Student Activities
One of the unique things about the Otterbein Communication Department is that you have many professional, resume-boosting activities at your fingertips on campus.
Below is a list of activities you can get involved with as soon as you step foot on Otterbein's campus:
Forensics
Students have the opportunity to compete in debate tournaments and individual events (public speaking, oral interpretation, and extemporaneous speaking) tournaments, which provide travel opportunities to both local and out-of-state contests.
In the past two years, Otterbein's forensic team won the state championship in debate and finished 10th in the nation at the National Forensics Association's National Tournaments. Otterbein is a member of the Ohio Forensics Association, American Forensic Association, National Forensic Association, and Pi Kappa Delta, a national forensics honorary.
M.O.S.T.
Mentoring Organizational Students Today (M.O.S.T.) is a networking and mentoring organization for students interested in careers in Organizational Communication.
Students are actively involved in building mentoring connections through organizing professional speaking events, an informal networking brunch, mock interviews, fundraisers, and on-site visits. In addition, students coordinate various activities that establish mentoring relationships for all communication majors.
PRSSA
Otterbein sponsors a chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), a national, pre-professioanl organization for students interested in Public Relations.
The Otterbein College chapter sponsors a variety of speakers and workshops and a student-managed public relations agency. In addition, members of PRSSA are eligible for scholarships sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), receive reduced rates at professional luncheons and workshops, and may attend national and district conferences of PRSSA.
Tan & Cardinal
The college students newspaper, the Tan & Cardinal,is published by a student staff each week during the academic year, except during summer term. You can write, edit, take photographs, and design this 1,800-circulation newspaper. Some editorial positions are paid, and editors are eligible to attend national and local college newspaper conferences.
The Tan & Cardinal is currently ranked third among weekly college newspapers in Ohio (2008 Ohio Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Awards). It has also won a gold and two silver medals at the Columbia Scholastic Press Association's annual national competition in the past three years.
Ubuntu Mentoring for College Program
In a collaborative learning setting, college students and 11th and 12th grade students from Linden-McKinley and Mifflin high schools study mentoring skills and practices, define college aspirations, and learn college access paths.
As active members of COMM 190-Mentoring: Theory and Practice, a service-learning course, the college and high school students plan and conduct regular mentoring sessions for Linden-McKinley and Mifflin 9th grade students and Medina and Beery middle school students.
WOBN-FM
Otterbein's radio station is student-run and directed by the Department of Communication.The station broadcasts live 17 hours a day during Otterbein's academic year. It features a contemporary music format, Otterbein sports, and Westerville area news and public affairs.
You can hear WOBN live at 97.5 FM or online at www.wobn.net.
WOBN also offer co-curricular opportunities for students majoring in business administration, journalism, visual arts, and other related disciplines.
WOCC-TV3Otterbein's television station provides programming for Westerville and the College via cable channel 3. Programming includes public affairs, entertainment, education, and sports.
You will have the opportunity for hands-on learning experiences, including camera, graphics, audio operation, production and direction, and management. The day-to-day operation of an on-air cable television station provides you a practical addition to classroom instruction.
Youth Media Columbus
The Department of Communication has developed an urban youth mentoring program that teaches middle and high school students the research, writing, and editing skills necessary for success in the field of journalism. It also inspires participants to take a leadership role in their community.
Several studies have shown that minorities who are successful in journalism manifest interest in the field as early as middle school. This program hopes to cultivate that interest from the start, identifying talented students from diverse backgrounds who migh tsome day contribute their skills to the student population at Otterbein.
The workshops match Otterbein journalism and students participating in journalism service learning courses, such as featuring writing and advanced design with students at schools where Otterbein has established community partnerships and existing afterschool programs, such as Linden-McKinley High and Indianola Middle.
You will train and mentor youth in producing stories, columns, and multi-media news packages that are of publishable quality. Through partnerships with the Newspaper in Education program at the Columbus Dispatch, weekly community newspapers, and other publishing outlets, the teens and middle-schoolers will submit their work to the Dispatch's "NOW Kids" and "Teen Voice" special sections or local op-ed page editors.
