Bone Joins BC Faculty as Instructor of Sports Communication

Tom Bone has joined the Bluefield College faculty as an adjunct instructor of sports communication.

BC’s Department of Communication launched its new sports communication program this past fall as part of the creation of three new concentrations within the communications major: sports communication, digital marketing, and modern media. The department hired Bone to teach the sports communication courses, and while he may be teaching something new, Bone is quite familiar with Bluefield College and its professors.

“A Bluefield College faculty member contacted me last winter, asking if I would be interested in teaching a new class, Introduction to Sports Communication,” Bone said about the process that led to his joining the BC faculty. “I agreed because I was excited about the opportunity to share some tips, advice, and stories from my communications career with BC students.” 

A resident of Mercer County, West Virginia for 40 years, Bone brings more than 40 years of professional experience in sports journalism and public relations to Bluefield College. He is well known as a skilled sports communicator and teacher, and with a master’s degree in communication from Marshall University, he is a longtime journalist, having worked as a news and sports writer and cartoonist for the Bluefield Daily Telegraph and Princeton Times. His career also includes a long tenure in public relations.

“I am semi-retired, after working 19 years at the Bluefield Daily Telegraph,” Bone said. “Prior to that, I worked for almost 20 years as public information director at Concord College (now University). I began my media journey as an audio board operator and cameraman at WOWK-TV in Huntington in 1978-’79.”

Now as an instructor at Bluefield College, he said he hopes this first class is just the start of another long and successful tenure in his career.

“I want my students to know what kind of careers they can seek in the media world and to know from the start what the rewards can be and what the expectations will be,” Bone said. “The class on sports communication is my current favorite because it’s the only one I am teaching this semester.”

Bone said he hopes to share vital knowledge with students about careers in sports communication. He said his students are extremely interested in the career options available to them.

“They are trying hard in class; I’m trying hard, too,” Bone said about the effort of his students so far, “because any learning endeavor is worth giving maximum effort, both for the teacher and the student.”

“I stopped by a colleague’s office after my class lecture (recently), leaned on the doorsill, and said, ‘I’m tired! I’ve been working hard!’ Bone said. “We both laughed, but that moment helped me realize that the payoff for teaching – a good experience for the student – is worth working hard.”

Dr. Cindy Bascom, associate professor and chair of the Department of Communication, said that Bone is a a valuable addition to the BC faculty and the Department of Communication.

“I am so grateful to have Professor Tom Bone teaching this semester,” Dr. Bascom said. “It is the first course in the new sports communication concentration in the communication major. We wanted an expert sports professional to teach this class who could excite our students about their learning, so Professor Bone is perfect.”

As part of his teaching process, Bone integrates current events, guest speakers, practical exercises and discussions into his classes.

“His students are having so much fun talking and learning about sports communication,” Dr. Bascom said. “I expect, as word of mouth spreads, more students will be seeking classes in the sports communication concentration.”