By Charlie Williams //
Hood College’s School of Business and Communication Arts department have merged in hopes of creating new opportunities for students.
On Sept. 18, 2026, the Delaplaine School of Business and Communication held an event at 3 p.m. to inform Hood faculty and students about the merger and celebrate it.
“It is an enduring investment and a testament to the power of education to shape a better world,” Marlene Young said.
Marlene Young, president of the Delaplaine Foundation and president of the Delaplaine Board of Trustees, spoke to the crowd in Hodson Auditorium about the benefits of the merger.
“The disciplines of business and communication are more interconnected than ever,” Young said.
Young said the change is more than a merger of academic programs and will help Hood undergraduate and graduate students prepare for a changing professional environment.
“You are the true heart of this merger,” Young concluded.
After applause from the audience, Dean Mahesh P. Joshi took the stage to express his gratitude and explain what would follow during the event.
The first floor of Rosenstock Hall included a station run by students where they showcased the financial aspects of the merger. Each event participant was granted a lanyard labeled “Press” that explained what occurred on each floor.
The second floor was hosted by the Blue and Grey, where event participants could choose from a series of old newspapers and cut and paste articles onto their own sheets to create news stories.
“I did a page that focused on integrated marketing and communication, We’re highlighting some of the communication arts. We’re highlighting the events from the business school,” professor Brooke Witherow said.
While people enjoyed refreshments and hors d’oeuvres, Alicia Bishop and Charlie Williams circled the room wearing press hats as they interviewed alumni Phillip Yerby, Dr. Mahesh P. Joshi, Professor Terri Buck and Dr. Heather Mitchell-Buck.
“I think it’s great that the department of Communication is merging with the School of Business, providing new opportunities for both Communication and Business students,” 2011 Hood graduate Phillip Yerby said.
On the third floor of Rosenstock Hall, the guests were able to join Professor Timothy Jacobsen and his fellow broadcasting students in the studio to perform and record their own broadcast segment. Guests were also given the opportunity to be interviewed by Dane Lyons for Hood’s own Blazer Radio.
The event, celebrating the new Delaplaine School of Business and Communication, concluded around 5 p.m. as the guests gathered on the third floor, enjoying more refreshments while the room was filled with conversation and laughter. Guests also received Hood College coffee cups, pens and Blue and Grey notepads.
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