UNICAL: Faculty of Communication And Media Studies Holds Orientation For Fresh Students As Dean, HoDs Preach Ethical Behaviour

The Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, University of Calabar, has held an orientation exercise for its fresh students who were recently admitted for the 2025/2026 academic session. 

The faculty is made up of seven departments, including advertising, broadcasting, development communication, journalism and media studies, mass communication, and strategic communication.

In an opening remark at the event held at Sen. Godswill Akpabio International Conference Centre, University of Calabar, the pioneer Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Esekong Andrew-Essien, expressed appreciation to the staff and students of the faculty for making the orientation exercise possible and sought for co-operation, collaboration, and support in leaving footprints that will endure on the sands of time. 

"When I assumed office as the Dean of this Faculty, my prayer to God, was to help me leave footprints in our faculty.

"With our first outing, I can see that God is beginning to answer that prayer. We thank you, our staff and students, for coming out in large numbers for this first orientation exercise.

"Our guests of honour are also appreciated. Let me also seek your continued collaboration and support in achieving our set goals that will stand the test of time in our faculty." Esekong appealed.

Addressing the fresh students on the need to conduct themselves in an ethical manner throughout their stay in the university, the keynote speaker, Prof. Stanislaus Iyorza, further admonished the students to exhibit lifestyles that they will be proud of tomorrow and urged them to take their studies seriously in their own interests.

"As you have come to the University, be reminded that at the end of your studies, you shall be expected to be found worthy in character and in learning. In view of this, conduct yourselves in an ethical manner throughout your stay here." Iyorza, admonished. 

The guest speakers, Engr. Dr. Samuel Oliver Effiom and Mr. Victor Awak Anam, motivated the students by sharing their respective life's stories and enjoined them to be determined, focused, and strong-willed in order to attain the great future they aspire for in their various endeavours. 

In his remarks, the Head of Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Lawrence Ekwok advised the new students on the need to manage their freedom on campus properly by prioritizing academics above socials and dressing in a responsible way as media practitioners in the making.

Also, in his remarks, the FIRST Head, Department of Journalism and Media Studies in the University, Dr. Ukam I. Ngwu, Esq, admonished the Students, particularly those admitted into the Department of Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the University to equip themselves with the requisite knowledge and expertise needed to drive the media sector and redeem our society from fake news..

Equally canvassing for ethical behaviour, the Head of the Department of Broadcasting, Dr. Patrick Edem Okon, also admonished the students to encourage their friends, relatives, and associates to choose broadcasting as a veritable field of media practice.

 He highlighted the powers in the hands of broadcasters to include entertaining and providing relaxation moments for the people through music and drama, providing 'voice' for self-expression and identity formations, capturing and representing images of social realities to create awareness of social conditions to help people make informed decisions about their life and future.

Congratulating the freshers, especially the pioneer students of the department of PR, on their admission into the prestigious institution, the Head of department of Public Relations, Dr. Eric Ogri, advised them to make good use of the opportunity to excel academically by shunning all forms of social vices. 

Ogri enjoined the students to embrace hard work, self-discipline and undivided commitment to their studies, describing them as prospective image makers of the society, and therefore, they must embrace professionalism and excellence as their watch words.

Speaking on disciplinary conduct, the Head of department of Advertising, Dr Mrs Edem Eking, also advised students to avoid all forms of fraudulent acts, exams malpractice, violence, indecent dressing, drugs, cultism amongst others.

According to her, such immoral acts could make them to graduate with poor grades, get suspended or be expelled from school.

In his pep talk, the Head of department of Strategic Communication, Dr. Mensah Eyamba, equally advised the students to embrace research and data analytics, drone photography and videography, strategic content creation, social media management, crisis communication and management, persuasion.

According to him,. message design, corporate/organizational communication, marketing/brand communication, media planning, international communication, as well as political campaign communication are sin qua non in modern day societal communication.

Mensah, who doubles as Examination Officer, further advised the students on the need to register courses on time as the University operates "no registration, no exam" policy even as he outlined I also outlined some information governing their conduct before, during and after exams as well as the procedure for handling examination results related issues.

 THE BEAGLE NEWS