Giving
Learn more about giving opportunities
The COM Fund
Career Services Fund
Film Finishing Fund
Gerald Powers Public Relations Award Fund
Lisa Frost Fund
WTBU Fund
Digital Conversion Fund
James C. Thomson Jr. Memorial Fund
Dr. Murray Yaeger Memorial Fund
Jacobson-Thistle Scholarship Fund
Boston University’s College of Communication is committed to training sound writers, researchers and producers in each of its three academic disciplines:
- Journalism
- Film and Television
- Mass Communication, Advertising and Public Relations
Distinguished faculty in Boston and at satellite campuses in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles marry their personal experiences with pragmatic lessons to train COM’s 4,400 undergraduate and graduate students—tomorrow’s communications visionaries.
Generous donations to the COM Fund enhance the technological, academic and programmatic resources available to students and faculty. These initiatives enrich the campus experience, give students and alumni a competitive edge, and bolster COM’s reputation as a premier communications college. They enhance the value of your degree.
COM Fund support is critical in meeting a variety of demands, including:
Case 1
Emergency Financial Aid
The $34,930 tuition covers only 58% of the total cost of educating a student. The remainder is underwritten by donor support. While students receive financial aid, based either on merit or need, from the University, the COM Fund provides further assistance to students who seek additional support. Your contribution ensures that deserving students have the opportunity to begin—and complete—their studies.
Case 2
Program Support
- COM Career Services Center
Employing the COM Career Services Center’s (CSC) online and in-house resources, 98% of our undergraduates find jobs within six months of graduating. This year, the COM Fund will purchase six new workstations and computer software, allowing the CSC to multiply its on-campus recruiting efforts, which include career counseling, résumé services and networking workshops, a job database, and an interactive Web site http://www.bu.edu/com-csc. - COM Writing Center
To support COM’s mission of training our nation’s best writers, the Writing Center provides free services to assist students in honing their skills. The COM Fund underwrites its resources and publishes The Comment, an award-winning student magazine. For the past six years, The Comment has been recognized by both the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the Society of Professional Journalists, winning “Best Student Magazine.” - butv10
At BU’s first-ever student-run television station, butv10, students produce four to five hours of new programming each week and partner with BU Today to produce one-minute campus news updates that air hourly. The COM Fund helps BU’s most visible student media outlet increase its technology and resources to maintain and enhance its level of output. - Conversations: A Distinguished Lecture Series in Communication
Each semester, industry leaders from nearly every discipline of communications headline this campus lecture series and foster a dialogue about contemporary communications issues. The COM Fund underwrites the cost of these popular events, open to all students and alumni. - Student-Alumni Networking Events
The COM Fund creates opportunities for students and alumni to grow their personal and professional networks. Each year, during spring break, students meet with alumni industry executives in New York City and Los Angeles and learn how to succeed in competitive markets. Regionally, COM sponsors social and networking events designed to connect its constituents. Adstravaganza!, the Don’t Be That Guy or Girl career workshop, the new media and digital panels in New York City, the COM alumni wine tasting, student film festivals in Boston and Los Angeles, the Blue Chip Awards, COM Alumni Fridays and a myriad of other events give alumni an opportunity to network with one another sharing a love for BU and a passion for communications.
Case 3
New Technology
The regular upgrade of computer hardware and software enables COM to outpace other institutions in adopting new technologies and providing students with the best media resources. Donations to the COM Fund allow for the purchase, upgrade and installation of:
- New lighting and camera equipment in our third floor television studios, which are shared by broadcast journalism classes, butv10, and Neighborhood Network News.
- Wireless networks in the COM student lounge and the COM 101 Auditorium.
- Multimedia, Web design, and DVD software that enable students to produce professional quality videos, and design visual elements for Web sites, magazines, and brochures.
- Digital production equipment, including audio-visual tools, a second video server in the TV control room, satellite-delivered AP Audio services for use by WTBU-AM, additional digital field cameras, and extended non-linear post-production facilities, which enhance the capabilities of broadcast journalism, film and television majors.
Case 4
Student and Faculty Travel Assistance to Present Prize-Winning Work
Gifts to the COM Fund subsidize travel for faculty experts and talented students who represent COM and present their research at more than 100 conferences and film festivals each year.
Donations of all sizes enhance COM’s resources and will be acknowledged in COMtalk and on the COM Web site. Also, those who join our Annual Fund Leadership Giving Societies will receive exclusive benefits outlined at http://www.bu.edu/alumni/giving/annualfund/societies.
Career Services Fund
These funds are used to support the objectives and activities of the alumni/student Career Services Office, housed at the College of Communication. This career resource center allows both students and alumni to have access to job and internship postings through COMjobs, an online job database, and to attend résumé writing and interview workshops. This fund was established in 1992 by reunioning classes.
Film Finishing Fund
This fund helps to offset the expenses incurred in the final printing process for films produced in undergraduate and graduate film production classes. Awards are determined based on the merit of the nearly completed films, as well as the financial need of the student filmmakers who have applied for support. This fund allows deserving students to put the “finishing touches” on their films.
Gerald Powers Public Relations Award Fund
This fund provides financial support to one or more seniors completing the undergraduate public relations program at COM who have demonstrated a commitment to the highest standards in the field of public relations and who are embarking on a public relations career. This award was established in 1999 as a tribute to Professor Emeritus Gerry Powers, a COM faculty member since 1964, who has taught generations of students to become excellent writers.
Lisa Frost Fund
This fund was established in memory of Lisa Frost (COM’01, SHA’01), who lost her life in the September 11 tragedy. The income from this scholarship fund will be used to make annual awards to BU students who best exemplify her academic promise and share her ability to inspire.
WTBU Fund
This fund, established by the Class of 1995, is used to enhance the WTBU facilities and equipment. WTBU is Boston University’s nonprofit student radio station under the College of Communication. WTBU offers the BU (and online) community unique music programming along with local news and live sports broadcasts.
Digital Conversion Fund
These funds are used for the conversion and upgrade of COM’s film and video production facilities to the HDTV aspect ration standard of 16:9, as well as for other equipment and facility upgrades necessary to keep up with the changing relationship between film and digital video.
James C. Thomson Jr. Memorial Fund
Established as a tribute to Professor Emeritus Jim Thomson, who taught history, international relations and journalism, and who will long be remembered as a man of conscience, mentor and friend. This fund provides annual awards to graduate students enrolled in journalism at the College of Communication, whose accomplishments epitomize Dr. Thomson’s qualities: scholarship, personal integrity, and a commitment to speaking for those not always in a position to speak for themselves.
Dr. Murray Yaeger Memorial Fund
The Murray R. Yaeger Memorial Fund was established to honor the great legacy of one of COM’s most loved professors. It ensures that his name is associated with advancement and excellence for generations to come.
Jacobson-Thistle Scholarship Fund
To provide two annual awards to College of Communication students majoring in broadcast journalism, based on their academic record, determination and ambition to excel. The first award shall be given to a student pursuing a career as an on-air reporter/anchor who will be known as the "Jacobson Scholar." The second award shall be given to a student pursuing a career as a producer/manager who will be known as the "Thistle Scholar." Recipients shall spend the subsequent summer as interns in WCVB's newsroom. Selection Procedure: by the Dean of the College, or his or her designee, in consultation with broadcast journalism faculty.
