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Center for Communication Engagement (COM-002)

Center for Communication Engagement is documented in the DePaul Resource Map as center at DePaul University, College of Communication, Center for Communication Engagement, Loop. The Center for Communication Engagement is a College of Communication initiative that houses research labs and programs supporting communication research, media engagement, and public scholarship. Documented units include the VARC Lab (virtual and augmented reality communication), Media Engagement Research Laboratory (ME Lab), The Streaming Lab, the OpEd Project, and the Open Learning Project. Access: 🟡 Yellow — Needs an appointment or affiliation.

Summary 🟡 ✓

  • College / school: College of Communication
  • Sub-unit: Center for Communication Engagement
  • Campus/Location: Loop
  • Last Verified: June 14, 2026

Access (availability): 🟢 Green — open or routine · 🟡 Yellow — appointment or affiliation · 🔴 Red — restricted · ⚪/⚫ White/Black — not yet classified

Verification: ✓ confirmed · ~ likely · ? needs review · ✕ archived

Description & capabilities

The Center for Communication Engagement is a College of Communication initiative that houses research labs and programs supporting communication research, media engagement, and public scholarship. Documented units include the VARC Lab (virtual and augmented reality communication), Media Engagement Research Laboratory (ME Lab), The Streaming Lab, the OpEd Project, and the Open Learning Project. Separately, the College operates the College of Communication Equipment Center for student production gear checkout (cameras, lighting, microphones, audio recorders). The center supports faculty and student research on how media and technology shape public discourse.

Access status

Verification

  • Status: ✓ Confirmed
  • Rationale: Official College of Communication center page documents the center and constituent labs.
  • Last verified: 2026-06-14
  • Evidence:
  • Center page https://communication.depaul.edu/academics/initiatives/center-for-communication-engagement
  • VARC Lab child page https://communication.depaul.edu/academics/initiatives/center-for-communication-engagement/varc-lab

Equipment

Find this resource from the Equipment catalog or site search by instrument or lab name.

Category Specific equipment
Microphones Streaming Lab — microphones at livestream stations (Media Commons / Daley first floor)
Studio monitors and playback Streaming Lab — monitors at two livestream stations
Green screen and virtual production Streaming Lab — green screens for livestream/content creation
Cinema lighting (LED, HMI, tungsten) Streaming Lab — professional lighting for livestream stations
Game consoles (development / playtest) Streaming Lab — gaming consoles from retro (original Nintendo) through contemporary (PlayStation 5)

Related equipment categories

Taxonomy bridges to related capability elsewhere on campus (search these terms or open the catalog anchors):

Equipment access (via linked resources)

Resource Notes
COM-001 VARC Lab VR/AR headset and 360-camera checkout pool
COM-003 College of Communication Equipment Center — portable cameras/lighting/audio checkout

Source: Center for Communication Engagement + Streaming Lab official page (Oct 2026); VARC via COM-001. Last verified: July 29, 2026.

Contacts (resource-level)

Source URL

Official links are listed under Contacts above.

Documented Relationships

Parent center for COM-001 - VARC Lab. Streaming Lab inventory is listed on this center page (Media Commons / Daley first floor). ME Lab remains a candidate pending a dedicated equipment page. Sibling checkout: COM-003.

Notes

Promoted from candidate RC-022 on 2026-06-14. Streaming Lab equipment encoded 2026-10-05 from the official lab page. Source: institutional report.