By Joshua Buckles 04.11.2014

Taking a tour of CNN News and going to a taping of “Live with Kelly and Michael” seems like two events that would take place on a leisure trip to New York City. However, they are both part of the communications program’s trip to New York City every spring.

 

While the class serves as a cultural experience for fine arts students, communications majors flock to the trip.

 

“It’s primarily a fine arts trip, but several years ago I talked to Dick Major about tagging along with communications students since New York is a digital media hub,” said Carrie Swanay, professor of communications.

 

The trip included many events that showed the overlap that lies between fine arts and communications.

 

“I think it’s beneficial for communications students to interact with the fine arts students. It’s a good way to get to know each other,” Swanay said.

 

This year, the communications students were taken to a number of fine arts events, such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The International Center of Photography, and “If/Then,” a Broadway show that recently made its debut.

 

Swanay explained the importance of the trip for communications majors.

 

“It allows them to see the different types of jobs and the business of a big city. Communications related events allow them to see the top market of what people are doing. It really opens their eyes and relates to what they have been talking about and makes it real.”

 

Saziye Gourley-Ozhayta had a similar perspective when reflecting back on the trip.

 

“You get to visualize everything within the city. You see everyone on his or her phones and the ads in Times Square. There’s digital media within the photo exhibits. The CNN tour lets us see a large version of what we do for StampedeTV.”

 

Read “Perspectives: Fine Arts Students Students Explore the Big Apple” by A. Brooke Whitley to see how fine arts students took on the city!