This Annual Report provides a snapshot of the Bellisario College of Communications. In this brief recap, you get a sense of our global reach, world-class faculty, alumni engagement and abundance of student resources. We are an unquestioned educational destination for mass communications students.
Top-notch classroom instruction represents the core of our mission. In traditional and non-traditional settings, on campus or online, our award-winning faculty strive to serve students in ways that resonate most with them and lead to their success.
34 States and Territories Represented in the Class of 2019
23 Countries Represented in the Class of 2019
2,665 Enrollment in 2018-19
259 Students Completed an International Experience
915 Undergraduate Students Earned Degrees in 2018-19
35 Countries Where Students Studied Abroad
915 Undergraduate Students Earned Degrees in 2018-19
More than three dozen communications-related clubs and organizations offer students the chance to complement class work through networking or practical experience. From the Ad/PR Club and Student Film Organization to CommAgency, CommRadio and Valley Magazine, students in every major have opportunities to hone vital-career related skills outside the classroom.
1 Best All-Around News Magazine, 2018 National SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards
11 Consecutive Years that CommRadio has Broadcast from the NFL Draft on Location
39 Episodes produced of COMMversations, the College Podcast
96 countries reached by annual THON webcast driven by Bellisario College students
From the moment students step on campus, our internships and career services staff strives to help prepare them for a career. With a database of more than 3,800 internship sites, 35 years of combined experience, three communications-specific job fairs and numerous skill-specific sessions every year, their support of students is unrivaled.
395 For-credit Internships Completed
74 Companies Attending 9th Annual JobExpo.Comm on Campus Job Fair
32 Companies Attending Comm Careers in the Capital, Washington, D.C.
77 Companies Attending Success in the City, New York City
“It’s not just how we set it up. It’s the students. It’s the caliber of students we’re putting in front of them. Plus, when you think about the cities that we are in striking distance of, it’s quite remarkable. You can drive to Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, D.C., Baltimore, New York, Philly — there’s seven right there within three hours, four hours max. Who else can say that? We want to continue providing as many internships and full-time, entry-level positions to our students in these cities where they are interested in starting their careers.” – Bob Martin, Assistant Dean for Internships and Career Services
Bellisario College faculty members are award-winning teachers and internationally respected researchers and thought leaders. They thrive in the classroom, in labs, in “embedded courses” and as experts sought out by the media and potential collaborators.
10 Book Chapters
19 Creative Works Published
51 Journal Articles Produced
130 Professional Presentations
The power of the Penn State network cannot be overlooked, and the commitment of Bellisario College alumni to supporting each other and students provides an example of that support on a daily basis. Our alumni enjoy interacting with each other and facilitating the success of fellow Penn Staters.
6 City-based Events
17 On-campus Events
1473 Alumni Attended Events
Donors at every level make the success of Bellisario College students and faculty possible. In addition, many opportunities exist to ensure the continued success of our people and programs.
558 Gifts
280 Students Received Scholarship Support
“It’s one thing to write a check and share your time, but the most gratifying thing is what it leads to for the students. Being able to help in some way makes me proud.” – Marty Aronoff, who previously endowed a scholarship fund and in 2019 created funds for a broadcast news studio and a separate TV studio.
Construction noise in the heart of the University Park campus this year was “the sound of progress,” according to the on-campus project manager for Donald P. Bellisario Media Center. The facility, which will revitalize the oldest part of Willard Building while attracting students and encouraging collaboration across disciplines, was announced in 2017 and has moved toward reality every day since.
