Upscaling: Stepping Stones to Professional Communications Careers

The technology of communications continues to advance at breakneck pace. The world of media communication—whether it’s broadcast, digital, or graphic media arts—requires skill and storytelling talent. Lawrence Technological University provides it all.

Specs@LTU: A “spec”tacular growth experience

If students are looking for a certificate in Broadcast Media Arts, Digital Media Arts, or Graphic Media Arts to get started in one of these in-demand technical fields, LTU offers it. Continuing what the legendary Detroit radio personality Specs Howard began in 1970, the Specs Howard School of Media Arts lives on after its closure in 2021 when it became Specs@LTU.

“Specs@LTU builds on a deep legacy of media education in the Detroit area; it is an honor to steward that tradition at LTU.
– Paul Jaussen, PhD, chair of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Communication Department

Paul Jaussen, PhD, chair of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Communication Department in the College of Arts + Sciences, is proud that LTU is bringing talent and skill to the continually evolving profession. He said, “Specs@LTU builds on a deep legacy of media education in the Detroit area; it is an honor to steward that tradition at LTU. In the years to come, we anticipate greater synergies between the Specs certification curriculum and our 2- and 4-year LTU degree programs in media communication. As media continues to evolve, a technological university like LTU plays a crucial role in helping our students cultivate technical production practice alongside critical media literacy.”

Coordinator of Specs@LTU and Adjunct Faculty Kris Harris explained Broadcast Media Arts is performance-focused; Digital Media Arts is production-focused; and Graphic Media Arts is promotion-focused. “And we’re focused on giving students the foundational, hands-on learning experience to help them enter the profession,” he said. The certification is a three-semester, one-year program where “each four-and-a-half-hour class allows us to teach the subject matter and then physically use the equipment related to their chosen specialty. This goes well with LTU’s motto Theory and Practice.” Harris added.

Harris’ specialty is radio arts, having spent 14 years in Detroit radio as a radio producer/programmer, multimedia creator, editor, and writer for 93.1 WDRQ, 96.3 WDVD, and AM 760 WJR. He also advises students interning at LTU’s internet radio station and BlueDevilRadio.com, where they get to experience all aspects of radio production, programming, script writing, and performing.

What’s also beneficial for Specs students are the day and evening classes and the ability to enter and re-enter the program at any semester break in the year.

“As one of the first Specs students on campus, the experience was so riveting. For once, I was getting the college experience I’d wanted.”
– Ben McCurtis, photographer, videographer, and owner of Right Hand Studios

Photographer, videographer, and owner of Right Hand Studios Ben McCurtis was a member of the first post-COVID-19 class in Broadcast Media Arts. “As one of the first Specs students on campus, the experience was so riveting. For once, I was getting the college experience I’d wanted. By the end of the year,” McCurtis said, “there were seven or eight of us. We were like a little family. I give credit to Kris [Harris] and Nick Wisniske, who taught television, for creating that kind of environment. It was like on-the-job training; it goes along with my learning style: little to no lecturing, but the information pulled me in.”

Mikaela Curry, already armed with an Associate of Arts degree in General Studies and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Digital Media, already had a job as a journalist when she came to LTU. “But I was a road journalist and didn’t get the hands-on experience I felt I needed to succeed in a technical world,” she explained. Curry is completing her Broadcast Media Arts certificate this academic year. “With teaching from Kris [Harris] and camera operator Aaron Nowak, I’ve done a lot of camera work and learned how to make smooth transitions and sound effects on radio, which I really appreciate.”

Associates Are On-Air and Behind the Scenes Making Magic

We live in a world with an insatiable appetite for information and new digital content. The people who created this digital world represent a dynamic blend of artists and technicians, supplying a creative industry with vital imagination and technical know-how.

Media communication specialists fulfill vital on-air and behind-the-scenes responsibilities for television, radio, and digital media. They are well-versed in broadcasting, post-production, and digital marketing and can function successfully in commercials as well as the creative aspects of their field.

Realizing that Specs students might aspire to make this type of magic, on-air or behind the scenes, a two-year Associate of Arts degree in Media Arts and Production is a step in the right direction.

Kevin Walsh, assistant professor of practice and director of media communication, explained the knowledge and experience gleaned for a Specs@LTU certificate can satisfy some of the credits required to complete an Associate of Arts degree in Media Arts and Production.

Bachelor in Media Communication

There’s a strong emphasis on soft skills in the Bachelor of Arts in Media Communication. “So-called ‘soft skills’ are important. We teach such skills, along with writing and hands-on technical knowledge, whether our students want to pursue a career on-camera, at-the-scene, or behind-the-scenes,” Walsh said.

What’s the advantage of a bachelor’s degree in media communications? Rebecca Allsbrook, who will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Communication in May 2026, says, “Really, the biggest thing I’ve learned is the connection between learning how to perform with all the technical aspects. After participating in the DAFT program run by Jody Gaber (former director of LTU’s Media Communication program), I took a tour of Lawrence Tech and felt at home. I knew from day one I wanted to get my bachelor’s degree.” She is currently an intern for Taillight TV in Nashville, TN, working as a production assistant, “locking down the set,” and making sure people are where they’re supposed to be at the time they’re supposed to be there.

In the end, Allsbrook would love to be a producer. Her studies in speech and literature, writing, and communication are invaluable to her. Even if you’re on the technical end, “We need to be able to talk to people, too,” she explained.