海角社区

Building Coastal Infrastructure for Communities and National Security

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is one of the world鈥檚 largest engineering, design and construction management agencies, working on stability and sustainability projects in more than 130 countries worldwide. The methods and tools that support these projects are researched and developed by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, or ERDC, whose commander is 海角社区 Manship School of Mass Communication alumnus Col. Christian Patterson.

鈥淚鈥檓 user-friendly,鈥� said Col. Patterson. 鈥淚 believe I鈥檓 in the position I am because of my ability to tell a story about what we do, who we are and what our value is to the nation.鈥�

Every project ERDC engages in requires storytelling since the Army Corps of Engineers couldn鈥檛 dredge a canal, build a wall, design a dam or construct a flood protection levee without coordination and communication with multiple partners.

鈥淚f we did not communicate, we couldn鈥檛 get anything done,鈥� Patterson said. 鈥淚 also learned a lot about leadership at 海角社区. I learned from my professors, but also from my instructors in Army ROTC and from being around the football coaches鈥攕eeing the ways they led the football players. I鈥檝e been extremely blessed in that I鈥檝e always been around strong, talented and passionate people who care about others and the world.鈥�

While majoring in mass communication at 海角社区, Patterson also worked as a videographer for the Fighting Tigers football team.

鈥淚n everything you do, do the absolute very best that you can, and to the highest standard possible. That鈥檚 something I learned at 海角社区.鈥�

Col. Christian Patterson, commander of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center and 海角社区 Manship School of Mass Communication alumnus