Communication Executive to Visit with ODU Students Oct. 14
Don Kiernan '83 VP of Global Sales & Marketing at Cass Information Systems, will take part in a question-and-answer session with Old Dominion University students on communication career paths, future opportunities and changing skillsets.
Kiernan will meet students in the Visual Arts Building, Room 1001 between 4 and 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14. The room where Kiernan will speak is known as "The Den" and is the future home of ROAR, the strategic communication firm being created by faculty and students of the Department of Communication & Theatre Arts.
The Q&A is the final event of the ODU PRSSA Internship Showcase, a day-long session aimed at helping students find, prepare for, and thrive in communication-focused internships. In addition to the Kiernan conversation, the Internship Showcase will feature a workshop for students to prepare them for the internship process, an expo with internship site hosts, and a student panel of internship experiences.
The programming will be hosted in the Strome Entrepreneurial Center, which is across the hall in Room 1006 of the Visual Arts Building, which faces Kaufman Mall.
As a student at Old Dominion interested in broadcasting and mass communications, an internship at WAVY-TV exposed Kiernan to radio and television management.
"I was advised that the fast track to management was through sales, so I started thinking about this as a career path," Kiernan said, in an article published in the newsletter of the Department of Communication & Theatre Arts. "In the end, I never went into broadcasting, but I have spent most of my career in the telecommunications and IT industries."
Kiernan added that courses for his communication degree laid the foundation for his career success. "I still remember how challenging Argument, Reasoning and Debate class was, but it was extremely instructive in supporting things I do now every day."
Kiernan has found value in communication skills for building long-term relationships and establishing connections and trust with clients and employees alike. Those very skills are invaluable for students just starting communication careers, such as those who will attend the Internship Showcase.
That event begins with a workshop from 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. which will provide students guidance on maintaining a professional presence, resumes and headshots and opportunities available through PRSSA and the strategic communication firm ROAR.
From 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., students who have thrived in internships will share their experiences as part of a panel. Pizza and drinks will be provided.
From 2 - 4 p.m. organizations seeking interns and communication professionals will meet students in pursuit of opportunities at the Internship Expo.
Then between the Expo and Kiernan's Q&A, a happy hour will provide an opportunity for students, professionals, faculty and alumni to network and make connections.
If interested in taking part in the event as a student, internship site host, communication professional or alumnus, register here.
To learn more about COMM internships, please see the Senior Experience website for the Department of Communication & Theatre Arts. For more information about ODU PRSSA Internship Showcase or the Don Kiernan Q&A, please contact faculty member Brendan O'Hallarn at bohallar@odu.edu.