Phoenix, Spring 2002

PHOENIX The Ball State University Department of Journalism Alumni Newsletter Spring 2002 Vol. 23, No. 2

Alumnus finds Olympic success

Inside this issue

By Cliff Fraser

Page 5 Many journalism alumni have found success in the book industry.

organization has been inundated with requests of how to get involved in the sport, broadcast information and sponsorship inquiries for both athletes and the organization.”

Paulenich works out of the U.S. Speedskating office located in Salt Lake City, Utah. As the lone public relations practitioner for U.S. Speedskating, his workload is immense. His job entails

Phoenix Editor The face of Dr. Beverley Pitts (M.A. 1971, Ed.D. 1981) has been familiar to Ball State’s Department of Journalism since she arrived as an associate professor in 1985. Since that time, Pitts has made her way up the university ladder and into the position of associate provost. Per Ball State President Blaine Brownell’s recommendation, Pitts will assume the position of university provost in July.

Currently, Pitts works closely with provost Warren Vander Hill, who will leave his post on June 30. She is responsible for overseeing programs relating to academic affairs such as the graduate school, Honors College, office of continuing education and international programs.

Pitts is also involved with grant programs and has

Photo by Ball State Photo Services

Beverley Pitts

helped the university receive funding. She is the university liaison to the Lilly Endowment and was an author of the recent iCommunication grant.

In a press release, President Brownell cited many of these reasons for his recommendation.

“Beverley has demonstrated a range of great strengths during her years at Ball State that makes her extremely qualified to guide our academic mission,” he said.

“She’s an energetic teacher and scholar and a dynamic leader who has been instrumental in securing more than $26 million in grants to fund innovative programs on campus. I look forward to working with Beverley as we place Ball State at the forefront of learner-based education in the 21st century.”

Throughout her various administrative positions at Ball State, Pitts has continued to teach at least one class in journalism every year. In the fall of 2001, she taught the graduate level course of introduction to research methods. She plans to continue teaching when possible and wherever needed.

“I don’t want to lose contact with the students,” Pitts said.

As provost, Pitts will assume the second-highest position at the university and will fill in for the president in his absence. Her main

Photojournalist David Handschuh spoke to students about his experiences at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.

See “Olympics” on page 2

Pitts chosen as Ball State’s provost

By Stacey Shannon

Page 7

responsibilities will continue to be in academic affairs.

Aside from her administrative and teaching responsibilities, Pitts has also been involved with research. Her recent research includes a review of the writing process.

She is currently working with journalism professors Mark Massé and Dr. Mark Popovich to study writing coaches.

Pitts has already set goals for her new role. She plans to become better acquainted with the university’s three new deans and the new associate provost. Pitts also plans to visit each department in the university to talk with faculty and department chairs about their concerns and interests. She wants to help Ball State become better known nationally as well.

“I think Ball State is positioned right now to gain some national attention,” she said. “It’s a really great time to be a part of Ball State.”

Photo provided

phone was ringing off the hook. The situation got so frantic he needed to get a second cellular phone to handle the large volume of calls.

All of the planning paid off. In the end, American speedskaters received an enormous amount of media coverage, appeared on numerous television shows and became instant celebrities.

“I think [the Olympic coverage] was great for the sport,” said Paulenich. “Our

Pages 8-9 An update of where previous student newspaper editors are now. Find out who this former editor is.

Photo by Jenny Lesselbaum

American speedskaters received is a result of preparations that began well over a year earlier. Paulenich developed relationships with the producers of various media outlets such as “The Today Show,” “NBC Olympics” and many other local and national television shows, as well as newspapers nationwide.

It wasn’t long before American speedskaters began bringing home an unprecedented number of medals and Paulenich’s

Photo by Jenny Lesselbaum

Photo provided

Nick Paulenich (M.A. 1998) stands by the ice rink at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Paulenich alone is responsible for the public relations of the U.S. Speedskating Team.

Page 10 The photo labs in the new AJ Building enhance photojournalism education.

Page 14 Find out which alumni and alumnae were presented with awards from the department.

Photo by Joe Krupa

Imagine being rink-side at the Olympics as the sellout crowd cheers American speedskaters Apolo Anton Ohno, Derek Parra and Chris Witty to their gold medal victories. Now, imagine looking up in the crowd and seeing thousands of cheering fans embrace a sport that you helped place in the Olympic spotlight. Ball State alumnus Nick Paulenich (M.A. 1998) experienced these feelings firsthand.

“The sights and sounds of an Olympic city will be ingrained in my head for the rest of my life,” said Paulenich. “You really don’t realize how huge the Olympics are until you are right there in the middle and all of a sudden people you have been working with for years become household names.”

Paulenich serves as the public relations director for United States Speedskating, a position he has held for the past three years. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, the extraordinary amount of media coverage the

Photo by John Fuller

Graduate Assistant

PHOENIX

2 Faculty Notes Jennifer George-Palilonis, Instructor ◆ Publication: “Attack Gives a Real-Life Lesson,” Design magazine, Society for News Design. ◆ Publication: “Trend Talk,” JCommuniqué. ◆ Society for News Design Annual International Design Competition Judge. ◆ Texas APME Design Competition Judge.

John Ginter, Instructor ◆ Editor and publisher of Cardinals Illustrated, a monthly magazine in its sixth year.

Robert Gustafson, Associate Professor ◆ Paper Presentation: “Seniors’ Perceptions of Seniors Stereotypes in Magazine Advertisements,” American Academy of Advertising (AAA), with Dr. Mark Popovich and Dr. Tom Robinson, Jacksonville, Fla., March 2002. ◆ Article: “Seniors’ Perceptions of Seniors Stereotypes in Magazine Advertisements,” in the AAA Conference Proceedings, Summer 2002. ◆ Articles with Dr. Thomsen accepted for publication in the Journal of Media Psychology and Southwest Mass Communications Journal, TBD 2002-03. ◆ Member of Ball State’s Journalism and TCOM Rob Pearson Internship Scholarship Committee. ◆ Member of the AdFed of East Central Indiana Diversity Committee. ◆ Appointed to the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Advertising Education (three year term). ◆ Paper reviewer for the Journal of Advertising Education, American Academy of Advertising, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. ◆ Appointed chair of the Industry Relations Committee, American Academy of Advertising.

Mark Herron, Instructor/Director of Secondary Education ◆ Publication: Scholastic Source, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Scholastic Division. ◆ Keynote speaker for the Alabama Scholastic Press Association, Feb. 2002. ◆ Featured speaker for the Delaware County Leadership Conference, March 2002. ◆ Featured speaker for the Oklahoma Scholastic Press Association, April 2002. ◆ Featured speaker for the Interscholastic League Press Conference, April 2002. ◆ Recipient of Columbia Scholastic Press Association “Gold Key.”

PHOENIX Phoenix is published periodically for the alumni and friends of the Ball State University Department of Journalism. This issue was produced by Stacey Shannon.

Any comments or material should be directed to: The Department of Journalism Ball State University Muncie, Ind. 47306-0485 (765)285-8200 bsujourn@bsu.edu

Olympics - continued from page 1 handling all media relations for the organization, press operations at events hosted by the U.S., publications of U.S. Speedskating and the U.S. Speedskating Web site.

“Needless to say, my plate is full every day,” he said.

Olympic years are very intense with the extra media coverage. Although, nonOlympic years can be just as hectic because the United States hosts numerous World Cups, National Championships and World Championships. According to Paulenich, “these special events require a great amount of planning and [add] work to my already busy schedule.”

Paulenich’s hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed.

As the executive director for U.S. Speedskating, Katie Marquard notes, “U.S. Speedskating is lucky to have Nick as our PR director. As evident by the publicity our sport received around the 2002 Olympics, Nick’s countless hours and hard work have paid off.”

Prior to joining U.S.

Speedskating, Paulenich began his education at Hiram College where in 1996 he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications. The following fall, he accepted a graduate assistantship at Ball State University where he worked for the journalism department his first year, then moved to the Ball State Alumni Association his second year. In 1998, Paulenich earned a master’s degree in public relations and accepted a full-time job with the Alumni Association.

He remained at the Alumni Association for a year before accepting his present position at U.S. Speedskating. The rest, as they say, is history.

Paulenich looks fondly on his time spent at Ball State.

“I enjoyed the great Ball State atmosphere,” he said.

“I came from a small, private undergraduate school, so I did not know what to expect when I reached a much bigger campus. I was pleasantly surprised at the sense of community. However, my best memory of Ball State is that I met my wife there.”

So what does the future

hold for Nick Paulenich and U.S. Speedskating?

“It was great to see athletes I have known since I started be rewarded for their hard work,” Paulenich said.

“Watching Chris Witty shake off the effects of mono to skate a world record was incredible.

Derek Parra is Photo provided one of the Other Ball State journalism alumni were involved with the Olympics as well. Michelle Linn-Gust (B.S. 1994, nicest human pictured), carried the Olympic Torch through Phoenix beings I have and Betsy Ross (B.S. 1972) carried the torch through ever met, and the Cincinnati area. to see him rewarded with two medals Track Team Championships was awesome. The Olympics in Milwaukee were sold out. were truly an unbelievable Also, there has been a recent experience that I will treasure growth in the number of chilpersonally and professionally dren joining programs and for the rest of my life.” learning how to skate. The U.S. Speedskating hopes to organization hopes to keep capitalize off the momentum the media interest high and generated by the Olympics. continue to make U.S. Shortly after the Olympic Speedskating a recognizable Games, the World Short name.

Pulliam Award and Lecture presented

By Tafadzwa Mudambanuki Graduate Assistant A trip by bus from Amherst College to Massachusetts University to meet Norman Mailer, who was substituting for 1980 presidential candidate Ted Kennedy, plucked Christine Evans from obscurity and plunged her into the field of journalism. The Norman Mailer “incident” equipped her with the credentials she now possesses as a professional journalist.

Evans, a reporter for the Palm Beach Post in Florida, addressed faculty and students at Ball State on April 4 and challenged students to rise above humble beginnings in the field of journalism.

“Learn from those humble jobs,” said Evans.

This was her second trip to Ball State within two years to receive the coveted Pulliam National Journalism Writing Award, this time for her story “My Cambodia,” – an extended narrative of her family’s quest to adopt their orphan daughter. She is the first repeat winner in the 40year history of the national Journalism Writing Award.

“I was so surprised to receive the news from Mark Massé,” Evans said. “I was

happy to come back to Ball State. I did not expect it.”

Looking at Evans’ past and present jobs ranging from waitress, caterer, house painter, tomato picker, horse farm laborer to bank inventory clerk, mother, wife, writer and journalist, she has clearly run the gamut in life.

Pitching herself as a proven commodity, Evans urged students to take cues from her professional life. She went through a litany of challenging situations in the days she started writing as a career journalist. This incident lifted the fog of uncertainty from her life.

“I was impassioned. I had a huge desire to write stories,” said Evans. “I found out what I wanted for my profession from Norman Mailer.”

Reflecting and piecing together the precise sequence of her life events, Evans reiterated the theme of persistence. She worked long hours and, in some cases, in dreary conditions, but her passion for writing feature stories fueled her to continue.

Most young journalists have a tendency to like big cities and eschew obscure places. Her advice was to go to those hidden and faceless places and make an impact and design each day to seize

control of the situation.

“Have fun doing it,” Evans said.

Evans reminisced that she so badly needed a job in Ireland but had misspelled part of the name of the newspaper, Observer. With equanimity, she resubmitted her résumé for the advertised post. She did not get the job but hopped on to other opportunities that presented themselves and finally got a job at the Miami Herald in Florida.

“Get at the door and pitch it yourself,” Evans said.

Because she had done an apprenticeship at the Miami Herald, few hurdles were in her way to get the job. She started with tasks she loathed but eventually got what she wanted as time went on.

Armchair traveling is never Evans' predilection. The desire to quench her professional thirst landed her a job at the Dublin Irish Independent/Evening Herald in Ireland in 1982.

Evans has covered most of the beats in news writing, but feature writing is her soft spot. And this love for feature stories ensnared her into writing a powerful story, “My Cambodia,” where she was a character.

“’My Cambodia’ is a fascinating story of a memorable journey,” said Professor Mark Massé, coordinator of the Pulliam National Journalism Writing Award. “Quite simply, Christine Evans is one of the nation’s premiere storytellers, and we are fortunate to have her at Ball State.”

Evans admitted that she wrestled with her dual role as both writer and participant but the participant in her yielded to the premiere writer. Evans told the story with such compassion that she left her audience with indelible images of her life and that of her adopted daughter Rath Chanthy from Cambodia.

Evans, a graduate of Northwestern University, is married to Pete, a photojournalist at the Palm Beach Post.

They have their biological daughter, Chloe, and Chanthy, their adopted one.

She has won outstanding awards such as a shared Pulitzer Prize for spot news reporting and the National Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for feature writing. She won a top award for her general feature writing from the American Society of Newspaper Editors for her story, “Why Gabbi is Gabbi.”

SPRING 2002

3

Ball State’s Journalism Hall of Fame goes digital in new building

By Noelle Bowman Graduate Assistant Visitors to the new Art and Journalism Building will soon be able to take a visual trip through time by using the new Hall of Fame kiosk.

The kiosk is an interactive experience that will introduce visitors, students and faculty to some of the most accomplished graduates from Ball State’s Department of Journalism.

The idea for the Hall of Fame kiosk came from department chairwoman Marilyn Weaver during the early planning stages of the new building.

“I wanted to preserve the history of our Hall of Fame inductees,” Weaver said. “So many have passed on and we missed the opportunity to report on them. It’s important to preserve our history and now we have the technology to do it.”

The department plans to update the kiosk as Hall of Fame members are inducted each year. Before the kiosk was developed, little was known about some of the graduates who have gone on to do extraordinary work in national and international journalism, photojournalism and public relations.

Pam Leidig-Farmen became involved in the design of the project in 2000. Leidig-

Farmen is a journalism graphics instructor who specializes in digital video and interactive multimedia Web design.

She said that she looked at hundreds of Web sites and similar programs before designing the Hall of Fame kiosk.

“I wanted it to be open and inviting,” she said. The kiosk

“It’s important to preserve our history and now we have the technology to do it.”

- Marilyn Weaver was designed to incorporate the space around it, she explained. “It is timeless in appearance, classic in style, basic and clean.”

The software that runs the kiosk was designed to be user-friendly. Users will be able to use a mouse to point and click to access information by name or date. LeidigFarmen explained that the navigation map has several points of entry and users will easily find information.

In August 2000, graduate assistant Kim Jana became involved in the project. Jana and Leidig-Farmen began by collecting faculty files, archives and anything they could get their hands on to learn about the history of the journalism department and

its Hall of Fame members.

The goal of the creative team was to make the kiosk an interactive and in-depth experience for users –– they didn’t want mere blurbs of information about each member. Jana and Leidig-Farmen spent hours collecting and reading background information on each Hall of Fame member as well as on the history of the journalism department.

In September of 2000, Jana began a series of interviews of the Hall of Fame inductees that would take place over the next year and a half. With the help of Jeff Feltz, an assistant producer at WIPB, she videotaped interviews of 18 inductees, making several trips around Indiana and one to Washington, D.C. Those interviews can be seen in the kiosk. Viewers can watch the entire interview or click on Jana’s questions to view that part of the video.

“I was grateful to have the opportunity to work on a project like this,” Jana said.

“I had conversations with exceptional people in the field of journalism, photography and public relations.”

Jana said the inductees she interviewed all say they would not be where they are today without their experiences at Ball State. They have fond memories of their time spent at the university.

Jana also wrote all of the text

used in the kiosk to describe each member’s biographical information, including what they’ve accomplished, what they’ve done since graduating from Ball State and what they’re doing now.

Jana and Leidig-Farmen worked with Cheryl King who was a multimedia specialist at the Teleplex when the project got off the ground.

After King left the Teleplex, Bill Oldham and Jung-Un Moon were recruited to help with the kiosk. These multimedia specialists are helping put together the final product, using Leidig-Farmen’s designs with Jana’s text and videotaped interviews.

“It’s a great way to learn about the department and see how successful graduates have been,” said LeidigFarmen.

They hope that the achievements of the Hall of Fame members will inspire current and future students.

“Students will see what they might do. It gives another reason to be proud of Ball State,” she said.

Jana agrees. “It really is a great way to showcase our jewels,” she said.

The Hall of Fame kiosk is in its final stages of production and will be located on the third floor of the Art and Journalism Building outside the journalism department administrative offices.

New G.A.s arrive mid-school year

By Stacey Shannon Phoenix Editor The beginning of Ball State’s spring semester in 2002 was the beginning of graduate assistant life for some students in the journalism department.

The following G.A.s began their jobs in January. Three took over for G.A.s who left and three stepped into new G.A. positions.

The department boasted 17 G.A.s during the spring semester.

Noelle Bowman Hometown: Akron, Ohio; now Noblesville, Ind. Undergrad School: Florida Atlantic University Degree Earned: B.B.A. Major: Finance Graduation Year: 1992 Expected Master’s Graduation Date: Summer 2003

Favorite thing about being a G.A.: “I feel more connected to the department and like I’m part of a community.”

Plans for after graduation: “No definite plans – find a job?!”

Kelly Everling Hometown: Elwood, Ind. Undergrad School: Valparaiso University Degree Earned: B.A. Major: Communications Graduation Year: 2000 Expected Master’s Graduation Date: May 2003 Favorite thing about being a G.A.: “Working with many interesting people.”

Plans for after graduation: “I plan to attend a Midwestern university to earn a doctorate in communications.”

Betsy Hatch Hometown: Castine, Maine Undergrad School:

University of Maine Degree Earned: B.A. Major: Journalism Graduation Year: Dec. 2001 Expected Master’s Graduation Date: 2003 Favorite thing about being a G.A.: “The people I work with.”

Plans for after graduation: “To find a job in media relations for a university.”

Casey Maddox Hometown: Muncie, Ind. Undergrad School: Ball State University Degree Earned: B.S. Major: Theatrical Studies Graduation Year: 2001 Expected Master’s Graduation Date: 2002 Favorite thing about being a G.A.: “It’s a challenging environment with excellent benefits.”

Plans for after graduation: “Tentatively moving to Chicago.”

Josh Saylor Hometown: South Bend, Ind. Undergrad School: Notre Dame Degree Earned: B.A. Major: Communications Graduation Year: 1997 Expected Master’s Graduation Date: May 2002 Plans for after graduation: “Pursuing internships/fulltime opportunities in sports reporting.”

Courtney Smith Hometown: Shelbyville, Ind. Undergrad School: Ball State University Degree Earned: B.A. Major: Telecommunications Graduation Year: 2001 Expected Master’s Graduation Date: May 2003 Favorite thing about being a G.A.: “Working in the university atmosphere.”

Plans for after graduation: “To be a beach bum for a couple of months!”

Faculty Notes - Cont.

Tendayi Kumbula, Assistant Professor ◆ Elected to the CCIM International Affairs Committee. ◆ Published articles in the Muncie Times and The (Zimbabwe) Sunday Mail. ◆ Member of the Zimbabwe Media Advisory Committee. ◆ Member of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Indiana Holiday Advisory Committee. ◆ Member of Muncie’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Dream Team. ◆ Reviewed the Editorial Eye manuscript, April 2002. ◆ Signed contract with Gale’s World Media Encyclopedia to write six chapters on the media in six African countries, April 2002. ◆ Named to Who’s Who in the World. ◆ Speaker at Zimbabwe Business Expo lunch, Indianapolis, April 20, 2002. ◆ Selected to attend Poynter Institute Diversity Across the Curriculum Seminar, June 2002.

Larry Lough, Instructor ◆ Panelist: “The Media and First Time Newsmakers,” Franklin College Symposium on Media and the Public, Oct. 2001. ◆ Recipient of a Distinguished Service Award from the Hoosier State Press Association, Jan. 2002. ◆ Received first place in editorial writing from the Associated Press Managing Editors, Indiana Newspapers 20,000 - 50,000 circulation, May 2002.

Mark Massé, Associate Professor ◆ Elected to the Academic Assessment Advisory Committee. ◆ Co-coordinator for the Department of Journalism and Department of Telecommunications Convergence Workshop, Jan. 2002. ◆ Publication: “Find Your Focus, Organize Your Story,” Writer’s Yearbook, Jan. 2002. ◆ Co-writer (investigator), Convergence Workshop Training Grant (iComm Fellowship #18), $34,800 approved, March 2002. ◆ Publication: “Literary Journalism: Learning the Basics,” Writer’s Digest, March 2002. ◆ Presentation: “Revisiting Student Writer Apprehension: A Q Interpretation of the Riffe and Stacks Writing Apprehension Measure,” Southeast Colloquium, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), March 2002. ◆ Awarded book contract from Indiana University Press for “Faith Works: Stories of Religious Social Activism,” March 2002. ◆ Principle investigator: “Faculty Training for Convergence in Media Writing Course,” $15,000, Ball Fund for Academic Excellence, March 2002.

Pat Mills, Instructor ◆ Publicity committee member for the Masterworks Chorale. ◆ Pulliam National Writing Award Contest judge. ◆ Reviewed textbook for Bedford/Saint Martin’s (a publishing company). ◆ Edited book for Alan Garinger to be published in late March or early April. ◆ Edited novel manuscript for TCOM student Ryan Schenkel. ◆ Accepted to Poynter Institute Workshop on Diversity Across the Curriculum, June 2-7, 2002.

PHOENIX

4 Faculty Notes - Cont.

Mark Popovich, Professor ◆ Elected as the CCIM University Senate representative. ◆ Refereed Paper: “Seniors’ Perceptions of Seniors in Magazine Advertisements,” with Tom Robinson, Robert L. Gustafson and Cliff Fraser.

Presented at annual conference of the American Academy of Advertising, Jacksonville, Fla., March 2002. ◆ Refereed Paper: “Revisiting Student Writer Apprehension: A Q Interpretation of the Riffe and Stacks’ Writing Apprehension Measure,” Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Southeast Colloquium, Gulport, Miss., March 2002. ◆ Chairperson, University Senate Taskforce II on Governance, Sept. 2001 to April 2002. ◆ Search Committee Member, Assistant Provost for International Education search, Jan. to April 2002. ◆ Panelist: “Covering Government,” Bowen Institute on Political Participation, Indianapolis, April 6, 2002. ◆ Publication: “The Press, Privacy and Politicians,” in Contemporary Media Issues, 2nd ed. by Sloan, Wm. David and Emily Eickson Hoff, eds. (Vision Press; Northport, Ala., 1998), in press.

Robert Pritchard, Assistant Professor ◆ Presentation: “In These Times: What Will Happen to the Public’s ‘Right to Know’ with Regard to Military Operations?” at the TYCA Mid-West Conference, Oct. 2001. ◆ Presentation: “Covering a Crisis: Handling the Big Story Without Losing Control,” 6th Annual Ball State University/Associated Press/Radio and Television News Directors Association Fall Broadcast News Conference, panel member, Oct. 2001. ◆ Created, planned and conducted crisis management training for the Ball State University Crisis Management Team, Dec. 2001. ◆ Presentation: “In These Times: What Will Happen to the Public’s ‘Right to Know’ with Regard to Military Operations?” at the Muncie Rotary Club, Jan. 2002. ◆ Text Reviewer, Prentice Hall Publishing Company, Jan. 2002. ◆ Publication: “An Examination into the Similarities and Major Differences Between Military and Public Affairs Responsibilities and Corporate Public Relations Responsibilities,” with Greg Chandler. Presented at the Fourth International, Interdisciplinary Public Relations Research Conference, Miami, Fla., March 2002. ◆ Publication: “Military Operations, the Media and the Public’s Right to Know,” USA Today magazine, March 2002. ◆ Grant Received: “Digitally Conscious: Effectively Integrating Technology into the Public Relations Classroom,” iCommunication conference grant for $17,500. (see article on page 6) ◆ Chair, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Educators Academy, “Alliances for Learning” Committee, 2002. ◆ CCIM UniverCity 2002 representative. ◆ Faculty adviser for PRSSA.

Trahan gives pointers to PR students

By Erin Yazel Graduate Assistant Television is a very powerful communication medium for public relations practitioners.

“We all know the tragedy of Sept. 11 and the importance of getting a message across,” said Department of Defense communication consultant Dr. Joseph V. Trahan, III (M.A. 1984), to a group of public relations students at the March 19 Professional-inResidence. “I travel the world teaching people how to talk to the media.”

However, before an organization talks to the media, it must consider several factors for effective media relations.

“One of the first things to think about in media relations is the three ‘Cs,’” said Trahan.

First, a spokesman must have control and never get upset while on camera.

Second, the person must possess competency. Trahan stressed the need for public relations practitioners to discuss only what they know and avoid talking about issues that are unfamiliar or beyond their background of

knowledge. Third, a spokesman must show concern on his face and in his words.

According to Trahan, the keys to effective media relations are preparation and good delivery.

“Some things to think of throughout media relations are: Who is receiving the message? Who is watching you? Who is listening to you? And who is reading you?,” said Trahan.

One task a public relations practitioner can do in anticipation of a media interview is to prepare a list of talking points about the organization.

“Think of five good, bad and ugly questions the media could ask about your organization,” said Trahan.

“Then write out your responses to those questions.”

Trahan also suggested having a “command message” ready, which succinctly outlines key issues and positive aspects about the organization.

Once preparation is complete, the public relations practitioner should work on the delivery of the message

and the presentation of the spokesman. An organization’s spokesman must dress professionally before appearing on television.

“People remember 85 percent of what you look like on television and only 15 percent of what you say,” said Trahan.

He suggested that spokesmen wear solid colors such as brown, blue or red, which is the color of power. He also cautioned against outrageous jewelry, hairstyles or clothing.

“Anything that distracts from your appearance is a problem,” said Trahan.

Delivery is equally as important as preparation when dealing with the media. Public relations practitioners must incorporate both for effective media relations.

When appearing on camera, a spokesman must also communicate sincerity in a natural manner.

“When communicating a message regarding death or tragedy, don’t read the statement,” said Trahan. “You believe a person through their eyes, words, actions and gestures.”

He urged the students to be genuine and talk from the heart when communicating an emotional message.

There are many considerations when talking to the media. Since television is a powerful mass communication tool, public relations practitioners must prepare organizational representatives to be ready and capable to handle any situation posed by the media.

Trahan is a native of New Orleans with 20 years of professional experience in government, association, education and nonprofit public relations. He earned his bachelor’s degree in American military history from Tulane University, his master’s degree in public relations from Ball State University and his doctorate in mass communications with an emphasis in public relations and advertising from the University of Southern Mississippi. He currently serves as a public affairs instructor at the Defense Information School in Fort Mead, Md., and travels internationally as a media relations trainer and public relations strategist.

Stephen Crawford joins the journalism faculty

By Jenny Lesselbaum Graduate Assistant Dr. Stephen Crawford joined the journalism faculty beginning in the spring 2002 semester. He is teaching undergraduate students in media, mass communication research and advertising campaign development.

Prior to joining the faculty at Ball State, Crawford worked for 26 years at Leo Burnett Advertising Agency in Chicago, the seventh largest advertising agency in the world, and the largest ad agency in Chicago.

In 1976 he began in the

well as buildresearch departing relationment of Leo ships with his Burnett and was clients. As a promoted along means to help the way until he build strategies retired in 2001. for the brand Crawford’s he was represpecialty at senting, Burnett was Crawford account manworked with agement. As various teams the account Stephen Crawford in the agency to director, help develop and promote Crawford developed busithe image of the client’s comness strategies and direction pany. for companies such as Delta Working for Leo Burnett Airlines, United Airlines and sent Crawford to Venezuela Ameritech. Crawford’s work from 1981 until 1984, where focused on the goals of the he was the director of client companies he represented, as

services. From 1985 through 1987, he resided in Milan, Italy, where he promoted campaigns for Kellogg’s and Proctor and Gamble.

Crawford received a B.A. from Princeton University in history. He obtained an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas, Austin, and a Ph.D. from University of Chicago in history in 1980.

Crawford said that he always had in mind the possibility of teaching after his first career in advertising.

He is impressed with the dedication of Ball State students.

Connecting with Ball State’s Department of Journalism Jennifer GeorgePalilonis Graphics Sequence Coordinator PH: 765-285-8216 jageorge2@bsu.edu

Mark Herron Secondary Education Sequence Coordinator PH: 765-285-3502 mherron@bsu.edu

Robert Gustafson Advertising Sequence Coordinator PH: 765-285-8737 bgustafs@bsu.edu

Journalism Department Office PH: 765-285-8200 Fax: 765-285-7997 bsujourn@bsu.edu

Journalism Workshops Mark Herron, Director PH: 765-285-8900 mherron@bsu.edu Mark Massé News-Editorial Sequence Coordinator PH: 765-285-8222 mhmasse@bsu.edu

Tom Price Photojournalism Sequence Coordinator PH: 765-285-8205 tprice@bsu.edu Dr. Mel Sharpe Public Relations Sequence Coordinator PH: 765-285-8215 msharpe@bsu.edu

Dr. David Sumner Magazine Sequence Coordinator PH: 765-285-8210 dsumner@bsu.edu Dan Waechter Faculty Adviser PH: 765-285-8221 dwaechter@bsu.edu Marilyn Weaver Department Chair PH: 765-285-8200 mweaver@bsu.edu

SPRING 2002

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Journalists find market in book industry

By Stacey Shannon Phoenix Editor As graduates of Ball State’s Department of Journalism continue to influence the journalism industry, some are also entering and impacting the book publishing industry.

Many have found a new platform for their work and are enjoying the experience.

Julie-Allyson Ieron is one such alumna. Since graduating from the master’s program in 1988, Ieron has been involved with Christian publishing. For nearly five years she worked for the Moody Bible Institute before leaving to start her own speaking, publishing, writing and public relations business.

“I really took what I considered to be a huge leap of faith – or something – to start my own business,” she said.

Ieron got her idea for her latest book, “Praying Like Jesus,” while reading an entertainment magazine. A movie star mentioned that when she was under pressure she tried to pray. Ieron, who values prayer, was struck that the entertainer could be unsure of how to pray and whether it was working.

“I thought, ‘I wonder how many people feel that way about praying?’” Ieron said.

The idea was further developed during a prayer conference Ieron attended. She had the book’s outline by the end of the conference.

Thus began her writing journey with its struggles.

“I didn’t want to sound Julie-Allyson Ieron preachy has written several books and has a new and I one to be released in wanted to 2002. She has her own business to han- make it be dle public relations as practiand other media for Christian businesses. cal as I could,” she said. “I wanted to make it something that we can apply to our everyday lives and enhance them and grow them and build a relationship with God.” As Ieron continues in her writing career, she is grateful for her background in journalism at Ball State and the guidance she received from professors.

“The beauty of the Ball State education is the personal interaction with the faculty – the way they pursue their lives and live out what they are teaching,” Ieron said.

Another journalism alumnus, Walter Brasch, has been in book publishing since his days as a graduate student in the department. At that time he was interested in Black English and began researching and writing about it. His final product was too big for an article, so it turned into a book.

Brasch’s latest book on the Clinton administration, titled “The Joy of Sax,” was released in June 2001. This book is a compilation of columns from his biweekly syndicated newspaper column that runs in 32 newspapers. From the beginning he knew he wanted to gather columns from throughout the Clinton administration and turn them into a book.

Brasch mentioned that it can be hard for non-celebrity writers to find a good publisher. Though he has had 14 books published, Brasch said that journalists have trouble getting into publishing.

Nevertheless, he felt his journalism background has been helpful in writing books. “Journalism gave me the strength and the ability to be able to write quickly and accurately,” he said.

Aside from writing books and his biweekly political column, Brasch teaches in the Department of Mass Communications at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania.

John Fuller, a 1975 graduate of the department, has gotten involved with book publishing in a different way. Fuller has enjoyed railroad photography since 1966 and has had some of his photographs published in magazines and in books. Recently, one of his photographs was published on the cover of a book titled “When the Railroad Leaves Town: American Communities in the Age of Rail Line Abandonment,” written by DePaul University professor Joe Schwieterman.

Fuller has been or is involved with five books since his free-lance career in railroad photography began two years ago. For eight years he worked as editor of the weekly newspaper in Rockville, Ind. In 1985, Fuller became the pastoral associate and business manager at Saint Patrick Catholic Church in Terre Haute, Ind. He still holds the position today.

Fuller makes many of his contacts by setting up a booth at railroad shows throughout the Midwest to display and sell photographs.

“Even for a limited market

Photo by John Fuller

John Fuller’s photograph of a caboose going past the depot in Carmel, Ind., taken in 1971, appears on the cover of “When the Railroad Leaves Town: American Communities in the Age of Rail Line Abandonment.” The book was written

by Joe Schwieterman, a DePaul University professor and published by Truman State University Press.

like what I’m dealing with, we’re dealing with five books in a matter of two years,” Fuller said. “I’m just bumping into these people.”

He also credits his time as an undergraduate student in Ball State’s Department of Journalism for helping him with his career as a freelance photographer.

“Ball State journalism also helped give me confidence that, yes, you can go out and market your own work,” he said. “I’ve always remembered these things.”

Dana Nussio, an alumna who writes as Dana Corbit, has found her way into the book publishing industry with her fiction book, “A Blessed Life.” The book, the first one Nussio has sold, will be released in October 2002 from Steeple Hill Books, a division of Harlequin Enterprises. It is categorized as an inspirational romance.

For Nussio, writing fiction was a switch. Until 1990, she was a newspaper reporter and then features editor for The Republic in Columbus, Ind. When she left the newspaper to become a full-time mom, she continued her journalism career by free-lance writing until 1995, when her family moved to Michigan. It was then she decided to try book writing.

“A Blessed Life” hit home for Nussio. The character in her book learns to deal with having a child who has juvenile arthritis. Nussio went through the same thing.

“The story I wrote, I kind of wrote just to heal myself,” she said. “It was real for me.”

Writing fiction caused problems for Nussio, though.

“I had to get over the fear of lying – that it felt like lying in

the beginning,” she said.

Nussio has adjusted to fiction writing, but said that her background in journalism helps her write tightly.

“I could cut 10 inches from a story,” she said. “So, I can cut 50 pages from a book.”

Another alumnus involved with the book industry is Peter Nye. In 2000, Nye released a book he helped bicyclist Lance Armstrong and his coach, Chris Carmichael, write. He worked as a “with-writer.”

“It’s their book,” he said.

“And my role was to help them bring it out.”

Carmichael called in March of 1999 and asked Nye to work on a book about Armstrong. Armstrong and Carmichael already had a book contract with Rodale Press, but they needed a with-writer to help them put it together.

“I had followed Lance as a journalist when he was up and coming,” Nye said. “He obviously had something very special going.”

Nye’s admiration of Armstrong only increased when Armstrong decided to make a comeback after surviving cancer. By May of 1999, Nye had buckled down collecting and putting together information for the biographical book while Armstrong got back into training and won part of the Tour de France in 1999. This escalated Armstrong’s career, which changed Nye’s book. Rodale Press signed a contract with someone else for a biographical book, leaving Nye to rewrite his material focusing only on Armstrong’s training plan.

Everything came together and “The Lance Armstrong Performance Program” was

released in 2000.

Nye also credited his education at Ball State for helping him to succeed.

“Every day I think of what I learned at Ball State,” he said.

He has found another key for writing success as well.

“I think that reading is like a secret weapon,” Nye said.

“I think that reading is just as important for a writer as practicing is for a musician and training is for an athlete.”

Nye is currently working as a senior writer for the awardwinning Rural Electric magazine and writing a biography about Albert Champion, founder of the first Champion Spark Plug Company.

Champion later joined up with General Motors and is the “AC” in AC Delco.

Ieron, Brasch, Fuller, Nussio and Nye are just a few of Ball State’s journalism alumni and alumnae who are impacting the world of book publishing. The five of them, and others like them, are using their journalism backgrounds to find success outside of newspapers and magazines.

Other books by these alumni Julie-Allyson Ieron “Names of Women” (1998) “Staying True in a World of Lies” (2002)

Walter Brasch “The Press and the State (1987) “Brer Rabbit, Uncle Remus, and the ‘Cornfield Journalist’” (2000) “Black English and the Mass Media” (2000) “Cartoon Monikers: An Insight into the Animation Industry” (2000)

Peter Nye “Hearts of Lions: The Story of American Bicycle Riding” (1988) “Cyclists Source Book” (1991) “Training for Cycling” (1992) “Pushing the Limits” (1994)

PHOENIX

6 Faculty Notes - Cont.

Robert Pritchard - Cont. ◆ Conference programmer, “Digitally Conscious: Effectively Integrating Technology into the Public Relations Classroom,” Oct. 3-5, 2002.

Larry Riley, Instructor ◆ Writes a weekly socialpolitical commentary column for The Star Press in Muncie, Ind.

Melvin Sharpe, Professor ◆ Elected as the United States representative to the governing Council of the International Public Relations Association, Nov. 2002. ◆ Presentation, Panel Member: “New Professional Code of Ethics: How to Apply the New Standards,” Hoosier Chapter, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Feb. 13, 2002. ◆ Presentation, Opening Welcome as Founding Chair, PRSA Educators Academy 5th Annual International, Interdisciplinary Public Relations Research Conference, Miami, Fla., March 8, 2002. ◆ Presiding chair, Research Discussion Session V, PRSA Educators Academy 5th Annual International, Interdisciplinary Public Relations Research Conference, Miami, Fla., March 8, 2002. ◆ Presentation: “The Development of a Plan to Provide Students in Campaigns Classes in Two Countries with Experience in International Campaign Planning and Consulting,” PRSA Educators Academy 5th Annual International, Interdisciplinary Public relations Research Conference, Miami, Fla., March 8, 2002.

David Sumner, Professor ◆ Elected to the Judicial Committee. ◆ Publication: “Who Pays for Advertising – Advertisers or Consumers?,” Journal of Advertising Research, vol. 41, no.

6, Nov.-Oct. 2001. ◆ Publication: “Identity Theft,” Kiwanis Magazine, Feb. 2002. ◆ Presentation: “Service Learning Projects Enliven Editing Course,” Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Southeast Regional Colloquium, March 2002. ◆ Indiana Collegiate Press Association (ICPA) board member and arrangements coordinator, 2002 Annual ICPA Convention, Ball State University, April 6, 2002. ◆ Web master of the AEJMC Magazine Division web site (http://aejmcmagazine.bsu. edu). ◆ Consultant to the Muncie Star Press for Jar magazine repositioning. ◆ Recipient of $4,500 iCommunication grant for summer research on “From Weekly News to Instant News – How the Newsmagazines use the Internet.” ◆ Publication: “American Newsmagazines” for Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications, San Diego: Academic Press, 2003.

Editor talks with students on Civil Rights

By Kimberly Jana Graduate Assistant Richard Schneider, executive editor of The Jackson (Tenn.) Sun, realizes that journalists have an obligation to report the truth. His lecture to Ball State students on Jan. 29 discussed his experiences with reporting the truth in his newspaper, which has a circulation of 40,000.

In his speech, “The Truth at Last,” Schneider told of how the Sun recently published a series on the Civil Rights Movement in Jackson. He said that during the 1960s, journalists in the city ignored what was happening in the African American community.

“What would it be like to sit at a lunch counter and be refused service? To have a tulip bulb thrown at you…and you could not fight back?” Schneider began. “To have hot coffee poured down your back and be spit upon?

And then to be arrested for disturbing the peace…and nothing was ever printed about it?”

The problem that Schneider and his staff faced was reporting on a story so long after it took place.

“There was a systematic effort to destroy history. Our problem was, how do you cover a story 40 years too late?” Schneider said.

In 1960, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, local students from Lane College in Jackson began their own protests similar to those in Birmingham, Ala. For months, students from Lane staged bus strikes, boycotted businesses and subjected themselves to physical, verbal and emotional abuse from other members of the community while sitting at Woolworth’s lunch counter.

The members of the Sun’s staff at the time believed they were doing the right thing by consciously refusing to cover the nonviolent protests, but Schneider emphasized the error of that thought process.

Not only was this a misuse of the paper’s freedom of press rights, but also a twisted form of community journalism that did nothing to help the individuals living in Jackson.

After the publication of their eight part series, “October 1960: The Untold Story of Jackson’s Civil Rights Movement,” Schneider was amazed at

Richard Schneider

how many members of the community wrote in, stating either that they were unaware such events ever took place in the town or that they were disappointed their history was being exposed.

At the time the story was published, though, the paper received no criticism or resistance for uncovering past events. The series won the Associated Press Managing Editors’ nationwide award in 2001 for Public Service Journalism and the Payne Award from the University of Oregon in recognition for outstanding effort in journalism ethics. “[My] staff only hesitated in reporting on this issue because of the scope of the project. However, we broke the newsroom down into teams – [thereby] breaking

the story down into little pieces,” said Schneider.

“What I like to see is the paper grow into what it should be. Let people take a project and stretch it. I take pride in their accomplishments.”

During his time at Ball State, Schneider also sat in on many classes to discuss journalism ethics and law.

“I have been really impressed with how sharp they are,” he said about the students. “The sophisticated nature of their questions is very impressive and surprising. The instructors have tons of energy.”

Schneider received a B.A. in journalism from Florida Southern College in 1977.

Additionally, Schneider has held editing and reporting roles in Lakeland, Fla., Fort Myers, Fla., and Danville, Ill. Along with Ball State graduate Gene Policinski, Schneider was also part of the start-up team for USA Today in 1981, but returned to his previous job after a month.

Both Schneider and Policinski currently have sons attending Ball State.

Schneider’s son, Troy, is a senior at the university majoring in journalism.

iCommunication grants benefit department

By Gerry Appel Phoenix Copy Editor Apparently $20 million isn’t that hard to spend after all. iCommunication, the $20 million grant from the Lilly Endowment for digital technology, is indeed a hit with Ball State faculty and students.

Representatives within all seven Ball State colleges have applied for the first round of grants from iComm, including faculty from the Department of Journalism. Fellowships have already been awarded to Department Chairwoman Marilyn Weaver, Secondary Education Coordinator Mark Herron, News-Editorial Sequence Coordinator Mark Massé, Graphics Sequence Coordinator Jennifer GeorgePalilonis, Magazine Sequence Coordinator Dr. David Sumner and Public Relations Professor Robert Pritchard.

According to College of Communication, Information, and Media Associate Dean Jackie Buckrop, most of these fellowships deal in some way with studying convergence, or providing training for new technology.

Herron and Weaver are embarking on a project that

analyzes convergence from the academic and professional perspectives. Herron is researching how convergence is being implemented into university curriculums nationwide, while Weaver is analyzing the professional side of convergence.

Herron said they would then combine their findings to learn how to coordinate the academic side of convergence with professional needs.

Massé is working with Telecommunications Professor Bob Papper. Their grant will be used to train journalism and telecommunications faculty this summer in preparation for a converged journalism and telecommunications news curriculum in fall 2002. Experts will be brought in from Kansas University, WTHR-TV and the Indianapolis Star for the workshops. In addition, money will be available for a limited amount of faculty to travel, and experts will come to Ball State this fall to assess the converged program.

George-Palilonis will also be learning about convergence in preparation for the new curriculum. She will be spending a week in Tampa, Fla. and will meet with representatives of Tampa Bay Online, the Tampa

Tribune, WFLA-TV and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, all leaders of convergence.

An iComm grant established for Sumner will allow him to travel to New York City and visit three news magazines in an attempt to learn how the magazines “use their digital content to enhance their traditional ‘niche’ audiences and ideological traditions.” Sumner will visit the offices of Time, Newsweek and U.S News and World Report.

Pritchard is planning a conference that will focus on technology and public relations in classroom environments.

Titled “Digitally Conscious: Effectively Integrating Technology into Today’s PR Classroom,” Pritchard generated the idea during a 10 hour drive to the national Public Relations Society of America conference in Atlanta with fellow public relations professor Dr. Mel Sharpe.

“We got to talking about a discussion we had with our PR advisory counsel on what our graduates needed to know about using technology in the workplace today,” Pritchard said. “That led to…how should we be using technology in our classroom?”

Pritchard said the conference is targeted toward educators and practitioners with an interest in education; however, the conference will be open to everybody.

The conference will be held in conjunction with the annual Vernon C. Schranz Distinguished Lectureship and dinner. Pritchard also said several speakers are already lined up.

This conference is unique to the field, according to Pritchard.

“There were two other conferences that were similar in nature, but not exactly. We think that this is a groundbreaker specifically targeting teaching of technology.”

While so far mostly faculty and students are taking advantage of iCommuncation, Buckrop says there are opportunities for alumni to get involved as well.

“If there was an alum who wanted to partner with a faculty member on something, that faculty member is certainly welcome to apply for an internal grant, go through the same review process as any other faculty member, and in that way the alum can become involved,” Buckrop said.

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7

Former Daily News editor works in Peace Corps

By Gerry Appel Phoenix Copy Editor Darnell Morris-Compton, (B.S. 1998) former Daily News editor in chief, recently traded in his pencil and pad to depart on a Peace Corps assignment.

After working at the Fort Wayne (Ind.) News Sentinel for two years, MorrisCompton joined his wife, Sarah Morris-Compton, who is a 2000 social work graduate from Ball State, on a Peace Corps assignment in Turkmenistan, a nation that shares a border with Afghanistan.

When the couple first arrived in Turkmenistan, they spent time at a resort with good food and other luxuries. Morris-Compton said they could not get a sense of the country from this environment, but they soon took in more sights of Turkmenistan. MorrisCompton said he did not initially experience culture shock.

“I don’t think I had any culture shock at that time,” he said. “I was just absorbing things and taking in everything. I was taking in the sights and noticing the subtle differences. The mountains that I’d seen in America had trees, sometimes grass, sometimes snow—these mountains were all sand and rock.”

Soon, the couple experienced more culture. They went to markets, experienced the enchantment of dancers and entertainers and attended Turkmen parties to better understand the culture.

During this period, MorrisCompton and his wife were both interviewed to determine their placement.

These interviews led the pair to work in the health field while on assignment.

Sarah worked at an outpatient clinic for women, while Morris-Compton focused on teaching basic health skills, such as hand washing, killing germs and how to treat cuts and scrapes to children at

elementary schools—knowledge that Americans take for granted, Morris-Compton said. He also talked to men about heart attack warning signs, and made informational posters. The people of Turkmenistan lack health knowledge because of their culture, he explained.

Turkmen respect their elders and do not question their authority under any circumstance, Morris-Compton said.

Religion and tradition play key roles in Turkmen beliefs and this culture affects their understanding of concepts, such as health.

“Many have a basic fundamental understanding of germs, but it’s been said for years and passed down through generations that anything cold will hurt you,” Morris-Compton said. “If you drink cold water, you will get ill. If you sit on something cold, you will injure your body…part of it is founded on facts, because if I were to drink an average cup of cold water from the

well, I will get sick. I will get ill because there are bacteria and germs in the water because they have no purification system.”

While cultural knowledge such as this helped him learn about a completely different environment from his own, it was Sarah who had always wanted to join the Peace Corps. Once MorrisCompton learned more about the Peace Corps, he then became interested as well.

“She [Sarah] knew this was something she wanted to do after college and nothing was going to stop her,” he said.

“I come from a family that has at least two generations of military men, so I believed in service, but I was also passive and was not interested in the violent aspect of the military, but I wanted to serve my country.”

Morris-Compton said he had heard of the Peace Corps before but never considered applying because he was under the impression that the Peace Corps was for more

skilled trades in the social service sector, such as doctors and social workers.

“When I found out they had teaching English as a second language or a foreign language, I became interested because of my journalism background,” he said.

“When I found out that the needed skills or necessary skills to be a health teacher in Turkmenistan involved having a bachelor’s degree in any field, I became more interested in finding out what they were looking for.”

Unfortunately, the events of Sept. 11 changed the couple’s plans. After being put on stage one alert, the State Department then evacuated the group. Morris-Compton said everyone had concerns and different opinions on the situation.

However, this couple’s Peace Corps days are not finished. Morris-Compton said he and his wife are considering a trip to another country to continue lending their assistance.

Handschuh tells of his World Trade Center experience

By Betsy Hatch Graduate Assistant On Sept. 10 David Handschuh viewed his cup half-full. On Sept. 12 he realized his cup was overflowing. Handschuh, a photographer for the New York Daily News, described his experience at Ground Zero on Sept. 11 during a Department of Journalism’s Professional-in-Residence lecture on Feb. 7.

Like all Americans, Handschuh went about his routine that clear Tuesday morning not knowing what was to come.

“It was a beautiful end-ofsummer morning that turned into a field trip to hell,” he said.

Handschuh was on his way to work, stuck in rush hour traffic, when the first plane hit the World Trade Center. He looked around to see smoke and the Fire Department Rescue One racing southbound in the northbound lane. He swerved across the traffic and hooked on to the back of the fire truck. The rear door was open and he could see firefighters as they strapped on air packs preparing for what was ahead. They waved to him. Several firefighters recognized Handschuh from 20 years of covering their valiant heroics.

Less than two hours later, all 11 firefighters on Rescue One would be dead.

When Handschuh first arrived at Ground Zero he thought he was covering a terrible accident. He was wrong.

“I had no idea that I would be covering one of the biggest stories in the history of the modern world,” he said.

As the south tower began to crumble, Handschuh ran.

“I've been shooting for more than 20 years and have never run from anything,” he said. “I heard a voice that said, ‘run, run, run.’”

As he was running away from the falling tower, he was picked up by a tornado of hot gravel, glass, cement and metal. After being thrown almost a full city block, he landed underneath a vehicle and was trapped by debris.

“I thought, ‘This is where I'm going to die, scared and alone, face down in a gutter,’” said Handschuh. “I was trapped in a snowstorm of fine feathered dust.”

Two firefighters who Handschuh had photographed saving lives in New York City for two decades were there to save his life this time. Those two firefighters lost their lives later that day.

Handschuh was carried to

safety, but once the second tower collapsed, he was trapped again. He doesn't know how much time passed until he was rescued a second time and taken to a New York Police Department harbor boat.

As the boat carried him across the Hudson River toward Ellis Island, with the sky still bright blue and the sun shining, he closed his eyes and envisioned a pina colada in his hands as he cruised the Caribbean.

Shocks of pain after hitting a wave brought him back to reality.

Handschuh says he owes his life many times over to rescue workers. Some he knew before that day and others he met on Sept. 11 have become his guardian angels. He keeps in touch with the rescue workers he has met through e-mail.

Besides verbally telling his story, Handschuh also presented a slide show of pictures he and his colleagues took on Sept. 11.

Many journalists suffered physical injuries and mental scars that day.

Handshuh himself suffered a shattered leg when he was trapped in the rubble.

“It's easy to identify the physical injuries, but it's much more difficult to assess the scars left on the mind and soul,” he said.

Photo by Jenny Lesselbaum

During his lecture, Handschuh told students what it was like to be at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.

Handschuh found it was not unusual for visual journalists to suffer negative effects from the cumulative exposure of repeatedly documenting the news. In 1999, the National Press Photographers Association conducted a survey of visual journalists. Ninety-five percent had covered a fatal or serious car wreck within a week of filling out the survey. From the survey, NPPA initiated a peer counseling training program for journalists. The group is working to set up a New York office and nationwide support network to deal with

the problems resulting from Sept. 11.

Handschuh is co-author of “The National Media Guide For Emergency and Disaster Incidents,” a primer to establish better relationships between the media and public safety providers. It is in its second printing. He has also been nominated several times for a Pulitzer Prize and has received numerous awards for photography from the New York Press Photographer's Association, the New York Press Club, Society of Silurians, the Deadline Club and Police, Fire and EMS Organizations.

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8

Student newspaper editors find success

By Stacey Shannon, Phoenix Editor and Gerry Appel, Phoenix Copy Editor

emember those late nights trying to beat deadline while working on one of Ball State’s student publications?

Remember the people you thought you would never lose contact with as you wrote, edited, designed and photographed? Whatever happened to the editor?

Some editors are still working in journalism, others have changed professions and a few have retired. Of all the Ball State newspaper editors, both before and after it became a daily, here are a few of their tales.

R

Jason Truitt, B.S. 1999, editor 1998-99 When Truitt left Ball State just a few years ago, he immediately headed to his hometown of Richmond, Ind., and was hired on at the Palladium-Item. Currently, Truitt is the news editor for the newspaper and is in charge of the copy desk. He said that his time working as Daily News editor definitely helped him get to where he is today.

“I think having that managing experience at college certainly helped me get the job I have now as soon as I got it,” he said.

Many of the friendships he

made while editor of the newspaper have remained even after graduation.

According to Truitt, the staff of the newspaper worked together, but also spent time together relaxing.

“The thing with working for the Daily News was that everybody was so close,” he said. “It was like one big family.”

Truitt plans to stay at the Palladium-Item, at least for now. He would like to continue to work his way up perhaps to managing editor in 10 years. He is not sure right now of where the future will lead.

“I’m kind of at a crossroads,” he said.

Jerry Ringle, B.S. 1965, editor 1964-65 Ringle has been busy since his days as editor. For his first two years out of college, he worked as a juvenile probation officer, then spent 15 years working in a resident treatment facility for troubled adolescents before moving into handicap transportation for five years. After that he did some consulting work before retiring and managing rental property.

In the early 1960s, Ringle spent time in the Army. His fellow comrades convinced him then that he needed to

Photo provided

Jerry Ringle with his wife, Christine. Ringle was editor from 1964-65 and graduated with a B.S. in 1965.

go to school. So, the Plymouth, Ind., native ended up at Ball State and struggled a bit in the beginning.

“I would have to say, for the first year, I was probably a lost soul,” Ringle said.

College life started to change for him when someone suggested he get involved with the student newspaper. He decided to give it a try and found that he enjoyed it. According to Ringle, working on the newspaper made everything make sense for him.

“It made me a lot less introverted,” he said. “It made me aware that there were things going on outside of Plymouth.”

The most memorable day for Ringle on the newspaper was the day of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. He was standing beside the AP ticker when the news came through and immediately rushed to the office of newspaper adviser, Dr. Louis Ingelhart.

“I tore off the tape, took it in to Dr. Ingelhart and told him he might want to come out here [to the newsroom] because something big was happening in Dallas,” Ringle said.

For the present, though, Ringle plans to spend some time enjoying his retirement.

“I would like to play more golf,” he said.

Gene Policinski, B.S. 1972, editor 1971-72 For Policinski, his days as student newspaper editor were the beginning of a long career in journalism. He is currently the deputy director of the First Amendment Center, executive producer of the public television show, “Speaking Freely” and adjunct professor at Winthrop and Vanderbilt Universities.

Policinski’s work with the First Amendment Center includes overseeing programs and administration for the center, which has a 30-

Photo provided

Gene Policinski

person office in Nashville, Tenn., and an office in Arlington, Va. Policinski splits his time between the two locations.

His television show airs weekly and is a discussion program led by Kent Paulson on free expression of the arts including music, stage, movies, fine arts and various forms of writing.

“It’s an attempt to remind Americans that free speech covers more than what we usually associate with just political speech,” Policinski said. “It covers a lot of things that add diversity and texture to our lives, from artwork to television, movies, whatever.”

He enjoys teaching as well.

He likes the interaction with students.

Policinski also said that his time as student newspaper editor has helped him throughout his career.

“Many of the ethical decisions and issues you have to make, and the challenges that come to you in that very first editor’s role at the Daily News are exactly the same things that come up later in professional life,” he said.

Policinski is most proud of the reform led by the newspaper during his time there.

Students were not always allowed to vote in Delaware County. Instead, they were forced to vote in the county where their parents lived.

The Daily News wrote a

series of stories on the topic that resulted in the establishment of a new principle allowing students the right to choose their home county.

“We were able to take freedom of the press, along with other rights, and make something positive come out of it,” Policinski said. “It’s a heck of a thing if you think about it.

A bunch of college students established a principle that is still covered today.”

Policinski is not sure what the future holds for him. He takes life one step at a time and has found that everything leads to something else.

“If you just take a moment to think about it – and unfortunately some people don’t – you suddenly realize a whole lot of things you’ve done in life are just preparing you to do a whole bunch of other things if you choose to open that door and step through it,” he said.

Jim Bannon, B.S. 1962, editor 1960-61 and 1961-62 Bannon’s life has been busy since his days at Ball State and he continues to stay busy. After graduation, Bannon spent time in the Air Force, was an aid-de-camp to a general, taught at Lehigh University in Japan, served as president of Greensheet Publishing Company in Houston, Texas, and was on the executive committee of the multi-million dollar First Star Bank. In 1980, Bannon founded his own company, the Bannon Corporation of America. He serves as the president and CEO, managing 13 professional employees.

Bannon Corporation specializes in consulting in employment and labor relations.

“When companies have problems with their employees they call us,” he said.

Bannon credits his time as editor for helping him develop skills he continues to use in business today.

“It was a fabulous way for a kid from a small town to meet

SPRING 2002

important, powerful people and report on them,” he said.

“It was a wonderful way to practice and hone management skills which were helpful throughout my career.”

One of Bannon’s most memorable events as a student newspaper reporter was when he was sent to cover musician Louis Armstrong.

He also had contact with administrators, such as Ball State President John Emens.

Bannon said the newspaper was a good link between students and administrators.

“He [Emens] had a great facility for taking time with the students and promoting the idea that Ball State is a friendly campus,” Bannon said.

Bannon plans to continue working in his corporation, but also plans to increase his community involvement.

“I hope to be able to spend more time volunteering in community philanthropic organizations,” he said.

Linda (Beerman) Prange, B.S. 1966, M.A. 1976, editor 1964-65 and 1965-66 Since Prange graduated with a journalism and English major and a minor in secondary education, she has had an eventful career. After graduation, Prange taught in Fort Wayne, Ind., then took time off to be a full-time mom to her three children. In 1978, she accepted a position as assistant newspaper education coordinator for KnightRidder Fort Wayne. In 1987, Prange and her husband moved to Miami, Fla., where she worked as assistant circulation/sales/marketing director for The Miami Herald.

In 1991, Prange left the Herald to start a computer learning center for children and adults. The center opened in 1992 and was a success. By 1998, Prange and her husband moved to Jensen Beach/Stuart, Fla. Prange is now a licensed realtor with Lifestyle Transitions Services, Inc., a full service real estate firm that specializes in needs

Photo provided

Linda (Beerman) Prange

of senior citizens.

She also said that her work as a student editor helped her in her professional life.

“It was one of the first times I had to manage/direct peers,” Prange said.

“Learning to work as a team toward a common goal was definitely a life skill which has served me well. I also learned the importance of working and satisfying ‘bosses.’ Dr. Louis Ingelhart was a great boss.”

Another skill she developed while working at the Daily News hasn’t been quite as handy. As editor, she worked with the typesetters. They would set the page, then give her a copy to edit. There were many times that the staff was pushing deadline, so Prange would edit as they set type.

“This means I learned to read upside down and backwards,” she said. “Yes, this sounds impossible, but I did it and can do it today.”

She especially remembers when Ball State was declared a university and she worked on the issue covering it.

“I realized it would be important in the history of Ball State and I was very proud to have an opportunity to work with that issue,” she said.

She also appreciates learning to work as a team while working on the newspaper and finding out the importance of humor when dealing with stress.

For now, Prange plans to continue her work with Lifestyle Transitions Services, Inc., but that could always change.

“I am satisfied and challenged by my current position,” she said. “But, when that is no longer the case, who knows what I will do? I have always enjoyed being challenged.”

Bob Jonason, B.S. 1980, editor 1977-78 When Jonason graduated from Ball State in 1980, he headed straight into a position at the Fort Wayne (Ind.) News-Sentinel. He stayed at Fort Wayne until 1987 working in such positions as copy editor, reporter, music critic, assistant sports editor and design editor. In 1987, he headed to the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he stayed until 1999 working as assistant news editor, deputy news editor, sports editor and online editor.

In 1999, Jonason returned to Indiana to work for the Indianapolis Star, where he remains today. To begin with, he was the general manager of online services,

Photo provided

Bob Jonason

but now he is the director of online services.

According to Jonason, his time as student newspaper editor served him well.

“It was a hands-on leadership experience that gave me great confidence once I entered the professional world,” he said.

A big story while Jonason was editor was the selection of Ball State’s president.

“I enjoyed overseeing our watchdog coverage of the university presidential selection process,” he said. “I learned a lot from [student newspaper adviser] Dave Knott’s advice and council...It was just a great environment.”

For now, Jonason plans to stay with the Indianapolis Star and is working to make its Web site one of the best in the country for a newspaper of its size.

Brian Usher, B.S. 1969, editor 1966-67 While Usher was a student at Ball State, he also worked for the Muncie newspaper.

After graduation, Usher headed to Northwestern University to earn his master’s degree in journalism.

For 15 years, he worked for three different newspapers in Ohio – one in Cleveland, one in Akron and one in Dayton.

After that he was the Washington correspondent for Knight-Ridder before serving as press secretary to Ohio Gov. Dick Celeste for four years in the late 1980s. For three years, he worked for a public relations company called Worth Associates before starting his own public relations and marketing firm nine years ago.

Usher is president of his company, Capital Communication Alliance, which specializes in public affairs, but also has consumer companies such as Frigidaire in its client list.

The time Usher spent with the Ball State student newspaper taught him a lot about the field he was going into.

“I learned a heck of a lot

9

about journalism,” he said. “I learned just an incredible amount of the basics of journalism and patience with staff members.”

According to Usher, when he was editor was the first year that the student newspaper switched to a daily paper, changing its name from the Ball State News to the Ball State Daily News.

“It was really the emerging years of the Daily News,” he said.

One of the things Usher said his staff accomplished was using the newspaper to protest the university’s policy of women’s hours. The students felt it was unfair for women to have a curfew. He also mentioned that there was a cartoonist on his staff who was always getting the paper a reprimand from Emens.

“I had a little bit of trouble with this cartoonist that kept stretching the right of free press,” Usher said. “By the way, his name was Jim Davis.”

Usher plans to stay with his company until retirement.

Sue (Barnhizer) Anderson, B.S. 1983, editor 1981-82 For Anderson, her career path started in journalism, but took a turn a few years ago. She started as a reporter for a small newspaper, then

“I use my journalism skills every single day. I still write a lot, it’s just not for a newspaper...every patient I see, I’m really interviewing them.”

- Sue (Barnhizer) Anderson moved to Tucson, Ariz., with her husband, where she freelanced and wrote a book about the city’s history.

Something just wasn’t clicking for Anderson, though.

Then her younger sister was critically injured in a car accident, which brought Anderson and her husband and children back to Indianapolis, where Anderson’s answer to her unhappiness became apparent.

“It just felt like life finally made sense to me in that hospital,” she said. “Like I had a calling to be a nurse.”

In 1993, she received her bachelor’s degree in nursing and then her master’s in nursing in 1997. She is now a family nurse practitioner and teaches at Indiana University South Bend where she works with the Health and Wellness Center.

Anderson said that she still uses her journalism skills, even in such a different career.

“I use my journalism skills every single day,” she said. “I still write a lot; it’s just not for a newspaper. I’m interviewing people; every patient I see, I’m really interviewing them.”

Anderson’s students are also well aware that she has a journalism background.

“My students really hate it because I tell them at the beginning of the semester that I started my life as a journalist, and I will grade their papers like a journalist,” she said. “They kind of shudder when they turn in their papers to me.”

The Daily News in Anderson’s time was a bit different and she recognizes the changes and opportunities now afforded Daily News staffers.

“When we started there, they had the ZBTs, which were Video Display Terminals; they were like early computers,” she said. “And I remember at that time that was cutting edge technology. It was just so cool. And, now, here it is on the Internet. It’s just so exciting to see the growth down there [at the Daily News].”

Anderson is considering applying for a full-time position at the Health and Wellness Center, which means that her class load would be cut, but she would still teach a class.

Tom Gubbins, Current Editor Gubbins is the current Daily News editor and will graduate in May 2002. He is proud to be a different kind of first Daily News editor.

“I am honored to be the first editor in the Art and Journalism Building,” he said. “Having worked in West Quad, the Student Center and now here, I can really appreciate it.”

Gubbins will always remember being editor on Sept. 11, 2001.

“Sept. 11 was, I think, a shining moment for the Daily News,” he said. “I am so proud of this staff and the way we were able to put together an issue that thoroughly covered the events of that tragic day.”

Gubbins plans to move to Fort Wayne, Ind., and work as a copy editor for the Journal Gazette.

No matter when editors served the Ball State student newspaper, all seem to agree that their days in the newsroom at Ball State have helped them in their professional careers.

PHOENIX

10

New photo labs benefit photojournalism students

By Christi Girton Graduate Assistant What a difference a year makes. Although the Department of Journalism has seen many transformations since the 2000-2001 school year, it can be argued that no sequence has seen the changes quite like photojournalism. Facilities once described as small and inefficient are now described as spacious and state-of-the-art.

“The new photojournalism labs in the Art and Journalism Building are vastly improved compared with what students had to work with in West Quad,” said first year graduate student Joe Krupa.

The new photojournalism area, located on the second floor of AJ, is made up of three sections: the digital classroom, the wet-lab and the photography studio.

Each section contains many pieces of new equipment, offering students the chance to strive for a new level of photography.

The digital classroom is equipped with 21 new

Photo by Jenny Lesselbaum

Garth Moore, a sophomore, focuses his camera in the new photo labs.

Macintosh G4 computers, each with its own Nikon Super Coolscan 4000 scanner.

These negative scanners are of the highest quality, capable of scanning an image at 4,000 dots per inch.

The digital classroom is located directly down the hall from both the wet-lab and the photography studio.

This new layout is much more efficient than the West Quad design.

“In West Quad, the classroom was two floors away and on the other side of the building,” said Tom Price, photojournalism sequence coordinator. “Now, the rooms are adjacent.”

The second section of the photojournalism area is the wet-lab.

“In West Quad, there was one room to develop film and one room with 16 enlargers and one big sink,” said Price. “There were also just small rooms for loading film.

The old set-up was good for big classes, but we have many people who work on individual projects and these new darkrooms are great for that purpose.”

Instead of one communal workspace for developing pictures, there are now 11 darkrooms that can accommodate two people. Each darkroom contains two enlargers and a wet sink, as well as data ports for future digital use.

“The wet-lab area was designed with the foresight to have data terminals installed in each of the printing stations,” said Krupa.

“Having data ports already

in place is especially important for the ease of conversion from black and white printing to digital imaging stations as photojournalism rapidly progresses into the digital age.”

Also included in the darkroom area is a larger developing area for use during class demonstrations.

Safety was a top priority in designing the photo lab. Each darkroom contains an eye washing station and a vent to remove fumes.

Photo by Jenny Lesselbaum Ken Heinen, assisDaniel Johnson (left), a junior photojournalism major, works in the new photo laboratories tant photojournalism with John Shearer, a junior telecommunications production and photojournalism major. professor, also pointcompletely controlled by located in the darkroom. ed out that the darkroom remote control. The room The finishing area is also contains an area that is comalso features a shooting table, equipped with computers. pliant with the Association a dressing room for models “In West Quad, when class for Disabled Americans. and a storage room for backwas in session, only one com“This is a very unique feadrops and other equipment. puter was available in the ture for a university photo “This studio will be equal finishing area,” said Price. lab,” said Heinen. to most commercial studios Seven computers are now The finishing area outside in terms of equipment,” said available. of the darkroom is improved The final section in the pho- Price. The studio also has the as well. This area contains potential to be set up digitaltojournalism area is the photwo light tables and a negaly, but most digital equiptography studio. tive dryer. ment is still on order.

“This area is incredibly out“The negative dryer in the Students and faculty alike fitted,” said Heinen. “There finishing area is great are excited about the opporis just a lot more space and because you just hang the tunities the photojournalism much better equipment.” negatives to dry flat instead laboratories will provide in The photo studio in West of drying them on a roll,” years to come.

Quad had low ceilings, maksaid first year graduate stu“The digital lab, wet-lab ing it hard to effectively condent Jenny Lesselbaum. “We and lighting studio are great trol lighting and take picjust pin them at the top and areas separately, but to put tures. bottom with clothespins. them all together you have a Now, all lighting equipDrying the negatives like this mind-boggling teaching facilment is hung from much just makes it more convenient to work with them later.” higher ceilings on a track sys- ity,” said Heinen. “Plus, the kids love it.” tem. All of the lights can be There are three other dryers

By Stacey Shannon Phoenix Editor With new technology advancing the magazine industry, good ideas are what will get writers published, according to Rebecca Poynor Burns, editor of Indianapolis Monthly magazine. Burns came to Ball State on Feb. 20 as part of the Department of Journalism's Professional-inResidence series.

She gave students seven reasons why ideas are so crucial, beginning with the very basic reason.

“Ideas are the whole reason that media outlets exist,”she said during her lecture.

Burns also suggested that ideas represent the identity of the writer or publication and that putting a new spin on an old idea can make a difference.

“Ideas are what people remember you for,” she said.

“Good or bad, ideas are what stick with the reader.”

Burns, who has been at Indianapolis Monthly since the spring of 2000, has experience with turning ideas into captivating articles. She previously worked for Atlanta Monthly magazine as senior editor and had a good article idea her editor didn’t like. Burns wanted to write an article on the strip club industry in Atlanta where scandals were breaking. Her editor had different ideas.

“I had actually proposed the idea to my editor for five years,” she said. “My editor was very straitlaced.”

Finally Burns got the goahead to write the article with a business angle. After six months of research she had an article exposing scandal

Photo by Jenny Lesselbaum

Rebecca Burns gives tips for developing story ideas

Rebecca Burns

and the size of the industry.

“I actually discovered that it [the sex industry] contributed more to the city than the Braves, the Falcons and the Hawks combined,” Burns said. “And that more people worked for those businesses than for Home Depot and for Coca-Cola.”

Atlanta was shocked, but

the magazine sold out.

Burns won a bronze Green Eyeshade award for her article. The award includes more than 10 states and is very prestigious. The article was picked up by Salon and Burns was interviewed by “Extra” after a major strip club scandal broke in Atlanta.

Aside from writing the investigative pieces she enjoys, Burns also writes articles with her 9-year-old daughter. The two have written articles for the Powerpuff Girls Official PowerZine and for the Cartoon Network magazine.

As Indianapolis Monthly celebrates 25 years in publishing this year, Burns mentioned that the magazine industry has recently been bumpy. Advertising has been more difficult to sell and rev-

enue is down. Her magazine, like many others, was forced to make budget and staff cutbacks.

“The staff is very close and we work together really closely,” Burns said. “It’s like a small family, but I had to let people go. Personally, that was the hardest thing I had to do.”

Indianapolis Monthly is part of Emmis Communications. Burns herself oversees the editorial content for the magazine and its other 19 publications, including Indianapolis at Home and Indy Shops.

Burns, who received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Georgia State University, plans to begin work at her master’s degree at Indiana University this summer.

11

SPRING 2002

Prestigious public relations award presented

By Stacey Shannon Phoenix Editor Amanda Brown-Olmstead, APR, was awarded the National Public Relations Achievement Award from Ball State’s Department of Journalism. The award is given every year to a public relations practitioner who has had outstanding accomplishments and made various contributions to the field.

Brown-Olmstead is a Fellow of the Public Relations Society of America and has been the president and executive officer of her own public relations firm, A. Brown-Olmstead Associates, since 1972. The award was presented at the Indiana Public Relations and Communications Conference held in Indianapolis on March 21.

As the award winner, Brown-Olmstead also spoke at the conference to students and professionals about the extent of professional influences and the importance of personal interaction, communication and networking.

She has been very involved with PRSA in her more than 20 years working as a professional. During this time, Brown-Olmstead has served PRSA as chair of both the Counselors Academy and the Bronze Anvil Awards Committee. These two positions are two of the highest within the Society. BrownOlmstead has also been a member of the national Honors and Awards Committee, the Accreditation Committee, the Ethics Committee and the Diversity Task Force.

She shares her distinction as a PRSA Fellow with only approximately 300 other public relations professionals worldwide.

Outside of PRSA, BrownOlmstead has served on various committees. She is currently a member of Georgia’s Regional Business Coalition Policy Board, the Regional Business Institute, the Board of Central Atlanta Progress, the Advisory Board of the Shepherd Spinal Center, the Board of Councilors for the Carter Center, the executive com-

mittee of the Board of the Atlanta Botanical Garden and the Board of Atlanta’s exclusive One-Ninety-One Club.

Brown-Olmstead’s professional accomplishments include receiving the Silver Anvil Award. She has also directed marketing and public relations plans for the 1986 Goodwill Games in Moscow, the creation of the Ritz-Carlton hotel chain, the Atlanta Police Department, Turner Broadcasting System, Citibank and the National Black Arts Festival. These are only a few of the events and organizations she has worked with.

With all of her professional achievements and community involvement, BrownOlmstead has been designated as one of the 10 Outstanding Atlantans. She was also recognized as a Women of Achievement by the International Women’s Forum, named to the PRSA Georgia Chapter Hall of Fame and awarded a Gold Medal in the New York Film and TV Festival.

Previous National Public Relations Achievement Award Winners 2001 - David Drobis 2000 - John Paluszek 1999 - John M. Reed 1998 - Lawrence G. Foster 1997 - Tim Traverse-Healy 1996 - Daniel J. Edelman 1995 - Ann Barkelew 1994 - James B. Strenski 1993 - James Little 1992 - John. D. Graham 1991 - W. Howard Chase 1990 - Chester Burger 1989 - Robert L. Dilenschnieder 1988 - Harold Burson 1987 - David Ferguson 1986 - Edward L. Bernays 1985 - Philip Lesly 1984 - Patrick Johnsoon 1983 - Denny Griswold 1982 - Betsy Ann Plank 1981 - Jim Haynes 1980 - Allen H. Center 1979 - Frank W. Wylie 1978 - Maurice L. Denton 1977 - Ellen Hall

AP Job Fair a success despite sluggish economy

By Greg Chandler Graduate Assistant Ball State welcomed representatives from 22 Indiana newspapers and one Michigan publication into the L.A. Pittenger Student Center as host of the Associated Press Managing Editors Association and Hoosier State Press Association Journalism Job Fair.

Despite a stumbling job market that has limited the hiring capabilities of many newspapers, more than 70 students— primarily junior and senior journalism majors from across Indiana—attended the event on Feb. 22 seeking entry-level employment or internships, and most left with positive feelings.

“The fair was a good networking experience and a great way to make contacts,” said Elaine Buschman, a Ball State senior photojournalism major.

Newspaper editors, who came to the fair with equal enthusiasm, met individually with students in 20-minute interview sessions, giving them a chance to gauge student potential for present and future job opportunities in all facets of journalism.

“It’s good for the students to get out there and meet the edi-

Photo by Gerry Appel

Indiana University graduate student, James Stinson, attended Ball State’s job fair and talked with Rick Martinez of the South Bend tribune. Stinson said the job fair at Ball State is excellent and he hasn’t heard about anything else like it in Indiana. He was interviewing for a reporting position with the newspaper.

tors—even those who are not hiring,” said Keith Robinson, Bureau Chief for the Indianapolis Associated Press.

“Most newspapers will have some kind of opening before too long and, when they do, they will be likely to call students from the job fair.”

Students were able to expand their networking skills and build on their job interview experience.

“Even if they’re not hiring, this was a great way to get my name out there,” said Laura Hobbs, a junior news-editorial major at Ball State. “I think this has been a very helpful experience.”

An added benefit for all attendees was the opportunity to hear the lunchtime address of Joe Grimm, a newsroom recruiter and staff development coordinator for the Detroit Free Press. His speech, “The Sky is Not Falling: Here’s How to Get Your Piece of it,” encouraged students and professionals to think of the job fair as a recruiting tool for future opportunities, as opposed to immediate ones. In addition, he reminded the group that the job market and economy are ever changing. The smart recruiters, said Grimm, are the ones who think in terms of

future possibilities, and the smart students are the ones who remain persistent even though immediate job opportunities are scarce.

This is the third consecutive year Ball State has held the event. Past AP job fairs have been held at both Indiana and Butler universities.

“We’ve enjoyed having it at Ball State,” Robinson said.

“It’s centrally located, the facilities are very good and the university office is always very accommodating.”

Students and faculty members from institutions across the state, including Notre Dame, Indiana University and Franklin College, also attended the event. While the majority of interviews were reserved for students who pre-registered with specific newspapers, the fair was also open to walk-ins.

Excited by the networking opportunities that the job fair provides for students, Ball State faculty members would welcome the opportunity to continue hosting the event.

“Three years in a row is unprecedented,” said Department of Journalism Internship Coordinator Sheryl Swingley. “We’ve enjoyed having them, and would love for them to keep coming back.”

Alumni Notes Class of 1963 ◆ Greg Harrell (B.S.) is an associate professor in the English and Media Communications Program at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan.

Class of 1968 ◆ Donald L. Lemish (B.A. 65, M.A. 68) recently retired from Longwood College where he was the director of athletics.

He lives in Harrisonburg, Va.

Class of 1971 ◆ P. Douglas Mays (M.A.) is currently self-employed as an attorney in Benton, Ark.

Class of 1972 ◆ Gary Graham (B.S.) was among 15 Gannett newsroom supervisors given a Gannett newspaper Newsroom Supervisor Recognition Award for 2001. Graham is managing editor of the Press and SunBulletin in Binghamton, N.Y. ◆ Betsy M. Ross (B.S.) was selected to carry the Olympic torch when it passed through the Cincinnati area. In the past, Ross has won the Benny Award and has been a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Class of 1973 ◆ Lisa A. Davis (B.A.) was appointed as Principal Assistant Deputy UnderSecretary of Defense for Industrial Policy on Dec. 3, 2001. She works in the Pentagon. Her appointment is a political one within the Bush administration. ◆ Bob Friend (B.S. 1969, M.A. 1973) is the president of General Sign Midwest, Inc. in Illinois.

Class of 1977 ◆ Julie A. (Nason) Vincent (B.S.) recently accepted the position of director of marketing for Sallie Mae.

Class of 1978 ◆ Michael L. Hanley (M.A.) recently joined Ball State University’s Department of Journalism as an adjunct faculty member. During the spring semester, he is teaching courses in the news-editorial sequence.

Class of 1979 ◆ John Biel (B.S.) is the editorin-chief of Collectible Automobile magazine in Lincolnwood, Ill. The magazine, part of Publications International, Ltd., won awards from the Society of Automotive Historians for best overall presentation of automotive history in a periodical and best automotive history article in a periodical for 2001. ◆ Kenneth J. DePaola, Jr. (B.S.) is the vice president of advertising, sales and marketing for the Chicago Tribune. ◆ Kevin A. Feeney (M.A.) was recently named Senior Vice President of Ruane Communications, Inc. in Roswell, Ga. ◆ Stephen Hines (M.A.) is working in public relations and in the book publishing industry as a literary prospector. He recently collaborated with author Steven Womack to write “The True Crime Files of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”

PHOENIX

12 Alumni Notes - Cont. ◆ Phoenix McKinney (Mary Ann Terrell) (B.S.) is an adjunct instructor at University of South Florida and an account executive at Communication Solutions, a full-service public communications agency that specializes in water and related environmental issues. McKinney lives in Brooksville, Fla.

Class of 1980 ◆ Amy Alhersmeyer (B.S.) recently became a principal of Hetrick Communications, Inc., an Indianapolis-based public relations and marketing communications firm. She is a member and past president of the Ball State Journalism Alumni Board and currently serves on the Ball State Alumni Council. ◆ Mary Dale Walters (B.S.) recently accepted a position as senior director of corporate communications for LexisNexis Group in Dayton, Ohio.

Class of 1982 ◆ Diane Salucci (M.A.) was recently named eFunds vice president of corporate communications and investor relations.

She oversees many aspects of communication for the company in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Class of 1983 ◆ Michael D. Hall (B.S. 79, M.A. 83) is a copy editor in Brownsville, Texas.

Class of 1984 ◆ Jon Ferguson (B.S.) works on the copy desk for the San Francisco Chronicle. ◆ Byung-Kook Lee (M.A.) is a professor of mass communications at Hanseo University in South Korea.

Alumni return for annual SND Weekend

By Stacey Shannon Phoenix Editor The annual Society for News Design Weekend this year was a bit different. The events took place in the new Art and Journalism Building and were hosted by the new graphics sequence coordinator and SND adviser, Jennifer George-Palilonis (B.S. 1996).

According to Palilonis, around 20 alumni returned for the events of the weekend held April 12 and 13.

Palilonis worked with SND student president, Mike Hartz, and student vice president, Erin Hein, to put the weekend together.

Over the weekend, which started at noon on April 12, students had the opportunity to talk with alumni about work, feast on pizza, go bowling, have their portfolios reviewed and listen to a

speakers talk about working for various-sized newspapers. Those in attendance also toured the new building. There was a quick meeting for SND members to vote for next year’s officers.

Palilonis said the weekend focused on bringing in alumni to talk about their experiences, allowing students to get an idea of where graphics can lead.

“Journalism graphics alumni returned to share their experiences and their portfolios from professional publications, mostly newspapers, with current students,” she said. “It was an opportunity for students to pick their brains about the professional industry, socialize and talk about topics such as graphics reporting, art direction, page design, what it’s like to work for large and small newspaper, careers outside of newspapers, etc.”

◆ Daniel Courtney (B.S.) is a sales representative for CNHI Media in Carmel, Ind.

Class of 1988 ◆ Larry Costello (M.A.) currently directs public relations for Sears, Roebuck and Co. appliances and electronics business.

He also leads the company’s campaign to generate and increase sales as well as awareness for energy efficient appliances. ◆ Todd Earl (B.A.) is the Director of Business Development at G. Temple Associates. He lives in a suburb of Detroit. ◆ Dana Nussio (B.A.), a selfemployed author, recently sold her first novel to Steeple Hill Books, a division of Harlequin Enterprises. “A Blessed Life,” written under the pseudonym Dana Corbit, will be released in Oct. 2002 under the Love Inspired imprint. (see article on page 5)

Class of 1989 ◆ Tom Davies (B.A.) was recently promoted to day supervisor of the Associate Press bureau in Indianapolis. He also started a two-year term as president of the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame board of directors and is vicepresident of the Indianapolis chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Class of 1994 ◆ Pamela Fettig (B.S.) is copy editor with Endless Vacation magazine, part of RCI, in Indianapolis.

“It gave me a good perspective about what to expect in the real world,” he said.

He mentioned that talking with alumni is helpful for students.

“They have been where we are now and can tell us what to expect next,” Hartz said.

Hein, a junior journalism graphics major, also helped with planning of the weekend. She helped with mailings, developing ideas and making contacts. Hein had not previously attended an SND Weekend before and looked forward to the opportunity to see friends who have graduated.

Hein agreed that the weekend was a good chance for students to talk with professionals and get a better idea of what the work entails.

“It helped students to see what it’s really like,” she said.

Alumnus and former Ball State professor speaks about graphics

By Greg Chandler Graduate Assistant

Class of 1987

Some of the alumni who attended the weekend included Beth Cusmano (B.S. 2000), Angie Smith (B.S. 2001), Justin Gilbert (B.S. 1997), Craig Blanchard (B.A. 2001), Kevin Burkett (B.S. 1997) and Julia Zolandz (B.A. 1999).

The weekend was previously held in 1999 and 2000.

Palilonis was excited for students to have the opportunity to talk with alumni who have been successful in journalism graphics.

“The whole weekend really centers around hearing the experiences of alumni in the professional world,” she said.

Hartz, a senior journalism graphics major and current SND president, helped with the planning. He has been an SND member for four years and attended the SND Weekend held two years ago.

The ability to tell the story graphically—in a way that readers will appreciate and understand—is no longer an added bonus to a well-covered story, but a necessity in today’s visually oriented society.

Reaching out to visually minded readers with holistic images and informative graphics is what Philadelphia Inquirer graphics editor and former Ball State University professor Michael Price has been doing for nearly 20 years. Price himself is an alumnus of Ball State’s Department of Journalism (B.S. 1984).

The founder of the journalism graphics major at Ball State, where he taught for more than 10 years, Price returned on April 17 as a part of the Professional-inResidence lecture series. His lecture, titled “Producing Graphic Journalism: Information Sharing, Newsroom Resources and Thinking Out of the Box,” discussed his role as a design editor and the importance of including graphics within the traditional mix of journalism.

“We are a very time-pressured and visual society, and

Photo by Gerry Appel

Michael Price

people today don’t want to spend as much time with a newspaper,” Price said.

“Strong visual images are so remembered because they are more holistic and communicate better than sound and words both.”

“The graphic journalist shows things that cannot otherwise be shown,” he added.

Price also discussed the shift from traditional graphics editing to integrated editing, mentioning how news graphics relate to all sectors

of communication, including public relations, advertising, photojournalism and reporting.

“Visual graphics isn’t just about being a journalism graphics major,” Price said.

“Understanding how visual images play a role in reaching public audiences is a valuable tool for any kind of practitioner.”

In addition, Price noted the importance of understanding the different roles played by people in various positions throughout a newspaper.

Interns, in particular, should keep this in mind in order to enhance their newspaper experience, according to Price.

“Get to know your editors and writers,” encouraged Price. “Your experience will benefit.”

After founding the graphics sequence at Ball State, Price served as sequence head and helped establish the program as one of the top news design programs in the country.

Price is a former board member of the Society for News Design and a fellow at both the National Geographic magazine and the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. He also serves as a graphics consultant to several American

newspapers.

As a college newspaper and yearbook adviser, Price’s staff received numerous CSPA Gold Crown Awards, as well as several ACP Pacemaker and Best of Show Awards. Under his guidance, Ball State’s Daily News was honored with several Society for News Design awards, and was named as one of the 14 “World’s Best Designed Newspapers.” It was the only college newspaper to be recognized with such an achievement.

In 1997, Price was named a Ball State Outstanding Teaching professor and was honored as the Department of Journalism’s “Outstanding Young Alumnus” in 1996.

He currently serves on Ball State’s Journalism Alumni Board.

Price was also instrumental in developing a Newspaperin-Residence fellowship program in 1999, which created an ongoing partnership between Ball State and the Philadelphia Inquirer. The program has offered Ball State journalism students ongoing internship opportunities at the Inquirer, while allowing for the annual appearance of a Philadelphia Inquirer representative as a Professional-in-Residence guest lecturer.

13

SPRING 2002

A note from the Alumni Board President

By Jim Grim Alumni Board President from 2001 to 2003 When 11 members of the senior class at Indiana’s Eastern Normal School set out to capture their campus experiences in the form of a yearbook in 1919, I suspect they couldn’t have even imagined how far their initial journalistic adventure would develop over the following eight decades. While their Orient yearbook is a thing of the past, the academic endeavor they sparked is impressive beyond the wildest imagination of many students who followed over the years.

Former students may recall taking up the study of jour-

nalism in garages, old houses and a building that once had been the campus physical plant we called West Quad. We pounded out stories on manual typewriters, “pasted up” copy galleys— with hot wax, none-the-less, or rubber cement––and shot photos on “bulk film.”

Take a look at the Journalism Department today and it’s instantaneously clear these memories, too, are also a thing of the past.

The Art and Journalism Building, one of the largest academic buildings on campus, illustrates the advances in our field of study. Multimillion-dollar funded College of Communication, Information, and Media communications convergence programs further illustrate major advances in the curriculum and campus facilities.

Students aren’t strolling along the Cow Path any

Journalism Alumni Board welcomes new members and changes Ball State University Journalism Alumni Board members are elected for four-year terms. Officers have two-year terms. Their current terms expire on Dec. 31, 2002.

Appointed to the board also are Department Chairwoman Marilyn Weaver (1965, M.A. 1970, EdS 1981), journalism faculty representative, Dan Waechter (1987, M.A. 1993) and Alumni Association Liaison, Charlotte Shepperd (1968, M.A. 1975). Below is a list of the current officers: President: Jim Grim, 1980 Vice President: Sarah Shrode, 1996 Past President: Amy Ahlersmeyer, 1980 Secretary: Charlotte Shepperd, 1968, M.A. 1975 Alumni Council Representative: Amy Ahlersmeyer, 1980 Alumni Staff Assistant: Diane Williams Term expires December 2002: Susan Akers, 1990 Gary Graham, 1972 Deborah Robinson, 1989 Term expires December 2003: Jim Grim, 1980 Mark Kornmann, 1983, M.A. 1984 Pam Records, 1982 Lesley Stedman, 1991 Term expires December 2004: Amy Ahlersmeyer, 1980 Brian Hayes, 1996 Gene Policinski, 1972 Term expires December 2005: David Knott, M.A. 1971 Juli Metzger, 1985, M.S. 1988 Michael Price, 1984 Sarah Shrode, 1996 For more information on how to get involved with the Alumni Board, contact Marilyn Weaver at 765-285-8200 or Charlotte Shepperd at 765285-1080.

more.

Staying connected and supporting this growth is the role of the Journalism Alumni Association. Its board meets quarterly, usually at the Alumni Center and works with Department Chairwoman Marilyn Weaver, Professor Dan Waechter and Alumni Communications Director Charlotte Shepperd on a variety of related projects and department updates.

Projects include: Recommending to faculty annual alumni and Hall of Fame award recipients Sponsoring a Professional-in-Residence Encouraging alumni to make classroom presentations Participating in special events like the dedication of the new building Hosting regional alumni outings across the state.

Last spring we sponsored a

regional outing at the Colts complex in Indianapolis and plans for a similar event this year are in the works. When details of such plans arrive, please consider participating.

It’s the perfect opportunity to see old friends, catch up on campus happenings and establish new networks.

Besides, imagine the possibilities when decades of alumni get together. If 11 members of the senior class in 1919 capturing their experiences in the form of a yearbook initiated all of this, the sky may be the limit when it comes to Ball State journalism alumni.

Jim Grim, B.S. 1980, is president of the Ball State Journalism Alumni Board. He coordinates community relations for George Washington Community School in Indianapolis and teaches courses for the Indiana University School of Journalism, where he earned an M.A. in 1988.

Students participate in CCIM Week activities

By Stacey Shannon Phoenix Editor Freedom of speech was the theme for this year’s annual College of Communication, Information, and Media Week.

Officially called “Celebrating Freedoms: The Volume of Your Voice,” the week featured various activities for CCIM students. More than 800 participants attended events throughout the week.

According to Dr. Dominic Caristi, Associate Professor of Telecommunications and organizer of CCIM Week, the college has been hosting such an event since it was created in 1997. This year’s events were held from April 1 through April 4. Each year, the organizers strive to offer new activities and events.

“Every year we attempt to bring in different speakers and programs of interest,” Caristi said. “But, of course, the theme changes every year.”

One change from last year’s CCIM Week is that there were no student competitions held this year. According to Caristi, the theme of the week wasn’t conducive to contests that could be conducted in a few hours at the end of the week.

This year, CCIM Week included a “Student Soapbox” held daily at the Scramble Light at the intersection of McKinley and Riverside.

Caristi said that some speakers of the soapbox were scheduled

while at other times it was open for any student to speak on any topic. The soapbox was to encourage and make students aware of free speech.

“It was an opportunity for people to stand up there and say whatever they wanted to say,” Caristi said.

CCIM Week also featured a panel on Monday night about media ownership and free speech. The panel included Tom Gjelten, a national security correspondent for National Public Radio. Gjelten was also available to talk with students early Tuesday afternoon in an open house at the WBST studio and lectured in the Art and Journalism Building later on Tuesday afternoon.

On Tuesday evening, CCIM Week presented “Seventeen,” a documentary made in Muncie in the late 1970s. The documentary was part of a film series on Middletown, but was so controversial at the time that it was never shown in Muncie. Caristi felt that a week devoted to free expression was a good time to show it.

The Department of Journalism’s Pulliam Lecture on Thursday night was included in the CCIM Week events (see article on page 2).

Caristi said that the overall goal of the week was to build excitement about the college for students of all ages and to focus on and explore one topic fully.

Alumni Notes - Cont.

Class of 1994 - Cont. ◆ Michelle Linn-Gust (B.S.) was selected to carry the Olympic torch through Albuquerque, N.M., on Jan. 12. Linn-Gust recently published a book about sibling suicide and spoke at Ball Sate in the fall of 2001. She lives in Albuquerque.

Class of 1995 ◆ Tricia (Raber) Parrott (B.S.) is the senior account executive for Parallax Communications Group in Indianapolis. ◆ Andrew Stoner (M.A.) has joined the staff of Indiana Governor Frank O’Bannon as Deputy Press Secretary and as Executive Assistant for Human and Social Services.

Class of 1996 ◆ Emily Brannon (B.S.) is a graphics editor for the Washington, D.C. Bureau of the Associated Press. She also teaches a graphics class at the University of Maryland two days a week.

Class of 1997 ◆ Justin Gilbert (B.S.) is an editorial artist for Newsday in New York. He is in charge of research and creating the informational graphics and design packages for the New York City edition of the paper. ◆ Aminda Jacobs (B.A.) is a graduate student and works in the field counseling victims of domestic violence and rape.

Class of 1998 ◆ David A. LaTorre (M.A.) is the deputy press secretary at the Pennsylvania Governor’s office.

Previously, LaTorre worked for newspapers in York, Pa., and Allentown, Pa.

Class of 1999 ◆ Melissa (Frey) Granger (B.S.) is the design coordinator for High School Sports Publications in Crown Point, Ind. ◆ Bridget (Shireman) Lukick (B.S.) is currently working as a graphics designer for the Daily Journal in Franklin, Ind.

Class of 2000 ◆ Lindsay Allard (B.S.) is working for CMG Worldwide in Indianapolis as the web manager. ◆ Roya Kousari (B.A.) is working on a master of arts management degree at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pa. ◆ Darci Valentine (B.A. 1994, M.A. 2000) is editor of Angie’s List in Indianapolis, which publishes nine local magazines in nine markets.

Class of 2001 ◆ Cameran Erny (B.S.) is working as editorial assistant at Muscle Media and Energy for Women magazines in Golden, Colo. ◆ Ayesha George (B.S.) works for the March of Dimes as the WalkAmerica Representative.

She is coordinating her own WalkAmerica event in Adrian, Mich. and plans to attend graduate school at the University of Michigan part-time starting in the fall. ◆ Sarah Jaeck (B.S.) is research editor for Bacon’s Directory Publishing in Chicago.

PHOENIX

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Annual journalism awards presented

By Kimberly Jana Graduate Assistant As in years past, the Department of Journalism took an afternoon to acknowledge and distinguish those in the field of journalism. On April 4, 10 professionals were honored through the support of the Eugene S. Pulliam Family, the Journalism Alumni Association and the department. Additionally, this was the 18th year for the Journalism Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Three Ball State alumni were honored during the ceremony: Sam Smith (M.A. 1974), Terry Nelson (B.S. 1973, M.A. 1978) and Daniel Swenson (B.S. 1995).

The Journalism Alumni Board selected Smith as the 2002 Journalism Hall of Fame member. Originally from New York, Smith came to Ball State in the 1970s to pursue a career in journalism – and leave his job as an accountant for Arthur Young and Company behind.

From 1973 to 1979, Smith had various positions with the Fort Wayne (Ind.) NewsSentinel, the States News Service and as press secretary for U.S. Sen. Lowell Weicker, Jr. However, it was a move to Chicago from Washington, D.C., in 1979 that changed his professional career forever.

“You can’t follow the path that I took. It was luck and being at the right place at the right time,” Smith said.

After being a political/national reporter, business columnist and Tribune Sunday magazine feature writer, Smith was given the opportunity to pick a Chicago professional sports team as a beat.

It was 1984 and Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan was not the legend that he is today. However, Smith was able to travel with the team and learn the complete picture of what comprised an award-winning basketball team. From his experiences

with the team came the fifth best selling sports book, “The Jordan Rules.”

“I am the international expert on the NBA,” said Smith, laughing at himself.

“If someone in New Zealand wants to know what is happening, they call me.”

While Smith has had many years in the newspaper business, Daniel Swenson is a recent Ball State graduate, but with many successes behind him already.

Swenson was awarded the Young Alumnus Award by the department. During his acceptance speech, he remembered Professor Walt Baker’s suggestion to participate in the graphics sequence. It was advice he is glad to have taken.

Swenson has worked at Macmillan Publishing, the Lexington (Ken.) HeraldLeader and the Chicago Tribune in the illustration and graphics departments.

Then Swenson took a position as a graphic artist with the Times-Picayone in New Orleans. He has received numerous awards, including

“Every time I get an e-mail or phone call from a reader, I consider that an achievement, also.”

- Daniel Swenson, Young Alumnus Award Recipient five awards of excellence and two silver awards from the Society for News Design and two first place awards, four second and one third place from the Associated Press.

While he has received much recognition for his professional achievements as a graphic artist, Swenson is very modest about his work.

“I am very honored to receive this [award]. I am always working and always very tired because of it,” Swenson said. “I take my awards as achievements.

Daniel Swenson (left) accepts his Young Alumnus award from Department of Journalism chairwoman, Marilyn Weaver.

Swenson graduated with a B.S. in 1995 and currently resides and works in New Orleans.

Photo by Joe Krupa

Photo by Joe Krupa

Hall of Fame inductee, Sam Smith (right), accepts his plaque from Journalism Alumni Board President Jim Grim during the luncheon. Smith is the 30th person inducted into Ball State’s Journalism Hall of Fame. He graduated in 1974 with an M.A. in journalism.

Every time I get an e-mail or phone call from a reader, I consider that an achievement also. Stephen Ambrose [historian/D-Day museum founder] wrote a letter to our editor saying my Normandy map was the best he’d ever seen.”

Additionally, the Journalism Alumni Award was given to Terry Nelson.

She has been nationally and locally recognized for years as a friend to the high school press. When she first began her teaching career at Yorktown (Ind.) High School, Nelson was fired, temporarily, for standing up for the rights of her students.

Currently the Dow Jones National Journalism Teacher of the Year, Nelson is using the national publicity to speak about student press rights and teaching skills and techniques. “[Journalism is] a grand opportunity to make the world a better place,” she said.

Nelson has worked for the Ball State summer journalism workshops as a teacher and lecturer. Additionally, she has received awards from various organizations, including USA Today, the National Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the Indiana High School Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.

Also at the luncheon, Pam Essex of Avon High School was given the Scholastic Journalism Award. Essex has been the adviser for Avon’s publications for 22 years. In 2000, one of her

students, Marina Hennessy, wrote a story concerning hazing on the high school football team. Because of Hennessy’s excellent journalistic work and Essex’s support of it, both became nationally recognized. The Freedom Forum, Journalism Educators Association, IHSPA, National Public Radio and Cosmo Girl magazine featured the work that adviser and student produced in the school’s paper, the Echo.

The Joseph Costa Award for Courtroom Photography went to Sheila Springsteen for her work with the Home News Tribune, East Brunswick, N.J. Her photo essay, “Emmanuel: Witness to his Mother’s Murder,” showed the strength of a 10year-old boy who survived the killing of his mother – and was a witness during the trial. Springsteen spent over three years with Emmanuel and his family for the entire duration of their story, which eventually led to the conviction of the murderer, Andrew Lewis.

The Indianapolis Star and WTHR-TV were recognized for their dedication and work in the area of media convergence. Honored with the 2002 Indiana Journalism Award, the two media have shared projects, stories and legal expenses in pursuit of public records and have created public forums and town meetings. While there have been print/broadcast combinations throughout the country, the Star/WTHR relationship is unique in that they share no formal joint marketing agreement or official con-

tract.

Indiana Gov. Frank O’Bannon and the American Society of Newspaper Editors were both honored by the department with Special Citations. O’Bannon was credited during the ceremony for his political efforts to increase the access of public records for the media.

ASNE’s citation honored its continued dedication to future journalists – through financial and educational support. The organization assists financially deprived or inner-city schools where student publications frequently do not flourish or exist at all. Through the grant program that ASNE has created, student press is more active than ever.

The Tony Majeri Award for Innovation and Leadership in Graphic Journalism was awarded to Karl Gude of Newsweek magazine. Gude has worked for such publications as United Press International, New York Daily News, the National Sports Daily and the Associated Press. He has taught internationally in Thailand, Britain, Chile, Columbia, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Argentina, Norway and Spain and in the U.S. on visual communication and information graphics.

Finally, the Eugene S. Pulliam National Journalism Writing Award was given to Christine Evans (see article on page 2) and the National Public Relations Achievement Award was presented to Amanda Brown-Olmstead at an earlier date (see article on page 11).

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SPRING 2002

Three Ball State journalism alumni receive top teaching awards in 2001

By Kimberly Jana Graduate Assistant Ball State’s Department of Journalism has always prided itself on producing students capable of surviving in the professional world, including the world of teaching.

Evidently, the department has every right to brag. Three Ball State journalism alumni received top teaching awards during 2001.

Alumni Mike Frazier (B.S. 1976, M.A. 1983), Terry Nelson (B.S. 1973, M.A. 1978) and Fred Blevens (B.S. 1974, M.A. 1979) were all awarded prestigious teaching awards for their work with high school and college journalists.

Frazier, who was awarded the Sengenberger Award by the Indiana High School Press Association on Oct. 12, was surprised to win. The Sengenberger Award honors advisers with special dedication to their students and publications.

“When I look back at the names of the other people who have received this award, I am truly humbled. It is wonderful to be recognized by your peers – the people who really understand what you go through [as an adviser],” he said.

Frazier, who has worked for Hanover High School in Cedar Lake, Ind., for 23 years, was also recognized in 1999 with the prestigious Milken Family Foundation Award.

This award was a direct result of a somewhat radical move that he made with the students’ newspaper – moving totally online and discarding a print version altogether.

“We try to explore real world experiences with cutting edge technology,” he explained. “With CyberCat,

we replaced the newspaper with a timelier version.

There is a constant turnover of information – something new every day.”

The switch from a print version to the online paper was in 1999. Hanover was the first school in Indiana and one of the first in the nation to go totally online. While the main reason for the switch was economics, Frazier received much support from the school’s principal and the school system itself. All necessary technology was provided for the CyberCat staff.

“Our staff is very self supportive – there is virtually no cost to [the newspaper] staff.

Whatever funding we receive in sales goes directly back to the staff for movie tickets and pizza,” he said.

While the staff occasionally sends out reminders to the 750 junior high and high school students at Hanover, the site has had over 26,000 hits since it was put up.

“We get letters and responses from alumni about the site.

We provide an e-mail for contact with the staff, but we are hoping to change it for more interaction – adding flash animation, sound and video,” Frazier explained.

The high standards that Frazier places on his 10 student staff members result partly from his experiences at Ball State.

“The skills I accumulated at Ball State helped at Hanover.

I was well prepared on content and methods. I was prepared for what I could expect and never felt lost,” Frazier said. “The most important thing to me about my education from Ball State was that they set high standards – we had to produce.”

Nelson, who was awarded the Dow Jones National Journalism Teacher of the Year Award for 2001 in November, echoes his thoughts. She is currently the adviser at Muncie (Ind.) Central High School.

“Ball State is a great place to be as a student. If you work really, really hard you can accomplish a lot without getting lost in the numbers,” Nelson said. “The professors in the journalism department were excellent. The debates and lectures we would have in classes helped to strengthen me personally.”

Nelson, who has been nationally and locally recognized many times for her defense of student press rights, received much of her understanding of this issue from department founder and retired professor, Dr. Louis Ingelhart. Ingelhart is known worldwide for his belief in the rights of student journalists. Nelson hopes the recent national attention through the Dow Jones Award will give her the opportunity to convey her personal beliefs across the country.

“This gives me a platform to talk about student press rights and teaching skills. There is a lot of opportunity for discussion and to share the word about students and what they are producing. Part of the message is to teach well. Bad journalism is out there, and that is why it is so necessary to hire accredited advisers and teachers,” she said.

Nelson has not always traveled the easy path to speak up for her students. When she was 25 and working at Yorktown (Ind.) High School, she was fired by the administration for speaking up and supporting the high school

paper. This mirrored an experience that her own high school adviser had, when she was a student at Merrillville (Ind.) High School. Nelson still remembers her adviser cleaning off her desk and crying as she left the building after being fired.

“When I think about individuals confronted with losing their job [for student press rights] it makes me feel very lucky. I found out early why I was doing this. It also gives a sense of realness to the students when you are willing to lose your job for them,” Nelson said.

Nelson’s staff has been recognized nationally for the quality and depth of their reporting and writing. And while awards are not the absolute goal of her staff, Nelson is

“When you have a sense of humor and you love your job, the hours just don’t count.”

- Terry Nelson proud that others, who do not know her or her students, can look at their work and say that it is some of the best produced in the country.

“I have a real belief in what I do. Enthusiasm is contagious – I am not super obsessive, but [my staffers] write, rewrite, photograph and rephotograph. I try to teach them what a grand opportunity this is to make the world a better place,” she said. “[My students] will all become good citizens. When you have a sense of humor, and you love your job, the hours just don’t count.”

Blevens, who is an associate professor in the Department

of Mass Communication at Southwest Texas State University, was awarded the Freedom Forum Journalism Teacher of the Year Award for 2001.

The Freedom Forum provides three $10,000 awards a year to honor journalism professors for classroom teaching excellence at bachelor’s degree-granting colleges and universities.

The award, as described by the Freedom Forum, recognizes classroom teaching and leadership in the core areas of print and broadcast journalism instruction: reporting, editing, journalism history, media law or ethics. The awards are designed to recognize, reinforce and reward outstanding journalism teachers who have demonstrated journalism teaching excellence on their own campuses and beyond.

Blevens has worked for various publications, including the Missouri Magazine, the Houston Chronicle, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the San Antonio Light. While Blevens did not start teaching full-time until 1995, he has been awarded nationally for his work with students. In 2000, he was a fellow for the Institute for Journalism Excellence at the American Society of Newspaper Editors.

However, like Frazier and Nelson, Blevens credits his success with pushing his students to do their very best, as he said in a press release from the Freedom Forum.

“I try to encourage students to think deeply and move their work in new directions,” he said. “Getting some of the story is not acceptable; getting more of the story is the daily responsibility; getting all is the personal goal.”

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Send to Ball State University Department of Journalism, Phoenix Muncie, IN 47306-0485 Phone: (765) 285-8200 Fax: (765) 285-7997 E-Mail: bsujourn@bsu.edu

PHOENIX

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SPRING 2002

Aof day in the life Ball State’s Daily News B Y J E N N Y L E S S E L B A U M • G R A D U AT E A S S I S TA N T ABOVE: Junior Sam Gibbs works on an article while senior Roxanne Allen edits photographs on the computer in the background.

RIGHT: Students meet in Adviser TJ Hemlinger’s office to discuss story ideas.

Clockwise from left, Hemlinger, junior John Ursch, sophomores Gail Koch and Courtney Renard, secretary for the Society of Professional Journalists.

With their backs to the camera are juniors Lori Herber and Chris Schilling.

ABOVE: Hemlinger addresses the staff during the weekly Monday meeting. Sophomore Meghan Farr sits below.

ABOVE: Junior Joe McFarren follows a lead for a story.

LEFT: Sophomore Lauren Phillips and junior Chet Baumgartner discuss an upcoming article.

Sophomore Kelli Cardinal (left), DN picture editor, talks with staff photographer and graduate assistant Joe Krupa.

Department of Journalism Ball State University Muncie, IN 47306

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