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About the Comm Lab
History
CommLab at Virginia Tech was developed to meet the needs of student speakers who could benefit from practice outside the classroom environment. The program grew from a fledgling start-up in a small office to its current location in the Newman Library. Although it is currently funded by the Department of Communication, CommLab has received funding over the years from various sources, including the Office of the Provost and the Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Please see the list below for the CommLab milestones and contributors.
1999-2000
Planning Team emerges --
Decision by Marlene Preston, John Tedesco, and Beth Waggenspack to
begin planning for CommLab
CEUT Teaching-Learning Grant
for Preston, Tedesco, and Waggenspack in Spring 2000
CEUT Summer Faculty Fellow for Preston in Summer
2000
Summer Pilot 2000 -- start-up in Hillcrest for
Summer I Public Speaking and research on apprehension
2000-2001
Student Success Grant for Preston, Tedesco, and
Waggenspack: Awarded Spring 2000 for AY 2000-2001; included funding
for operations, research and one graduate assistant
Library -- New location opens in partnership
with the University Libraries. Preston serves as Director; lab is
staffed primarily with students earning credit for field study or
independent study. A few wage students round out the staff.
Tedesco's Public Relations Case Studies Class
studies CommLab's operations, needs, and growth.
2001-2002
Funding from CEUT and the Office of
the Provost makes division of duties possible. Tiffany
Shoop is hired as CommLab's first instructor-level Coordinator and
assumes responsibilties for day-to-day operations. (For details, see
CommLab
Coordinator.) In the role of Director, Preston
provides programming oversight, connection with the
research team, and university-level planning.
2002-2003
Funding from the Department of
Communicationallows CommLab
to continue paying wage students despite severe budget cutbacks.
2003-2004
Dale Jenkins named as new CommLab Coordinator.
2004-2005
Brandi Quesenberry named as new CommLab Coordinator.
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