Communication is Key!

The Clause. KAPU. The Tavaleph. Azusa Uncut. Just to name a few of the student-run organizations that provide Communication Studies students with invaluable hands-on experience while attending APU. Learning to meet deadlines, working with those feisty opposite personalities – two of many ways that APU helps students experience the dynamics of working in a media outlet.

KAPU, APU’s resident radio station, fills students’ ears with the resonant guitar tabs and vocal harmonies of a diverse collection of musicians. KAPU offers a collaboration of the latest campus announcements, engaging talk radio, miscellaneous music mixes, and exciting Cougar Athletics play-by-play. DJ Dominic Jones ’08 shared this about his experience: “I learned how a college radio station works, like how to use a soundboard and interact with people who call in requesting songs . . . since I want to go into broadcast journalism, [it is] the perfect first step. Even though it’s a casual setting, I still learn how to be a DJ.”

Conveniently located next to KAPU radio, The Clauseis a student-run newspaper dedicated to informing the student body of the latest campus news. Each issue contains campus safety reports, cartoons, opinion articles, the latest campus news, and a weekly update on Cougar Athletics. Senior Manager of Television Programming for sfx.com and alumni, Chris Martin ’98 reflected, “Though The Clause helped my writing significantly, it was also valuable for providing skills in layout and design. I used those skills often, particularly when I was starting out in my first job after college. That was great for my writing and my resume, but in hindsight it was probably more valuable for getting me into a real newsroom.”

The Tavaleph, APU’s student-run yearbook, provides students with a time capsule at the end of each year. In vivid pictures and inspiring stories, this annual legend covers major events on campus from the beginning of the year with New Student Orientation until the end of the year and commencement, hence its name, TheTavaleph, meaning beginning and end. Staff members gain journalism, photography, and publication experience while working to meet deadlines for each section of the yearbook.

Cinema Broadcast Arts (CBA) students find experiential learning through a tape-delayed news broadcast, Azusa Uncut, designed to connect APU with the growing Azusa community. Students complete three televisions productions a semester, each taking around four weeks to complete, allowing students to experience real, ethical journalism first-hand and keep them from getting lost in the “messy and dirty-ness of news reporting.” Warren Koch, Ph.D., the faculty advisor for Azusa Uncut, explained, “Azusa Uncut prepares students for ethical challenges before they hit the bricks [of journalism].”

These are just a handful of opportunities that APU offers its students to prepare them for life after college. Many other clubs and organizations exists for students of all different majors. For information on any of these student-run publications and more, check out APU’s Student Life webpage.

Posted: May 9, 2005