Yang Yang

Tell us something that your students might find interesting about you.

One thing my students might find interesting about me is that I’m a huge pet person. I have two dogs — a miniature poodle and a Bernedoodle — and a British Shorthair cat, so my home is always full of energy and chaos in the best way.

Another fun fact is that I’ve recently realized I’ve slowly transformed from a milk tea person into a coffee person after getting my own espresso machine. Lately, I’ve been practicing latte art and hoping that by the end of this summer I’ll finally be able to make coffee that looks as good as it tastes.

What is one book you think everyone should read?

I really don’t have a specific suggestion, but I do think reading is a good habit, and I hope everyone can find a book they enjoy reading.

Why did you start teaching?

When people ask me why I started teaching, I always think back to a story from my childhood. After my best friend and I graduated from elementary school, we started a small summer school in our neighborhood. Looking back, we were obviously very young, but somehow parents trusted us, and younger children came to learn from us. We helped them with schoolwork, organized art performances and eventually, with support from the community, we even organized a graduation celebration that attracted a large audience.

At that time, my friend and I made a promise to each other that when we grew up, we would continue teaching and someday build a school of our own. In many ways, becoming a teacher has always felt like part of my destiny. I think I always knew that teaching would eventually become part of my life.

What keeps me passionate about teaching is that it is not only about helping students grow — it also pushes me to reflect, learn and grow as a person myself. Teaching gives me a strong sense of fulfillment and purpose that I continue to value deeply.

In your own words, what is the value of this degree to a student?

Our program is valuable to students because it helps students develop a broad understanding of communication across many contexts, including strategic communication, organizational communication, digital media, leadership and public relations. Beyond professional skills, the program encourages students to better understand the relationship between communication and society, the growing impact of AI on communication and the importance of digital and media literacy. Students also learn how to critically evaluate information, adapt to rapidly changing media environments and become thoughtful, flexible communicators who can navigate emerging communication technologies and challenges.

What advice would you give to those considering this online program?

For anyone considering our MASOC program, I’d say: be ready to challenge yourself, stay curious and really engage with the experience. Online learning gives you a lot of flexibility, which is great for working professionals and busy students, but it also means you need to stay organized and proactive with your time.

What would you like students to take away from your classes?

I want students to leave my classes with both strong theoretical understanding and practical communication skills that they can apply in professional settings. I hope students develop the ability to think critically about communication strategies, analyze audience and stakeholder needs and create ethical, evidence-based communication campaigns in today’s evolving digital media environment.

What types of projects can your students expect in these courses?

Students in my courses can expect a combination of theory-driven and applied projects that reflect real-world communication challenges. Projects often include strategic communication campaign development, influencer communication analysis, ESG communication planning, stakeholder and audience analysis, digital media case studies and data-driven communication strategy projects. Many assignments emphasize critical thinking, strategic planning, audience research and the ability to design effective communication solutions across digital platforms.

In which online courses/classes do you teach?

COMM 621 Strategic Communication

In which online program(s) do you teach?

MASOC