The course “Communications and the Campaign” allows students to work on local campaigns, including Steve Patterson’s race for mayor.
With November's election approaching, political campaigns in Athens are picking up.
However, some students may not realize that some of their classmates are helping to run them.
The Scripps College of Communication offers a communications studies class called “Communications and the Campaign,” which sets students up with hands-on work for local campaigns.
Some students enjoyed the class so much that they are now doing an independent study working for the campaign of Steve Patterson, the democratic Athens City councilman at-large who is running for mayor this year.
“The class was designed to let students work on a variety of campaigns, not just political campaigns, but fundraising campaigns (and) public relations,” J.W. Smith, associate professor within the School of Communication Studies, said.
Smith has taught the course since 1994. The class will be available to students again next semester.
“I saw campaign and I was like, that’s what I wanna do,” Ashton Dever, a senior studying business communications, said.
Dever said she took the course last spring and worked with six other students on Patterson’s campaign. She continued working for the campaign over the summer and is working for it again this semester as part of an independent study along with two other students.
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“They were there every step of the way,” Patterson said. “They were deeply engaged.”
Patterson, who is also an associate professor of psychology at Ohio University, said the students helped him craft campaign literature, sort through photos and start a Twitter account.
“We need more practical classes like that,” Smith said. “I’m telling you, students got jobs from this class, because students got out of the school and were able to show a potential employer what they had actually done.”
One of the six students who worked on Patterson’s campaign as part of the class last Spring Semester is now working for former Ohio governor Ted Strickland on his campaign for U.S. Senator representing Ohio, Dever said.
In addition, Smith said a couple of his past students are now consultants in Washington, D.C.
“I would suggest (the class) to anyone and Dr. Smith is a phenomenal instructor,” Dever said. “It’s definitely helped with my skills. That experience definitely motivated me to continue on with the campaign."
The students were involved, and continue to be involved, in many aspects of Patterson’s campaign.
“We’re definitely the liaison between him and the students,” Dever said.
Patterson and the students decided to put on an open forum in Front Room last spring for him and contender at the time, Andrew Looker, to discuss their views on issues they would have as mayor.
“(The students) taught me as much as I taught them throughout the processes,” Patterson said. “For me, it was fun. It was energizing.”
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