Testimonials

"The more students learn about the business of public relations, the more they will find out what a creative and intellectually stimulating communications discipline it is. This program teaches the 'why' behind the 'what'--something that’s important to potential employers."

"The industry is full of ambitious, talented young people who often lack the ability to formulate successful communications strategies. We welcome Columbia's rigorous program with its cadre of experienced industry professionals teaching students how to become strategic thinkers."

"Columbia University's prestige in academia adds significant status to their new Strategic Communications program. This program is an important source of talent in the competitive convergent marketplace by teaching students how to effectively create integrated strategy for clients."

 "The course was very well organized. It was exciting, and I learned a lot even though I have more than seven years of experience in political communications. Stephen Sigmund is one of the best instructors of this program. He is extremely knowledgeable, creative motivating, and a great mentor."

 "Paul Argenti is a master educator. At first you fear whether you can meet his expectations, but over the semester he inspires greatness from his students."

"This is one of those courses where you keep the models used in a file near your desk at work. They offer a useful and practical methodology for breaking down complex problems."

"This was a great class with a very congenial atmosphere that was conducive to learning. The course tied together a lot of different trends that I had been observing outside the classroom. I hadn't really reached the conclusion that they were part of an over-arching shift in the way society is adjusting to digital communications. The course helped me connect the dots in an meaningful way."

"I highly recommend this course for all who work in nonprofit administration--not just in the communications field. This course exceeded my expectations and I found each class to be inspiring engaging. The time just flew by in each class period. Thought-provoking assignments." 

"Jane Praeger is very enthusiastic about the course and learing. She is open to discussions on both sides of issues and does a great job of relating class examples to the business setting. "

"Steve Jarmon was very organized and conveyed information clearly throughout the class. He returned assignments promptly with plenty of feedback to help with future assignments. It was also great to hear examples from Steve's past experience with Snapple, Timberland, 1-800-Flowers, and other companies."

 "Jim Eiche is extremely organized and knows the material inside and out. I do not deal with global communications much in my current job, so I really appreciated this class. It was fascinating to learn about organizing people and processes on a global scale. A great course overall. "

 "Working with the Media provides the tools needed to effectively craft one's writing in order to get it published. Because I took this class, I was immediately successfully in pitching a story angle to my local newspaper and getting my Op-Ed published on an issue that I am passionate about. This class taught me how to select newsworthy topics and pitch to the right editorial staff member in a manner that is relevant to their publication. My piece on the childhood obesity epidemic ran at the top of the page, above all the other Op-Ed writers. "

 "Betty Sugarman was fantastic. She is a very fast thinker, and the exercises she made us do in class were very insightful. I organized my notes from her class and have put them on my desk at work as a reference. "

 "The professor was especially good at designing each three-hour class to maximize learning by varying the agenda and gathering feedback. Also, this class offered the best all-around speakers series--very diversified in their relationship to Evaluation and Measurement."

"This is a great course and I feel lucky to have taken it. I learned so much about the power strong opinion has to persuade. I learned how to poke holes in my thinking in order to make my arguments stronger, and, as a result, my writing has already improved dramatically. I learned the different skills involved in media interviews and speech writing, two areas I knew nothing of. The best thing about this course is that you practice your strategic thinking, because just as with any communication campaign, when you're writing an op-ed or doing a three-minute media interview you have to know who you're talking to, what you want them to do, and how you want them to do it before you even begin. It's hard but very rewarding." 

 "I enjoyed Shawn McIntosh's class very much. There were many assignments, but I felt they were manageable and enhanced my learning. Shawn's standards are high but I was glad for that--it definitely challenged my thinking and, as a result, this class has already helped me professionally in my day-to-day work environment. I also thought Shawn ran the class really well--he supported class dialogue, provided some great insights of his own, was fair with grading, and in general was very encouraging to the entire class about the important role communicators have in society today."

 "This class is exactly what a graduate experience at Columbia should be. Rigorous, challenging, a clear learning value. I’ve come away knowing and appreciating far more about market research than I expected. Truly exceptional teaching."

"Edith Updike is a talented and amazing writer and editor. In class she communicated the topics well and exceeded what one expects in terms of knowledge from a Columbia professor." 

"I wanted to let you know that the Positioning and Communications Strategy class I took this summer helped me while interviewing for a job. They put me on the spot with lots of questions for which I had to think strategically, and your breakdown of the principals of communications strategy really informed my thinking. After two interviews I got a job as account director. " 

 "When I watch an interview on TV or read an op-ed I am keenly aware of how people choose to express themselves. This class has helped me develop a more critical eye and it has already helped me in my work. I am also far more impressed by people who are great communicators because I realize how difficult it truly is."

 "This course helped demystify some of the concepts of measurement and made me a lot more confident in my ability to design a measurement plan. It also highlighted the importance of measurement, something that can never be reinforced enough. I thought that I was really never going to be good with numbers and measurement, but this course showed me that anyone can do it; you just have to use logic and some common sense. I felt that I went from strength to strength throughout the course of the semester."

 "I thought all of the speakers had very valuable information. They gave the course pertinent meaning in the real world and showed us how the theories we were learning could be applied."

 "Columbia's Strategic Communications program cuts to the core challenge clients face today: how to differentiate and evolve in a complex marketplace with increased competitive challenges and audience indifference. In the real-world learning environment students appreciate client needs and, with exposure to a broad communications arsenal, can manage communications strategically to achieve the organization's business goals."

 "Now that I'm removed a little bit from the intensity of the thesis, I really see how at each step we were pushed to develop our ideas further and further. That's what made the project so difficult but also so interesting. Because we were able to choose our own company and really invest in every angle of thinking and tackling the problem, it was especially rewarding."

 "Our motivated and professionally committed student body makes for a very dynamic learning environment. Since most students are working in specific communications roles and bring work-related issues and experience into the classroom, discussions are highly relevant and intellectually stimulating for students and faculty alike. "

 "Never, not in a million years, did I think that I would be given the opportunity to 'brand' UN Peacekeeping. I went through four interviews and a three-hour exam. I beat 40 candidates with peacekeeping experience. Currently, I am battling a positioning statement through the executive office, developing a role/objective for communication, and administering qualitative research, while identifying UN Peacekeepers who have a compelling story to tell. I am implementing everything I learned from my Columbia University education into my daily tasks.... I would not be sitting where I am today if it were not for your support."

 "Communications in the Digital Age was one of the most useful, informative, and interesting courses on the program. Tom Groppe and Shawn McIntosh were both terrific instructors. They patiently explained complicated material and made it understandable, memorable, and applicable to the real world. We were given enough flexibility to choose blog topics and final projects. Because I had to write three blog entries a week, I kept abreast of all technology news as it pertained to public relations and television, and ended up learning a lot about the tech world. For our final project, our group chose to work with WiFi Salon, a small company that provides free wireless services to New York City parks. This was one of the most hands-on projects we did at Columbia. Our group created wire frames for the Web site (which were accepted by the Parks Commissioner), press kits, attended meetings with client's sponsors, and provided strategic consulting throughout the entire semester. As a result, I retained WiFi Salon as a client and continued providing consulting services to them throughout the summer. In the end, my partnership with WiFi Salon and the knowledge and skills I obtained in the course led to an exciting job opportunity. I strongly believe that the course is essential to all communications professionals in this program. My advice to all students would be to take this course. Communications strategy without Web integration is essentially useless at this day and age. Knowing everything from Web analytics to social networks, blogs, and search engine optimization is a must for all who want to become successful communications professionals. "

 "I found the seminar beneficial because it helped me to confirm assumptions I was having about the industry. I really liked the variety of speakers because they all seemed to have a different take on their business and organizational message. "