LSU certifies 32 Distinguished Communicator graduates

Students undergo additional training to advance their writing, speaking, visual and technological communication skills to excel in their field post-graduation

Employers taking part in a recent study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers cited communication skills as the number one skill they are seeking in today's tight job market. Similar studies by other organizations continuously reveal communication as a critical workplace readiness factor. This is promising news for the 32 LSU undergraduates who will graduate this semester as certified LSU Distinguished Communicators.

The LSU Distinguished Communicator certification is a unique program that helps students elevate their skills in all areas of communication including writing, speaking, visual presentations and technological communication. The program pays special attention to discipline-specific communication styles, approaches and techniques and helps students develop the appropriate skills for their particular field.

"The technical writing engineers and scientists do is somewhat different from the types of writing educators and artists do. We help students recognize these disciplinary differences and work with them to build the communication skills they need to jump-start their careers," explained CxC Assistant Director Rebecca Burdette.     

In addition to the communication-intensive training that LSU Distinguished Communicators undergo, these students are required to demonstrate excellence in their field of study, a commitment to service and the capacity for leadership.

"In a competitive situations where undergrads have similar grades and disciplinary knowledge, employers tell us that the student who excels at the 'soft skills' – things such as communication, critical thinking and initiative – will get the job," said Burdette. "When you add strong communication skills to disciplinary knowledge, civic engagement and leadership skills, you have a student who will no doubt succeed in whatever they choose to do post-graduation."

The LSU Distinguished Communicators certification program is managed by LSU Communication across the Curriculum, the first program of its kind in the nation to focus on enhancing learning experiences for students and improving their written, spoken, visual presentation and technological communication skills within the disciplines.

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