In March 2020, the coronavirus pandemic sent college students home in waves to practice social distancing and avoid infection.

At the same time, the crisis provided select students at Virginia Tech the chance to observe internal and external corporate messaging.

To do so, students in Professional Communication (CMST 3214), a mix of juniors and seniors, rely on Emerge, our signature online platform.

Emerge, which integrates into Canvas, Blackboard, D2L, Moodle and Sakai, gives students actionable templates and guidance for writing/speaking scenarios related to career development, entrepreneurship, leadership and management.

Va Tech students use Emerge within their Canvas course, which means they do not need a separate username and password; the Emerge content lives inside the Canvas course.

See all 200+ instructional items inside Emerge.

By viewing templates in Emerge, students observed how the tone of an email changes when a company addresses employees versus customers. The ebook provides examples for both audiences in the wake of a fictitious company data breach.

The course is led by instructor Brandi Quesenberry who is also the director of undergraduate programs for Virginia Tech’s Department of Communication. Quesenberry recognized how Emerge material aligns with the corporate challenges that stem from the coronavirus.

“I want my students to understand that companies must tailor sensitive statements based on the audience, and the Emerge examples made the lesson clear,” said Quesenberry. “The Emerge material is straightforward and students engaged with it through distance learning.”

Every semester, Emerge prepares students to write and speak in the business world.

Once you learn the fundamentals, you can tackle any communication challenge — even one on a global scale — and perform at your best.

Want to explore Emerge as a distance learning tool for your students in the coming semesters? Contact us!