics.

Student Membership Requirements

Student Membership 

How to join your local chapter 

To be eligible for admission, undergraduate students must meet the following criteria:

• Complete 60 semester credit-hours (90 quarter credit-hours)
• Have a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 
• Complete the equivalent of 12 semester credit-hours (18 quarter credit-hours) in Communication Studies
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.25 for all Communication Studies courses
• Currently be enrolled as a student in good standing, as determined by the institution's policies

Available to assist students of color pursue careers in media production, public relations, and advertising. The Scholarship will provide an annual $2,500 tuition scholarship, which is renewable for four years. Along with financial support, the program will offer recipients mentorships and the possibility of future internships at Austin Williams to gain professional experience during their junior and senior years at Molloy.

Learn more here:

The Austin & Williams Communications Scholarship | Molloy University: Affordable undergraduate and graduate degree programs at one of the top colleges in America.

Chairperson, Assistant Professor, Program Director of TV and Media Production &
Director of Media Facilities

516.323.3247

tkenny@molloy.edu

Tom Kenny specializes in media studies and production. He teaches courses including TV Studio Production, Video Editing, Media Literacy, Social Media, and Scriptwriting. Tom is the co-author of the book Producing New and Digital Media: Your Guide to Savvy Use of the Web published through Routledge. He also co-founded the New Media major and minor at Molloy University. Since 2008, Tom has held the position of Director of Media Facilities and is involved in the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the television studio and media lab. Tom also produces content for the Communication Department's website and social media pages. He earned his Ph.D. from Long Island University in Information Studies.

Program Director of Professional Communications & Professor

516.323.3244

jkelly@molloy.edu

Dr. Janice Kelly earned her doctorate degree from Columbia University, Teachers College in Communications and Education. Her research specialty is corporate communication, gender studies and relational/interpersonal communication. Her research, "A Comparison of Prime-Time Situation Comedy Fathers and Real Fathers on Involvement, Communication and Affection," has appeared in USA Today, Big Apple Parenting Magazine and other publications as well as family-oriented conferences and journals. She serves as a consultant to both state and local family agencies and grassroots fatherhood initiative projects. Dr. Kelly serves as a guest editor for the Journal Fathering: Theory, Research, and Practice about men as fathers. she also produced a documentary on "Perceptions of Fathers in the Media: In search of the Ideal Father."

Associate Professor

516.323.3242

bcogan@molloy.edu

Dr. Brian Cogan teaches a variety of courses including History of Media and Understanding Television and Media in the 21st Century. He is a past President and Wilson Scholar of the New York State Communication Association. Dr. Cogan is the author of numerous journal articles, book chapters and books on topics ranging from politics, popular culture and music.

Assistant Professor

516.323.3254

sevans@molloy.edu

Sarah Evans is an Assistant Professor of Digital Humanities and New Media at Molloy College. She teaches courses on game studies, game design for social good, and new media and holds a Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media from North Carolina State University. Her interdisciplinary research documents and interrogates inequalities in gaming and game design communities as it simultaneously seeks to disrupt, intervene in and alleviate these inequalities. Through her work as a member of the research management team for the Refiguring Innovation in Games grant (ReFIG), Dr. Evans produced a co-authored, open-source, community-based game initiatives resource that brings together curricula, policies, and best practices of doing this type of work

Assistant Professor

516.323.3246

mrenner@molloy.edu

Max Renner is an Assistant Professor of the Molloy College Digital Humanities and New Media Department. He earned his PhD in Communication, Rhetoric and Digital Media from North Carolina State University. As a rhetorical critic, he has primarily looked at the intersections of technology and the rhetorical work of space as well as practices of placemaking in formations of publics. Beginning with an examination of spatial modes of organization and architectural engagements within the built environment, this research has addressed both theorizations as well as applications of space within material landscapes, digital rhetoric, and architectural communication practices. He recently received the Eastern Communication Association's Urban Communication Research Award for his manuscript, in progress, on potential of architecture's role in the ongoing development of material public life. This project considers the implications of place, technology, and publics in relation to one another, in order to examine the lifespan of public places--how public places come to be constructed, in particular ways, and for particular bodies. His work has appeared in Communication Education, Argumentation and Advocacy, the Journal of Media and Religion, an MIT Press book chapter, the upcoming volume of the Urban Communication Reader (forthcoming), and Writing Across the Curriculum Clearinghouse (forthcoming)

Adjunct Instructor
516.323.3249

kbeck@molloy.edu

Karen has a vast experience working in the television industry as Director of Programming for Fox Television Stations. As the Director of Programming, Karen had been involved in acquiring television series such as "The Wendy Williams Show." "Big Bang Theory," "Modern Family," and "TMZ." Currently, she is the Director of Distribution and Affiliate Relations for In Depth with Graham Bensinger. Armed with her expertise in coordinating with television stations and their budget, Karen teaches Media Management at Molloy University.

Adjunct Instructor

516.323.3249

jdevlin@molloy.edu

Jean Devlin received her Ph.D. in English, with a specialty in Children's Literature, from Southern Illinois University, where she was the recipient of a Doctoral Fellowship. As the Director of Student Special Services at North Shore Hebrew Academy High School, she taught English and history and ran Project Interact, a division of Rotary International. At Molloy, Dr. Devlin teaches Oral Interpretation of Children's Literature, Creative Drama and Group Discussion. Her awards include Educator of Excellence, New York State English Council; Educator of Excellence, Long Island Language Arts Council; Excellence in Teaching at Molloy College and citations in several Who's Who publications.

Adjunct Instructor

516.323.3249

jhansen1@molloy.edu

Jacqueline Hansen is a veteran public relations, marketing and corporate communications specialist with more than 25 years of agency, and in-house experience serving clients across the globe. Six years ago, she founded her own New York-based public relations/marketing firm, specializing in media relations, crisis communications, marketing communications, and corporate communications serving clients primarily in the U.S. and Europe. At Molloy College, she is an adjunct professor teaching Advertising, Public Relations, Marketing Communications, and Writing. Prior to creating her own agency, she was the US Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations for Swiss International Air Lines, formerly Swissair where she headed up North American efforts years. During her tenure, she developed and delivered strategic internal and external communication during acquisitions, bankruptcies, and worldwide disasters.

Adjunct Instructor

516.323.3249

lkennedy@molloy.edu

Once a competitive public speaker and debater, Lynn Kennedy went on to teach Shakespeare, literature, public speaking, acting and composition in the Port Washington Public School system for 38 years, before retiring from public education. Lynn has had the pleasure of working with culturally and academically diverse students throughout her career and has found this to be true: "The deepest desire of every student is to like the world on an honest basis through knowing it" (Eli Siegel). Lynn teaches Public Speaking for the Communications Department.

Adjunct Instructor

516.323.3249

jdouglaspryce@molloy.edu

Janet Pryce teaches courses in the professional communications concentration, particularly corporate communications. Janet earned her Master of Arts degree from New York University in speech and interpersonal communications. Janet's background not only includes several years in higher education, but she also has experience teaching in an elementary school environment, previously instructing sixth-grade students.

Adjunct Instructor

Alyssa Rosand began her career as an assistant editor at MTV before starting her long tenure as a writer and producer on Nickelodeon's Creative Marketing team. She has created award-winning marketing campaigns for some of the world's top franchises such as PAW Patrol, Baby Shark, and Blue's Clues & You. She also works as a freelance producer and video editor for content creators on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Alyssa received her M.A. in Emerging Media from Loyola University Maryland and uses her expertise to teach Introduction to Video Editing at Molloy University.

Adjunct Instructor

516.323.3249

ccaccavo@molloy.edu

Julia Kraemer
516.323.3250

jkraemer1@molloy.edu

Julia has experience in video editing, film and TV studio production, and scriptwriting. She graduated from Molloy with a BA in Communications in 2021. As the TV studio and lab assistant she helps Dr. Kenny in the maintenance of the television studio and the media lab. She is currently earning her MFA in Screenwriting and TV at Stephen's College.

Patricia O'Neill

516.323.3260

poneill@molloy.edu