History of the Elliott School of Communication
The Elliott School of Communication was established in 1989, bringing together the former departments of journalism and speech communication. That merger made the ESC among the first in the nation to offer a comprehensive integrated communication program. A bold and unified effort — begun in 1985 by administrators, faculty, and area communication professionals working together — produced a strategic plan that was approved by the Kansas Board of Regents. In its first program review, the Regents offered this summary of the school's importance:
"The Elliott School of Communication supplies an important part of the urban mission of Wichita State University….[It] is a priority for the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as well as for the University. Wichita State believes that the Elliott School is an important part of its linkage with the surrounding community and within the state."
The school was named in honor of WSU alumni Oliver and Betty Elliott, who had committed a significant gift to WSU primarily to endow this new school. Oliver Elliott, a prominent businessman in Wichita, had served as the editor of The Sunflower in 1940 when he attended the university. Spearheaded by the Elliotts' generous support, the school was able to attract other private and public funds to build and equip a new building, Elliott Hall, in 1995.
Today, the ESC is one of the largest units in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, serving more than 400 undergraduates in the major, 50 graduate students in the Master's of Arts in Communication (MAC) program, and approximately 900 students each semester in the basic public speaking course required of all university students. The school offers the B.A. and M.A. degrees; a field major, Bachelor of General Studies, Certificate in Applied Communication, Teaching Certificates in speech communication and journalism and a communication minor complete the school's program offerings.
A 40-credit degree program, the school offers emphases in Print Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, Electronic Media, Integrated Marketing Communication and Strategic Communication (see Emphasis areas). All students must complete a 22-hour set of core-competency courses in writing, speaking, visual communication, problem-solving, research, history, theory, law and ethics (see course catalog). Students must make formal application for admission to major status; have an overall grade point average of 2.5 or better; and pass a standardized writing test (Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation test: GSP).
The ESC's ability to offer a convergent curriculum is supported by distinguished faculty, professional partnerships with the communication industries of Kansas, and its 35,000-square-foot facilities. Additionally, the school houses the WSU student newspaper, The Sunflower; the student-produced live newscast, Studio B; the WSU Speech and Debate team; the student advertising agency; and the Interdisciplinary Communication Research Institute, which provides applied research opportunities for academic and professional development. Other formal student organizations include the Public Relations Society of America, the Society of Professional Journalists, and Lamda Pi Eta - the national communication honor society.
Elliott School students have extraordinary opportunities to experience paid communication internships, win generous scholarships, and secure jobs in the communication field while going to school. Last year alone, 66 students completed paid communication internships; 70 students received scholarships in communication totaling $60,000.
The Elliott School is proud to be a vital part of Wichita State University. WSU is the only metropolitan university in the Kansas Regents system and currently enrolls about 15,000 students. Wichita is the largest city in Kansas with an MSA of nearly 600,000. Its vibrant local economy supports eight TV stations, 17 radio stations, nine area dailies, 32 weekly newspapers and 19 advertising and public relations agencies.