For the first time since the emergence
of Castleton State College as an institution, the communication department finally has a permanent home.When the theater arts and English departments combined in the 70s to form the current communication department, the faculty was scattered amongst the various buildings on campus, with no one place to connect with one another or to call their own.

But on Jan. 21 faculty and students gathered in the newly renovated Leavenworth Hall for the opening ceremony of the department wing, watching attentively as several of the integral players in the development cut the vast red ribbon draped across the room.

“Despite some earlier impediments, if you look around, it finally actually happened,” said communication professor Bob Gershon.

“The best part is, I won’t have people playing loud music like the music department was in the other studio,” he joked.

The new wing includes offices for communication faculty, a new Spartan office, multi-media room, an editing room and a television studio.

“It is a place for students to hang out, work, socialize and it is all in close proximity to professors,” said Dean Joe Mark, who helped advocate and oversee the development of the building.

With the completion of the new wing comes many significant benefits and not only for students who are communications majors. The television studio for example, has already
piloted Castleton’s correspondance with Governmental Television.

Academic Dean Joe Mark explained the company has a headquarters in Rutland, currently broadcasting talk shows, videos, and news.

It is now interested in broadcasting college content, including sports and soundings events. A committee is presently looking to hire a full-time employee to support the television studio in addition
to PEG TV.

Communications Professor Roy Vestrich commented that the addition also helps faculty to communicate with one another, students are right outside hanging out so it is easier for them to just drop in. “It provides a sense of community,”he said.

And it is now ready for use.

“I just hope it gets all the use it can,” said Castleton student Scott Brown. “It has comfy chairs, it is nicely lit. I hope people will actually come down here and use it,” he said.

After all, it is not just a new addition, but a new home.