IMC Connect! Bringing Together Industry Practitioners, Academic Researchers, Faculty, and Students

Staff Report

The University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media is excited to host the inaugural IMC Connect!: A Roundtable Experience at The University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, on March 31 and April 1.

Communication executives from some of the most prominent organizations in the world, along with leading researchers in their respective fields will participate in the event in Farley Hall, including:

• Mr. Chris Chiames, Chief Communications Officer, Carnival Cruise Line
• Mr. Stephen Holmes, Vice President of Corporate Communications and External Affairs, The Home Depot
• Ms. Reade Tidwell, Director of Corporate Communications, Chick-fil-A
• Ms. Jenny D. Robertson, Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing and Communications, FedEx Services
• Ms. Renee Malone, President & Founding Partner, KQ Communications
• Dr. Timothy Coombs, Professor in the Department of Communication, Texas A&M University
• Dr. Rebecca Britt, Associate Professor in the College of Communication & Information Sciences, The University of Alabama
• Dr. Candice Edrington, Assistant Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, The University of South Carolina 
• Dr. Debbie Treise, Professor in the Department of Advertising, The University of Florida, and Executive Director of the American Academy of Advertising

“The purpose of this event is to foster connections and collaborations among multiple stakeholders, including integrated marketing communications practitioners, academic researchers, faculty members, and students,” said Dr. Amanda Bradshaw, co-chair of IMC Connect! and assistant professor at the School of Journalism and New Media. 

Throughout this roundtable experience students, faculty, and staff will have the opportunity to network and participate in many working sessions, including a discussion of the IMC curriculum at the University of Mississippi and how to best prepare students for entering the job market. To aid in these efforts, IMC Connect! 2022 will feature a Q&A Job Prep Panel: The Connection Between Research and Practice, hosted by the University of Mississippi Public Relations Student Society of America chapter on March 31. On April 1, invited guests will gather at the Inn at Ole Miss for four panel sessions, which will include valuable insights and knowledge on the following topics: crisis communication, social media and big data analytics, advertising and building your brand, and the role of advocacy and social justice in public relations.

IMC Connect! 2022 is open to Journalism and Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) students and faculty from the School of Journalism and New Media. Students and faculty may register for the event using the official UM GivePulse platform. Pre-registration is required, and UM login credentials are required to register.

Click here to learn more about the exciting IMC Connect! 2022 agenda, or contact event co-chairs Dr. Amanda Bradshaw at Asbrads1@olemiss.edu or Dr. Robert Magee at rgmagee@olemiss.edu, for more information.