Communication Day 2021 returns virtually to Penn State Lehigh Valley

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — The Penn State Lehigh Valley (PSU-LV) chapter of Lambda Pi Eta (LPH), a nationally recognized communication honorary, and the Communication Society ​will host PSU-LV's fourth Communication Day, from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 18, via Zoom.

This year’s theme, “Navigating COVID-19: Revealing and Reshaping Opportunities,” will highlight the ways in which various businesses and organizations have had to adapt and overcome as a result of the pandemic.   

The purpose of Communication Day is to further engage and expose students from PSU-LV, other Penn State Commonwealth Campuses and several local community colleges to communication-related topics and career options. While primarily aimed at corporate communication students, the event organizers expect that Communication Day will further enrich students’ learning and career goals from a variety of majors while also providing an opportunity for early professional development.

Beth Michalec, assistant professor of corporate communication and Lambda Pi Eta and Communication Society adviser at Penn State Lehigh Valley, and the student planning committee arranged nine speakers from various companies to share their career paths and the unexpected opportunities that arose due to the pandemic.  

When asked what she is most looking forward to, Michalec said, “I am excited about the caliber and variety of speakers and what the students can learn from each session. I also think the planning committee students and I were intrigued by the opportunities and challenges presented by shifting to an entirely virtual event. Moving to a virtual format allowed us to expand our scope and reach to involve a roster of high-profile brands and speakers, as well as invite a far wider audience. I am tremendously proud of my planning committee students and their unwavering efforts to deliver a successful event.

“The students eagerly embraced the idea of planning and hosting Communication Day 2021 as a virtual event,” Michalec continued. “In fact, they convinced me to do it. Communication Day 2021 will take place on Mar. 18 but is the culmination of six months and hundreds of hours of planning. As we brainstormed our event theme, we wanted to put our new skills and ideas into practice. We were able to think critically and creatively about the pandemic and what we have learned from it. Our focus is a forward-thinking, growth mindset that I hope will ultimately benefit students well into their future careers.” 

Communication Day features five Zoom sessions and the following speakers:  

• "Guiding a Nonprofit Pivot" — Danielle Sunday, director of the Children’s Miracle Network at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. 

• "Re-imagining Small Business" — Rachel Griffith, owner of Apollo Grill; Bruce Haines, managing partner of Hotel Bethlehem; and Jessica O’Donnell, executive vice-president of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. 

• "Transforming Technology" — Priscilla Barolo, head of communications of Zoom. 

• "Building a Personal (Re)Brand" — Dorlisa Goodrich Young, assistant teacher at Friends Select School and owner of Delaware Valley School of Etiquette; Linda Woody, head of internal and HR communications at AAA Club Alliance; and Scott Grant, president and chief executive officer of Triple Threat Leadership. 

• "Rebounding through Crisis" — Dan Goldberger, director of digital media and marketing communication for the WNBA Atlanta Dream. 

Communication Day 2021 is open to all Penn State students and faculty. Each panel and session will focus on the strategies and tactics used in the organization as the pandemic unfolded, causing massive shifts within the marketplace. Registration is required. To register, please visit the Communication Day webpage.