Academic Affairs Communicators Unite for Celebratory ‘Commsgiving’

By Rachel Mendiola

            

This season of gratitue, campus communicators under the Division of Academic Affairs (AA) convened for ‘Commsgiving,’ a Thanksgiving feast to honor their unwavering work at The Beach. The convening allowed communicators to connect, discuss best practices, and strategize initiatives for Spring 2024.  

The event was spearheaded by the Office of the Provost’s Communications, led by senior communications strategist, Miranda Bates, and communications specialist, Rachel Mendiola. One of several gatherings this academic year, the event offered a space where campus communicators could gather to develop meaningful partnerships, offer professional support, and share information with those performing similar duties across campus.  

“Building an equitable and empowering culture is one of our key strategic priorities at The Beach, and our AA Communicators are taking this to heart. As a team, we are meeting and consulting with each other more regularly and having fun! It’s great to see how this group is collaborating to create improved divisional and effective college communication strategies,” says Bates. 

Our AA communications team includes all communications professionals from CSULB’s eight colleges, the University Library, the Office of the Provost, and additional academic departments including: 

  • Film & Electronic Arts 

  • Faculty Affairs 

  • Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum 

  • Carpenter Performing Arts Center 

  • Enrollment Services 

  • Academic Technology Services 

  • Beach 2030 

"First and foremost, Commsgiving was a blast, and the food was delicious. The best conversations are had over a meal. We got to swap tips and tricks, brainstorm over similar challenges and joke about our favorite shows. It's still my first year in the role and it can feel like a big campus sometimes, so it's always great to strengthen those connections. Communicators are at our best when we are sharing and collaborating,” says the College of Engineering’s communications specialist, Joshua Nelson. “I went back to Engineering with some great advice that I used right away, some that I've written down for later, and a killer broccoli salad recipe. I'm excited to collaborate with everyone further, and it's nice that campus feels just that much smaller.” 

The first ‘Commsgiving’ exhibited our campus’ appreciation for the robust contributions of our 19 communications professionals. Within their respective teams, they have ardently executed commendable marketing campaigns, spearheaded critical messaging, and coordinated and promoted events at the institutional and college-wide levels.  

Holistically, Academic Affairs’ communicators also collaborate to lead the development and implementation of overarching news, media, and effective storytelling in support of CSULB’s brand, initiatives, and strategic directions.  

To learn more about AA communication’s team or to be added to the group, please contact, aa-communication@csulb.edu.