TMU 7(6) -- April 20, 2010

UNO students, alumnus and chair emeritus honored. Five School of Communication majors received Omaha Press Club scholarships April 16: Tom McCauley, Jasmine Maharisi, Jenna Zorian, Andrew Kerr and Shannon Stawniak. Alumnus Rudy Smith, seen here speaking to students before the dinner, received the Career Achievement Award. Professor Emeritus Warren Francke presented Smith with the award. Professor and Chair Emeritus Hugh Cowdin received the Journalism Educator Award. Deborah Smith-Howell presented the award and recounted how Cowdin came to Omaha in 1968, grew a three-faculty journalism department into what became the School of Communication. Director Jeremy Lipschultz celebrated with two of Cowdin's former students -- Associate Professor Dave Ogden and Lecturer Karen Weber. Senior Vice Chancellor Terry Hynes and retired Arts and Sciences Dean Jack Newton also joined a crowd of more than 130 for the dinner.

PR students travel to New York City. Public relations students and adviser Karen Weber traveled to New York City in April to meet with a giant in the history of the industry. Harold Burson spoke to the students following a request from Alumnus Paul Critchlow, who joined the group at the session. Burson, founder of the global PR agency Burson-Marsteller, hosted the students for more than 90 minutes offering a memorable PR history lesson mixed in with life lessons and practical advice for advancing careers in public relations. Burson gave the group a personal tour of his office and showed photos of him with William Faulkner to President Ronald Reagan. The group also sat in on a three-hour lecture class at New York University's School of Professional and Continuing studies taught by Fraser Seitel, author of Public Relations Theory and Practice. Sietel, the founder of Emerald Public Relations, discussed current case studies from China and Google to Tiger Woods. Critchlow spoke to the group on crisis management in the aftermath of 9-11. The students toured the Families of 9-11 Tribute Center at Ground Zero conducted by one of the founders of the center, a retired New York City firefighter who lost his own firefighter son when the towers collapsed. "We shed many tears at this emotional walking tour of multimedia exhibits that shared personal stories of survivors and victims," Weber said. Critchlow also sent the students to a Broadway play -- "Wicked" at the Gershwin Theatre. Maverick PR funded the trip with proceeds from the work of the firm with clients.

Faculty and students present top papers at Central States. A group of School of Communication faculty and students presented research papers at the Central States Communication Association in Cincinnati. Randy Rose, associate professor of speech communication, had a top paper at the meeting. Assistant Professor Adam Tyma was elected secretary for the Theory Interest Group in 2011 and will be planning the 2013 program for the Central States Communication Association. He also is planning the Media Studies Interest Group for next year.

Broadcasting students land awards. Two UNO School of Communication students received Eric Sevareid awards from the Northwest Broadcast News Association in Bloomington, MN. Broadcast News major Josh Buda received a first place award for soft feature in the Student Market category for his story, "Poppin’ Penelope." Broadcast News major Jake Buckingham received an Award of Merit in the hard feature category for his story, "Preventing Youth Violence." Both students attended the Midwest Journalism Conference and received their awards at the NBNA banquet. The awards are named for long-time CBS News reporter and commentator Eric Sevareid, who was a North Dakota native and attended the University of Minnesota. UNO School of Communication Associate Professor Chris Allen has become president of the NBNA. Buda's feature also has won a National Broadcasting Society grand prize award. Buda and Josh Gray also received a NBS honorable mention for a video comedy program, as the students competed with NBS schools from across the nation.

Graduate student work. Chin Chung-Chao, assistant professor of speech communication, guided five graduate students in making presentations at a recent campus research and creative activity fair. Abby Freeman, Andrea Iaccheri, Shelli Inness and Cheril Lewis reported pilot study results from the Quantitative Research course. Additionally, Jessica Bernhardt participated in the poster session. Chao also received word that some of her students -- Nicole Lindquist, Alicia Jitaru, Inness and Lewis -- have had research accepted for presentation at the National Communication Association meeting in San Francisco this fall. A graduate student panel also has been accepted. Chao's paper, "Foreigners’ Archive: Contemporary China in the Blogs of American Expatriates," has been accepted for presentation at NCA's 96th Convention. Chao also has been elected vice president of the Association for Chinese Communication Studies.

Outstanding students recognized. Outstanding undergraduates in broadcasting, journalism and speech communication were recognized at the annual Student Honors Convocation. Andrea Ciurej, Jake Buckingham and Lauren Blakemore were on stage representing the three undergraduate degree programs in the School of Communication.

Academic excellence in action. Teresa Lamsam has been selected as an Academic Fellow for the 2010 inaugural program in the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. She was chosen one of 11 fellows from North America out of a large and exceptionally competitive pool of journalism educators from across the U.S. and Canada. All of the 2010 fellows stand out in their commitment to deepening professional understanding of violence, conflict and tragedy and applying that knowledge to teaching journalism. The program will be held at Columbia University June 17-19. *** School of Communication faculty April 14 approved mission and vision statements. Mission: The School of Communication provides a student-centered, dynamic environment designed to elevate, empower, and engage students to become skilled, ethical citizens and professionals who can excel in diverse local and global communities. Vision: Our vision is to be a recognized leader in innovative teaching, leading-edge research/creative activity, and community engagement initiatives. We will achieve this by supporting and attracting exceptional faculty and outstanding undergraduate and graduate students from within and outside the metropolitan area. *** Jeremy Lipschultz announced the appointments of Sherrie Wilson as Mass Communication Division Coordinator and Karen Dwyer as Speech Communication Division Coordinator and Assistant Director for the School of Communication. "It is an honor to collaborate with these fine leaders, and I appreciate their efforts to devote time and energy for the benefit of students, faculty and staff," Lipschultz said. *** Sherrie Wilson and three students attended the Region 7 Spring Conference of the Society of Professional Journalists April 10, in Omaha. Students attending were Scott Stewart, Andrew Kerr and Jasmine Maharisi. Dean Gail F. Baker participated in a session titled, "Diversity from the Ground Up." Other sessions focused on freedom of information, entrepreneurship for journalists and fitting multimedia into journalists' work schedules. Efforts have begun to revive a professional SPJ chapter in Nebraska. If interested, please contact Wilson. *** Cynthia Robinson Moore is presenting a paper, "Communicating Dominant Beauty Norms: Black Females and the 'Straight Hair Rule'," at the Malcolm X Festival April 20. She also is featured guest on the Malcolm X Hour, a local talk show. The show will be taped April 30. *** Graduate student and Instructor Wendy Townley April 13 presented, "The Reality of Social Media" the the PRSA Nebraska April Professional Development Luncheon at Champion's Run. *** Director Jeremy Lipschultz traveled to Lincoln April 13 to help see President James B. Millikin award the University of Nebraska-Lincoln the 2010 University-wide Departmental Teaching Award to UNL Psychology. The UNO School of Communication received the award in 2009.

The photo gallery. Advisers Marlina Davidson and Kate Rempfer in late March joined Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society officers in hosting a group from the campus chapter at Wayne State. The visitors toured the School of Communication and had lunch in the Old Market. UNO Lambda Pi Eta chapter also participated in Earth Day Omaha April 17 at Elmwood Park. Rempfer and Davidson then traveled to the Wayne State Undergraduate Communication Conference April 19 for Lambda Pi Eta.

Upcoming events.

April

22 - High School Media Conference & PRSSA National Organ Donor Awareness Event, MBSC, 11:30 a.m.

23 - Teaching Circle/Research Triangle/Engagement Links Celebration, MBSC, 3 p.m.
25 - Maverick PR Mexican Night, Guaca Maya, 5002 S. 33rd St., 5-8 p.m.

Communication Week Events (April 26-29)
26 - KIOS Noon Forum, David Mathison, 91.5 FM, 12 p.m. & Persuasion Posters, MBSC Dodge, 4 p.m.

27 - Mav Solutions & NSAC Presentations/Dinner, MBSC Chancellor's Room, 4 p.m.
29 - Scholarship Breakfast, MBSC Chancellor's Room, 9 a.m.;Alumni Panel, MBSC Dodge Room, 1 p.m.; 55th Annual Communication Awards Banquet, Thompson Alumni Center, 6 p.m.
29 & 30 - National Student Advertising Competition, St. Louis, MO.

May
4 - UNO Service Awards, MBSC, 11:30 a.m.

7 - Commencement Breakfast, Thompson Alumni Center, 9 a.m.; Commencement, Civic Center, 2 p.m.