TMU 8(3), March 1, 2011

Nebraska's top speakers.  Maverick Speech claimed seven individual events championships on the way to its first UNO Forensics state title. Champions are seen here with Coach Abbie Syrek, as well as Assistant Coaches Vanessa Hatfield and Ryan Syrek, at the conclusion of competition in Hastings.   Iven Mendoza, named top overall speaker (Sweeps), led the way with three first places in Dramatic Interpretation, Prose Interpretation and Duo Interpretation with Cameron Logsdon. Logsdon also won the Program of Oral Interpretation. He is the defending national champion in this event. Allison Henri also claimed two state titles in Poetry and Informative Speaking. Niveditha Rejagopalan was state champion in Communication Analysis and also qualified for Interstate Oratory at James Madison University in Virginia.  As one of the two qualifiers, she is among 100 of the top orators in the nation.  UNO also won the Quality Award, which recognizes the team with the most points considering number of qualifiers. UNO Forensics begins national competition April 2 in Kearney, Nebraska.

School briefs state board. Two School of Communication faculty members, Karen Dwyer and Lynnette Leonard, were among those speaking to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents at a recent meeting. Dwyer, Reilly Professor and assistant director, explained oral communication assessment.  Leonard, assistant professor, described the North Omaha Media Alliance (NOMA) project. NOMA has just received $1,500 in funding from Cox Communications. UNO communication students mentor about 20 area high school students on media and interviewing techniques.

Guest lecturer. Alumnus Stephen Croucher ('00), an associate professor at Marist College, returned to campus to speak in Assistant Professor Chin-Chung Chao's class. She and Director Jeremy Lipschultz hosted Croucher at a luncheon before his lecture to current students. Croucher received his doctorate from the University of Oklahoma. He has become a leading national scholar on forensics topics.  Croucher and Chao met while he was a faculty member and she was a graduate student at Bowling Green State University. While at UNO, Croucher competed for UNO Forensics and wrote for the Gateway.


Academic excellence. Dean and Professor Gail F. Baker had a DePaul University screening for "DuSable to Obama: Chicago's Black Metropolis" at the Chicago Cultural Center.  She wrote the WTTW documentary. It is the first in a series considered for national PBS distribution. *** Professor Mike Sherer has posted a photograph on his Heartland Views website, which was accepted to be shown at an Iowa State University juried show. *** Professor and Director Jeremy Lipschultz was a panelist following the UNO Theatre opening of "Dark Play or Stories for Boys," which is set amid various computer chat rooms. He, Theatre Chair Scott Glasser and the actors discussed reactions to the story with audience members. *** Lipschultz and Associate Professor Sherrie Wilson joined Matt Hansen, Omaha World-Herald reporter, Caitlin Roth, WOWT-TV reporter and meteorologist, and KVNO-FM News Director Robyn Wisch for a future of journalism panel in Adam Tyma's Introduction to Mass Communication course. 

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Skype talk. Media Regulation and Freedom students interacted with St. Petersburg Times Reporter and Columnist Eric Deggans using a video chat. Deggans has covered the broadcast indecency issue for the newspaper. FCC regulation of shock radio in Tampa was a major local story for several years.  Deggans said that there is now less interest in these broadcasts, and public attention has shifted nationally to two long wars and a recession. 

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Later in the semester, students will make legal arguments for and against current FCC policies.

Events and photos.  CFAM Hockey Night in Section 213 with the "Red Army" was a success. UNO defeated Denver, ranked sixth in the country, before losing the following night. UNO will finish no lower than fourth place, and this guarantees home ice for the first round of conference playoffs March 11-13.

Our visiting professor's first hockey game

Alumni among the Section 213 regulars

Howard Marcus joined students at the Career Fair

Hugh Reilly was recognized at AAF Meet the Pros

The Omaha News aired on NET 2

The Omaha News uses live shots from the newsroom

Adam Tyma met a class outside on a nice day

March

2 - Lambda Pi Eta fundraiser, Noodles, 4-7 p.m.

4 - Center for Collaboration Science annual conference, CPACS Commons, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

10 - NOMA, CPACS Commons, 4 p.m.

21 - UNO Spring Break

31 - NOMA, CPACS Commons, 4 p.m.

April

2 - Dart Center Panel, Creighton University, 8 a.m.

9 - Regional PRSSA, Mammel Hall, TBA

14 - High School Media Conference, MBSC 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

25 - Communication Week: Advertising presentations, ASH 112, 3-4:15 p.m.

26 - PRSSA presentations, MBSC Chancellor's Room, 4-6 p.m.; and DuSable to Obama screening, TBA.

27 - Advertising presentations, ASH 112, 3-4:15 p.m.
28 - Alumni Panel, MBSC Dodge A and B, 1-2:15 p.m.; 56th Annual Communication Awards Banquet, Thompson Alumni Center, 6-9 p.m.

29 - Omaha Press Club Scholarship Dinner, OPC, 5-9 p.m.


May

6 - UNO Commencement, Civic Auditorium 2-4:30 p.m.