TMU 6(17) -- August 25, 2009

Back to school

Graduate students, faculty prepare

UNO School of Communication faculty members kicked off new academic year activities with a teaching workshop Aug. 15.

Faculty members listen to Lecturer Holly Miller

Holly Miller presented data on the changing nature of students, and Mike Whye, Jodeane Brownlee and Janet Davis participated in a panel discussion.

Whye, Brownlee and Davis

Reilly Professor and Acting Assistant Director Karen Dwyer and Associate Professor and Media Writing Coordinator Sherrie Wilson planned activities for the speech communication and mass communication divisions. A faculty reception at the Thompson Alumni Center followed the workshop.

Good food, drink and conversation

On Aug. 22, Graduate Chair Barb Pickering hosted a graduate student orientation and meeting. Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean for Graduate Studies Deborah Smith-Howell spoke to students about the importance of deadlines in the thesis and project processes. A faculty panel followed.

Paige Toller, Barb Pickering, Adam Tyma and Lynnette Leonard
listen to Teresa Lamsam

Award-winning productions
UNO TV, KVNO set record

UNO Television and KVNO Radio received five awards at the 2009 Nebraska Broadcasters Association Awards Banquet on Aug. 13. “This is by far the most awards received from the NBA and considering the competition had a record 500+ entries, the results are even more notable,” Assistant Dean Mike Hilt said.

"Street Children" produced by Josh Krohn won the Bronze award for Best In-depth or Investigative Story for KVNO.

"Inside Art," produced by the TV II class taught by Gary Repair and supported with graphics and effects by Brian Shaffer, won the Bronze award for Service to Business, Industry, Government or Education.

"Consider This...," produced by Jim Adams, Mike Pacholski and Cathy Wyatt with extensive production support by Mark Dail and the production student crew, the engineering staff and graphics and effects from Shaffer, won the Silver award for Service to the Community - Public Service Program or Series.

"Omaha Kids Coalition," under the direction of Assistant Professor and General Manager Robert Franklin and with extensive support from B.J. Huchtemann, won the Gold award for Service to the Community - Public Service Project or Program.

"Hola Amigos! Hello Friends!" produced by Doug Walker and crew from the OPS Career Center, with support from Adams and Huchtemann, won the Gold award for Service to Children.

Of note
Excellence in print & action

Associate Professor Chris Allen participated in a workshop “Multimedia Journalism for College Educators,” July 20 - 23, 2009 at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida. The program featured hands-on training in digital storytelling, video editing and social media. Professors from across the United States, Canada and overseas addressed the latest issues facing educators.

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Assistant Professor Paige Toller has published: Toller, Paige W. & Braithwaite, Dawn O. (2009, August). "Grieving Together and Apart: Bereaved Parents' Contradictions of Marital Interaction." Journal of Applied Communication Research 37(3), 257-77. The article can be found here.

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Kayser Professor Bruce Johansen published “Putting the Moccasin on the Other Foot: A Media History of the ‘Fighting Whities,’” as a reprint from Studies in Media & Information Literacy Education, (3:1) (2003), and will be used in Richard C. King, Native American Mascots and Education: A Sourcebook, Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2010. SIMILE was edited in the School of Communication for the past six years. Johansen also recently published, Bruce E. Johansen, Communication and Native American Studies, published the cover story in the summer, 2009 issue of the Polish Native American Studies magazine Tawacin, “Co sie Stalo z AIM?” [What has Become of the American Indian Movement (AIM)?” pp. 25-33.

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New Assistant Professor Chin-Chung (Joy) Chao is among several speech communication faculty and students presenting research at the National Communication Association (NCA) meeting in Chicago in November. She is presenting her dissertation work on female leadership and cultural values in non-profit organizations. She also is presenting on Chinese disaster communication and serving on panels for a total of four events. Reilly Professor and Acting Assistant Director Karen Dwyer was accepted for an amazing 10 presentations including a top paper the Communication Apprehension and Competence Division. She also is presenting a “Scholar to Scholar” session on “Speaking Across the Curriculum and the Speech Center,” as well as participation in Legislative Assembly and other programs. Graduate Teaching Assistant Charley Reed and several other faculty members also are presenting. Details will follow in future issues of TMU.

Joy Chao won a UNO mug at the new faculty reception

Did you know?
People in the news

Alumnus John Prescott announced a change in status at the Global Innovation Strategy Center (GISC). He will be a part-time media advisor involved in project work. Prescott also is taking on work for other clients and transitioning to semi-retirement.

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Professor and Director Jeremy Lipschultz has been invited to bring a third group of students to a meeting and lunch with Omaha investor and billionaire Warren Buffett in October.

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The sixth annual La Notte Italiana Italian Night fund raiser dinner will be held Sunday, Oct. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Suneg Center at St. Margaret Mary Church across from UNO. Italian Night serves as UNO PRSSA’s biggest fundraiser and helps to pay for all state, regional and national professional development opportunities and competitions/campaigns for members as well as the bi-annual induction and senior recognition dinners. Last year with donations, ticket sales and silent auction proceeds, PRSSA earned nearly $6,000.

Footnotes
Evidence of excellence

Kelsea Kult, Education Major with a specialization in Journalism, created a Website as an Advanced Practicum with Associate Professor and Intern Coordinator Hugh Reilly. Check out her website. "I think she did a great job," Reilly said. "She wrote all of the copy, took the photos and designed the website.”

Images from around the School

Dean Gail F. Baker invited UNO A.D. Trev Alberts
to the College Retreat

UNO TV staff enjoyed the UNO picnic

Teresa Lamsam completed her AEJMC leadership
fellowship at the national meeting in Boston
Photo courtesy Assn. for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication

Herbie Thompson graduated in August with the M.A.

The North Omaha Media Alliance (NOMA) planned
for upcoming events at their August meeting

UNO football practices for the new season

Around town
Omaha happenings

Alumnus Bobby Hess, a Kansas City television award-winning videographer, interviewed Mike Hilt and Alumna and KETV News Director Rose Ann Shannon for a documentary on agenda-setting. He recently posted it on facebook.

Dates & times
Upcoming events

September
TBA

October
October 4 – Italian Night, St. Margaret Mary, 6 p.m.