As media and technology become more closely entwined, professionals struggle to stay up on best practices in the communications field. The School of Media and Public Affairs’ solution: short, specific courses on strategic communication skills necessary to compete in today’s fast-paced digital media landscape.
The mission of SMPA’s new Executive and Professional Education program is to leverage the excellence of the school’s signature programs in journalism, mass communications and political communication and the expertise of world-class faculty, adjunct instructors and other experts to educate a larger audience of professionals on strategies and practices to inform, organize and persuade in the digital age. The newly launched open enrollment program helps working professionals hone their skills by working with SMPA’s leading faculty experts during one- and two-day non-credit seminars beginning this summer.
“Our programs are designed for those who rely on effective communications to succeed in their work, whether in the private sector, nonprofits, associations, government—you name it,” said John Dolan, director of the program. “Participants emerge from the workshops with actionable, practical tools and techniques for improving strategic communication efforts.”
For example, many organizations are participating in social media but may not be using it strategically to communicate their mission or engage their constituents. “Creating Influence and Engagement with Social Media,” offered July 31-Aug. 1, is a workshop designed to help participants learn how to use social and digital media more adeptly. Assistant Professor Nikki Usher and Professorial Lecturer Lauren Glickman demystify the process by covering topics such as leveraging hashtags and listening dashboards to join larger conversations.
In “Strategic Communication in a Digital Age,” held Sept. 29-30, Assistant Professor David Karpf will focus on concepts around message framing, new organizational forms and micro-targeting to show participants how to best craft compelling and creative campaigns.
For those interested in how media works on the Hill, former congressional press secretary and presidential campaign staffer Jake Rubin and former communications strategist, assistant press secretary and speechwriter Steve Norton will provide an introduction in “Communicating Washington.” The course will be held on October 23-24.
Director of GW’s Documentary Center Nina Seavey, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker with more than 30 years of experience, will lead “Storytelling in the Digital Age: Engaging Multimedia to Inform and Impact Your Audience” on June 30. Her class will explore how to turn developing ideas into viable multimedia stories.
“Communicating a Crisis,” led by Professor of Practice and former Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P.J. Crowley, is scheduled for August 20-21 and will cover best practices for organizations that are faced with crisis management.
Theresa Remick, marketing and media specialist for the program, said interested organizations can also tailor workshops according to their needs. More information on customized programs is available here.
“This is an opportunity for us to extend the resources and expertise we have here at SMPA to offer the broader D.C. community a chance to strengthen their skills,” Ms. Remick said.
GW staff are eligible for a 25 percent discount on enrollment fees.