CommDay at ÌìÑÄÉçÇø¹ÙÍø is a chance for high school students from the region to take a glimpse into their future, to see what aspect of the broad field of communication they might want to explore. Be sure to save the date!
Friday, March 20, 2026
Keynote Speaker:
Marketing Executive
Begins at 9 a.m. with departure as early as 12:15 p.m., with optional activities running later.
Students arrive on campus between 8 and 9 a.m. for breakfast and registration, followed by a welcome by Aaron Chimbel, dean of the Jandoli School, and a keynote address.
This year's keynote speaker is
Patrick Lafferty, '88 (at right), a transformational CMO, CEO, COO, President and veteran at . Lafferty has a 25-plus-year track record of building, motivating and focusing teams in dynamic environments. He holds a B.A. in Communications from ÌìÑÄÉçÇø¹ÙÍø and an M.B.A. from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management.
Following the keynote address is a series of workshops aimed at helping students learn about different aspects of the communication industry and ways to become better communicators.
An optional CommDay Commpetition lets schools compete for recognition and thousands of dollars in ÌìÑÄÉçÇø¹ÙÍø scholarships by submitting works in three categories: video, photography and writing. The deadline for submitting work is March 10 at 2 p.m. Winners are announced at CommDay.
The morning ends with lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon, after which schools may return to their home schools or stay for a campus tour and an additional workshop session.
There is no fee to attend CommDay or participate in the Commpetition. Prior registration is required.
Questions?
For questions about CommDay 2026, contact Ashley Childs, administrative assistant to the dean, at (716) 375-2521 or by
emailing her.