Coming up on Tuesday, March 18, Waynesburg University and the Department of Communication are hosting students to compete for the Department of Communication Scholarship. 

Department of Communication Chair and Assistant Professor of Communication, Richard Krause said this is a great opportunity for students financially, but it will not be a regular experience for incoming students. 

“The Department of Communication scholarship is a $2,500 reward, times four years makes this a $10,000 scholarship, which is significant,” Krause said. “When they come here, it will not be what they expect for a typical scholarship day.” 

There are numerous communication activities taking place, and are left unaware of what they are until they arrive. However, all are tied together around the world of the Department of Communication. 

“We don’t let them know. When they come in, we try to do one activity that would be at the center of what we do in the department,” Krause said. “We are always looking for kinds of things that are representative of foundational skills that we do.” 

Krause also said it is more than just for the incoming students, it is an important day for the department itself. 

“It is an opportunity for the students who we are recruiting to meet our current facility, they’re going to meet current students, they are going to meet other competing students, they are going to see our facilities and equipment,” Krause said. “It is a win-win.” 

Joseph Chirillo, sophomore and scholarship recipient two years ago, said winning this scholarship allowed him to prove his talent and help in future plans with the department.

“It just shows a lot of perspective to the department and how they’re willing to put enough trust in you and enough support and want you to get involved, and that scholarship is there to get you involved,” Chirillo said. “It says we see you have talent and want you to do great things, not just here, but this world.”

Chirillo also said the relationships he built while competing for the scholarship is something that carries on today. 

“Coming up here, I already had a great relationship with Professor Krause. I also made relationships with other students who are coming into my grade and that helped me as well,” Chirillo said.  

Chirillo has been recruited to assist in the planning and execution of Scholarship Day. Chirillo also believes this as someone who is heavily involved in all the different roles he has on campus.

“The aspect of it is interesting. Not only am I helping it from someone who’s won it, but also from admissions,” Chirillo said. “I am in contact with the Admissions Office and some other students who are here don’t have that connection. It is a scholarship based on the work I do currently and others who are previously done.”

Chirillo noted that there is more to the scholarship than just the financial aid. 

“The biggest thing isn’t just a scholarship award, this is mainly for students who are already committed to Waynesburg and they can meet professors, current students and leaders and talk about what they wanna do,” Chirillo said.

Senior Zach Berrott is the representative from the senior class who won the Department of Communication Scholarship. Berrott remembers a lot from his scholarship day, although it was in a different format due to COVID-19. 

“It was a little weird if I am being honest,” Berrott said. “There were some different games, but there was a teleprompter exercise which was my favorite just because I worked with a teleprompter and I enjoyed using it.” 

The scholarship allowed Berrott to expand his knowledge of communication, which he already had a general understanding of. 

“After I competed and found out I won, I was ecstatic. I had some knowledge about communications at first,” Berrott said. “After the scholarship though, I got a better understanding of what communication is and how it is always needed.” 

However, the thing that stood out the most to Berrott was not just when he won, but how he was informed. 

“A great moment was when I won, and Lanny [Frattare] personally called me and told me I had won,” Berrott said. “It was kind of an iconic moment as I was watching the [Pittsburgh] Penguins play and got a call from Lanny.” 

As noted earlier, Scholarship Day will be held on March 18, with students arriving at 9 a.m. and the event beginning at 9:30 a.m.