TIFTON — Students majoring in the bachelor of science degree in writing and communication at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College are consistent award-winners in a variety of fields.
Since the introduction of ABAC’s four-year degree in writing and communication in 2017, students in the program have won national and regional awards for their writing, broadcasting, filmmaking and research, college officials said in a statement.
Writing and communication students from ABAC have been recognized by the Georgia College Press Association and the Southern Regional Press Institute. They have been selected to present their research at the Georgia Collegiate Honors Conference and at National Collegiate Honors conferences in Dallas and New Orleans. ABAC writing and communication students were also chosen to share their work at the National College Media Association Conference in Washington, DC.
Jaylee Bass, a writing and communication graduate from Adel, received the ABAC Alumni Association award which goes to the top bachelor’s degree graduate at ABAC’s recent fall commencement ceremony.
“Despite the stereotype that we are a small agricultural college with limited opportunities, I had a well-rounded educational experience with fulfilling opportunities because I took advantage of all of them,” Bass said. “I was privileged to complete and present research at various honors’ conferences as well as study abroad during my time at ABAC.
“The smaller class sizes allowed students and professors to create lasting relationships that were mutually beneficial to both parties. These professors’ dedication to student success is unmatched anywhere else and directly influences the quality of education that students receive at ABAC.”
Writing and communication majors choose from a selection of courses including news writing and reporting, broadcasting, photography, communication theory and practice, rhetoric, public relations, writing and editing, and literature. More than half of ABAC’s tenured faculty in the writing and communication program are full professors, who bring a range of creative and technical skills and experience to the classroom, college officials said.
“My experience as a writing and communication student at ABAC is something I will forever be thankful for,” Bass said. “As a freshman entering college, I thought I wanted to pursue a biology degree and become a pharmacist.
“After taking various lower-level English and public speaking courses, the professors praised my abilities and began the process of molding me into the graduate I am today. I was hesitant to change my major, but when I did, I instantly felt at home. The professors were not shy in providing constructive criticism to my written and oral communication which I admired.”
ABAC has a variety of media on which students may hone their communication skills and build their portfolios, college officials said. The college is home to two literary magazines, “Pegasus” and “Adroit,” where students practice their editing and creative writing skills, as well as those in layout and design.
“The Stallion” newspaper and Stallion TV give students the opportunity to be working journalists. Radio station WPLH provides students experience in radio broadcasting. The college’s newest addition to student media is Horseman Press, the only college press in Georgia where students take a book from an idea to a finished product, which they market and distribute.
These media are housed in the recently renovated Carlton Center, which boasts a state-of-the-art media suite, college officials said.
Bass said her experience at ABAC prepared her to pursue her career goals in the legal profession.
“My plans now that I have graduated include getting into law school and becoming an attorney,” Bass said. “ABAC has no doubt prepared me to pursue those plans. While earning my degree, I was able to take elective courses tailored to my legal interests including constitutional law and American law and politics.
“These courses are a direct reflection of what I can expect during my first year of law school. I was expected to read a number of cases per day and be prepared to orally cite facts with little reference to the case daily in class. My degree will aid me well in both law school and the courtroom as I am prepared to communicate both effectively and efficiently.”
Dr. Wendy Harrison is the Department of English and Communication chair in ABAC’s School of Arts and Sciences.
“We are a small college, and that means we can give every writing and communication student personal attention,” Harrison said. “We know all our students and we value the relationships we build with them.
“It’s not unusual for our students to stop by to chat, even if we don’t have them in class that semester. We care about them, and we can’t help but show that. We cheer them when they succeed and help them overcome any challenges they may encounter.”
The writing and communication degree is housed in the Department of English and Communication. Anyone with questions about the program can contact Harrison at (229) 391-4962 or wharrison@abac.edu.
“I enjoy talking with students about our degree, even if they decide to major in something else,” Harrison said. “The reason I became a teacher was because I enjoy students. I am always willing to help any student or parent who has questions about ABAC.”
Writing and communication is one of 12 bachelor’s degrees offered by ABAC. Spring semester classes begin at ABAC on Jan. 19.
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