About the Trip
The What
Studying abroad can be a life changing experience for students, offering them unique opportunities to engage with different cultures and grow both personally and professionally. Kent in London: Global Ad & PR is designed to provide an academically rigorous, intellectually challenging, and professionally relevant study away experience for students who are interested in communication-related careers.
While in London, students will be expected to conduct independent research to develop their self-selected areas of expertise, including interviews with professionals and people on the street, as well as observation-based investigations. These individual experiences will be supplemented by organized group tours, speakers, and activities. Program planning is still underway, but we are planning to meet with representatives from traditional agencies (including Edelman), social media firms (we are social), scholars (Oxford and/or Cambridge), government representatives and a Premier League football club. We also are hoping to organize meetings with representatives from the worlds of music, fashion, health and beauty.
If you would like to read another perspective on the value of studying abroad, please check out the note from Dean Stan Wearden, head of the College of Communication and Information at Kent State University.
The When
This course takes place in two parts. First, students will take the first part of the class at Kent State during Spring 2012. At the end of Spring Semester, students will receive an “In Progress” on their transcripts.
We will leave for London on May 16, 2013,* arriving early in the morning on May 17. After a weekend spent exploring the city and familiarizing ourselves with public transportation, the “work” portion of our trip officially kicks off on Sunday night with a welcome dinner. Students will be expected to be working full-time on their projects from Monday-Thursday, with group activities built in as well. Students are free to travel over the weekend. Monday-Thursday are designated days for both independent and group work. Students will have flexible scheduling for the weekend. The trip officially concludes on Friday, May 31.
*Note that students will book their own flights and are not required to be in London until Sunday, May 19.
The Where
London–one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the world–will be our home for over two weeks. Specifically, we’ll be staying in flats (apartments) in Clerkenwell, an area of central London known for trendy restaurants, old school pubs, and fantastic shopping. It’s a mix of old and new London, with a little something for everyone.
The Who
This trip is being organized by Dr. Danielle Coombs and Professor Michele Ewing from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Dr. Danielle Coombs
Primarily teaching advertising and research courses, Dr. Coombs is a regular visitor to the British Isles. A fan of Aston Villa Football Club (based in Birmingham, West Midlands), Dr. Coombs’s research agenda focuses on understanding audiences within the contexts of sports and politics. Before joining the faculty at Kent State in 2007, Dr. Coombs worked as a brand researcher and consultant in New York and Cleveland. Her clients included Gap Inc. (Old Navy and Banana Republic), MTV Networks (MTV2, TV Land, CMT, and Spike), Scripps Networks (HGTV, Food Network, Fine Living, and GAC), the American Museum of Natural History, and Payless ShoeSource. Dr. Coombs recently has published articles on sports journalists in the UK and a retheorization of sport fandom.
Professor Michele Ewing
Professor Michele Ewing, a tenured associate professor, specializes in Public Relations. This will be Professor Ewing’s second trip to England. Professor Ewing has more than 15 years experience in agency and corporate public relations. Before joining the Kent State faculty, she served as vice president of the public relations division for an integrated communications agency in Cleveland. Professor Ewing teaches public relations courses and advises the award-winning Kent State Student Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Her research interests include internal communications, social media, student engagement, and career preparation.
Simon Collister
Simon Collister is our “man on the ground” in London. Simon, a senior lecturer at the London College of Communications, teaches public relations courses for undergraduate and graduate students. Prior to teaching, Simon worked for several leading communications agencies including Edelman, we are social, and Weber Shanwick. With his in-depth knowledge of London, Simon is helping coordinate our stay and offering connections/contacts for programming.
The Why
Students will come away from this trip with a competitive advantage; not only will they have studied abroad, they will have produced a set of deliverables that will elevate their portfolios for internship and job interviews. Students will be expected to conduct themselves as astute professionals, ready to engage with colleagues and set the world on fire. This is not a glorified field trip; this is a robust, rigorous course experience designed to challenge and inspire our students in a multicultural, international environment.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you would like more information or have any questions about this trip, please contact Dr. Danielle Coombs at 330-672-8876 or via Kent (@kent.edu) email (dcoombs) or Professor Michele Ewing at 330-672-4288 or via Kent (@kent.edu) email (meewing).
Studying abroad can be a life changing experience for students, offering them unique opportunities to engage with different cultures and grow both personally and professionally. Kent in London: Global Ad & PR is designed to provide an academically rigorous, intellectually challenging, and professionally relevant study away experience for students who are interested in communication-related careers.
While in London, students will be expected to conduct independent research to develop their self-selected areas of expertise, including interviews with professionals and people on the street, as well as observation-based investigations. These individual experiences will be supplemented by organized group tours, speakers, and activities. Program planning is still underway, but we are planning to meet with representatives from traditional agencies (including Edelman), social media firms (we are social), scholars (Oxford and/or Cambridge), government representatives and a Premier League football club. We also are hoping to organize meetings with representatives from the worlds of music, fashion, health and beauty.
If you would like to read another perspective on the value of studying abroad, please check out the note from Dean Stan Wearden, head of the College of Communication and Information at Kent State University.
The When
This course takes place in two parts. First, students will take the first part of the class at Kent State during Spring 2012. At the end of Spring Semester, students will receive an “In Progress” on their transcripts.
We will leave for London on May 16, 2013,* arriving early in the morning on May 17. After a weekend spent exploring the city and familiarizing ourselves with public transportation, the “work” portion of our trip officially kicks off on Sunday night with a welcome dinner. Students will be expected to be working full-time on their projects from Monday-Thursday, with group activities built in as well. Students are free to travel over the weekend. Monday-Thursday are designated days for both independent and group work. Students will have flexible scheduling for the weekend. The trip officially concludes on Friday, May 31.
*Note that students will book their own flights and are not required to be in London until Sunday, May 19.
The Where
London–one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the world–will be our home for over two weeks. Specifically, we’ll be staying in flats (apartments) in Clerkenwell, an area of central London known for trendy restaurants, old school pubs, and fantastic shopping. It’s a mix of old and new London, with a little something for everyone.
The Who
This trip is being organized by Dr. Danielle Coombs and Professor Michele Ewing from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Dr. Danielle Coombs
Primarily teaching advertising and research courses, Dr. Coombs is a regular visitor to the British Isles. A fan of Aston Villa Football Club (based in Birmingham, West Midlands), Dr. Coombs’s research agenda focuses on understanding audiences within the contexts of sports and politics. Before joining the faculty at Kent State in 2007, Dr. Coombs worked as a brand researcher and consultant in New York and Cleveland. Her clients included Gap Inc. (Old Navy and Banana Republic), MTV Networks (MTV2, TV Land, CMT, and Spike), Scripps Networks (HGTV, Food Network, Fine Living, and GAC), the American Museum of Natural History, and Payless ShoeSource. Dr. Coombs recently has published articles on sports journalists in the UK and a retheorization of sport fandom.
Professor Michele Ewing
Professor Michele Ewing, a tenured associate professor, specializes in Public Relations. This will be Professor Ewing’s second trip to England. Professor Ewing has more than 15 years experience in agency and corporate public relations. Before joining the Kent State faculty, she served as vice president of the public relations division for an integrated communications agency in Cleveland. Professor Ewing teaches public relations courses and advises the award-winning Kent State Student Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Her research interests include internal communications, social media, student engagement, and career preparation.
Simon Collister
Simon Collister is our “man on the ground” in London. Simon, a senior lecturer at the London College of Communications, teaches public relations courses for undergraduate and graduate students. Prior to teaching, Simon worked for several leading communications agencies including Edelman, we are social, and Weber Shanwick. With his in-depth knowledge of London, Simon is helping coordinate our stay and offering connections/contacts for programming.
The Why
Students will come away from this trip with a competitive advantage; not only will they have studied abroad, they will have produced a set of deliverables that will elevate their portfolios for internship and job interviews. Students will be expected to conduct themselves as astute professionals, ready to engage with colleagues and set the world on fire. This is not a glorified field trip; this is a robust, rigorous course experience designed to challenge and inspire our students in a multicultural, international environment.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you would like more information or have any questions about this trip, please contact Dr. Danielle Coombs at 330-672-8876 or via Kent (@kent.edu) email (dcoombs) or Professor Michele Ewing at 330-672-4288 or via Kent (@kent.edu) email (meewing).
