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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Department of Mass Communications wrapped up another successful Mass Comm Week this spring, with a full schedule of speakers and sessions focused on the changing media landscape.

“The twentieth annual Mass Comm Week continues to connect the classroom with the communications industry,” said Mass Communications Department Chair Suman Mishra, PhD. “It gives students real-world context and motivation.”

This year’s keynote featured Luke Lambert, former Chief Innovation and Product Solutions Officer at OMD USA and now a partner at Confluence, an agency representing brands such as Apple, Amazon, and L’Oréal. Lambert spoke about the importance of collaboration and clear communication in brand storytelling, drawing from examples like the Michael Cera and CeraVe campaign that blended creativity with strategic simplicity.

“There are two things that come out of diversity in my teams,” Lambert said. “One is perspective, what they see as the problem. The other is characteristics, how they would go about solving it. When those come together, you get ten times the results.”

During the week-long event, a new session called Mass Comm IMPACT was introduced this year. It highlighted the research, service, and creative work of faculty, staff, and students. A standout project featured student coverage of local ice hockey, which demonstrated storytelling rooted in journalism and deep community engagement. Student journalist Samuel Muren shared, “It was not just about reporting scores. It was about telling the stories of the people and culture around the rink.”

Broadcast engineer Theresa Pauli and student Ally Donahue also shared the value of presenting their work and participating in the session. Pauli noted, “The Mass Comm IMPACT session was a great way to showcase our hardworking students and highlight the exciting things happening in the Mass Comm Department.”

Alumna Sheena Butler-Young, senior correspondent at The Business of Fashion, presented a session titled “Media, Fashion, and the Evolution of Sustainability.” She discussed how fashion journalism is becoming more focused on social responsibility, sharing insights from her reporting on diversity and inclusion in the industry. “Media does not just reflect culture. It moves it,” she said.

The popular panel “What I Wish I Knew Before I Graduated” brought back recent alumni to offer advice and encouragement to current students. Their stories helped bridge the gap between classroom experience and professional careers.

Mishra also shared updates on the ongoing renovation of the Department’s television studio in Dunham Hall. The upgrades are intended to give students access to professional-level equipment and enhance their hands-on learning.

“This year’s program deepened students’ understanding of today’s media landscape,” said Mishra. “From showcasing community-centered journalism to highlighting alumni voices shaping the industry, Mass Comm Week continues to reflect the department’s broad influence and meaningful contributions.”

PHOTOS: Mass Comm TV Studio, Keystone Speaker Luke Lambert Chief Innovation and Product Solutions Officer at OMD USA, and Mass Comm class on SIUE campus.