Communication for the future

Communication is at the core of every human interaction, from our personal and professional relationships. It’s no surprise then that communication is now the most in-demand skill by employers, regardless of the field. That’s why Moody College of Communication offers students a world-class education in both the theory and practice of communication.  

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook 2025 survey, 80% of employers today are seeking candidates with strong teamwork skills, 70% specifically highlighted the need for those with strong written communication skills, and over two-thirds of employers sought employees with strong verbal communication skills.

Because communication touches every aspect of people’s lives, interim dean Anita Vangelisti, along with the other staff and faculty at Moody College, believe that learning how to communicate effectively is crucial, especially today. Moody’s new approach to career preparation happens in the classroom, through internships and with support from redesigned Career Center.

“Communication is seen as more integral now to other fields than it used to be,” Vangelisti said. “Engineers take communication classes; business students take communication classes. People recognize the importance of communication to what everybody is doing more than they did 20 or even 10 years ago.” 

While on the surface it may appear that some of Moody’s fields of study are unrelated, with departments ranging from Radio-Television-Film to Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. But at the heart of each is a desire to teach students how to communicate effectively and authentically. Cassandre Giguere Alvarado, the Moody College senior associate dean for undergraduate education and teaching excellence, says that this is just one of the reasons a degree from Moody is so valuable. 

“I think one of the hallmarks of a Moody communication degree is that each of them sit at the intersection of theory and practice,” Alvarado said. “We want to prepare students for a new generation of jobs where communication is no longer a soft skill. Students must be able to demonstrate their skills, not just list them on a resume.”

Moody’s foundational courses focus on that kind of career development. In Comm 301E, the introductory course for all first-year students, students begin mapping their academic paths to professional goals. By the time they reach Comm 302E, Interdisciplinary Communication Foundations, they’re mastering resumes, crafting elevator pitches, practicing networking and more. And the Moody Career Center team is with them each step of the way.

Redesigned Career Education and Employer Relations

The Moody College Career Center aims to guide students in taking their first steps toward accelerating their future careers as leaders. In 2025, the Career Center was restructured to align with Moody’s holistic approach to career education by housing more career coaches and building more connections with employers looking for the skills Moody students have learned and practiced.

In addition to their courses and internships, Moody’s Career Center can help students fine tune their career preparation throughout their time at Moody College. 

“I tell students that from their first semester until after they graduate, we can help them no matter what stage they’re at in the career process,” said Loren Cressler, associate director of career education. “So as a coaching philosophy, we really emphasize skills, values and interests. We really want students to think about what they're good at, what they really care about and are motivated by, and the things that excite them.”

He says that his team is always available to discuss what careers are possible with a given major, how to develop a job or internship search strategy, how to showcase their strengths through portfolios and resumes and even assist with interview preparation. 

“We’re well-equipped to talk about all that,” Cressler said. “And then once they are actually in the job market after they’ve graduated, we still serve our students for up to 12 months.”  

Within the new, restructured Center, the Moody College employer relations team works to connect with a variety of employers to bring internship and job opportunities across multiple fields and industries to students – not just those in traditional communication fields. Because of this connection, a positive feedback loop is created among faculty and administration to ensure that they are teaching the most in-demand skills. 

“Engineers, business leaders, healthcare professionals all need to convey complex ideas clearly,” said Gerald Johnson, Moody College’s executive director for innovation and partnerships. “Collaboration, leadership and relationship-building all hinge on strong communication skills and being able to adapt your message to different audiences is a career accelerator in any field.” 

Cressler agrees, adding that a Moody College education is set apart by being so professionally oriented.

“Our faculty have close relationships to industry,” Cressler said. “They are really thinking about how to make students workplace ready, and I think the nature of a lot of courses, assignments and projects that students do here simulate what they will be doing in their future careers.”

Cressler and the Career Center team welcome any student who wants to explore their academic and career options and figure out how they can be most successful during their time at Moody and long after.