Opiate Epidemic Battle Partners District Attorney’s Office and Communication Students

Strategic Communication seniors partnered with the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office to battle the opiate epidemic with a competitive campaign, the students’ capstone project.

“This partnership should be of great benefit to both the DA’s Office and students,” said Holden Hoggatt, Assistant District Attorney, when he briefed students in two classes on campus. “We hope to be able to address Generation Z and really make a difference in how we communicate and battle this ongoing crisis.”

The 15th Judicial District covers Lafayette, Acadia and Vermillion Parishes. Students in two sections of CMCN 449, strategic communication campaign management, emulate an agency and at the end of the semester competitively present their team’s plans to the client.

“We look forward to our senior students pitching to this client and making a difference in our community,” said Dedria Givens-Carroll, professor for one of the classes. “The opiate epidemic presents a professional opportunity for our students to recommend communication processes that most likely will be implemented. Plus, they get lots of samples for their senior portfolios, which should make them more employable.”

The students’ work in teams and will make their presentations to the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office during the last week of the semester.