TMU 7(10) -- August 17, 2010

PR students raise $5,000 to fight Omaha hunger. UNO School of Communication students raised $5,000 and presented a check to the Omaha Food Bank this summer. KETV broadcast the story on its 6 p.m. newscast. Kristin Webb, event coordinator, Kelsie Olson, Cathy Enoviso and Adviser Karen Weber participated in the media event. The UNO Run N' Munch event for the ConAgra Foods' Child Hunger Ends Here was an amazing success. "I'm really proud of the effort and the Food Bank officials were thrilled with the results!" Weber said. Meanwhile, the Maverick Solutions team had a very successful event Aug. 3. The Kids Can Neighborhood Night Out attracted more than 150 people. Kids enjoyed root beer floats, face painting and other games and prizes. A partnership with the Children's Hospital & Medical Center Leadership Council produced more than 100 backpacks filled with school supplies distributed at the event. Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle and City Council Members Garry Gernandt and Jean Stothert attended.

KVNO receives state broadcast awards. KVNO received three Nebraska Broadcasters Association (NBA) 2010 Awards of Excellence at the NBA Awards of Excellence dinner held Aug. 12 in Lincoln. Assistant Professor Robert Franklin won the GOLD AWARD for Best Public Service Program as producer of his radio production class documentary “Homeless in Nebraska.” Marty Riemenschneider, NBA president and executive director described this program as “compelling and well done!” Other awards included: BRONZE AWARD Best In-Depth News for “Graffiti Debate” produced by KVNO News Director Robyn Wisch, SILVER AWARD Best Play-by-Play for the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) vs. Washburn University Men’s Basketball game, announced by David Gustafson of UNO Athletics and executive produced by KVNO. "It’s great to be recognized by industry peers as being the best," Franklin said. "It demonstrates our ability to produce award winning, compelling, informative and entertaining programming."

Archaeological dig finds more treasures. The Bethsaida project this summer discovered a 2,000-year-old gold coin from Galilee. The UNO School of Communication for the first time collaborated on a photography workshop to teach students how to document such historical finds. UNO's Rami Arav was interviewed by Israel National News. A West Virginia University student found the first Antonius Pius coin in Israel. Alexis Whitley saw a sparkle while clearing dirt and rocks. Photographer and course instructor Hanan Shafir immediately photographed the find. Bethsaida was an ancient capital. Arav discovered the site in 1987, which has been excavated over 24 seasons. The coin will be on display at the Israel Antiquities Authority museum. A consortium of 20 universities, headed by UNO, conducts the excavations.

Excellence in action. Professor Bruce Johansen competed across the UNO campus and has been awarded the Isaacson Professorship. The endowed chair is named for the late Jake Isaacson -- an Ak-Sar-Ben board member who began his career as an Omaha World-Herald reporter. Later, as promotion director at the newspaper, he developed the Golden Gloves event in Omaha. Beginning in the early 1930s, Isaacson helped bring back a struggling Ak-Sar-Ben by lobbying to change the law and re-legalize parimutuel betting, developing an ice rink, and adding top entertainers, such as Bob Hope. Issacson also was a key figure in the coronation balls that helped fund scholarships. His work on the Ak-Sar-Ben board grew membership to more than 14,000 by 1949. Johansen has previously held the Kayser professorship and the Reilly professorship.

Graduate student Katie McWilliams received the Top Debut Paper with a $150 prize from the Central States Communication Association for the paper she presented at their conference in April. The paper was developed in Assistant Professor Lynnette Leonard's Rhetorical Theory and Criticism class last year.

Jan Slater, who began her teaching career 20 years ago at UNO, has been named president of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). Slater currently is College of Media interim dean at the University of Illinois-Urbana. During her remarks earlier this month in Denver, Slater acknowledged the importance of making the shift from her career in advertising to the classroom. Senior Vice Chancellor Terry Hynes, Director Jeremy Lipschultz, Associate Professor Chris Allen, Assiatant Professor Adam Tyma and Lecturer Jerilyn Hynes Kamm attended sessions at the annual AEJMC meeting.

Photo gallery. About 30 School of Communication majors graduated at the August Commencement held at Omaha's Civic Auditorium.

Part-time faculty members learned about the new student information system.

Graduate students learned about the M.A. program from faculty members, alumni and peers.

UNO's newest building is Mammel Hall, home of the College of Business Administration.

A new information screen can be found outside the School of Communication main office in Arts and Sciences Hall.

Upcoming events.

September
10 - Mavlink Faculty Training, ASH 110, 12-1 p.m.
26 - Italian Night, All Saints at 93rd & Blondo, 5-8 p.m.

October
9 - Heartland Regional Emmy Road Show, Thompson Alumni Center, 8 a.m.- 1 p.m.
10 - Omaha 10-10-10 Kick-off Events, CPACS 4 p.m. & OPC 7 p.m.
11 - Omaha 10-10-10 Panel Discussions, CPACS, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
22 - Berkshire Event, TBA, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.