Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications to offer free, online classes this winter

MANCHESTER — This winter, the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications is offering an array of courses, with topics including personal and professional branding, First Amendment freedoms and writing from experience. All classes are free and held online to avoid disruption by winter weather.

Free, 4-week online classes

The winter session at the Loeb School includes two, four-week classes to help participants develop and expand their written and oral communication skills at no cost.

Saying What You Mean with Clarity, 7-8 p.m. on four Tuesdays: Jan. 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18 

Clarity is key in communication. This class will highlight simple tools that teach students how to clarify their thoughts so they can effectively deliver information to their chosen audience with the maximum impact. Instructor Lauren Collins Cline brings a wealth of wisdom to her students as a former reporter and communications professional with over 25 years experience in broadcasting, corporate communications and public relations.

Write What You Know: The Personal Narrative, 6:30-8 p.m., on four Thursdays: Jan. 30, Feb. 6, 13, 20 

In this writing workshop, students will retell a significant personal experience by going step-by-step through the empowering process of taking their story from draft to polished completion. The course is led by Sally Hirsh-Dickinson, who brings her experience as a published author and 16-year English professor of American literature and composition at Rivier University to the Loeb classroom.

Free, single-session online offerings

These concise online classes allow learners to access the expertise of Loeb School instructors.

Beyond the Ballot Box: How to Advocate in the Granite State, noon-1:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 27

In New Hampshire, everyday citizens have the power to affect real change. This workshop outlines how to follow activity in the state Legislature, identify opportunities for advocacy and make the best case for a cause, using a simple step-by-step process. The class is led by government policy experts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar of Citizens Count, a nonprofit dedicated to providing unbiased information about New Hampshire democracy.

The First Amendment in the 21st Century, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 29 

A vibrant discussion of the five freedoms of the First Amendment — freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and to petition the government — and the courts’ ongoing challenge to grapple with the places where free expression intersects with privacy, public safety and national security. Attorney Gregory V. Sullivan, president of the New England First Amendment Coalition, will guide students through this vital area of law, drawing on his extensive experience in media law and right-to-know cases.

Free Speech in the Workplace, noon-1:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 3 

This dynamic dive into the legal rules for workplace speech includes an examination and examples of the type of speech that is (and is not) prohibited and protected in public and private work environments. Participants gain valuable insight into the benefit and potential cost of free speech at work. This class is led by Katy Sullivan, an attorney at Malloy & Sullivan, LPC who has been representing employers and employees and briefing and arguing First Amendment Cases before the New Hampshire Supreme Court for more than 20 years.

Bring Your Brand to Life, noon-1:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 6

Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, participants in this class learn why and how to distinguish themselves in the minds of colleagues, clients or customers. This course provides students with tools to create a memorable and relatable personal or professional brand. Marketing professional Kyle Chumas has more than 15 years of professional experience delivering results for small to mid-size businesses and one of New Hampshire's largest nonprofits.

What the Government is Up To and Your Right to Know, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 12 

This class serves as both an introduction and refresher to New Hampshire’s Right-to-Know law. Students will go deeper into the law with real case examples, and stories ripped from the headlines, and walk through the process of filing requests for information to government agencies. This class is led by Attorney Gregory V. Sullivan, president of the New England First Amendment Coalition, who has extensive experience in right-to-know cases.

Your Right to Criticize: Revisiting New York Times v. Sullivan, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Thursday, March 6

This deep dive into the New York Times v. Sullivan landmark decision that shaped press freedom as we know it explores how it protects journalists from libel claims, why that’s so important for free public debate and why these protections may be under threat in today’s legal and political landscape. Justin Silverman, a Massachusetts-based attorney, will lead this class. He is the executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition and helps lead NEFAC’s First Amendment and open government advocacy throughout the six-state region. A former journalist and publisher, Silverman is also an adjunct professor at the University of Maine School of Law, the University of Connecticut, and New England Law School in Boston.

For more information and to register for Winter 2025 classes, visit the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications website, loebschool.org/register. Pre-registration is required for all classes and space is limited.