In the late 1970's interest in mass media communications as a field of study at Saint Rose was gaining interest.  Several students achieved undergraduate degrees with a focus on communications through the College's Interdisciplinary Studies Program. 

At that time Sister Patricia Kane was hired by the English department to teach Speech.  She then went on to teach courses in Mass Media Communications.

With the support of the Humanities Division, by 1980 Sister Pat had a proposal before the College for the creation of an undergraduate program that would lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Communication.

The program was certified in 1981 with just a small group of students claiming communications as their major. 

Today, the program is one of the largest at the College, with approximately 160 undergraduates and approximately 30 students in a Master of Arts Program in Public Communications.

Graduates of the programs have used their College of Saint Rose experience to develop careers in newspapers, book publishing, television, radio, advertising, and public relations.  Others have gone on to careers in law, marketing, education, research, and the creative and performing arts.

The Annual Sister Patricia Kane Award
for Writing in Journalism