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| Photo courtesy of The Intrepid |
Br. Basil gave The Intrepid’s Maddie Gionet an interview talking about his new appointed position.
Maddie Gionet: How has the transition been from a professor of the IMC Program to director of the IMC Program?
Br. Basil: It’s been exciting to jump into a program that more than 10 years ago I had a chance to create from the ground up. It’s been exciting to be on this side of the table of this program. I’ve always enjoyed teaching marketing and communication classes, and I’m excited to begin and really take IMC and the legacy that is IMC to another level.
Maddie Gionet: What has been the biggest change for you going to the “other side of the table”?
Br. Basil: (One of the goals) I have is to grow the IMC Program in dramatic ways – locally, regionally, nationally and internationally … This is the first year with a waiting list. And we have people from all over the world doing the program – a woman from China will be starting the program in addition to local, regional and national folks.
Maddie Gionet: What do you think are some short-term goals?
Br. Basil: That’s a hard question because I usually don’t think in terms of short term … This goes a little bit more short to long term, but I’m looking for diversity in full-time and adjunct professors. And by diversity I mean in background – someone might have lots of experience in mobility while someone else might be an expert in media planning and how do these pieces really blend together to help the graduate students move forward.
Maddie Gionet: Ultimately, what do you hope for the future of IMC?
Br. Basil: My main goal is that our students, our graduates are able to meet the strategic corporate needs of any corporation either locally, regionally, nationally or internationally … So I’m hoping that as a long-term goal our program will be able to take those tactical realities and underscore the strategic scope and depth that’s going to be necessary for any grad to move forward.
Maddie Gionet: You’re also the director of the Oxford Program. Do you want to be able to not necessarily require IMC students to have international experiences, but at least some experience?
Br. Basil: Well, I would like to do that. I’d like people to be able to use the technology they’re growing whether they’re reading books online with Kindles or iPads or whatever it is – I’d like those opportunities to be available to students as well. But what I’ve found during my sabbatical is that it’s impossible to do this program successfully and not have an international component that is required of each student. Now, how that end is achieved is the big question as we move forward.
Maddie Gionet: What do you think is going to be the best part of the new job?
Br. Basil: I’m already there; meeting the students and seeing what they want to get from the program. I’m amazed at the students who are involved in the program … That’s always interesting to see who’s coming to do IMC and what they want out of it and how they truly want to understand business communications.
Maddie Gionet: Are there any perks? Fancy parking spot?
Br. Basil: No, not at all. I probably get less! I’m trying to figure out when to come up and which days I’ll be in Buffalo and which days I’ll be down here.
The Intrepid, 2011
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