MCSCOM: Connect, Engage, Grow

By: Elisabeth Chen

Have you ever wanted to be more connected with those within the Media & Communication Studies major? There is a bit more to MCS than what you see in the classroom. The MCS Department has provided many opportunities for students in and out of the classroom to develop your skills and give you beneficial experiences in the realm of media and communication. One of these great opportunities MCS students have is The Media and Communication Studies Council of Majors, or MCSCOM for short. 

As you may have seen from the recent MCS email newsletter and department emails (if you are not on the MCS listserv, you can contact Ms. Hassan at shassan1@umbc.edu to be added), MCSCOM has recently been revived after a short hiatus. Dr. Tracy Tinga, who is the MCS faculty advisor helping to organize this club, has worked to bring on new members and leaders since Fall 2021. This semester, with the newly elected officers, MCSCOM is back and getting ready to plan some new events and activities!

But what is MCSCOM, you may ask? 

MCSCOM is a student-led club that “was established for the purpose of creating a better experience for those students majoring in MCS. Participants’ experiences will be enhanced through the organization of meetings and relevant events both on the UMBC campus and in the surrounding community.” It is an opportunity that is open to all MCS students to participate in, whether that is as members or officers who “work together to plan for activities and events that they are interested in as MCS students”, according to Dr. Tinga. For us college students, getting involved on campus in different clubs and organizations can help you expand your network, make and develop friendships, and learn new things. It is a great aspect of school to take advantage of during your relatively short time in college! With MCSCOM, you can expand your knowledge of areas within media and communication and talk about topics you care about, not to mention simply having a community of people who share the same major as you. If you are an MCS student and want to learn more about the major, get some inside scoops on all things MCS related, and interact with fellow MCSers, then MCSCOM is a club for you! 

What do you do in MCSCOM? 

As Dr. Tinga noted, student leaders and members organize events and activities, particularly events that pertain to those who are seeking a degree in Media & Communication Studies. This may include discussions of particular media content, internships, or other topics relating to media and communication. One of the events that MCSCOM joined in the past was the American Son Netflix streaming party along with the discussion on structural racism which was led by Dr. Yang and organized by the MCS faculty. Another activity that was held was during midterms season where members created motivational collages together to help them through the stressful time. These different activities and events are simply a few examples of what happens in MCSCOM.

All MCS students are highly encouraged to join and be involved in this club. Dr. Tinga says that “The current leadership team is still planning for an event this semester so stay tuned.” Keep an eye out for that event which will be coming soon! 

Why should you consider joining MCSCOM?

Those who are interested in leadership and gaining experience in organization can be elected for certain roles such as president, vice president, secretary, and publicity officers. Being a member in MCSCOM can allow MCS students to connect and engage more with one another outside of the classroom while also learning more about the field of communication. Theo Reinert, the vice president, says, “I joined MCSCOM for the same reason I want others to join MCSCOM: to make connections and build a community. MCS is unique compared to other majors in that where we go into Media and Communications is so broad. Some of us go into sports, marketing, data analytics, production, etc., others of us into fields we can't yet foresee. What we all have in common is that our field requires collaboration. In MCSCOM we hope to strengthen those relations and expand the connections majors can make with each other, as well as represent the needs of students as a whole to the faculty.” These are just a few of the things you can expect if you join MCSCOM! 

To obtain a leadership role, you must be elected by your fellow members. As members, you can vote for your new officers. This year’s election occurred recently in which candidates contacted Dr. Tinga to indicate their interest and provided their bios so members could learn more about them and vote. Recently, the votes were cast, and MCSCOM has finalized their officers. This year’s MCSCOM Board Members are:

President: Shareyne Repaje

Vice President: Theo Reinert

Secretary: Marisa Haas

Publicity Officer: Rose Crame

Want to learn more about how YOU can get involved in this club? Contact Dr. Tracy Tinga (tinga@umbc.edu) if you have questions and want to join! 

Also check out their Facebook page as well as their Instagram page!