Students advised to get "clips"
By Andrea K. Ciurej
Journalism major
Omaha World-Herald reporters Christopher Burbach, Khristopher Brooks, Henry Cordes and Cindy Gonzalez; Wendy Townley, assistant director of University Relations at UNO; and Tom O’Connor, senior associate director of media relations at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, contributed to the panel titled “Gateway Confessions: Hear How Media Professionals Got Their Start,” sponsored by the Gateway, the UNO Publication Board and the School of Communication.
Journalism major
Local media professionals shared their college experiences with communication students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha Jan. 29.
The panel gathered in the Milo Bail Student Center to brief students on the importance of working for the Gateway, the student newspaper.
Omaha World-Herald reporters Christopher Burbach, Khristopher Brooks, Henry Cordes and Cindy Gonzalez; Wendy Townley, assistant director of University Relations at UNO; and Tom O’Connor, senior associate director of media relations at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, contributed to the panel titled “Gateway Confessions: Hear How Media Professionals Got Their Start,” sponsored by the Gateway, the UNO Publication Board and the School of Communication.
Panelists emphasize student newspaper writing valueGonzalez, a 20-year veteran of the OW-H, used story clips from the Gateway to land her first job with a radio station.
Clips from the student newspaper are essential for any communication profession, she said. “You cannot get a job, you cannot in the newspaper market or public relations job without something to show your employer.”
Karen Weber enjoys the discussionExperience is paramount, too.
Cordes, a former Gateway staff writer, started working for the OWH his freshman year of college. The Gateway launched his career as a news writer, helping him find his inner voice, he said.
Cordes said the classroom doesn’t provide students with this kind of experience. “They give you a lot of room to fall on your face, which is one of those things you’re going to have to do to learn the ropes of the business,” he said.
Townley, a former editor-in-chief of the Gateway, agrees. “It was so wonderful to have my feet held to the fire in a way that I never had in class before,” she said. Townley only had one year of writing experience from her high-school newspaper before approaching the Gateway.
“I just went in eager saying ‘I want to write,’” she said. Townley used the Gateway as a connection to the UNO campus, despite the late production nights every Sunday and Wednesday.
“If this is something you want to do with your life, you have to make time for it,” she said.
Student views
Kamm’s class featured on local TV
Jerilyn Hynes Kamm and her advertising students appeared in a 10 p.m. WOWT story Feb. 2 about the fallout from the Michael Phelps photograph.
The eight-time 2008 Olympic gold medalist was seen in a photograph released by a London tabloid – Phelps used an alleged marijuana pipe while visiting the University of South Carolina last November. Alumnus Roger Hamer produced the Channel 6 news story.
“He's a role model, he’s in the public eye, he’s a celebrity, he made a mistake and showed he’s human and he’s not above any of the rules or any of the flaws of anyone else,” said student Anthony Smith.
“When you take that idolization and taint it with drugs then it kind of puts a different view in that kid’s eyes,” said student Sarah Smith.
“When he was doing all this stuff in the Olympics, everyone said that he was God, but he’s just sitting there and saying I'm human, I’m sorry and kind of get over it,” said student Rachel Tew.
Kamm said Phelps is trying to redeem his public stock. “He definitely took the first step in admitting that he was wrong and just continuing to try and show the good that he does do and that that was a mistake that he made.
Whye’s photos
On display in the Bluffs
Adjunct instructor Mike Whye is displaying 20 photos at Tish’s Restaurant, 1207 S. 35th St. in west Council Bluffs for the month of February.
“Bristlecone Pines, Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado”
“Monument Rocks, Gove County, Kansas”
Then the exhibit shifts to Tazza Di Caffe, 928 Valley View Drive # 17 (in a small strip mall near the Mall of the Bluffs) in eastern Council Bluffs for the month of March.
"Tish’s is a family restaurant with a small bar, serving lunches and suppers and Tazza Di Caffee is a comfortable two-year-old coffee house open from morning until evening," Whye said.
Inside Art
UNO program receives funding
UNO’s new cable television news magazine program Inside Art was one of 27 Omaha area projects funded by the Pacific Life Foundation.
School of Communication students will showcase arts offerings in Omaha on the programs to air on The Knowledge Network (TKN) – Cox 17 and Qwest 74. The $10,000 grant will pay for production costs.
The foundation is distributing nearly $250,000 to 19 nonprofit agencies and 12 schools serving the Omaha area.
Of note
Excellence in action
Alumna Angel Martin (Girls Inc.) and Lynnette Leonard received funding for the Students Beyond Boundaries proposal, “Social Media for Citizen News & Civic Engagement in North Omaha.” A $10,000 grant from the Midwest Consortium will be used to purchase equipment. The reviewers agreed this is a strong proposal, and endorsed the plan to engage broadcasting students with youth in North Omaha to deepen their understanding of social media and to develop and report on community stories. This is the second successful external funding for the North Omaha Media Alliance (NOMA) project.
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Graduate Teaching Assistant Sally Buck had two submissions accepted to the Sooner Communication Conference to be held in Norman, OK on March 13-14.
Did you know?
People in the news
Michael Sherer is participating in an arts event in Council Bluffs Feb. 13. He will display some of his rural Iowa photos.
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Teresa Lamsam is currently collaborating with Robert Franklin on a documentary project.
Footnotes
Evidence of excellence
1. Preparations are under way for the UNO 2009 Service Award Ceremony to be held May 5 at the MBSC Ballroom. Among those to be recognized are two School of Communication faculty members, Marshall Prisbell and Michael Sherer for 25 years of service; three others, Staff Assistant Mary Gum, Deborah Smith-Howell and Jeremy Lipschultz for 20 years at UNO; and alumna Michelle Perone for five years on the job.
The week in photos
Images from around the school
Broadcasting majors Adam Hilt and Chase Moffitt
meet with College of Business Administration Dean Lou Pol, CBA students and faculty
Student Jake Buckingham studies before class
Adam Tyma teaches the Introduction to Mass Communication course in the new CPACS lecture hall
Senior Vice Chancellor Terry Hynes talks with UNO chairs and directors about leadership
meet with College of Business Administration Dean Lou Pol, CBA students and faculty
Student Jake Buckingham studies before class
Adam Tyma teaches the Introduction to Mass Communication course in the new CPACS lecture hall
Senior Vice Chancellor Terry Hynes talks with UNO chairs and directors about leadership
Dates & times
Mark calendars for interesting events
February
12 – Valentine's Day Bake Sale, first floor ASH, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
26 – KTA, MBSC, 7 a.m. & Wally Dean on campus – lunch at MBSC, 11:15 a.m.
March
12 – UkNOw Choices, MBSC Nebraska Room, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
31 – Communication Career Development Workshop, MBSC Dodge Room, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
April
16 – National Organ Donor Awareness event, MBSC Plaza, 11:30 a.m.
23 – High School Journalism Workshop, MBSC Ballroom, 12 p.m.
28 – PRSSA Presentations, MBSC Chancellor’s Room, 4 p.m.
30 – Scholarship Breakfast, MBSC Chancellor’s Room, 10 a.m.; 5th Annual Alumni Panel, MBSC Dodge Rooms A & B, 1 p.m.; Reception, WFAB Art Gallery, 4:30 p.m.; 54th Annual Awards Banquet, Thompson Alumni Center, 6 p.m.
May
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