NIDO R. QUBEIN SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION PROVIDES Real-World Preparation FOR REAL-WORLD SUCCESS.

• Position: EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION

Hayden Bardorf sat among fellow interns at the NBA headquarters in New York City. Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, addressed the group, speaking of the latest developments and initiatives the league is planning to implement.

Silver finished his speech and fielded some questions. Crunched for time, Bardorf didn't have a chance to ask his.

Later that day, while leaving the office, Bardorf took the elevator. On its way down, the door slid open and Commissioner Silver stepped in.

Bardorf was prepared for the situation. High Point University had taught him the skills necessary to market himself--even when time is limited.

"I literally gave him my elevator pitch," says Bardorf. "And he answered the questions I had prepared for the meeting. It was surreal to have a one-on-one conversation with the man who runs one of the largest sports organizations in the world. Luckily, I was ready for it."

Bardorf, a senior strategic communication major at HPU, spent the summer interning in the International Basketball Operations Department. He focused on NBA initiatives that grow the game internationally, and he worked across departments to develop a marketing strategy for the NBAs new 2K esports league, which will debut in 2018.

His years in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication prepared him for his time with the NBA.

"Multiple communication professors helped me prepare for the internship. The content I learned through their respective courses and mentorship was crucial," says Bardorf. "Professor Phil Watson and Dr. Brandon Lenoir have both guided me in my academic growth and taken the time to ask about my plans and professional goals. Their open-door policies have given me the opportunity to share constructive dialogue with communication professionals and to take advantage of the knowledge that they have."

Preparation is the primary goal of the School of Communication so that students not only meet industry standards upon graduation, but exceed them.

Having thrived in a professional setting during his internship, Bardorf now credits the curriculum, faculty and experiential learning opportunities.

"It's hard to pinpoint what helped me the most, but Professor Lenoir's campaigns in strategic communication class comes to mind. It was definitely the most beneficial to me while I worked at the NBA offices," says Bardorf. "During this class, I was able to take everything I had learned throughout my three years and apply it to one large strategic communication...