Department of Communication & Theatre Arts
Old Dominion University
Meet the Students
Connect with the traveling students to read about their experiences!
Through the co-creation of a collaborative course ePortfolio, we aim to transform traditional learning by fostering a communal reflection space. Through shared experiences during our trip to Seattle, we'll build a vibrant course community that challenges norms, emphasizes the collective over the individual—queering reflection. This collaborative ePortfolio celebrates diversity, amplifies voices, and promotes a deeper understanding of LGBTQ experiences.
Opening Seattle’s Doors
As Seattle’s cafés, ferries, and co‑working spaces sprang back to life after COVID‑19 lockdowns, our 2022 cohort stepped in, masks‑on but eager, to explore LGBTQ+ organizational culture in the Pacific Northwest. We felt incredibly fortunate to meet with professionals across industries as they welcomed us back to in‑person connection. This inaugural LGBTQ+ focused study away trip for the University took us behind the scenes at The Maxwell Hotel’s hospitality team, Sound Transit’s planners, Microsoft’s HR department, and a locally owned Calico Salon, setting the stage for rich, real‑world learning.
Before Seattle: Building a Theoretical Foundation
In preparation for our week on the ground, students dove into seminal scholarship on queer communication, organizational culture, and diversity:
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Queer Communication Pedagogy (Atay & Pensoneau‑Conway, 2020)
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Queering Academic Communication (Fox, 2013)
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LGBTQ Activist Organizations as ‘Respectably Queer’ (Ghosh, 2015)
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Movements in Organizational Communication Research (Heide et al., 2019)
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Queering the Discourse of Diversity (Morrish & O’Mara, 2011)
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Coming Out in Strategic Communication (Tindall & Waters, 2013)
These readings sharpened students’ critical lens on how organizations support, and sometimes fall short of supporting, LGBTQ+ communities.
After Seattle: Reflecting, Applying, and Showcasing
Once back on campus, each student crafted a three‑part project to capture their journey:
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Peer Interview
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Scholarly Application
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Self‑Reflection
Together, these projects wove firsthand observations with scholarly insights—then lived online in polished individual Communication ePortfolios.
Looking Ahead: Student Samples
Below you’ll find standout excerpts and ePortfolio snapshots that showcase how our spring 2022 cohort translated theory into practice, reflected deeply on their experiences, and designed actionable takeaways for future engagement, and set the groundwork for the 2024 collaborative and co-created reflection efforts.