RWU Students Put Communication Skills to Work in Training for RIDOT Professionals

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Nine Roger Williams University students put their communication skills into practice while helping lead a four-hour management communication training program for professionals from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) on Monday, Sept. 14, in Providence.

Led by RWU Public Relations Professor Amiee Shelton, director of the Center for Corporate Communication, the training was offered through the Center for Workplace and Professional Development within the Extension School. The program focused on clear communication, effective feedback and stronger workplace performance.

Students from the Gabelli School of Business and Feinstein School of Humanities, Arts and Education facilitated small-group discussions and exercises with RIDOT managers. Topics included difficult conversations, setting expectations, giving feedback and addressing communication challenges.

"This was designed to be more than a traditional training session," Shelton said. "The goal was to connect communication directly to management performance. How a manager gives feedback, frames expectations, responds to conflict, and communicates decisions can influence employee engagement, trust, productivity, and ultimately organizational results."

For Evelyn McAdoo '28, a Public Relations major with minors in Marketing, Business, and Professional and Public Writing, the experience provided a chance to apply classroom skills in a professional setting.

"I will carry these learned skills with me into every leadership role I take on, both at Roger Williams and in my personal and professional life," said the junior from Cambridge, Vt. "I believe everyone is a leader in some capacity, and I will use this to communicate more effectively to others. I also think this opportunity is especially valuable for business and PR students, as it provides hands-on experience with communication in a real professional environment. Watching people actively respond to, practice, and learn from these communication scenarios is something that a lot of students could greatly benefit from at RWU."

The training gave students the opportunity to learn from professionals while sharing their perspectives on communication and leadership. It also connected RWU's academic programs with the needs of Rhode Island employers.

"Students learn differently when they are sitting across the table from professionals who are dealing with these issues every day," Shelton said. "At the same time, organizations benefit from new perspectives and the opportunity to examine communication practices that directly affect how people work together."

Through opportunities such as the RIDOT training, RWU students can apply classroom learning while building professional communication skills through hands-on experience.