Pulse 2013

Summer 2013

A Publication of the JayMac Alumni Group

Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication

COVER STORY: Master of Disasters Disaster Hits Close to Home

ALSO INSIDE: Journalism Program Celebrates Centennial Future of Privacy in a Socially Networked World

The centennial of journalism education at OU comes at a fascinating time. It sits between a century when the rules of the game and pathways to success were clear for graduates and one where the rules are being radically rewritten and the way forward is unclear.

Rather than being fearful about this disruptive reordering of the field, our students are charged with a sense of great optimism. They see change as an opportunity to write some of the rules themselves and be on the ground floor of a new and different era of journalism and mass communication.

Our students realize that it will take a different kind of graduate to be successful during our second 100 years. A premium will be placed on an entrepreneurial spirit as well as an unprecedented level of breadth. Students who can work in only one medium, don’t have a broad-based toolbox of skills, and can’t collaborate will be severely limited. Students will also have to see journalism as interactive and participatory rather than delivered exclusively from on high. Successful graduates will need to embrace change and understand how it can benefit them.

The inspiring attitude of our students was brought home to me this spring as I prepared to teach our British Media Studies class in the U.K. and France. I asked students to submit a routine bio so that I could get to know them better. Journalism major Katy Wingfield caught my attention: My philosophy is everyone has a voice and an influence, often much larger than we assume. I know in this career I’ll have a chance to speak to many people, so I want those words to be full of truth and to be full of hope. I want more than anything else to empower people to speak up as well.

Photo by Shevaun Williams Cover photo by Cameron Masingale.

Professor Scott Hodgson (rear left) and his team of students, led by graduate student Joshua Shockley, documented the damage from the May 20 tornado in Moore, Okla. Undergraduates (back row) Sara Groover, Daryl King, (front row) Zach Strauss, Nick Dyer, Janelle Barrick and Lauren Hines rose to the occasion.

Photographer Cameron Masingale also worked with the team.

The University of Oklahoma in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services. For questions regarding discrimination, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, or sexual harassment, please contact the Office(s) of Institutional Equity as may be applicable – Norman campus at (405) 325-3546/3549, the Health Sciences Center at (405) 2712110 or the OU-Tulsa Title IX Office at (918) 660-3107.

Please see www.ou.edu/eoo.

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I like to use the term “journalove,” which means putting my whole heart into my stories, my fellow journalists, and my readers. It means loving what I do, who I’m doing it with and who I’m doing it for. It means taking responsibility for my craft every day and never taking for granted the fact I’ve been given the opportunity to make an impact. I see my work as a journalist as ultimately a service to the public, and I never want to stop learning how to do that better and better.

Knowing students like Katy makes my job as dean a highly rewarding one and it sensitizes me to the commitment this generation has to keeping journalism strong, vibrant and relevant. We have scores of Katys in Gaylord College who can’t wait to meet their future. Yet, they realize that the near-term future will be very challenging and that finding new, viable economic models will be critical to their success.

I hope you were able to join us in Norman recently for our Centennial celebration or can make plans to join us on Oct. 26 for Homecoming. You can meet Katy and the many like her who passionately believe in the future of journalism and the worthy role that their generation will play in it.

Joe Foote, Dean

Keep us updated! Let us know where you are and what you have been doing since you left OU. Send your updates to Kristen Lazalier Director of Development klazalier@ou.edu or Alumni Update, Gaylord College, 395 W. Lindsey St., Room 3000 Norman, OK 73019-4201

Summer 2013

COVER STORIES

Master of Disasters Disaster Hits Close to Home

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CENTENNIAL

Alumni Trio Compile Centennial History 10 Journalism History Book 13 Centennial Circle 14 Centennial Celebration 16 100 Stories of Excellence 17 Keeping it in the Family 18 Hidden Gem 25 Gaylord Prize Back Cover

COLLEGE NEWS

Shaped by Technology Get Smart About Privacy New Business Journalism Emphasis Launched Touchy Subjects Making the Connection Lab Experiment Journey to the Big Apple Charles Self Retires

21 26 29 30 34 40 48 59

MANAGING EDITOR

EDITOR/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Dwight Normile Adjunct professor of journalism

Celia Perkins Director of Communications

PHOTOGRAPHERS

A Dual Leader – Zack Hedrick 32 A Heart for Teaching News – John Schmeltzer 36 Roundabout Road to Success – Amy Slanchik 38 Fatherly Professor – Robert Pritchard 42 Advertising Inspiration – David Tarpenning 43 Small-Town Big Shot – Adam Saffer 44 Bringing a Smile From Venezuela to OU – Anna Restuccia 46 The Fighter – Christina DeVincenzo 50 Gaylord College Beauty – Alicia Clifton 53 Digital Dreamer – Colin Parajon 54 Diversity and Dedication – Chelcie Hunt 57 Stage Flight – Courtney Corbeille 60

ALUMNI AND FRIENDS NEWS Development News Event Calendar 2013 Regents’ Alumni Award – Jim Dolan Alumni Association Thank You JayMac Members 2012 JayMac Distinguished Alumni Board of Visitors Alumni Census Map Class Notes Celebrating Lives

14 17 28 62 63 64 66 67 68 71

JAYMAC BOARD MEMBERS James Tyree President Daryle Voss Vice President/President Elect Members at Large David Joplin Bill Moore Linda Lake Young

Celia Perkins Robert H. Taylor Shevaun Williams

STUDENT WRITERS Madeline Alford Haley Arias Ryan Blackburn Kate Brandon Marley Dablo Jacque Entwistle

PROFILES

Alexander Ewald Mikala Ewald Miranda Fogel Dusti Gasparovic Rachel Goodwin Alex Niblett

Zachary Snowdon Smith Rachel Terry Kirsten Viohl Valerie Wade Marki-MaCaulie White

395 W. Lindsey St., Room 3000 Norman, OK 73019-4201 www.ou.edu/gaylord

2011 Platinum Winner

Changes of address may be made in the alumni directory at www.ou.edu/alumni or by calling the Alumni Records department at (405) 325-1700.

Pulse is the annual magazine published by the JayMac alumni association of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma.

Students in the spring 2013 classes of JMC 3011 Magazine Practicum provided the majority of the stories. OU Printing Services printed 10,000 copies of this issue at no cost to taxpayers of the state of Oklahoma. The Gaylord College distributes Pulse to alumni and friends of the journalism and mass communication program.

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CoverStory

Master of Disasters

Professor Scott Hodgson uses his expertise to capture the perfect storm

By Rachel Goodwin

S

cott Hodgson has been in disaster mode for most of his professional life. For the past 25 years, Hodgson, the head of the broadcasting and electronic media major, has been making award-winning videos about various types of natural disasters. He started with earthquakes at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

in 1988 when he began making a series of earthquake prevention videos for the State of Illinois, even simulating an earthquake in his own kitchen.

“They called asking if I would be willing to shoot a documentary for them with more showing of behind the scenes of what it took to cover those kinds of events,” Hodgson said.

“And so we did.”

Much like his other award-winning films, Hodgson wanted to make the documentary informative but also nostalgic and incomparable. His unique approach for shooting had proved quite successful in the past and blew the basic agenda out of the water. Rather than hire a professional crew, Hodgson decided to turn this experience into a teachable moment and instead built his crew from his best students.

“I had a chance of doing professional things, kind of consulting outside of the university, and I made a decision and said no,” Hodgson said. “When I do projects I’m going to have student crews and just tie in teaching to my creative activity to provide them opportunities.”

Hodgson chose Zach Strauss and Josh Shockley, even though neither had any in-depth training in the field. Still, Hodgson knew they would be great.

“When [Josh] was an undergraduate I realized that he had some great potential,” Hodgson said. “He hadn’t had a chance to fully develop, but he was one of those kind of guys that was slowly coming and would be great.”

Strauss, on the other hand, had even less experience, but Hodgson knew he would also be an excellent asset to the crew.

“He had just had Intro to Video Production and he was a young guy,” Hodgson said. “I knew he had a passion for audio so I called him up. He’d never done field audio before in his life, but he got to the point to where he’s turned out to be the best field audio guy I’ve ever had as a student. He put his heart into it.”

Now that his crew was intact, Hodgson met with University of Alabama professor Chandra Clark and began working. The partnership between Hodgson and Clark for this documentary clicked well.

“She is a phenomenal producer,” Hodgson said. “My strengths are on directing and editing and post production, so

you put the two of us together and it’s a wonderful team. She can organize anything, and once I get there, I can take over.”

Even after all of the field production was finished and all of the wreckage and interviews were filmed, Hodgson and Clark had to stay in contact to complete the project.

“Clark and I lived on Skype,” Hodgson said.

Not long after the Tuscaloosa and Joplin piece was completed, a different kind of disaster struck the East Coast.

Hurricane Sandy was just as destructive, if not more, as the tornadoes in the Midwest.

With Hodgson’s expertise in covering these kinds of disasters and his ability to do so memorably, Heather Burkes, executive director of the Broadcast Education Association and National Association of Broadcasters, knew exactly whom to contact.

“I was about to start editing that [Tuscaloosa/Joplin documentary] into a long form piece and I was sitting here going, ‘You know, this thing is kind of outdated and is anyone going to care about tornadoes in 2011?’” Hodgson said. “And an hour later I got an email from the NAB saying, ‘How would you like to shoot Sandy?’ because it had happened a day earlier. I’m like, ‘Yea, that would update it!’” >>Continued on page 9

Scott Hodgson gives direction to his crew out in the field.

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Professor Scott Hodgson (left) and Nick Dyer, broadcasting and electronic media senior, document damage of the May 20 tornado for a FEMA documentary.

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CoverStory

Disaster Hits Close to Home Students, professors and alumni cover Moore tornadoes

By Kathleen Johnson, McMahon Centennial Professor

W

hen the sky went black with the May 20 Moore tornado, Gaylord College College students, professors and alumni immediately converged on the area of destruction in OU’s backyard in order to cover the overwhelming story and help get information out to an anxious public.

Covering Disaster Close to Home OU graduate Dan Shepherd (Journalism,1986) has covered numerous disasters around the world as a longtime network TV producer, but coming back to Oklahoma this time really hit home.

He was in Florida covering another story for NBC News when he saw video of the tornado’s fury being fed into the bureau from NBC affiliate, KFOR. “Every shot that they zoomed into revealed total, massive destruction,” Shepherd explained. “Once we saw that, we knew we were watching a major story unfold.”

NBC knew that Shepherd was from Oklahoma, so he got the call soon after the storm hit to go to his home state to cover the disaster. It was a call he was expecting but one that he knew would be difficult to answer.

“The hardest part was seeing a town that you’re so familiar with while going to school at OU, and comparing what it used to look like with the devastation that’s staring at you in the face,” he said.

“All the streets that I was familiar with, the neighborhoods where I’d driven through many years ago, and the high school football stadium that I had been to decades past [were devastated],” Shepherd recalled. “It’s never easy to see total devastation like that, but it’s especially hard when it’s in an area that you call home.”

Shepherd spent a week covering the unfolding story, but one interview continues to touch him the most, “hands down,” he said. That is the story of high school student Alyson Costilla.

Heeding warnings about the approaching storm, the 18-year-old had gone home early from school. Her mother, Terri Long, was racing home from work to be with her when the tornado tore through Moore. Long took cover inside a 7-Eleven store, which was in the direct path of the tornado. It was there that Long, along with several others, perished.

“We met Alyson a few days later as she prepared for her senior graduation at Southmoore High School,” Shepherd said. “In one week, Alyson lost her mom and her house, as she was preparing for the pinnacle of her high school career. She was the strongest and most composed young woman I’ve met in a long time.”

Shepherd has since been called to produce other stories when more tornadoes raced across Oklahoma on May 31. But amid the tragic stories, Shepherd recognizes a bright spot in his job: He gets to share with the world Oklahoma’s legendary kindness.

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NBC News producer Dan Shepherd produces a story on a Southmoore High School student who lost her mother in the tornado days before graduation.

“This storm will stay with me because it was home, but I was also amazed at how quickly people came out to help,” Shepherd said. “Total strangers cleaning out debris, organizing debrisclearing crews, and bringing in supplies were common place.”

Shepherd went on to explain, “I also think that this is especially typical of Oklahoma and its residents’ way of thinking.

There’s a job to do, go out and do it, don’t complain, and be thankful you’re in a position to help. Oklahoma generosity never ceases to amaze me.”

Students Rush to the Scene Leslie Metzger, a 2011 journalism alumna and current graduate student, was one of the first student journalists to rush to the scene after The New York Times contacted Gaylord College the evening of the storm asking for help in covering the storm.

Metzger went to Journey Church, one of the Norman relief centers that had been set up just moments after the tornado touched down. What she saw, she recalled, when she entered the large building on the edge of Moore was overwhelming.

“When I walked into the door, I saw nothing but looks of shock and people in a daze,” Metzger said.

All around her survivors flooded in while dozens of volunteers waited to carefully tend to them. Metzger looked for a person to interview and met a mother and her 4-year-old daughter sitting alone at a table eating oranges. The little girl was scribbling a red crayon furiously across a piece of paper. Metzger said the marks

OU professor and ABC News correspondent Mike Boettcher stands in the path of the May 20 Moore tornado near the Briarwood Elementary School. In the thick of the moment, Jon Haverfield didn’t have time to juggle both a video camera and a DSLR; this photo is a screen shot taken from Haverfield’s video footage.

looked like a child’s version of a tornado. The two had witnessed the twister’s wrath up close.

“It was heart-breaking to see the little girl draw red blobs of devastation,” she said. “And you wondered how this would affect her in the future. At the same time, your heart broke for the mom because there was only so much she could do to protect her, and she didn’t know where her husband was or if they had a home to go back to.”

Metzger was one of many Gaylord College students who immediately sprang into action the moment the tornado swept through Moore. Jessica Bruno and Kenzie Meek-Beck, Gaylord College seniors, volunteered to help any news organization that needed extra hands.

“My first instinct as I was watching the news was I want to be out there covering this,” Bruno explained. “It was becoming one of the biggest stories of the year, and I couldn’t stand the idea of being a student-journalist 20 minutes away not doing anything.”

WEB CONTENT Watch Jess Bruno and Kenzie MeekBeck’s report for OU Nightly on the newscasts website, www.ounightly.com.

Bruno and Meek-Beck were able to gather video and information for several news organizations, including Gaylord College’s student newscast, OU Nightly.

“I learned that as a journalist you can never be fully prepared for something like this, but you have to just jump in there and do your job,” Bruno said.

Meek-Beck added, “Even though it was scary and something different from what I was used to, my education had given me the resources and understanding of what I had to do in an intense time.”

The Tornado Was Coming Right At Us

Jess Bruno takes photos of the devastation for various news organizations. The Moore Medical Center is in the background. Photo by Kenzie Meek-Beck.

Gaylord College professor Mike Boettcher already had been following the tornadoes that ravaged Oklahoma the day before as a correspondent for ABC News when he learned that Moore could be in the crosshairs of yet another killer storm. He contacted journalism senior Jon Haverfield, a storm chaser for several local and network news organizations, and asked him to help report on the storm.

>>Continued on page 9 7

(Counter clockwise from top left) Scott Hodgson sets up the camera for shot on the New Jersey shoreline following Hurricane Sandy. The student crew set up the jib camera on a flatbed truck in Moore, Okla.; Zach Strauss (left) and Josh Shockley guide the jib camera; graduate student Josh Shockely edits footage in the client presentation suite; Hodgson interviewed NBC News’ Brian Williams following Hurricane Sandy; Hodgson gets down in the rubble after the tornado to get the shot.

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Master of Disasters Continued from page 4

Again, Hodgson called upon Strauss and Shockley along with Clark from Alabama, for their help to create another documentary about a unique disaster.

The crew had less than two weeks to prepare for the East Coast trip and only six days to shoot 33 interviews. After flying to Washington, D.C., renting one Suburban and stuffing it with suitcases and gear, they were ready to go.

“Those were 16-hour days,” Hodgson said. “I mean, literally, we would shoot for 16 hours, get back to the hotel, get six hours of sleep, eat, get up and then we were back on for the next day.”

Hodgson did the driving while Clark was on the phone setting up everything from hotel stays to interviews. Strauss and Shockley were “along for the ride” during those times, but when they arrived at their destinations, it was time to work.

“We were hopping from station to station talking to station managers, weathercasters and news anchors,” Shockley said.

“We would set up as quick as we could, film the interview, tear everything down and do it all over again later.”

After their long days in the field they would sort out all of the media at the hotel and even do some post production.

Organization and quickness were key during the entire trip.

Hodgson was in the middle of expanding the Sandy project into a full-length documentary when the NAB called again. This time the disaster was very close to home – the May 20th tornado in Moore, Okla. Hodgson and his crew knew exactly what to do. Within a day of the storm, they were in Moore shooting the damage and interviewing weather and news personnel at local radio and television stations. Because the OU crew was on the scene so quicly, they were able to capture in real time the postdisaster value of broadcasters.

“You don’t understand the effort they put into it,” Hodgson said. “They go wall to wall and they’re spending millions of dollars to do this because of community service.”

Most importantly, the stations explained that it means much more than just giving a weather report to each city.

WEB CONTENT You can view the three short documentaries on Professor Scott Hodgson’s personal vimeo profile at http://vimeo.com/ user17430968.

“Everybody we talked to said, ‘It’s our community and we have a responsibility for our audience and we connect with our audience,’” Hodgson said.

No matter the danger of the situation, they keep reporting and informing their community, even when their own homes are being destroyed during the process.

“They’re trying to balance all that,” Hodgson said. “Hats off to the spouses and the kids of these folks, because you know it’s tough sometimes when a disaster comes. They leave and they’re not there because they have other responsibilities.”

Nonetheless, Hodgson, Strauss and Shockley have a much greater appreciation for local broadcasting and their impact.

“These documentaries are meant to say, ‘Listen, because local broadcasting exists, they save lives,’” Shockley said.

Even Hodgson, who dusted off his master tapes and went into education to make memorable and beautiful pieces, realized how happy he was that he made that decision.

“You feel very proud to be a member of this profession,” said Hodgson, who recently pitched the pieces to the National Geographic and Smithsonion Channel. “It’s a lot of work, and just to see the amount of effort to put on one of these things, it’s a technological phenomenon.”

Rachel Goodwin is a junior broadcast journalism major from Eufaula, Okla., who plans to explore the world after graduation.

Through her love for writing and design, she would like to produce her own travel show someday.

Tornado

Continued from page 7

“Jon knew the storm would ignite in Newcastle and that’s where we were when it all started,” said Boettcher.

The two chased the tornado right to Moore and to the door of the Briarwood Elementary School, which took a direct hit.

“The tornado was coming right at us,” said Haverfield. “The debris was very large; it was the biggest tornado I’ve seen, and the roar was loud and similar to a waterfall sound.”

Fearing for their lives, the two moved to safer ground temporarily and then came back to the school—not to report at that moment but to help with the rescue.

“Near Briarwood there was panic in the air. Parents were arriving and were searching for their kids,” described Haverfield.

“The cries I heard from the mothers is something that I never want to hear again.”

It was at the school when Boettcher realized this storm was like no other he had covered.

“As I was walking in towards Briarwood, I was following a grandmother who was in tears,” Boettcher recollected. “She was asking people that passed her if they knew what happened at the school. She pleaded, ‘Has anyone seen my granddaughter?’

“We probably walked a half a mile with her through the destruction,” he added. “She was devastated. She finally made it to the elementary school and saw that all the children there had

survived. Seeing the relief on her face was the only good thing for me up until that point.”

Boettcher is no stranger to scenes like this one. He has covered tragedies such as the 1999 Moore tornado as a network correspondent, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, and recently won two national Emmy Awards for his coverage of the war in Afghanistan.

“It was worse than anything that I’ve ever seen in a war zone,” said Boettcher. “This tornado did something that I hadn’t seen before. Every house was a pile of debris. It didn’t take a house and throw it to the four winds. It took the house and crushed it.

Every house was a pile of sticks.”

Boettcher added, “Even in the 1999 Moore tornado, I don’t remember the damage being quite like that. It was remarkable.”

Boettcher now plans on using this experience as he teaches the next generation of journalism students how to cover breaking news.

“In this era of immediate news coverage, you don’t have time to sit down and reflect,” he said. “You have to describe the scene as you are moving through it live. I want to try to give the students the tools they need to do that.”

Kathy Johnson is the McMahon Centennial Professor and teaches entrepreneurial journalism and broadcast journalism courses.

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Centennial

Alumni Trio Compile Centennial History Book

Bob Burke, Bill Moore and Andy Rieger talk about weaving together 100 years of history into keepsake book Bob Burke, 1970

By Marki-maCaulie White How were you approached to write the centennial book?

In anticipation of the centennial of OU Journalism, Dean Joe Foote asked me to develop an idea for a professionally produced coffee table-sized book that told, in an interesting and colorful way, the first century of the program. Dean Foote and I were in school together in the late 1960s, and he has been a close friend for more than 40 years.

What was it like to work with your co-authors?

I gladly agreed to write the book along with co-authors Bill Moore and Andy Rieger. Bill and I have worked together for years on book and television projects. Andy is a longtime friend and was a hard-working co-author.

It took all three of us to launch a massive research project.

Andy interviewed many alumni and tracked down leads on interesting stories. Bill also looked through old newspapers and yearbooks to develop stories and select hundreds of potential photographs for the book. I took the mountain of research and wrote a first draft that was supplemented by Bill and Andy.

Burke (’70), author of more than 100 historical, non-fiction books, led the team in putting together the keepsake journalism history

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Did it bring back any memories for you?

Writing the book brought back so many memories. When stories about certain professors or former students surfaced, I often smiled. Remembering one’s college days has the effect of turning back the clock to once again live on the edge in balancing classwork with a full-time radio disc jockey and news job.

Can you tell me a little bit about the book?

The book is filled with hundreds of incredible photographs of the J-school’s first 100 years. We chose many group shots so that as many former students as possible could be highlighted in the history. In addition to a chronological history of the J-school, the book contains biographical sketches of all directors and deans and outstanding alumni. A complete list of past and present Rieger (’80), executive editor of the Norman Transcript, gathered personal stories from dozens of alumni. faculty is included along with lists of editors of The Daily. and became the free standing college of journalism. It traces the different sequences that are taught there: professional writing, What does the University of Oklahoma mean to you? pubic relations, advertising, journalism and all the sequences My OU J-school education has served me well, both in my that are taught there. It traces the history of those, how … they career in journalism and my 32 years as a lawyer. Researching developed and the key players and key faculty members in each and co-authoring the Gaylord College history has strengthened of those areas. And then there is a section on … people who have my appreciation for my OU degree. I am optimistic about the been directors at this school. It made me feel fairly old since I next generation of J-school graduates because of the incredible knew most of them! faculty and leadership of the college.

What is one thing you may have learned while working on the book?

Even though the history talks about all the buildings in which the journalism program has been housed, and major events, it is clear that our history is not about buildings, places or events. The story of OU journalism is about the people – students, faculty and staff – who have dedicated their lives for a real purpose for a century.

Andy Rieger, 1980

By Jacque Entwistle How did you feel about being asked to write the centennial book?

I’ve been a student [at OU] and a faculty there and alumnus, so I think it was a very nice honor to be asked to do the project.

It was not as big a commitment as I thought it would be.

How did you feel about writing the book?

It was sort of a heady charge. I was excited about doing it.

This is something to be really proud of.

What was your role in the book?

We sort of divided up the duties. My job was to kind of personalize it with individual stories of the various alumni.

What kinds of things are in the book?

It obviously starts at the beginning and traces the first courses that were offered, the first faculty members and then the progression to an actual school in journalism. It traces the location of the schools. It traces those buildings and then to the 1950s when they had their own home in Copeland Hall, and then obviously in the 2000s when they moved to Gaylord Hall

How is everything organized?

Well, it starts at the beginning and it talks about how [professors] came to teach journalism here. It has a section on faculty, it has a section on notable alumni who have achieved some degree of success, and it has a section on the buildings, different places where we were over the years. It talks about student organizations and student activities. It has a whole listing of anybody who has ever worked for the journalism school. And then something that I’ve really appreciated is that they’ve listed every Oklahoma Daily editor and every Sooner Yearbook editor throughout the years.

How do you think the book will be received?

I think the alumni will enjoy receiving it. I think it’s a coffeetable kind of book that you could put in a home or an office and look through and share with classmates. It’s not going to be a New York Times bestseller, but to the thousands of alumni that have come through journalism at OU, I believe it will be well received.

Was it nostalgic going from the beginning?

Well, your college years are some of the best times of your life; you just don’t know it at the time. When you get out in the work world and you have children and mortgages and car payments, you look back on those times in college as a very carefree period of your life. So it was a trip down memory lane for me in many respects. In journalism, you spend a lot of time with other journalism students. Oftentimes you lose track of them after you leave school because people go all over the country, all over the world, to work. So it was kind of nice to look back and see pictures of people you worked on The Daily with or you were in class with. So that’s what I enjoyed about it. It was a little sad to look through the faculty members who had passed away. You realize they would be a big part of this 11

celebration had they still been living. You feel a little bit sad from that but you know that they were certainly a big part of it.

What was the biggest challenge you faced writing the book?

It was probably singling out individual alumni who are mentioned in the book, because there were so many people who had gone on to accomplish great things in their profession. We always run the risk of overlooking people. That’s always our biggest fear that we overlook someone who had significant accomplishments in journalism or other fields. Our biggest challenge was making sure we didn’t leave people out.

Bill Moore, 1979

By Alex Niblett

Moore (’79), documentary filmmaker and Oklahoma historian, researched and gathered the more than 350 photos included in the book.

What exactly was your role in the collaborative efforts with Bob Burke and Andy Rieger in creating the centennial book?

When I heard that Bob and Andy were writing the book, I offered whatever help I could give in the research area. I’ve known Bob for many years and have worked on several projects with him. Andy was The Daily editor when I was an undergrad, so we could all get to work quickly. They were well into the book research by this time, but knew they would need photo assistance. So that became my main research assignment. We had several sessions at the college library where we sorted through materials for the text as well as photos.

Could you elaborate on how you chose photos for the book?

In looking for the photos, we first made a list of possible locations where we might find some archived. This included places like Oklahoma Historical Society, Western History, Oklahoma Associate of Broadcasters and various campus locations. We began going to these locations, sometimes alone and sometimes in pairs, searching and making copies. Back at the Library, Cat (Troy) had already gathered what she held in the collection and continued searching. Celia (Perkins) and Kristen (Lazalier) also brought their great knowledge of what existed in the college and where on campus we might find more photos.

After all of our gathering efforts, I put all digital files together with captions. Then I identified the photo prints that hadn’t been scanned, and numbered each one. After we put everything together, we could see a great need for photos in some areas where nothing existed. I had anticipated that and asked Bob to join me as we looked through old yearbooks. This was something I have relied on for historic photos for years when nothing existed elsewhere. It filled our gaps and Celia then went about the task of book design.

How did you feel when going through and looking up the various photos?

It is quite a sentimental journey to go through the old yearbooks. It is also very interesting to see the differences and similarities to college life through the years. Bob was fresh from his writing of the early history of journalism at OU, and he really enjoyed putting faces with the names of those early professors and administrators. I enjoyed seeing the different activities and 12clubs, like the early photo of OU’s first radio studio.

You also mentioned that you, Andy and Bob saw a great need for some photos where nothing existed. In which areas?

There were some decades where there weren’t many photos on file. Some of these decades that fall into a sort of historical limbo, like the 1980s—not quite old enough to be ancient revered history, but also not young enough to have materials close at hand.

How did the decision process work when deciding on the best pictures for the book?

We wanted people photos to show our journalism students through the years, but we also wanted action shots as well as photos full of interesting items for the reader to absorb. In other words, we wanted the photos to help convey the story and the feel of those 100 years of life in journalism at OU. And, of course, the last stage of photo selection came as Celia had to cull out photos to make everything fit during the book design process.

Are you pleased with how the centennial book was formed and created? What do you love about it?

I am so proud to be a part of the centennial book process as well as the celebration of Gaylord College’s first 100 years.

I couldn’t be more pleased with the book. It has been great to work with Bob and Andy. They both represent the college so well in their professional approach and quality effort.

And speaking of effort, Kristen, Celia and Cat made the process so easy. They went out of their way to make this book a success. We couldn’t have done it without them. Dean Foote is so supportive. The college is so fortunate to have him at the helm during this amazing time of growth.

It is an honor to see how this great college of ours has developed over the past century and to see the quality of people who have been a part of it. I think everyone who reads this book can’t help but be impressed and amazed at the history of this institution. I further believe that any journalism graduate from OU will be so proud to be a part of this great story.

I’m excited because of what I see going on right now at Gaylord College. The best years are still ahead, and the promise today’s students hold for that future is bright. So as we look back and celebrate those previous 100 years, just smile at those great accomplishments and know that the best is yet to come!

University of Oklahoma Journalism: A Centennial History Written by OU journalism alumni Bob Burke (1970), Bill Moore (1979) and Andy Rieger (1980), the 346-page narrative history of 100 years of excellence in journalism education at the University of Oklahoma includes: • special contributions from tax an ism: al rn ou J d ship a alumni through the decades Oklahom of ty si includ ping er iv Un University of ry to is ed H l Oklahoma Journalism: A Centennia • profiles of the JayMac A Centennial History Distinguished Alumni recipients • nearly 400 photos taken from the pages of The OU Daily, Sooner Yearbook and from the archives of the OU Western Heritage Collections, Gaylord Family, Gaylord College, Oklahoma Heritage Association and the Oklahoma Historical Society An ibook format is also now available in the iTunes store and can be accessed here.

$32

Andy Rieger

and , Bill Moorea, President David L. Boren

By Bob Burke Oklahom Joe Foote University of ion College Dean Foreword by s Communicat ace by Gaylord rnalism and Mas Pref Jou By of Bob ege Burke, Coll Bill Moore, and Andy Rieger Gaylord Oklahomaby ty of Foreword University of Oklahoma President The Universi David L. Boren Preface by Gaylord College Dean Joe Foote The University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication

Name_______________________________________________________________________________________ Shipping Address______________________________________________________________________________ City_______________________________________________________ State__________ZIP________________ Phone____________________________ Email______________________________________________________ Please send me ______ copies of the hard-bound keepsake “University of Oklahoma Journalism: A Centennial History” for $32 each, tax and shipping included. m Check enclosed for $ _____________ .

Credit cards may only be accepted online on our secure server web storefront at http://tiny.cc/Gaylord_Store.

Billing Address (if different from shipping address) Name_______________________________________________________________________________________ Shipping Address______________________________________________________________________________ City_______________________________________________________ State__________ZIP________________ Make checks payable to UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA. Send Attn.: Centennial Book Order, Gaylord College, 395 W. Lindsey, Suite 3000, Norman, OK 73019-4201.

A $5 shipping fee per book is included.

Fax orders may be sent to (405) 325-7565.

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DevelopmentNews

Dear Alumni and Friends, In November of this year I will begin my 10th year at the University of Oklahoma as a member of the Development team. In that time, I have experienced and been witness to some very unexpected and inspirational acts of philanthropy. That kind and generous spirit, which we’ve come to know as the “Oklahoma Standard,” was on full display yet again when tragedy struck the Sooner State earlier this spring. Many members of the OU family were devastated and displaced due to the tornadoes that roared through central Oklahoma in May. President David Boren offered temporary housing in OU’s residence halls and also launched the Help OUr Neighbor Fund to assist those individuals in rebuilding their lives. As in years past, when the call goes out – whether with the Reforestation Campaign, the Campaign for Scholarships and now the Help OUr Neighbor Fund – you’ve answered that call. In keeping with the Oklahoma Standard, nearly $250,000 has been contributed by alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students. Once more, I find myself inspired and humbled by your generosity.

We rode this wave of gratitude all year to our Centennial celebratory event in early September.

We hope that many of you were able to join us in commemorating 100 years of journalism education excellence. The festivities provided something for everyone. If you were not able to return to campus for the Centennial celebration, please contact me if your travels will bring you to Norman for Homecoming or another time in the near future. We would be pleased to thank you in person for your continued support, introduce you to some of our bright students and give you a tour of this magnificent facility – Gaylord Hall.

We look forward to welcoming you home again!

Live on University,

Kristen Lazalier Director of Development

Kristen Lazalier (’87) Director of Development (405) 325-7670 klazalier@ou.edu

Centennial Circle In the year 1913, the Oklahoma State Board of Education approved the University of Oklahoma’s School of Journalism. First classes in the School were held in the fall semester of 1913 offering two courses to a total of 28 students.

In 1961, the school was officially named the H.H. Herbert School of Journalism and Mass Communication, in honor of Professor Herbert, director of the program from 1917 to 1945. In recognition of the beloved J-School director, memberships are available for a special giving society – the Centennial Circle – which ensures the bridge between our past connects us firmly to our future. The H.H. Herbert Society recognizes a gift of $5,000 and the Centennial Sustainers recognizes a gift of $2,500. Both contributions may be funded annually over five years.

Tax-deductible contributions to the Centennial Circle will benefit faculty resources, technology advancements, student programmatic support and other critical operating needs of the college.

Benefits of membership in the Herbert Society include a copy of the Centennial coffee-table book, recognition on a permanent display housed in Gaylord Hall and on the college’s website. Centennial Sustainers members will be recognized on the permanent display in Gaylord Hall, in publications and on the college’s website.

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H. H. Herbert Director 1917-1945

DevelopmentNews

1913-2013

Empowering Storytellers We recognize the generous contributions of our alumni and friends in celebration of the first 100 years of excellence in journalism education at the University of Oklahoma. We appreciate their ongoing and future support as we move into the next century with the goal of inspiring creative difference-makers and advancing tomorrow’s industry though leaders.

H. H. Herbert Society Maj. Gen. John Admire, 1964 Alex Adwan, 1950 Jari Askins, 1975 Ann Brewer Basinger, 1961 Kim Koontz Bayliss, 1981 Robert A. Bernstein, 1960 Ben Blackstock, 1951 Rob Boswell, 1980 Paul Brothers, 1987 Gracelyn Brown, 1975 Shane Boyd, 1986 Bob Burke, 1970 Carol Robinson Burr, 1959 John C. Campbell, 1958 Pamela S. Carter, 1973 Linda Cavanaugh, 1973 Julia Chew, 1986 Bart Conner, 1984 Don C. Davis, 1965 Gail Privett Davis, 1979 James P. Dolan, 1971 David B. Donchin, 1982 Mary Ellen Hipp Doyle, 1956

Al Eschbach, 1968 Joe S. Foote, 1971 Judi Freyer, 1964 Roger Frizzell, 1982 Marti Pate Gallardo, 1978 Bill Hancock, 1972 Don Harral, 1972 David Haspel, 1971 Jim Helberg, 1983 Robert Hess, 1986 Amb. James R. Jones, 1961 Ed Kelley, 1975 Michael Limon, 1976 Ed Livermore, Sr., 1940 Melba Livermore, 1940 * Kenneth W. Luce Doug Martin, 1989 Paul D. Massad, 1960 Col. William Massad, 1955 Joe McBride, 1951 John McClymonds, 1971 William Moakley, III, 1987 J.P. Moery, 1987

Pattye L. Moore, 1979 Steve Pickett, 1983 Howard F. Price, 1971 Karen C. Renfrow, 1981 Paul Renfrow, 1979 Andy Rieger, 1980 Karen S. Rieger, 1978 Gregory Rubenstein, 1972 Connie Burke Ruggles, 1962 Robert Ruggles, 1961 Barbara Winn Sessions, 1968 Harry Sherman, 1976 C. Renzi Stone, 2000 Lee Anne Young Stone, 2002 Suzie McClendon Symcox, 1985 Karina Van Veen, 1994 Kristin Van Veen, 1994 Kari Ferguson Watkins, 1986 Weldon Watson, 1970 Marilyn S. Weber, 1974 Doug Williams, 1965 Debbie Sherry Yount, 1974 * In memoriam

Centennial Sustainers John Boydston, 1983 Karen Waltz Browne, 1977 Aran Coleman, 2011 John Cox, 1986 Mickey Edwards, 1958

Houda Elyazgi, 2007 Janet L. Evans, 1985 Doug Feaver, 1961 Joi Gordon, 1989 Pauline Hale, 1974

Jim “Tripp” Hall, III, 1986 Jill Quintana Hughes, 1995 Linda Johnson, 1967 Evan Katz, 1986 Kristen A. Lazalier, 1987

Bill Moore, 1979 Lee Reynolds, 1977 Bill Shirk, 1978 Linda Lake Young, 1972

We want to include your name on our list! For more information and to join the Centennial Circle, please contact Kristen Lazalier at klazalier@ou.edu or (405) 325-7760.

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Thursday, Sept. 5 Due to unforeseen circumstances the Gaylord Prize dinner honoring Tom Brokaw has been postponed until Spring 2014.

Friday, Sept. 6 Centennial celebration activities, Gaylord Hall 8:30 a.m. Registration, Building Tours and Student Interaction

Grand Lobby, first floor

Lindsey + Asp agency, Oklahoma Daily, Graduate Program, OU Nightly studio 10 a.m.

JayMac Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation Auditorium, Room 1140 Recipients: John Admire (’65), Shane Boyd (’86), Donna Shirley (’63) Learn more about their distinguished careers at www.ou.edu/gaylord

11:30 a.m. Centennial Luncheon

Sandy Bell Gallery, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art 1:15 p.m.

Return to Gaylord Hall

1:30 p.m.

3 p.m.

Faculty Panel Discussion on “The Future of Media” Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation Auditorium, Room 1140 Reflections in the Round Studio D, Room 1160 This session will be moderated by Linda Cavanaugh (’73) and Bart Conner (’84), and will provide an opportunity for alumni to reflect on your time at OU. Session will be videotaped.

5-6:30 p.m. Cocktail Reception

Jan Marie and Richard J. Crawford University Club Finish the day in the recently renovated Crawford University Club.

Enjoy the evening on your own to explore Campus Corner and Norman.

Saturday, Sept. 7 Alumni Tailgate Gathering, Gaylord Hall, Eastside Courtyard 4-5:30 p.m. Tailgate Party

Join us for a bite to eat and some fun before kickoff of the OU vs. West Virginia game. Inclement weather location: Gaylord Hall, Grand Lobby.

6 p.m.

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Kickoff of OU vs. WVU Game!

100 Stories of Excellence It has always been about the story For a century, students in the University of Oklahoma’s journalism program have learned the art of storytelling. Compelling stories rest at the core of everything we do across the disciplines of journalism, advertising, broadcasting and electronic media, professional writing and public relations.

This year, to honor the 100th anniversary of journalism education at OU we have developed the “100 Stories” website as a way to share our stories – and those of our students – with you.

On this website you will find stories about students, faculty and alumni and their accomplishments. You also will find stories originally produced by our students for other projects from broadcast news, public relations and advertising campaigns, to the webzine, Routes.

The website already features more than two dozen articles and more are being added each week. A sample of one of the articles is the “Disaster Hits Close to Home” article written by Professor Kathleen Johnson, which we republished on page 6 of this magazine. Other stories include the backstory of a broadcasting and electronic media major who runs a successful music video production company, and how OU Daily faculty adviser Judy Gibbs-Robinson uses the Jeopardy game show format to teach students AP Style.

Once on the website, gaylord100stories.ou.edu, click on one of the tiles to choose a story. At the story level, you can enter your email address in the upper right-hand corner to receive updates any time a new story is added.

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Alumni Celebration Throughout the day Friday, Sept. 6 JayMac Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony Centennial Luncheon Special Alumni Sessions and Forum Cocktail Reception at the University Club

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ratio Centennial Celeb

OCTOBER 2

Gaylord Prize Dinner Postponed until Spring 2014

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Homecoming Texas Tech

Journalism Tailgate Party 4-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 OU/Texas Reception 5-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 Moroch Partners in Dallas Homecoming Celebration Gaylord Hall, OU/Texas Tech, Saturday, Oct. 26 2 1/2 hours prior to kick-off

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Centennial

Keeping It in the family OU journalism degrees are cherished across the generations for several Sooner families Askins Family: Like Mother, Like Daughter

By Dusti Gasparovic Jari Askins characterizes her mother as a strong, intelligent, well-spoken woman, but she could also be describing herself.

Jarita Askins came to University of Oklahoma as a sophomore in 1942 and graduated in 1945 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. During her time at OU she was editor of the OU Daily and a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Jarita was always entertaining and inspiring people.

“Mother was witty and disciplined in her preparations,” her daughter said. “If there was an event, she was probably the emcee.”

Jarita was excellent with words, an authentic “wordsmith” who was also a charismatic, innovative thinker.

“I always thought she spoke better from her head, but she said I spoke from my heart,” Askins said.

Jarita’s unshakable confidence granted her various positions, such as first laywoman on the board of directors at Duncan Regional Hospital. She was always coming up with ways to enhance the workplace. One time, she and the board members got up to cook a meal for the hospital employees working the late night shifts.

“Mother wasn’t afraid to buck the trend,” Askins says.

As well as campaigning for the hospital, Jarita taught Sunday school for 19 years. It took three women to replace her when she left because no one wanted to take on all that she had. Not only was she a hard worker, talented writer and thoughtful thinker, she was a great golfer and loving mother.

“She loved sports, so I thought women were supposed to be sports fans because I saw my mother do it,” Askins says. “She and Dad used to compete and win couples tournaments all the time.”

Both of Askins’ parents put family first, but if you wanted to be a part of the family, golf was a must. Askins reminisces of skipping school in fifth grade to go to golf tournaments with her mother. They were good travel buddies and the love for those special memories with her mom radiated a warm glow over her face as she tells her story.

“Mother has been gone four years this month, and she would have loved to be here for the centennial and to see Gaylord Hall,” she says.

Jarita passed away in March 2009, but her impact within Gaylord College lives on.

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Jarita (left) and Jari Askins at the 2007 JayMac Banquet honoring Jari as a Distinguished Alumni.

Askins, originally also named Jarita after her mother, was born in Duncan, Okla., on April 27, 1953. She has done many things, but her heart is to be a mother to the next generation.

“I grew up wanting to take care of kids in grade school,” she said.

Askins has Sooner blood in her veins. She grew up attending home football games and dreamed of giving to OU, pledging Alpha Chi Omega and rooming with her best friend. Askins wanted to be a big fish in a big pond. Like her mother, her selfconfidence and determination allowed her to set her sights higher than average and helped her to be successful.

Askins also wanted to be her own person. Instead of pursuing journalism like her mother, she chose to study public relations.

Classes were held in Copeland Hall at the time, and the class she most vividly remembers was Public Information Methods with Junetta Davis. Current events tests were given almost daily to reinforce a curiosity about the world, which Askins’ parents also instilled in her.

“I think that’s a common trait among good journalists,” Askins says.

Askins found an underground appreciation for the art of photography, quite literally. After attending Ned Hockman’s photography class, she convinced her sorority house mom to turn the basement into a “dark room” to develop her photos.

“When you look through a camera lens you have the ability to see up close and in the distance,” said Askins.

This perspective aided Askins in her professional career. She is able to look past the obvious and really understand people.

Askins got her dream job as a consultant for her sorority right out of college. She was able to travel the world and engage with college women. Ready for a change, she followed her mother’s advice to study law and graduated with a juris doctorate from OU in 1980. The knowledge she acquired during her time in Gaylord transcended beyond a PR degree. Whether it is public relations, talking to a witness, jury or writing bills as a legislator, Askins understood the importance of language.

“Both careers live on the use of words,” she said.

She “wrote bills like a journalist,” in short concise sentences that people could easily understand. She knows how to give a story, speak with reporters and even aid them in writing their stories because she had once been in their shoes.

Askins has many esteemed titles and positions, such as Special District Judge for the District Court of Stephens County from 1982-1990. In 1991, the governor appointed her to the Pardon and Parole Board, which elected her as its first woman chairman.

Later she served as executive director of the Pardon and Parole Board and as deputy general to the governor. Askins was the 15th lieutenant governor of Oklahoma, being the second female and the first Democratic female to hold the position. She was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1994 and served for 12 years, earning the position of Democratic House Leader in 2005.

“I have never met a more genuine, likeable, compassionate person such as Jari Askins,” said Joe Foote, dean of Gaylord College.

While at OU, Askins was on the Mortar Board Honor Society and a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She is now a life member of the JayMac Alumni Association and received the JayMac Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007. She is the associate provost for External Relations at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, and cochairs the steering committee for the Journalism Centennial. A woman with such a colorful career has learned to utilize every opportunity to its fullest potential. Each position led to the next.

“My favorite job was whichever one I was doing at the time,” said Askins.

Askins enjoys connecting with people and helping them solve problems. If she could pass on one piece of advice to future generations, it would be to treat others the way you want to be treated and to stand for something. Askins realized the importance of these principles when she ran for office and learned the importance of being sure of what she stood for and against.

“I always work to benefit Oklahoma,” she says. “I love the state and we should be proud of it.”

Her enthusiasm for Oklahoma shines in her eyes like the glittering, rhinestone Oklahoma pin on her jacket that she has been wearing proudly since 2009. Looking back on her life and career, Askins says she would not change a thing.

“Even though there have been disappointments along the way, life has been very good,” she says.

Dusti Gasparovic is a sophomore public relations major from Fort Worth, Texas. She seeks to be a positive role model to young women through the media and fashion industry.

Ferguson Family: Still Delivering

By Kate Brandon Lincoln Ferguson describes himself as the perfect example of Sooner born and Sooner bred. The 2013 broadcast journalism graduate has had parents, cousins, aunts, uncles and a sister graduate from the University of Oklahoma, but he says he made the decision to attend the university on his own. He also says it was the best choice he could have made.

“Toward the end of my senior year, I decided to see if that was really where I was meant to be and had a few other options, but in the end I could not get the crimson blood out of me,” Ferguson says.

Not only have multiple family members attended the university, but his aunt and grandfather graduated from the journalism college. His aunt, Kari Watkins, graduated from the college in 1986 and is now the executive director at the Oklahoma City National Memorial. Watkins was named the Journal Record Woman of the Year in 2005, was the recipient of Downtown Oklahoma City’s Stanley Draper Award for Community Excellence and received the JayMac Distinguished Alumni award in 2011.

Ferguson’s grandfather, Larry Ferguson, graduated from the university in 1960 and worked for The Cleveland American, which the Ferguson family has owned since 1931.

He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1985, and Lincoln’s father, Rusty Ferguson, took over the newspaper. Rusty graduated from OU’s business college and continues to run the Lincoln Ferguson graduated in May newspaper today. Ferguson 2013 and carries on the family says he spent his summers tradition of journalism at his father’s office with his brothers and created mock newspapers that he would sell to his father’s employees.

“I think our first newspaper was called The Stoops Scoop or something like that,” Feguson says. “But eventually that turned into more than just an imagination. We ran a weekly column called “L’s Oklahoma” that was a feature on a different tourist attraction around the state. From early on I knew my passion in life was going to be to tell people’s stories and serve others. I had seen my granddad and dad, and that inspired me to pursue a career in journalism.”

Dean Joe Foote knows Lincoln Ferguson personally from his extraordinary involvement in Gaylord College. Lincoln worked as an anchor for OU Nightly and was a Gaylord Ambassador for the past three years. He also went to Europe on Dean Foote’s British Media Study Abroad trip. Dean Foote says he is a great representation of what the Ferguson family is about.

“It’s interesting how he’s seen the world in very contemporary eyes,” Foote said. “He has a very 21st-century outlook. He’s not trying to replicate what his grandfather did or what his father did. But he’s looking at it through a prism that sets him in a different direction but in the same domain where those genes are still running through.”

Ferguson plans to pursue a career in broadcasting and has accepted a director position with KFOR in Oklahoma City, the local NBC affiliate. But even beyond journalism he would like to serve the Oklahoma community in politics and follow in 19

the footsteps of his grandfather. He says he will one day run for governor of Oklahoma and then, hopefully, fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming president of the United States.

Dean Foote says the Ferguson family has made many contributions to the state of Oklahoma with their passion for journalism and helping others.

“Oklahoma is a little bit of a different state because it has so many small towns and so many small town newspapers, familyowned newspapers,” he says. “It really makes a difference in the state. The Fergusons are one of those bedrock Oklahoma families that have made a singular contribution to the quality of journalism and the quality of their communities.”

Kate Brandon is a print journalism major from Tulsa, Okla.

She is the 13th member of her family to attend OU.

Montgomery Family: Serving Their Community

By Rachel Terry The Montgomery family of Purcell, Okla., all graduates of the University of Oklahoma, has continued to carry on the Sooner spirit from the journalism college as they work together at their family-owned newspaper.

The Montgomerys own and publish The Purcell Register, and they work together with a staff of about 13. Since gaining ownership of the newspaper in 1990, John D. Montgomery and his wife, Gracie, are the current editors and publishers. They work along side their sons, John Denny (’06) and Matt (’08), and John Denny’s wife, Emily (’05).

John D. Montgomery graduated in 1976 from the H. H. Herbert School of Journalism at OU. During this time he worked at the Sports Information office at the Athletics Department and enjoyed his classes and professors in the journalism college.

“Excellent, excellent faculty,” said John D. “A lot of people there that had been in the field in various facets that had come back, and they knew the ins and outs of the newspaper business and they relayed that to their students. It was an excellent period of time.”

Originally, Montgomery was pursuing journalism as a prelaw degree, but he changed his mind after graduating. Degree in hand, Montgomery went to work as a reporter for The Madill Record, which he bought a few years later and still publishes today. Montgomery has owned and published several Oklahoma newspapers, including The Johnston County Capital-Democrat in Tishomingo, and Boyd Street magazine in Norman.

Montgomery was honored in 2010 as a Distinguished Alumni from the Gaylord College. Since graduating from OU, Montgomery also has served on every committee of the Oklahoma Press Association. He was the youngest president elected to the OPA in 1992, and Gracie was OPA president in 2005. Montgomery also has been the Oklahoma State Chairman of the National Newspaper Association, which he joined in 1996. He joined the board of directors in 2004. In 2005 Montgomery was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.

“The reason I’ve stayed involved is because of the relationships I formed while in school and also to show my appreciation for

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From left to right: daughter-in-law Emily Montgomery (’05) and her husband John Denny Montgomery (’06) with their son Jack. Center: Gracie Montgomery (’78) and, seated, John D. Montgomery (’76), Matt Montgomery (’08). All graduated from OU but only Emily and John D. graduated from the Gaylord College. John D. was named a JayMac Distinguished Alumni in 2010. Photo by Rachel Terry.

the opportunities the school provided me,” Montgomery said.

“My education at OU paved the way for my career.”

The Montgomerys are the ninth owners of The Purcell Register, which began its circulation back in 1887 and covers central Oklahoma. During the 23 years the family has been with the paper, they have re-designed it three times and also added social media such as Twitter and Facebook pages, and created the newspaper’s website.

The Purcell Register is the third-largest weekly newspaper in Oklahoma. The newspaper also serves as a leader in the community, and Montgomery continues to apply the lifelong lessons he learned at OU. “It was the attention to detail and journalistic enthusiasm by professors that inspired me,” Montgomery said. “They taught me to go the extra mile. Get the other side of the story and to dig just a little deeper than I thought I needed to dig. Today, I cherish my encounters with that outstanding faculty.”

Rachel Terry, a senior from Dallas, is moving to New York City in the fall to work in public relations.

CollegeNews

Shaped By Technology

Prevalence, evolution of technology unites the fields

By Alex Niblett

G

rown out of a few journalism and writing courses offered under the English department in the early 1900s, the journalism program has evolved into a multifaceted program preparing students for careers in advertising, public relations, broadcast, print and online journalism, video production and as professional

writers. Yet one thing unites the different programs and that is the evolution and prevalence of technology and how it has affected the fields and preparation needed to enter those fields.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Meta G. Carstarphen, APR, is the Graduate Program director and currently teaches writing courses as part of the public relations faculty.

Before coming to the University of Oklahoma, she worked at the University of North Texas for nine years. After almost a decade of working at the OU in public relations, she says she still loves it and knows PR will certainly be a core part of her future.

“The PR Writing course opens up the multiple and really complicated ways in which writing is part of the profession,” Meta G. Carstarphen, APR Carstarphen said. “There’s Graduate Director form and structure, Associate Professor but it invites so much creativity as well, whether you’re doing speeches, PSAs, brochures, newsletters, et cetera.”

Accompanying the professionally innovative designs, writing is also a key part of the major, according to Carstarphen.

“I think that writing is certainly recognized as a core activity in public relations classes,” she said. “It is absolutely one of the things I enjoy most because you can fuse strategy and creativity and see an impact as a result of something you helped create with writing. That’s what I try to pass on to students.”

Carstarphen believes that as the media world continues advancing, the role of PR is expansively shaping and gaining a new level of importance in our society.

“More than ever, organizations need the strategies of public relations practitioners to help communicate through this enormous media clutter that we have in competing interests, changing priorities and the fast pace of the world we live in,” she said. “Public relations as a discipline is uniquely qualified for that kind of engagement and communication with people, regardless of whether or not they are customers of an enterprise.”

Public relations isn’t for everyone, but Carstarphen thoroughly enjoys it and said that beyond the common misconception of PR professionals only writing news releases, this career actually encompasses much more.

“The profession has grown in stature,” Carstarphen added.

“Public relations [majors] have to be multimedia writers. There are opinion pieces, there are speeches and [many] other things.

“We have more students numerically [who are] interested in PR and the jobs are there. I think it’s an exciting time!”

ADVERTISING Advertising is another field that commands a heavy dose of creative brilliance. Jim Avery currently teaches Online Advertising Campaigns and Advertising Account Planning, and has been teaching advertising for 27 years. In addition to leading both advertising and public relations majors, Avery provides consulting services and is an indemand guest speaker on account planning at agencies, conferences and universities worldwide.

Jim Avery Strategic Communication Area Head Professor 21

Avery says that one key change over time to the field has been the advancements in technology.

“When I first started in the advertising business, you could reach 95 percent of Americans in 30 days using only network television,” Avery said. “[Today] it is down to 45 to 50 percent max, so you have to find new creative ways to reach people. You have to have ideas that command people’s attention. The way we get people to talk about our brands has changed dramatically because of the world of technology.”

Avery went on to describe advertising’s motivation.

“I think it’s advertising’s job to inform people about products and services that exist,” Avery said. “People are not born to consume. People are born to accomplish something great with their lives, and if we can tell them about a product or service that helps them do that, then so much the better. Developing an interest and creating a desire is what we do.”

At Gaylord College, students are introduced and immersed into the ever-changing advertising sector. Avery enjoys teaching and believes giving students an environment where they can practice solving real problems will properly set them up for the future. He said his goal is to get students excited about what they’re doing through various projects.

During spring 2013, students in Avery’s Account Planning course worked on a wide variety of projects, including one for an advertising agency located in New York called Razor Fish, a project for The Richards group in Dallas, and one for McDonald’s ice cream.

In the end, Avery believes students will only succeed if they love what they are doing.

“I think it’s my job to explain a few things about how things work and give them a few tools for problem solving, but if I can convince students to be passionate about it, then I’ve done my job,” Avery said. “You can’t be effective [with] anything if you’re not passionate about it.”

JOURNALISM Like Avery, Ramón Chávez believes passion is the driving force to a bright, successful future, no matter the profession.

Chávez has been in journalism ever since he graduated from college, but like many people, it wasn’t his original plan.

“I had no intentions of getting into journalism,” Chávez said.

“I was going to work as a draftsman and work for an architectural firm.”

Chávez grew up in El Paso, Texas, where his abilities in track led to a full scholarship at Texas Tech. After realizing that becoming a draftsman wouldn’t work out, he talked to his school counselor about changing majors. When Chávez revealed that he liked to write and enjoyed sports, journalism became the obvious choice.

Since then, Chávez Ramón Chávez has had an incredible Journalism Instructor career. He has worked at Director, Oklahoma Institute for the El Paso Herald, the Diversity in Journalism 22

Seattle Times and the Miami Herald. He also has interviewed a president and prisoners in jail and covered a volcanic eruption.

Throughout his career in the field and while teaching, Chávez has noticed some pros and cons of technology’s effect on journalism.

“When I was growing up, it was just basically print media: newspapers and magazines, [in addition to] television and radio,” he said. “If there was info you needed and they didn’t cover it, it was very difficult to get it. Now, with the Internet, you do a search on your browser for whatever you need and it’s there at your fingertips. That’s the good part of technology.”

This may improve society’s means of retrieving information, but Chávez is concerned that it may have a negative effect on journalism.

“I think sometimes we’re overly fascinated with the technology that other things suffer, like the quality of journalism,” he says. “On television, you see a lot of car chases and explosions, and hear about murders and shootings. …There’s a lot of stuff going on in the world besides those things.”

Chávez tries to encourage his students to focus on maintaining the quality of journalism that will serve the community.

“When you get down to basics, it’s still about good interviewing techniques, being able to research a subject, being able to accurately write, and more,” he says. “[It’s important to] go out and interact with the community rather than just Googling stuff on your computer. I hope that a program like Gaylord’s hits that balance, where we teach students the ability to use these tools, but know the basics.”

Chávez emphasized that it takes hard work and passion to go far.

“In order to be good at what you do, you have to work at it,” he says. “Work hard and have a passion for it. You’ve got to do what makes you excited.”

BROADCAST AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA Ken Fischer hadn’t originally planned on teaching, but loves it just the same. He also has a unique background story of how he came to be a broadcasting professor.

“When I was in college, I was a theater major,” Fischer said.

“The theater had a small broadcast production area, so my degree says ‘theater of arts, emphasis in broadcast production.’”

Fischer said as a graduate student he got more broadcast experience. When he began working with PBS and NPR, he claimed that’s when he caught the “broadcasting/cable community bug.”

Ken Fischer “Prior to the midJournalism and Broadcasting and 1970s, cable was mainly Electronic Media Instructor for rural outlets out in Faculty Adviser, the middle of nowhere OU Sports Pad and OU Nightly that needed help getting

a TV signal into peoples’ homes,” Fischer said. “In the late 70s and early 80s, there was a really big boom where a good percent of the country got wired.”

Broadcast and electronic media is considerably consumed in technology, and is constantly changing over time. Fischer said that the Internet itself has paved many new paths for this career.

“The equipment changes on an ongoing basis,” he said.

“Technology is constantly changing, but it’s the personal computer and the Internet that have made things available to us in a way that, 25 years ago, we never thought would happen.”

Like other faculty, Fischer agrees that no matter how careers may evolve and change over time, it’s still about producing valuable, high-caliber work.

“The work flow, the technology and the availability of things out there and the Internet has changed … but it’s still good storytelling,” he says. “Whether it’s created and delivered on the Internet or the radio, whether it was done in 1980 or 2013, and whether we hold on to that viewer/listener/online user is going to depend on the quality of the story we’re telling.”

Fischer is working with OU to help students prepare for the future the best way he can.

“We want to look ahead and try to be part of that discussion here in the university because we want to know if we’re doing the right things to get [students] ready for wherever [they’re] going to go,” he says. “It’s blurrier than it’s ever been.”

PROFESSIONAL WRITING “Professional writing is about writing for a publication,” PW professor J. Madison Davis says. “Writing for a publication has been affected by technology. Nothing much changes until you get closer around the 20th century when the typewriter comes in. Then, of course, the word processor came along … the computer, the PC.” Davis recalls when he bought his first PC. “It was only 48k!” he says. “It would crash if your chapter went more than 20 pages.

You had to write each chapter separately, but it saved me a lot of trouble.”

Davis explains that some writers were unsure about this new technological approach. He thought it might hinder the creative process of writing. Then he brought up an interesting point about quill pens, noting that even though it is uncommon to consider these types of pens as a technology, they actually are and can potentially influence how one writes.

“Astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson said he thought that the writing style [during the American Revolution time] was determined by the fact that they had to dip their pens,” Davis recalls. “He claims you can find eight- or nine-word units in the J. Madison Davis writing.”

Professor, Professional Writing Jumping back to current technology, Davis says that it has become easier for professional writers to submit

manuscripts electronically, and the eBooks are revolutionary.

A challenge, he says, is that while costs may have decreased for writers to publish their work, the amount of money people are willing to pay for a story nowadays has decreased as well.

While technology is transforming professional writing, Davis has always enjoyed teaching the subject. He enjoys watching people be creative and likes helping students analyze what makes a story great.

Though many changes are taking place, Davis says it is up to us to interpret and accept them by offering a quote from Shakespeare.

“There’s nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so,” he says.

Gaylord College Dean Joe Foote says he’s also seen a significant shift in the media world from his student years to now.

He says the challenge students have to face today is the nonexistent structure of the majors due to technological innovation, changes in business models and in consumer behavior.

While it may be more complicated today, Foote maintains a positive outlook.

“I hope [students] see it as an exciting Dean Joe Foote time,” he says. “I think Professor, Broadcast Journalism most of them do. That’s the difference I’ve seen between them and their parents. Their parents are scared to death. Why major in this [field]? There are no jobs; it’s just a dead-end field, and so on.”

Foote admires the optimism students demonstrate.

“No, we’re going to rewrite the way this field works, and there’s tremendous opportunity if we are broadly equipped enough and creative enough that we can launch ourselves in this environment,” he says of the new mindset of students.

Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication is more than just a beautiful building. It’s a media sanctuary where most individuals share a similar goal: to reach people’s hearts and minds by sharing stories that document the history of our lives and world. With the abundance of passion, the drive to adapt to change, and the tools students are offered at this amazing school, there is no doubt that Gaylord College remains a very special place.

Texas native Alex Niblett is a junior journalism major with a minor in international studies. She hopes to achieve all of her goals, including becoming a successful photojournalist or reporter. She also plans to travel the world someday.

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Walter Campbell, also known as Stanley Vestal, was one of the founding professors of the Professional Writing program and a critically acclaimed Western author. Photo from the University of Oklahoma Western Heritage Collections.

Centennial AlumniProfile

Hidden Gem

The Professional Writing Program has deep roots

By Kirsten Viohl

A

ll successes have a back-story, and the Professional Writing Program at Gaylord College is no different.

What started in the early 1900s as a once-a-year course has blossomed to include a highly accomplished graduate program.

Beginnings

The Professional Writing Program began as a series of courses in the English department in 1938, offered by Walter S. Campbell and Kenneth Kaufman. The curriculum taught students the practices of freelance authors of articles, novels and nonfiction books.

Campbell was highly qualified as a Rhodes Scholar who had published books and articles on Native American history and culture. He later became one of the most critically acclaimed Western writers of his time.

Kaufman had his fair share of experience, too. He was the book page editor for The Sunday Oklahoman and an associate editor for Books Abroad, known today as World Literature Today.

With Campbell’s persuasion, the third element was added to the trifecta that started it all. With a background in petroleum geology, William Foster-Harris joined Campbell and Kaufman’s series. He may have lacked the decorated academic credentials, but he had earned an award for editing pulp magazines and wrote his own textbook, Basic Formulas of Fiction. He brought the power of storytelling to the pair who focused strongly on technique as the means to effective writing.

“Harris believed all writing was intuitive,” says OU professor and author J. Madison Davis. “He would tell his class to all go over to the window and look at that tree out there and have them look at the tree for half an hour. Looking at things is an important part of writing.”

The series soon became the Campbell and Foster-Harris show, and in 1938 they decided to hold a one-day public event on professional writing between the spring and summer semesters. Students were invited to listen to literary critic Burton Rascoe, free of charge. According to records, the approximate 30 people in attendance had nothing but positive feedback on the event, leading to a second one in 1939. Campbell and Foster-Harris organized the first Short Course on Professional Writing, bringing together editors and other professionals in the publishing trade to offer their expertise to aspiring writers.

By 1940, the Short Course was a total of five days, with people registering at $1 a person. The course was producing published novelists and freelance writers left and right, a majority of whom signed their first contracts at this very event.

With a background in script writing and pulp fiction, Dwight V. Swain joined the duo in 1951. Campbell passed away in 1958, and the Short Course was held for the first time without

him, but the talented professor’s approach to writing is still continued in classrooms today.

The 1960s brought Jack M. Bickham, a former student of the program, who published his first novel in 1958 and 90 more before his death in 1997. Bickham served as co-chairman of the conference under the direction of Foster-Harris and became an empowering teacher. The ’60s also brought a financial crisis.

Oklahoma suffered the equivalent of a depression and money for education was scarce. Bickham and his students managed to keep the Professional Writing program afloat even as university typewriters and telephones were removed from faculty offices to save money.

The Short Course survived the tough times, and Bickham’s former student Deborah Chester took over as director in 1991.

Davis, who had published dozens of short stories and articles, became co-director that year. His novel, The Murder of Frau Schutz, was voted one of the five Best First Mysteries by Mystery Writers of America and received an Edgar Allan Poe Scroll award in 1988. Davis has served as the senior professor for the Professional Writing Program since his arrival.

Metamorphosis Under the direction of Davis and Chester, the Short Course soon turned into a degree program, with many courses added to the curriculum. Later, professional writing also received its own graduate program, as well.

“Basically, people either want to write novels or screenplays or nonfiction books, and the idea with the graduate program was that people should try out each of these things because there is always a possibility to work in one of those areas,” Davis says.

“Even if you don’t normally write screenplays, maybe you want to make a movie out of a book or something. Maybe you have a chance to write a nonfiction book. So the idea was that each graduate student would take these.”

The program has produced many successful graduates, and Davis says this professional writing program is unique compared with what other universities have to offer. Gaylord’s program is oriented to writing for publication and for what sells, says Davis. He also says the program must constantly keep up with technology to remain relevant.

“It is a very difficult time period because of all the changes in publishing due to electronic media and printing technologies,” Davis says. “We are constantly dancing around trying to figure out where it is heading.” >>Continued on page 58

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CollegeNews

Get Smart About Privacy College symposium revealed some dark truths about technology and our online privacy

By Ryan Blackburn

I

n the 21st century, privacy seems like a thing of the past. Our lives have become more public than they were only 10 years ago, as we often post personal facts on social media without hesitation. Many of our online activities are tracked and recorded, however, which some believe is an invasion of our privacy. In the digital

age, we must stand strong against these online offenses.

This sensitive issue was the focus at Gaylord College.

Feb. 25 through 26, during a symposium titled “The Future of Privacy in a Socially Networked World: Can one of the most essential values of democratic societies long endure?” The event was the first of many celebrating 100 years of excellence in journalism education at OU. With three expert panelists, the present and future of our privacy online was discussed at great detail.

The conversations were led by Ashley Packard, Chris Soghoian and Evgeny Morozov and moderated by OU College of Law Professor Stephen Henderson. Inclement weather delayed the start of the event, preventing Morozov from traveling. He did, however, join the other panelists via Skype.

Morozov is a contributing editor at The New Republic as well as a published author in The New York Times, The Economist and The Wall Street Journal. He has published such literary works such as The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom, as well as To Save Everything, Click Here: The Folly of Technological Solutionism. He also is an expert in online communications and online information.

Packard is a professor of communication and digital media studies at the University of Houston at Clear Lake.

She holds a doctoralte in journalism and a master’s degree in communication, and is an expert in media law and media ethics. She has been published in many periodicals, including The Journal of International Media and Entertainment Law, Communication Law and Policies and The University of Georgia Journal of Intellectual Property and Law Law/Technology.

Soghoian is a self-described “privacy researcher and activist, working at the intersection of technology, law and policy.” He is a senior policy analyst and a principal technologist in the speech, privacy and technology department at the American Civil Liberties Union. He has published many works, such as The Spies We Trust: Third Party Service Providers and Law Enforcement Surveillance, which deals with information gathered through search engines and third-party websites and how it can be used by law enforcement. Soghoian is an advocate for consumer rights as they relate to the digital world.

The first discussions between Packard and Soghoian revolved around the Freedom of Information Act, and how Soghoian 26

uses it in his work for the ACLU. He says consumers have the right to certain information that corporations don’t want us to know, such as how they track us or how they will use that data.

He uses the Act to obtain that information and expose corporate violations of privacy.

“How do we learn more about what’s happening?” he asked.

“How do we learn how much the government is monitoring our online activities? The police don’t actually do that much surveillance anymore. Companies like Cox, Facebook, Google and Twitter are all illegally required by law to provide surveillance assistance to the government.”

Soghoian stressed that we must understand the overall services provided by Internet sites.

“I think deep down we all know Facebook isn’t really our friend,” he said. “We know they’re collecting information about us and that it’s facilitating advertising. What isn’t understood is that the government gets to come along for the ride, too.”

While some may feel that these invasions of privacy are of little importance, our expert panelists disagreed.

“I reject the idea that people are comfortable with what’s happening,” Soghoian said. “You have no options. There’s no way to browse the Web without these companies collecting this data.”

What really happens to this information? That is the question that Packard wants answered.

“I think the issue is not just that our information is being collected, but that we don’t know how much, exactly what’s being collected or where it’s going,” she said. “Maybe it seems fine that it’s collected on a particular site, but what happens to that information after it’s sold?”

According to Soghoian, the police are using online data in surveillance practices more today than ever before.

“U.S. phone companies now get around 1.5 million requests a year for surveillance data,” he said. “The reason it has grown to such a staggering amount is that people don’t know it’s happening. All phone companies have teams of people who do nothing else but respond to requests by the police.”

Professor Henderson moderated Friday’s afternoon session and spoke about Third Party Doctrine. He said the doctrine has been poorly theorized in the past, so it is hard to know >>Continued on page 61

The Future of Privacy in a Socially Networked World Can One of the Most Essential Values of Democratic Societies Long Endure?

IMAGE FROM THINKSTOCK.COM

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AlumniNews

Jim Dolan Recipient of 2013 Regents’ Alumni Award Business journal publisher supports OU and Gaylord College

BY CELIA PERKINS

Jim Dolan (center above), 1971 journalism, and Trae Anderson (right), 1994 public relations, are presented with 2013 Regents’ Alumni Awards

by President David L. Boren. Dolan (right) also was the 2013 Spring Convocation speaker for Gaylord College.

Jim Dolan is chairman, president and chief executive officer of The Dolan Company, a provider of specialized business information and publisher of a network of business newspapers across the U.S. including The Journal Record in Oklahoma City.

Dolan is a 1971 OU journalism graduate and a JayMac Distinguished Alumnus. He also is an active member of the Gaylord College Board of Visitors.

Dolan is a vocal proponent of teaching students business reporting skills as well as how to operate a media business (see story on next page). He also is a supporter of international study and funds an annual scholarship for Gaylord College students.

Dolan spent his early years with Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. in various writing, reporting and editing positions in the newsroom before moving to the corporate side as the director of Corporate Development for News Corp. during the time it was launching the Fox Network.

Dolan left News Corp. to run an online news and services company that was a precursor to the Internet. He later moved to Wall Street and was partner in several media-focused investment banks before launching The Dolan Company in 1992.

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Dolan was named a JayMac Distinguished Alumni in 1998. He has won several dozen local, regional and national journalism awards for writing, reporting and editing. In 2001, Dolan was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Minnesota/Dakotas region and was inducted into the E&Y National Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame in 2002. Dolan is a director of the World Press Institute, based in St. Paul.

Thomas “Trae” Anderson, a 1994 public relations graduate, also received the Regents’ Alumni Award for 2013. Anderson served twice as the president of the OU Club of Dallas and is a successful commercial real estate professional with Younger Partners in Dallas. He previously served as an development officer in the OU Office of Development from 1995 to 1998.

Presented by the OU Board of Regents and OU Alumni Association, the Regents’ Alumni Award honors the important roles of alumni and supporters to the life of the university. A committee formed by the Alumni Association selects the award recipients from nominations made by alumni, friends, faculty and staff. Each year’s recipients receive a plaque and their names are engraved on a permanent plaque in Oklahoma Memorial Union.

CollegeNews

New Business Journalism Emphasis Launched New curriculum will prepare students for the business side of journalism

BY CELIA PERKINS

G

aylord College has been chosen to receive a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation to create a new specialization in business journalism for students.

Business reporting will be introduced to all journalism students in the Multimedia News gathering class, with several courses to be developed that will specialize in different areas of business reporting. The first specialized course will center on the energy industry, which is a key economic force in Oklahoma and Texas. Future courses will focus on areas such as the sports, entertainment or technology business sectors.

The grant, which could total $70,000 or more, will provide funding for an experienced business journalist to be in residence as a visiting professor to teach the first specialized courses during spring 2014. The grant also will provide additional resources to bring in other business journalists as guest speakers.

“This grant is the catalyst for a new emphasis on business journalism at OU,” Gaylord College Dean Joe Foote said. “In addition to the visiting professor and professionals, our program will be anchored by Pulitzer Prize-winning business reporter John Schmeltzer, formerly of The Chicago Tribune, who has been on our faculty for several years.”

Participation in the grant program also opens doors to partnerships with business media. This program will enhance the existing relationship with The Journal Record in Oklahoma City.

“This is an important step for the Gaylord College and for its students. Business news has never been more important and these additional resources bring a much-needed focus to our program at OU,” said OU journalism graduate Jim Dolan, chairman, president and CEO of The Dolan Co. and member of the Gaylord College Board of Visitors.

“I am particularly pleased that our daily Journal Record newsroom in Oklahoma City will be participating,” said Dolan.

“I’m sure the program will help Gaylord College students not only get experience in business news coverage, but also develop a deeper understanding and insight into business and finance issues.”

In addition, this funding will enable OU students to compete for paid internships in business journalism. Paid internships often are difficult to obtain in the current economy but are increasingly important to student success in the face of increasing student debt.

Professor John Schmeltzer, Pulitzer Prize-winning business reporter from the Chicago Tribune, has been with Gaylord College as the Engleman/Livermore Professor for four years and will lead the new business reporting emphasis.

The funding program is administered through the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, headquartered at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, under the direction of Reynolds Center President Andrew Leckey.

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CollegeNews

Touchy Subjects

Do iPads in the classroom help or hinder education?

By Zachary Snowdon Smith

I

n the first week of Mass Communication Law class, Brittany Belli was handed, along with her syllabus and course schedule, a new, jet-black iPad Mini. It seemed too good to be true. Belli, along with 112 other journalism students, received the device as part of an ambitious new program put together by tech-savvy

Gaylord professors. Each 16GB iPad came with a crimson swivel-case stamped with the Gaylord College name. iPads help students learn in interactive new ways that paper-and-ink textbooks couldn’t—that was the idea.

Like most of the other students, Belli had never owned an iPad before. And, like most of the other students, she immediately immersed herself, and can often be seen wandering Gaylord Hall with her face buried in its 7.9-inch screen. But, like most of the other students, she uses her iPad as much for sending notes on Facebook as she does for taking notes in class.

For educators, the opportunity offered by the iPad has come hand-in-hand with a challenge: stopping students from being distracted by the technology meant to help them learn. ​The seed of the iPad program was planted in 2011, when Joe Foote, the famously technology-loving dean of Gaylord College, attended an Apple electronics demonstration in Cupertino, Calif., at the heart of Silicon Valley. There, Foote saw a new product he’d never heard of before: an iBook.

“All they had was a little five-page booklet on insects, but I was smitten by it,” said Foote, who returned to Norman and immediately began work on an iBook of his own.

To bring these new inventions into Gaylord College classrooms, Foote chose professors David Tarpenning and Robert Kerr. Kerr, energetic with the jokey manner of a TED Talks speaker, has experimented with multimedia in his Mass Communication Law classroom for years. His lectures are interwoven with elaborate sequences of video clips that he cuts together himself. Saturday Night Live is used to illustrate intellectual property law, and late-night comedian Craig Ferguson explains the difference between libel and slander. Kerr says it takes about a week’s worth of editing to produce a single class period’s worth of multimedia.

For Kerr, each semester is a process of trial-and-error, an evolutionary step toward a better curriculum. For the 2013 spring semester, the iPad was his biggest in-class experiment.

“The question is, how do we actually make it work?” Kerr asks. “If the student feedback shows me that they’re successful, I build upon that. If students felt that the iPad added something to their educational experience – something more than just being happy about getting an iPad – if they felt it added something positive, that would be the bottom-line objective for success.” ​Kerr’s approach has been informed by a similar program conducted by the OU College of Education. The College of Education distributed 396 iPads to students, though not as part of any specific in-classroom endeavor, says Erin 30

Yarbrough, a 2005 advertising alumna and director of OU Web Communications. A smaller-scale iPad program also is being conducted in Tarpenning’s Advertising Copy and Layout classroom. Kerr’s program, however, is the first one at OU in which such a large number of iPads have been integrated into the curriculum of a specific class. ​Even with a bulk-purchase discount from Apple, the program has not been cheap. The iPads were not purchased with student tuition or fees, but with private funding, Yarbrough said. The college provided red-and-white swivel-cases sporting the Gaylord College logo. ​Electronic books are not only potentially cheaper than the bank-breaking tomes sold at the OU bookstore, they also offer the possibility of interactive and multimedia content. Both Foote and Kerr include audio in their iBooks so that students can listen to lecture material outside of class. ​This “flipped classroom” approach, in which students discuss course material in class and listen to lectures outside of class, is what makes the iPad uniquely useful, says Yarbrough.

“Let’s use classroom time to allow the student to really connect more with faculty members,” Yarbrough says. “Let’s give students more face time with faculty members and more

Dean Foote interacts with students during the iPad program launch in January.

Seniors in Robert Kerr’s Mass Communication Law class received iPad Minis for the spring semester. Professor Robert Kerr created online, multimedia course materials and administered the course through iTunes U. Photo by Celia Perkins.

face time with each other so that class isn’t just sitting in a room, listening to a lecture.” ​Of course, the effectiveness of these methods depends on students’ ability to resist the siren call of social media during class hours. In large classrooms, it is not uncommon for students to angle their iPads away from the eyes of their professor and start playing Angry Birds. ​A little under a third of students find it distracting when those around them access sites like Facebook and Twitter during class, according to a survey conducted by Kerr.

“The kids who bring their iPads to class are a lot more distracted,” says Carmen Forman, a journalism junior and Gaylord Ambassador. “They aren’t listening during class because they’re on Facebook or Twitter. ... The girl who sits next to me is always texting her boyfriend in class.”

Only 31 percent of students believe that the iPad has helped increase their productivity, according to a survey of one of two sections of Kerr’s Mass Communication Law class. On the other hand, a robust 77 percent of students reported using their iPads to access Facebook during class.

Kerr recognizes the issue of distraction caused by use of social media in class, but knows that banning electronics altogether would be unenforceable. Kerr also doesn’t want to police his class so closely that the policing itself becomes a distraction. Rather, Kerr aims to hit Facebook junkies where it hurts.

“The people who say, ‘Oh, I just don’t know what to study!’ are the ones who are multitasking in class,” Kerr said. “If you’re going to choose to use your iPad for that, you’re going to suffer the consequences in your grades.”

Journalism Area Head Professor Peter Gade, who has been a vociferous critic of the effect of new media on journalism, also questions the effectiveness of policing to curb Facebook distraction.

“I’m not going to be a policeman all the time,” Gade said.

“This isn’t a police state, it’s an educational institution. ... The bigger trouble is that using media anytime, anyplace has become so ingrained in our culture that young people just believe that there’s no sense of right or wrong about it. To tell them that they can’t use it is almost an invitation to them to break the rule.

“This kind of technology is a double-edged sword. It tends to hurt the students who already aren’t very strong students. ... The best students you seldom have problems with.”

Not all of Kerr’s students think of the iPad just as a portal to Facebook. Michael Runyan, journalism senior, is among the 31 percent who believe their iPad Minis have helped them learn.

Runyan has balanced his writing-intensive 16-hour schedule and done copious online readings with the help of his new iPad. Its portability and ability to conveniently store online content >>Continued on page 55

WEB CONTENT Download a copy of Professor David Tarpenning’s Advertising Copy and Layout ibook at http://gaylord3. gaylord.ou.edu/books/ JMC3353.ibooks

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StudentProfile

A Dual Leader

Zack Hedrick established a reputation both at OU and within Gaylord College

BY Marley Dablo

G

aylord College had the privilege of claiming one of the university’s most recognized leaders: former Pride of Oklahoma drum major Zack Hedrick. The broadcast journalism alumnus established a hard-working reputation, and his numerous commitments included Gaylord Ambassador, intern for KOCO news in

Oklahoma City and play-by-play announcer for the OU Hockey Club.

Hedrick says his decision to become so involved was driven by seeing other students enjoying their experiences and having fun. His motivation to join the Pride came from the desire to be a part of the university.

“Getting into football games for free for four years isn’t a bad deal, either,” Hedrick said. “The Pride was great because that in itself was like a fraternity, and you meet so many different people from all over the country.”

Hedrick also worked for the university’s paper and radio station, and helped out at the college’s TV station, OU Nightly.

“I always find a way to keep myself busy, I guess,” Hedrick said. “My friends always tease me about never having down time and that I’m always finding something to do. … They say ‘You wouldn’t be Zack without being busy.’”

Hedrick laughs when asked about how he finds time to balance everything. He says his philosophy is that everything works out in the end.

“I do balance [my time], and every now and then I take time to do whatever I want and decompress,” he said. “I think everybody needs that every once in a while.”

However, he says he manages to find the time to do everything, even if it means compromising sleep or putting in more work.

“When it gets down to the nitty-gritty, I know that I’m going to work hard, harder than anybody else and it will get done,” Hedrick said.

Hedrick says he is not one to toot his own horn, but if he had to choose, he says his work ethic is what makes him stand out among other students. Hedrick also makes an effort to just have some fun.

“If you take something out of it, something positive out of the day, you know, it makes you not think about all the crap that you had to go through and all that made you hate it, so when you look back on it, you don’t remember all the bad stuff,” Hedrick says.

Hedrick tries to live by two simple points: work hard and have fun. He learned to balance both in order make the most of his college experience at OU.

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“By no means do I think I’m the smartest kid in the class or the greatest news anchor that has ever walked onto the OU Nightly set … it’s all a result of hard work,” he says.

Even Gaylord College Dean Joe Foote recognizes Hedrick’s hardworking personality.

“I think that’s Zack,” he said. “I think wherever you put him, wherever he is, if he hadn’t come to us, that he would have been a very focused, determined young man who would excel.

He is a good role model, he is totally dedicated to the field, to involvement of all kinds and to being a fine person.”

Having graduated in May 2013, Hedrick says his experiences at Gaylord College and OU have prepared him to succeed in the future. He says his two greatest commitments, school and the Pride, have helped him develop in different ways.

“Everything during my time here has prepared me and given me the experience to be able to go out and shoot a news story and turn it around to get it on the newscast,” Hedrick said. “And at the Pride, [I learned] how to be a member of something that is so much greater than yourself, and it gave me the opportunity to be a leader of my peers.”

One recent experience, in particular, further increased his passion for journalism and made him truly appreciate all that the college has provided.

“I went to the workshop that was held [at Gaylord Hall] over spring break,” Hederick said. “The National Press Photographers Association just totally changed my outlook of how I want my career to start. I want to establish myself as a great storyteller.”

His dream job is to become a national play-by-play sportscaster, but he wants to start out by simply finding a job to tell people’s stories.

Hedrick says being a Gaylord Ambassador has been a great experience as well.

“Getting to know the faculty and being able to be so casual with them is really neat, because this place opens up so much more when you have those kind of relationships,” Hedrick said.

For example, he gives credit to professor Mike Boettcher for bringing Hedrick his two internship opportunities.

“If they didn’t [prepare me], I did something wrong,” Hedrick says. >>Continued on page 56

Photo PROVIDED BY PRIDE OF OKLAHOMA

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CollegeNews

Making the Connection Top Jobs offers students a rare opportunity to kick-start their careers

By Dusti Gasparovic

Slacks and sleek blazers, high-heels and some perfume.

We mix and we mingle, chatter fills up the room.

Résumés, portfolios and some, ‘Nice-to-meet-yous.’

These are a few of the things that we do.

Gaylord College professors set their students up for success when representatives from leading advertising and public relations firms visited the University of Oklahoma for Top Jobs Feb. 21 through 23. The event enabled industry professionals to peruse résumés and recruit Gaylord College’s finest and brightest for internships. Public relations professor Robert Pritchard and advertising professor David Tarpenning, who worked to bring big names to Gaylord College’s doorstep, are dedicated to the program, the industry and their students.

“I wish I would have had an opportunity like this,” said Rachel Noonan, awards manager and creative coordinator at Crispin Porter Bogusky and 2010 Gaylord College alumna.

“It’s great to meet so many students and hopefully find that diamond in the rough,” said Amanda Speer from CPB. This was Speer’s first time attending Top Jobs at Gaylord College, and she said the campus was gorgeous and filled with hard-working and genuinely nice people.

Style is just one of the many things Gaylord College students do well; everyone looked polished and professional. Who said business attire was boring? Bright jewelry, ruffled blouses, Steve Madden’s latest stiletto, crisp blazers, gelled hair, snazzy ties and socks to match bring personality into the world of creative and strategic business.

In a casual conversation over a bag of chips, Mark Zangrilli of NYC Publicis admitted to snagging his tie right off the mannequin. It was his second time attending Top Jobs.

“It is always exciting to see students excited about the industry,” he said.

Representatives were flown in Thursday and student leaders within Lindsey + Asp agency were their chauffeurs for the evening. Friday morning, a feast of breakfast foods welcomed company representatives and Gaylord College students. Muffins, bagels, fresh fruit, biscuits and gravy were displayed on two long tables. Upon arrival, students were able to sign up for one-to-one time slots with various companies, as well as three informational sessions on Saturday.

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Following breakfast, everyone gathered in the auditorium for a brief welcome and introduction. Company representatives showed off their most popular advertisements and shared a little about what they do and what they look for in interns.

“There is a certain personality attracted to PR and advertising,” Zangrilli said. “We all kind of like the crazy.”

Zangrilli’s favorite part about his job is “playing detective” and working with people.

It takes a sleuth to understand the mind of a client, especially when the client is unsure of what he or she wants.

“If you can find and solve what keeps your client up at night, that’s gold,” said Gaylord College alumnus Matt Sikes, from Smith AD agency in Seattle.

Gaining audience insights is Sikes’ favorite part about his job.

“We only hire the best people,” said Jennifer Novak, recruiter for the creative department of DDB. “We are super-passionate about our interns.”

Novak expressed the significance of internships in general as well as within her company.

Major advertising and public relations agencies showcased their company portfolios and discussed the culture at their agencies.

Public relations students Anna Restuccia, Dusti Gasparovic, Stephen Eppling and Alexa Mihalick prepare for the next round of interviews during Top Jobs. Photo by Celia Perkins.

“It’s better to be inside the building than outside the building, screaming ‘I want a job,’” she said.

Just last year, Uyen Truong was the PR director of Lindsey + Asp and working to organize the Top Jobs event debut, where she landed an internship with Edelman Digital.

“The internship was the best part of the job because it allowed me to do something different,” she said.

Truong never worked in the digital department, but gave it a go to learn something new. Being well rounded is never a bad thing.

Now an alumna who couldn’t wait to give back to her alma mater, Truong sits on the other side of the table, handing out business cards instead of collecting them.

“It’s crazy to think just last year I was sitting there thinking, ‘Wow, I hope that’s me in one year,’” Truong said.

She speaks with students and encourages them to get involved with Gaylord College’s many opportunities, with Top Jobs being high on that list.

After the introductions, lunch was provided and students were given free time. Those who signed up for one-on-one time slots headed to their respective rooms. Expectant students took a deep breath, straightened their ties, snatched up their résumés and shook hands with people who could, quite possibly, offer them their dream job.

Public relations alumnus Stephen Eppling said Top Jobs was a great experience. He scoured over his résumé to make it as close to perfection as possible in preparation for the event.

“We get so much face time with these professionals,” he said enthusiastically as he gestured over to a room where a recruiter

was looking over a résumé with a student. “Look, they are sitting on the floor right now!”

Public relations sophomore Anna Restuccia attended Top Jobs for the first time, seeking feedback from professionals.

“It was great to connect with agencies and see what they recommend I work on,” she said. “I’m taking advantage of the program.”

When the one-on-ones wrapped up, there was a Q & A session in the auditorium for those who were unable to get all their questions addressed earlier. Friday came to a close, but Saturday morning offered one final day to make a lasting impression. Students attended the breakout sessions they signed up for the previous day, followed by a final Q & A session.

“They bring people to us,” said advertising alumna Alexa Mihalick, holding a stack of business cards. “Most colleges don’t get opportunities like this one.”

Top Jobs was a huge success and can be expected to continue in years to come, giving Gaylord College students a leg up on their competition and learning insights into the career field of their choice. Networking is huge in this industry, and it starts behind the wooden double doors of Gaylord College, the land of success where big dreamers, hard-workers and charismatic young professionals roam the floors.

Dusti Gasparovic is a public relations sophomore from Fort Worth, Texas. She seeks to be a positive role model to young women through the media and fashion industry.

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FacultyProfile

A Heart for Teaching News For John Schmeltzer, training new journalists outweighs Pulitzer gold

By Zachary Snowdon Smith

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n unobservant person might call him grandfatherly. It’s true that he walks with a slight stoop, that he wears hearing aids and that his neatly combed hair is as white as chalk. But Professor John Schmeltzer is a tougher reporter and a more rigorous teacher than most men half his age. He catches AP Style

errors like a bird of prey swooping down onto a helpless rodent, and his booming voice strikes fear into any student caught cutting corners in his Multimedia News Gathering class.

“John is all about tough love,” says Professor Mike Boettcher, who has taught Multimedia News Gathering alongside Schmeltzer for two years. “I believe his class is the toughest class in Gaylord College, because the assignments are never-ending.”

Most journalism majors hear about Multimedia News Gathering years before they actually have to take it, about the nonstop stream of writing and reporting assignments and about Schmeltzer’s uncompromising standards of grading. The class is a crucible for many. One semester, only 80 percent of the class managed a passing grade, says Schmeltzer, and grades sometimes reach as low as negative 90 — that is, 90 percentage points below zero.

But Schmeltzer doesn’t hand out Fs because he likes it.

“He’s hard on you, but with a purpose: to make you a better journalist,” Boettcher says. “John is one of those guys who loves his students. ... When his students succeed at something, John is so excited. But he doesn’t jump up and down because John is a very reserved individual. He comes from the hard, tough world of the newsroom.”

And it’s true that, while many students have to take the class more than once to pass, Schmeltzer and Boettcher remain well liked. For most students, Multimedia News Gathering is as close as they’ll get to the hustle of a real newsroom before they graduate.

Boettcher first worked alongside Schmeltzer on a project in which OU students reported the stories of military families while Boettcher was embedded with U.S. troops in Afghanistan. As Boettcher, working with ABC, reported overseas, Schmeltzer reported from the “home front,” maintaining the project website and driving students on the 11-hour trip to Fort Campbell, Ky., to speak with family members of troops.

“I will never, ever forget those long van rides with John to Kentucky,” says Hailey Branson-Potts, who now writes for the Los Angeles Times. “It’s something that I will always look back on with a smile. ... When we came back and we had our story, we could see John’s pride in us. A lot of people brag, but it was really genuine coming from John.”

If Schmeltzer brings a veteran reporter’s pragmatism and tireless work ethic to the classroom, he also introduced a passion for teaching to the newsroom during his previous career.

Three decades ago, Schmeltzer was an editor at the Suburban Trib, a local-news-focused satellite publication of the Chicago Tribune. There, Schmeltzer’s newsroom became a training ground for journalists who had a classroom education but lacked practical experience.

“I always got the youngest reporters, the greenest reporters,” he says. “They were all shifted out to me.”

In the summer of 1977, Mark Brown was one of these green reporters. Even now, as a veteran columnist for the Chicago SunTimes, Brown recalls his time interning at the Suburban Trib under Schmeltzer.

“My general recollection is of having a hard time meeting his expectations and having to pick up my game,” Brown says.

“I worked for a very good college paper and I thought I was a hotshot. … But John would make you ramp up very quickly with high expectations.”

At one point, about half of the reporters at the Chicago Tribune had trained under Schmeltzer, he says.

While covering the 1984 gubernatorial elections for the Tribune, however, Schmeltzer received a lesson as firm and as impossible to ignore as one of his own: He had a heart attack.

At first, he didn’t believe it. He sat out the pain, and carried on meeting deadlines for his election stories at the Tribune. Only after being urged to seek medical attention did he lay aside his reporting long enough to see a doctor.

“Two weeks afterward, I went to a cardiologist,” Schmeltzer says. “He said, ‘Nah, you didn’t have a heart attack.’ Then he went and did the tests, and he came back and said, ‘OK, you had a heart attack. You can’t go back to work for six weeks.’

“That became a defining moment, when I realized I had to work to balance my life a little bit better. … It really changed who I was and how I worked with people. Up until then, I was very demanding. I said, ‘Do it this way or here’s the door.’ It changed the way I worked with reporters. I became more of a teacher.” >>Continued on page 56

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Photo by Shevaun Williams

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StudentProfile

Roundabout Road to Success Scripps Howard Foundation Wire intern grateful for her experiences

By Jacque Entwistle

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my Slanchik spent the spring 2013 semester interning as a reporter at the Scripps Howard Foundation Wire in Washington, D.C. Her hard work, dedication and experience led her to the challenging opportunity, even though it came about unexpectedly.

“I would not be doing what I am doing if it weren’t for everyone at Gaylord,” says Slanchik, a broadcast journalism senior. “There’s just this thing about being a Sooner. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

But Slanchik’s Scripps Howard Foundation internship was not her first, or her second. Last summer, after she closed the door to a not-so-great internship, another one opened.

“I won’t say where it is just because it doesn’t matter,” she says. “It turned out to be kind of a scam. It was just a mess. It was a disaster.”

Slanchik quit the internship after three weeks without a backup plan.

Two days later, she received an offer from Ed Kelley, then editor of the Washington Times, for a summer internship with its radio show. She started the next week.

Although Slanchik wants to be a TV reporter, she knew that having experience in something else would benefit her.

“I ended up having a really great summer,” she says. “I was on the steps of the Supreme Court the day the affordable health care act was approved. I will never forget that. It doesn’t matter how I feel about the case. It’s just the fact that I’m witnessing history.”

Slanchik also attended the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., and the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. “I flew from Oklahoma City to Tampa and did the RNC,” she says. “I flew back to Oklahoma City, packed and washed some clothes, slept one night and then flew to Charlotte the very next day. I had a total one-day turnaround where I was jumping time zones and states.”

While in Tampa, she interviewed Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, sent it to Channel 9 in Oklahoma City, and it was used on the air.

“It’s one thing to be there, and then to know that I actually helped a TV station and got to see my work used was just incredible,” she says. “It was really rewarding.”

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She also interviewed delegates and watched the speeches of Mitt Romney and Barack Obama.

“Then I would write about it, and I would shoot a video about it,” she says.

Once back at her hotel room, she would stay up until 3 a.m. to make sure her video was uploaded to her blog.

“It was just a nonstop rush, and it literally made me fall in love with journalism 10 times harder than I had before,” she says.

Slanchik stresses that some of her biggest experiences would not have happened if it weren’t for that initial internship or the help of Kelley.

“It was just incredible because if I would have known that that first internship was a bad internship and decided not to come out here, I would have never interned at the Washington Times,” she says. “It just blows my mind how crazy that is and to think that it happened because of an OU alumnus makes me so

Slanchik with mentor and Gaylord College Board of Visitors member Ed Kelley (’75, journalism) on the set of OU Nightly.

During her Scripps Howard Foundation Wire internship in Washington, D.C., Slanchik was able to cover the second inauguration of President Barack Obama.

blessed just to be a part of that Sooner network and a part of that Sooner family.”

That is only part of her story. Not only did Slanchik cover the RNC and the DNC, she also attended the inauguration after she was accepted to work as a reporter for the Scripps Howard Foundation Wire internship.

“The main reason why I applied was because I got to cover the inauguration. I mean, it only comes around every four years,” she says.

“I received a letter from the White House that said, ‘your presence is requested at President Barack Obama’s inauguration,’ and I thought, ‘Wow, my presence is requested!’”

Slanchik was sitting among spouses of Congress members, CEOs and presidents of companies. She was there for the entire inauguration and even saw Beyoncé sing. Afterward, she conducted some interviews.

While there, she also learned that the JROTC group from Tulsa was going to be in the inaugural parade. She followed them around and interviewed them as they went to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

“I actually got kicked out of the museum for using a tripod, but thankfully I had already had my interviews done!” she says with a laugh.

After she had successfully completed the story, she sent it to Channel 2 in Tulsa, a Scripps TV station, and it made the 10 p.m. newscast.

“That was probably one of the most exciting things that has happened to me since I’ve been out here, and it wasn’t about me,” she says. “It was about me being the vehicle to people to share someone’s story. I don’t even know how to describe it. It was just incredible.”

Slanchik also was able to share the Gaylord College experience and pursue her ambassador duties while in the District of Columbia.

“It’s been interesting because I still get all the emails from Kristen Lazalier, and once in a while I respond and I’m like, ‘Hope you guys aren’t forgetting about me! I’m still alive and everything!’” she says jokingly.

Then something interesting happened. While attending an awards ceremony for the National Broadcasting Society, Slanchik met an adviser from Harding University in Little Rock, Ark. “She was like, ‘Oh, my sister is considering going to OU,’” Slanchik says. “And I was like, ‘Wow, this is so exciting! Boomer Sooner! This is great!’”

Slanchik gave the girl her phone number and email and guaranteed that she could contact her anytime. She also said she would set up a tour for the girl and make sure that her sister has the resources she needs to decide if Gaylord is where she wants to be.

Slanchik has gained some great experience and connections through her internships, and she does not want it to stop.

“In a perfect world, I’d be anchoring for CNN and doing all of that, and having fun and working hard and putting in those hours and everything,” she says. “But really, I see myself graduating and starting out at a small market in a middle-ofnowhere town and getting to know the community.”

Jacque Entwistle is a print journalism sophomore from Altus, Okla. She spent four years in Okinawa, Japan, before coming to OU to pursue her dreams of becoming a magazine editor.

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CollegeNews

Lab Experiment

YouXLab provides the resources for students to develop their ideas in a collaborative environment

By Valerie Wade

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reat life learners take their dreams and diligently work to make them real. Mark Nehrenz, a graduate assistant in Gaylord College, is such a learner. YouXLab equipped Nehrenz with the resources to complete his master’s project, which is called OKCGood. Its goal is to be a database of community

service organizations in the Oklahoma City metro area, and for starters, he needed a logo and website.

“Helping nonprofits tell their stories is my dream; it is what I love to do,” Nehrenz said.

Nehrenz learned video production on his own before he got the idea to create a network of nonprofits.

Following the initial ambition to begin the project, he realized he needed a website to promote his work.

Chris Krug, who has taught at Gaylord College since 2006, had the original idea for YouXLab, which launched in August 2012.

“YouXLab is a network of OU students, staff, faculty and alumni that collaborate and harness the university’s resources to train themselves and others to ideate and develop digital technologies, products and services that benefit the experience,” he said.

YouXLab means the “user-times-lab” and the “you-x” is the user experience. If Oklahoma Memorial Union is known as the living room of the university, Krug thinks of YouXLab as its garage.

This lab brings the creative minds of the campus together to create digital innovation for the future. Krug wants YouXLab to be open for people to build what they want to build.

“We’re really trying to harness student creativity and help it develop rather than prescribing what happens in this lab,” Gaylord College Dean Joe Foote said.

Foote told Krug to let the students express themselves and for Krug to observe their interests.

Currently, the structure of YouXLab is fluid. A few students, staff and faculty meet periodically in Gaylord Hall, Room 1025, to discuss ideas and projects.

Much of the collaboration is done over a private Facebook group of 51 people. They also hold an openmic night where students pitch their ideas and goals for their projects. The group then discusses what resources are needed.

Looking over the Facebook group, Nehrenz explained there are people in YouXLab from all kinds of majors.

Alumni even post their projects and ideas in the Facebook group. It is a social network within itself. Neither a class nor an organization, YouXLab is a collaboration.

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Screenshot of Mark Nehrenz’s website, OKCGood.com.

Mark Nehrenz (right) and Seth Hartman worked together to bring Nehrenz’s vision of OKCGood to life.

OU Information Technology OU IT employees have partnered Specialist Seth Hartman helped Nehrenz with Gaylord College students to design the logo for OKCGood and facilitate a fluid learning environment. the organization’s website. Hartman YouXLab participants are hopeful that graduated from Illinois State University these partnerships will expand to other with a bachelor’s degree in graphic colleges to create a unique network design. He has worked at OU for four of student projects and collaborations years. within the university. “[Mark] is really one of the ones “We need to co-mingle with others who has taken the YouXLab with both outside of this college,” said Foote, dean hands,” he said. of Gaylord College. “We don’t have all After Hartman contributes his the answers, but neither do computer expertise and knowledge about graphic science or business majors. The great design to the YouXLab group, he leaves ideas today are collaborative.” the rest to the students. His goal is to The network of people creates a guide and direct their creativity in such a unique and powerful opportunity for the way that they still have full control over university. Krug has urged members to the project. create tutorials based on their expertise Other alumni, students and members to assist future students within YouXLab. of the group also contribute based on “The more students in here the more their areas of expertise. vibrant of a community it could be,” “YouXLab is a big asset to the Nehrenz said. university, because it enables students An option for YouXLab is to allocate to kind of start dreaming before they workspace in the various college actually graduate,” Hartman said. “It buildings on campus. Each space would doesn’t limit them in what they can do.” Professor Chris Krug has been integral for many of Gaylord focus on the discipline that particular Nehrenz views YouXLab as a creative College’s digital initiatives over the past few years and college offers. space where he can learn, but at the same intiated the YouXLab collaboration.

“People on campus have the really time offer his video production skills to great ideas,” Krug said. “Let’s take others. people, bring them together and harness their creativity.”

“What I have gotten the most from YouXLab is learning from A native of Tulsa, Okla., Valerie Wade is an advertising people like Seth [Hartman] and Chris [Krug] about how to build sophomore who aspires to build a well-known network of nonprofit a website for my project,” Nehrenz said. organizations. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering with He also has worked with a few freshmen this year who enjoy inner-city youth. creating documentaries. He hopes in the future they will have a project and use the YouXLab as a resource to launch it.

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FacultyProfile

The Fatherly Professor

Robert Pritchard strives to help students find their passion

By Marley Dablo

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professor willing to admit that he advises his students as if they were his own offspring is a rare find. With parental pride, professor Robert Pritchard leads the public relations side of the Lindsey + Asp agency at Gaylord College. He tells his students that confidence and passion are two of

the greatest assets to have when going into the public relations and advertising industries.

Pritchard, better known as “Pritch,” was hired to specifically help start Lindsey + Asp, the full-service advertising, public relations and digital agency within Gaylord College, in August 2009. Before accepting the job at the University of Oklahoma, he spent time in the U.S. Navy and taught at Ball State University in Indiana.

“Oklahoma came calling and I saw the facilities, I talked to my colleagues and I knew that this is where I needed to be,” Pritchard says. “And you don’t get to start something new in this business very often, so that was appealing.”

Prior to accepting the job, Pritchard says he didn’t think he was going anyplace because he had been promoted, tenured and ran the public relations sequence at Ball State.

David Tarpenning, Pritchard’s “partner in crime” who runs the advertising side of Lindsey + Asp, did most of the legwork to start the agency. Eighteen students were selected for a class that Tarpenning – or “Tarp” – taught during the summer in which the students came up with the name, logo and mission statement. By the fall, the group was already working with clients.

“It was a little bit organic and still is, in that we learn something new every semester,” Pritchard says. “First semester was really challenging because we were trying to find our identity, and agency operations were still very much in a state of flux. But we got our arms around that, and by spring things were really starting to go smoothly.”

As the public relations adviser for Lindsey + Asp, his contributions include sitting in team meetings, tracking the progress of the projects and bringing his experience to the table.

But he leaves the decisions up to the students.

“Neither Tarp nor I like to tell students what to do, and we’ve been there and done it,” Pritchard says. “It’s their turn now, so that’s really important. That’s the hardest part for an adviser is to let them make a mistake … but sometimes you learn as much

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from your mistakes, or more, than you do from doing things right.”

Pritchard received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Phillips University in Enid, Okla., and earned a master’s degree in public relations at Ball State in Muncie, Ind. His goal was to be a naval aviator.

“I joined the Navy and got the chance to fly jets off aircraft carriers for a while, and then was medically grounded and had to find something else to do,” he says.

However, he says he didn’t want to drive ships in the Navy, and when he got the chance to get into public affairs, it was a marriage made in heaven. Twenty-three of his 27 years in the Navy were in public affairs.

At Lindsey + Asp, Pritchard works closely with Tarpenning.

“We’re Pritch and Tarp, I mean, it’s a team,” Pritchard says.

The two make decisions together when it comes to new clients and student teams.

He says they are very focused on what the students are going to get out of the experience.

“Tarp and I are there every step of the way and making sure that we’re getting the best professionally rewarding experience for our students,” Pritchard says.

The student success stories like internships and job placements also are very gratifying for Pritchard.

“The cards, the emails, the phone calls and the drop-bys to say thank you, I mean, those are worth more than a paycheck,” he says.

The unofficial slogan for Lindsey + Asp, according to Pritch, is “We grow leaders.” He says students will learn to work with clients, how to use classroom lessons in the agency, teamwork skills and peer leadership.

“When they are successful here, I know that they are going to be very successful in the business world,” Pritchard says. >>Continued on page 55

FacultyProfile

Advertising Inspiration David Tarpenning motivates students to realize their dreams

By Haley Arias

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aylord College will have a huge hole to fill after the spring 2014 semester when advertising instructor David Tarpenning will end his 16-year, award-winning run at OU.

Tarpenning’s first career laid the perfect groundwork for a transition to education. After working as assistant manager of the Oklahoma Press Association, he became a creative director at Jordan Advertising and, later, Beals Advertising, both in Oklahoma City. In 1971, Tarpenning opened his own advertising agency, which taught him every aspect of the business.

With such extensive practical experience in the field, Tarpenning was a perfect fit for Gaylord College. He has taught most of the advertising courses offered, ranging from copy and layout to advertising media.

“I like copy and layout,” Tarpenning said. “It’s a creative course and it’s more fun to see what the students can do creatively.”

“Tarp” also takes the Advertising Club to New York City every fall. This past year he took 32 students to visit six agencies.

He also organized a dinner with Gaylord alumni. Currently, there are 20 advertising alums working at New York agencies.

Looking back through his years at Gaylord, Tarpenning says he has enjoyed the students the most.

“They are bright, eager to learn and focused,” he said. “All of the advertising students that we have are really focused on their career from the minute they get in here until the minute they leave. Using some of my contacts, I try to get them internships and jobs. We have been successful in getting even winter break internships of two weeks for some of our students. … that really gives them an insight and a chance to get a longer internship in the summer or go back and get a job. We really like to have those and we are very grateful for the people who give them to us.”

Humble, humorous and approachable, Tarpenning is beloved by students and welcoming to newcomers. Journalism adjunct Dwight Normile, a last-minute fill-in as Magazine Interest Group adviser in 2013, feels indebted to Tarpenning for his assistance.

“When I accepted the adviser position, I didn’t realize I would have to organize a trip to New York City in less than two months,” Normile said. “I didn’t know where to begin, but I was told that David had been doing a similar trip for the advertising students. So I walked into his office, introduced myself, and he acted like I had been working there 10 years. He was so helpful and accommodating. Our trip was a big success, thanks to him pointing me in the right direction.”

With his background, Tarpenning also helped start the Lindsey + Asp agency in the summer of 2009, and it began with 18 dedicated students who really knew nothing about an advertising agency. They were in class four hours a day, five days a week from the end of school in May to the start of school in August.

“Starting the agency is probably one of the best memories I have,” Tarpenning said.

“They took on their first account in August and it was a refusal. It was a really good experience for them because it taught them that not everything works out the first time and you just have to persevere.”

It is a strict application process for the agency, because students have to apply, do an interview and write an essay to get accepted.

The first 18 were selected out of a group of 65 that applied, and Lindsey +Asp has gone from one client to 14 clients, and 18 students to 50-plus on staff.

Caitlyn Kayser is a current advertising student enrolled in her third class with Tarpenning, and also is in Lindsey + Asp. “I have loved being in Tarp’s class,” Kayser said. “His classes are so interesting and you actually learn a lot of information that is useful in real life situations. He inspires me to strive for my dreams. Not only does he give me the inspiration, but he also gives me the opportunities to achieve my dreams. He has mastered the art of teaching students the material without making them feel overloaded or like they are being lectured.” >>Continued on page 58

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StudentProfile

Small-Town Big Shot

Adam Saffer’s journey through higher education

By Mikala Ewald

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rowing up in the tiny, farming town of Eads, Colo., has not limited Adam Saffer in terms of obtaining higher education. Right after graduating from high school, he completed two internships in Washington, D.C., working for a congressional representative and for the 2008 election.

“Although I grew up in a small town, I have always been fascinated with cities,” Saffer said. “The size of the city has never been a concern for me. It has been more about the community, which is something that stems from growing up in a small town.”

Saffer’s higher education career began at the University of Colorado, where he obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communications. His background in communications caused

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Saffer to develop a curiosity about public relations, particularly the research side of the field.

Saffer decided to pursue a degree in public relations because he has always been interested in how people and organizations communicate. This curiosity made studying public relations a natural career option for him, and is the reason he decided to attend the University of Oklahoma.

“The source of my motivation comes from having a sense of curiosity,” he said. “I am always curious to know the outcomes of situations. With research, it is a never-ending process of new questions, new situations and new outcomes. My curiosity and research have complemented each other.”

Started in 2007, the doctoral program at Gaylord College is still very new and the admissions process is quite competitive.

The first Gaylord College doctoral student graduated in the spring of 2011.

“We’re one of the newest Ph.D. programs in the country, so you would expect our message to be very small,” said Gaylord College Dean Joe Foote. “We’re a small program and admit only three or four people a year. But when we totaled up the number of publications at the end of four years and the number of conference presentations, our Ph.D. students were up there with the best in the country.”

As a doctoral student at Gaylord College, Saffer is always working hard to learn more about the public relations field and to perfect his skills as an educator. As an instructor his students say he is very down-to-earth, and he’s not afraid to ask for feedback from his class. Saffer’s students also get a glimpse of his sense of humor while listening to him lecture. His witty, sarcastic jokes are unexpected and refreshing since he typically emanates an air of business and professionalism. Overall, Saffer enjoys being a part of the new doctoral program at Gaylord College.

“One of the most exciting things about our doctoral program is that it is young and still being formed,” he said. “Being a part of creating this emerging program’s reputation is very exciting.”

Saffer appreciates the community at Gaylord College and the support offered by his professors, particularly his mentors Maureen Taylor and Michael Kent.

“Dr. Taylor and Dr. Kent have been two mentors that have been very influential in my life,” Saffer said. “They have taken me under their wing and helped me progress very nicely in my research and pedagogy. The nurturing and guidance they have

Doctoral students participate in a faculty panel discussion led by Charles Self (second from right). Photos by Shevaun Williams.

provided has made this an excellent experience with the graduate program.”

Saffer is most passionate about how organizations and activists can use public relations for public good. He wants people to realize that the public relations field is more than just selling people and products. He believes public relations can help give a voice to communities that are underrepresented.

“Adam embodies the values of the new Ph.D. program,” Taylor said. “The program is small, encourages close facultystudent relationships and collaborations. Students like Adam have access to internationally recognized researchers and the facilities to conduct real world research that matters.”

In the summer of 2012, Saffer worked as the Ketchum Excellence in Public Relations Research Award Fellow in New York City.

“I was a part of the research team and conducted market research for several Fortune 500 companies,” he said. “The fellowship was an opportunity to work with one of the world’s largest public relations research teams. I was part of a team that was launching a new product for a Japanese client. This involved doing surveys, focus groups and other market research activities.”

Saffer’s hard work is paying off and people are noticing.

Obtaining an opportunity to work for one of the most well-known public relations firms in the United States is quite an honor.

“Adam is a leader in the Ph.D. program,” Taylor said. “He is the student representative to the Graduate Committee, and he is the type of student we want students, alumni, colleagues and applicants to meet. He embodies what Gaylord College’s doctoral program seeks to build.”

Saffer is planning on completing the doctoral program in May 2014. His goal is to obtain a faculty position at a large research institution like the OU. And if he does, perhaps he can settle down in a tiny town near campus.

Mikala Ewald is a public relations junior from Fairview, Okla.

She is a professional makeup artist and beauty blogger who was awarded Tulsa’s Makeup Artist of the Year in 2012.

Doctoral Students 2007 to Current Shugofa Dastgeer Katie Eaves David Ferman Desiree Hill Amanda Kehrberg Joonil Kim Sang Chon Kim Yousuf Mohammad Justin Poirot Adam Saffer Khalaf Tahat ACCEPTED POSITIONS Joshua Bentley, University of New Mexico Tara Buehner, University of South Carolina Bryan Carr, Univ. of Wisconsin-Green Bay Kenna Griffin, Oklahoma City University Anna Klyueva, University of Oregon Christal Johnson, Howard University Chad Nye, Keene State College Jared Schroeder, Augustana College Erich Sommerfeldt, University of Maryland Phil Todd, East Central University Nur Uysal, Marquette University Aimei Yang, USC-Annenberg 45

StudentProfile

Bringing a Smile From Venezuela to OU

Anna María Restuccia takes on university full force

By Mikala Ewald

I

magine your first day of college in a new city, at a new school, doing something you have never done. You haven’t made any friends, and you don’t know what to expect. It is both scary and exciting, and, for many, a rite of passage into adulthood.

Now imagine all of these changes at a school in a different about the award with international students through social country. This is what Anna María Restuccia faced when she media and marketing techniques. She encourages other students decided to attend the University of Oklahoma in 2011. to apply to Lindsey + Asp, and realizes the importance of Restuccia grew up in Spanish-speaking Venezuela, and her these opportunities, since her home country offers nothing grandparents spoke Italian, which helped her become bilingual. comparable.

Two of her sisters were already at OU: Antonietta studied If Restuccia isn’t already busy enough, she also works as a chemical engineering, while Gabriela was an orthodontics Spanish and Italian tutor for OU student athletes, is involved graduate student. Both recommended OU to Anna, who had with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and is dreams of becoming a journalist. But first, she would need to an active member of the Public Relations Student Society of learn yet another language.

America.

After completing eight months at OU’s Center for English “I wanted to get involved with everything!” Restuccia says. as a Second Language, “My days are very busy, but Restuccia was accepted I love it. I want to do this as a Gaylord College and I want to work hard “I wanted to get involved with student. And after for this because I know that everything! My days are very busy, but meeting with her when I graduate I won’t Gaylord College adviser, have all these opportunities I love it. I want to do this and I want to she decided to pursue to get involved, so I want a degree in public to get the most experience work hard for this because I know that relations. She appreciated as I can.” when I graduate I won’t have all these the flexibility of the Gaylord College Dean major and the wide skill Joe Foote agrees with opportunities to get involved, so I want set it taught.

Restuccia’s mindset.

To make new friends “She is a model example to get the most experience as I can.” ~ and learn as much on how you have to plunge Anna Restuccia as possible about the right in and get things done culture in Oklahoma, around here,” he says. “It Restuccia immersed would have been so easy for herself in student activities, organizations and events. One of her her as an international student and speaking English as a second first efforts was to apply for a position at OU Nightly. She was language to focus on her classes and not do anything else.” accepted into the program as a news anchor for OU Nightly’s So what drives Restuccia’s passion to take advantage of Spanish version, which partners with Telemundo and Univision. everything Gaylord College has to offer? As a public relations Restuccia also is an account coordinator for Lindsey + Asp, practitioner, she wants to target the Hispanic community in the the student-run public relations and advertising agency within United States because it is growing so quickly. And since Spanish Gaylord College. She started working with the agency in the is her first language, she believes she has the tools to meet the spring of 2013, and says it is a great way to gain leadership desires of these markets. experience and public relations skills. Her current position “Venezuela is a socialist country, and there is a lot of political within the agency is to represent the Zenith Awards, a national tension there,” Restuccia said. “I do not agree with the ideology public relations competition for students. She creates awareness of government in Venezuela.”

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>>Continued on page 55

Anna Maria Restuccia delivers the Spanish-language news briefs for the award-winning OU Nightly newscast. Photo by Shevaun Williams.

47

CollegeNews

Journey to the Big Apple The Magazine Interest Group’s annual trip to New York reaps rewards

By Miranda Fogel

N

ew York is full of luster, excitement and revitalization, of dreamers, doers and movers. A city that keeps its proverbial torch held high and mighty, welcoming hoards of determined young people who may find their destiny within one of the thousands of buildings. With a few connections and a lot of work,

Gaylord’s Magazine Interest Group takes a trip each fall to the city that never sleeps. MIG members get the rare opportunity to speak with industry professionals on the glossy world of magazines.

Led by MIG faculty adviser Dwight Normile and under the six young editors met with our group in a glamorous conference direction of President Madeline Alford, our group of 11 headed room. There, we listened to the staff members speak about off for an adventure to remember. But before we could embark their positions, college backgrounds and previous intern and on our journey to magazine knowledge and enlightenment, job experiences that led them to their place at Glamour. After many months of careful planning were in order. Thankfully, an hour and a half, we left inspired and encouraged by their Alford was practically made for the job and executed every aspect willingness to advise us on the best ways to get into the industry, of the trip with ease. and how to become the best intern possible.

“Planning the trip was both a rewarding experience and a To finish day one, the group walked to the Time & Life large responsibility,” she said. “I wanted to make sure that the Building on West 50th Street, where representatives from TIME {students} who attended the trip really got something out of it.” and Sports Illustrated offered separate tours of each publication.

Even when an unexpected Hurricane Sandy forced us to Howard Chua-Eoan, news director at TIME, proudly explained delay our trip by a full month, Alford rearranged the puzzle how the magazine had just scored an interview with Egyptian pieces perfectly. On a brisk November morning just before President Mohamed Morsi the day before. Thanks to modern “dead week,” 10 students and Normile took off on a quest for technology, Morsi was already on the cover of the issue he knowledge. We arrived in New York City as it ushered in the excitement of the holiday season.

Everyone awoke bright and early for our first full day in the Big Apple and met in the lobby of our 34th Street hotel. With an exciting lineup of four magazines, we hopped on the subway and headed down to Chelsea.

Our first stop was at Martha Stewart near Chelsea Piers. A publicist of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and an acquaintance of Alford’s gave us the grand tour of the offices, where anything from cupcake tasting in the test kitchen to faux-living room arrangement photo shoots take place on a regular basis. We walked through the editorial offices, where mock-ups of each magazine page were displayed on a wall. We toured huge closets of various props and furniture, a shiny stainless steel kitchen where multiple people were mixing and chopping, and finally peeked inside the office where Martha Stewart herself works. We left astonished at all the exciting daily projects that take place in-house at Martha Stewart, and wished we could have spent more time there.

The group met with representatives from Sports Illustrated and TIME. Front: Paige Pinkerton, After a quick lunch at Chelsea Market, we headed to Lyda Hartness, Lauren Leaver, Kirsten Viohl; Back: Dwight Normile (MIG faculty adviser), Times Square for our next stop at Glamour in the Condé Rachel Terry, Emma Hamblen, Miranda Fogel, Madeline Alford, Haley Arias, Emily Ford, Brian Nast building. After we were given a tour of the offices, Cazeneuve (Sports Illustrated writer)

48

Front: Rachel Terry, Lauren Leaver, Paige Pinkerton, Lyda Hartness, Madeline Alford; Back: Dwight Normile (MIG Faculty Adviser), Emma Hamblen, Emily Ford, Kirsten Viohl, Haley Arias, Miranda Fogel

proudly passed around to the MIG group. Chua-Eoan said he began working at TIME 30 years ago, answering the phone on Saturdays. And even though he holds one of the highest editorial positions and is on a fast-paced weekly production schedule, he spent about 40 minutes with our group, answering questions and explaining how the industry is changing in the digital world.

A tour of Sports Illustrated followed, along with excellent presentations from Richard Demak, who handles the internship program, Trisha Blackmar, the only female senior editor at SI, and Olympics beat writer Brian Cazeneuve. Even if sports was not the forte of our group, we learned a great deal and took many notes to inspire us once we returned to school.

Our second and final day began and ended in the Hearst building, where we toured Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country.

As we entered the heavy glass doors of the chic offices of the former, the nation’s first fashion magazine, we were escorted by an associate editor into a glass-walled conference room. We were all ears to the discussion of the magazine’s recent redesign and the ample amount of time dedicated to revamping each section.

After a Q and A with our host about internships, jobs and the like, we were happily escorted to the fashion closet and shown what happens in order to prepare for the infamous editorials seen in each issue.

Our trip concluded at all-American favorite Town & Country, where we listened to six staff members speak about how they got their positions and what previous experiences proved to be most beneficial. They were more than willing to answer our many questions about intern candidates and how to get the job.

During our tour of the offices, we admired the rich history in the archives dating back to far earlier in the 1900s. After we were

given copies of the current T&C issue, the editors also offered their personal business cards and instructions to reach out should we ever have any questions about applying for an internship.

Our overall consensus of the trip was delighted surprise in the willingness of every magazine to “pay it forward” and advise us in how to be successful in pursuit of careers in the magazine industry. Sophomore Haley Arias agreed that the trip was highly beneficial in realizing that entering the magazine world from a non-New Yorker’s perspective is not as impossible as it sometimes seems.

“What I liked best about the trip was how genuine and helpful each person at each magazine was,” she said. “They showed how much they care and want to help us, and that made me feel more confident.”

Added Alford: “It was also great to see the whole thing come together. It took a lot of planning and hard work, but it was worth it. The MIG girls seemed excited and inspired by what we learned, and I think we are going to have a record high of internships as a result.”

With a fresh batch of knowledge varying from how to gain an internship to each job’s responsibilities, the MIG members owe many thanks to Gaylord for our club’s establishment, the magazines for accommodating us, and our president and adviser for facilitating a successful visit.

Miranda Fogel is an online journalism junior who flew back to New York in the spring for an interview with Harper’s Bazaar. She received an internship there for the summer of 2013.

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StudentProfile

The Fighter

Christina DeVincenzo has something to prove

By Kirsten Viohl

S

ophomore Christina DeVincenzo arrived on campus in August 2012 with a perpetual smile and a vision for her life. Her plan did not include two brain surgeries within two months of starting her college career, a total of eight before she turned 20, but the bounce in her step would have you think otherwise.

DeVincenzo was born with hydrocephalus, a chronic brain condition in which the cerebral spinal fluid does not drain off the brain correctly. She underwent her first surgery at just 5 months old, but DeVincenzo says her first memory of her condition was at age 10.

“I remember Elizabeth Smart was found right as I was going under anesthesia,” she said. “The doctors were yelling and I thought they were yelling about me.”

DeVincenzo suffered from nauseating migraines. Sleeping the headaches off was also not an option, because with hydrocephalus, there was a chance she would not wake up, DeVincenzo says.

Her condition began acting up again in September 2012, leading to her recent two surgeries. DeVincenzo says she took more than 280 Advil in those weeks.

“It felt like I was hit by a Mack truck,” she said of her headaches. “I started seeing angels in my room, too. I know God was telling me to hang in there.”

The broadcast journalism major missed a total of four weeks of classes and extracurricular activities, including OU Nightly, and spent five days in the hospital with no light, sound, talking, moving or eating.

“It was literally five days of not living; it was a nightmare,” DeVincenzo says. “I’m so bubbly, I love people and I love to talk, so taking that away was the most horrible thing,” she adds with a laugh.

Laugh? Yes, her incredible positivity about a brain condition she describes as a “blessing” is only further testament to the fighter inside her.

“It all sounds so crazy, but it’s weird because I’m so normal,” she says, “It’s like, hey, here is just a little plot twist. I did not want to come to college and have people be like, ‘There is that girl with a brain condition.’”

On the contrary, DeVincenzo has taken the university by storm with her campus involvement, including President’s Leadership Class, Alpha Lambda Delta, a Crimson Club nominee, member and alumni banquet chair of her sorority, Chi Omega and Soonerthon executive committee.

“For me, it played a special role being on Soonerthon executive committee. because I had been in the hospital with some of those kids and I saw what they were going through,” DeVincenzo says.

“I was lucky enough to not have a terminal illness and I was able to walk away and be OK. I got to see both sides to who was being helped and being the one to help them.”

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DeVincenzo also has actively been a part of OU Nightly from her second week of school.

“OU Nightly was really one of the things I missed the most about being gone from school,” she said. “Ken Fischer was so understanding, and I felt that sense of community and family from Nightly. It made me so proud to be a Gaylord College student.”

DeVincenzo gushes over becoming a member of the on-air team in spring 2013 and says it was a dream come true.

“I never imagined I would get this kind of opportunity and experience as a freshman!” she exclaims, fairly bouncing out of her seat with enthusiasm. “I know that people in the media can either positively or negatively affect a society, and the opportunity I have to positively affect society gives me so much excitement.”

DeVincenzo dreams of becoming an entertainment host, looking to E!’s Giuliana Rancic as one of her role models not only regarding her career, but in her personal life as well. Rancic has showcased tremendous strength as a breast cancer survivor.

“I would love to share my story someday, but I would never want it to define my career,” DeVincenzo explains. “I never want a pity party or for someone to say, ‘Oh, you poor thing,’ because that’s not how I think of myself. I think of myself as a fighter.”

The sparkle in DeVincenzo’s eyes reveals someone who has something to prove in this world and is not letting any health condition stop her.

“When you’re a kid on Christmas morning, you run down the stairs, so excited to see what Santa brought you; I use that approach every day,” DeVincenzo says. “I’m just trying to be the best person I can be, and I feel like everything else will fall into place.”

She says she has no regrets or harbors any resentment about her health struggles.

“People I don’t even know will come up to me and tell me that because of what I’ve been through, it has grown their faith with God. And for me, that makes this all worth it,” DeVincenzo says.

DeVincenzo charisma, energy and eloquence earned her a spot as a Gaylord Ambassador for the 2013-2014 school year. With her intense motivation and strength of character, she can easily reach her dreams.

“If I’ve learned anything from my life, God has different and bigger plans than I could ever imagine for myself,” she says.

Kirsten Viohl is studying journalism and English writing and used her experience from Pulse to obtain a fashion editorial internship with PaperCity Magazine in Dallas for summer 2013.

Photo by Shevaun Williams

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52 Photo

by Leigh Thompson Photography

StudentProfile

Gaylord College Beauty

From everyday student to the big leagues of pageants

By Miranda Fogel

B

eauty, brains, charisma and grace are all qualities you would expect of a contending pageant queen, but Gaylord College junior Alicia Clifton has much more. The former Miss Oklahoma was second runner-up at the 2013 Miss America pageant, but despite all of her achievements, she is just like many other students

working toward her degree with hopes of making it in the world of broadcast.

Like many young children, Clifton drew inspiration from public figures on television. But her choice of TV fan favorites did not come from the likes of a cartoon show or a character from a famed 1990s sitcom. Clifton watched the 1996 Miss America pageant in awe, seeing Oklahoma native Shawntel Smith receive the crown as the new Miss America.

“I first became interested in the organization when I was only 5 years old,” she says. “Like so many thousands of other young girls, I watched the pageant and was inspired. That year, Miss Oklahoma won and that sparked my desire to be just like her.”

In a sense, it was love at first sight. From that moment on, Clifton pushed forward with her desire to one day take the stage at Miss America. At 13, she entered the Miss Oklahoma Outstanding Teen pageant, the little sister to the Miss America organization. With determination and strength, Clifton competed annually in the pageant until she won at age 16. Two years later, Clifton entered the Miss Oklahoma pageant for the first time, and eventually won the title on her third try, at age 20.

Clifton’s journey to Miss America ensued from that point. With this extraordinary opportunity to earn a title at the nationally acclaimed pageant, Clifton found her college experience drifting away from what is considered the norm.

“As Miss Oklahoma, you take the year off of school since the schedule is so demanding, and it truly is a full-time job,” she says. “It also puts your social life on hold for a year because not only do you not have a lot of extra time to spare, but you move to the Miss Oklahoma apartment in Tulsa for the year as well.”

Taking two consecutive semesters off from college is not something that is typically encouraged, but in Clifton’s case, it was necessary. Many students who face a year of schooling to catch up might find it a struggle to find their rhythm again, but Clifton’s support system came to the rescue. As a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, Clifton often finds encouragement in her sorority sisters and the Greek community. Pledge sister and close friend Macey Flowers says Clifton will not have the slightest bit of trouble succeeding in obtaining the career of her choice.

“Alicia is one of the most determined people I know,” she says. “She’s done so many amazing things already, the sky’s the limit for her. Watching how she spoke in front of an audience of millions gives me no doubt that she would make an amazing broadcast journalist.”

But even with a focused mind and diligent spirit, the life of a pageant contender is far from easy. Miss America contestants must allot a certain amount of time each day to make sure they are in tip-top shape, both mentally and physically. What the media sometimes fail to report is that pageants are more than swimsuit competitions and big, voluminous hair. Miss America, like most every other pageant, has an interview portion in which judges may ask the contestant questions from a variety of categories, ranging from current events and politics to their platform and aspects of their résumé.

“I actually used to be a painfully shy little girl who had absolutely no self-esteem,” Clifton admits. “Through competing in this organization for several years, it’s helped me break out of my shell and become a young woman who is no longer afraid of meeting new people and speaking in front of any crowd, and have opinions and convictions that I’m not afraid to share.”

With confidence, a megawatt smile and the knowledge of how to speak eloquently about any topic, Clifton says she is excited to continue with her pursuit of a broadcast degree. With a portfolio loaded with public appearances and judged interviews, it is accurate to say that Clifton is on the way to achieving her goals.

In addition to her undeniable broadcast-type qualities, Clifton’s exposure to media on a national level has certainly set her up for success. Clifton admits that she is grateful for the opportunity she has had to compete at such a publicized level, and believes that this eventually will allow her the opportunity to speak on a national platform again.

Even though Clifton has spent the past year away from OU, she has shown nothing but Sooner spirit and smarts in terms of setting a working goal and achieving it. From earning a Miss Oklahoma title to beating 47 other young women at Miss America, Clifton has charmed the likes of her fan following and peers.

“My experiences have been helpful because of all the speaking engagements I have,” she says. “And while I’m at these appearances, I’m constantly meeting other individuals who share their story with me. And, to me, that’s what journalism is all about.”

Spoken like a true Gaylord College Sooner.

Miranda Fogel is a online journalism junior who received an internship with Harper’s Bazaar for the summer of 2013.

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StudentProfile

Digital Dreamer

Colin Parajon sets the groundwork for successful career

By Marki-MaCaulie White

T

he advertising industry is not where Colin Parajon thought he would end up before college, but now it is where he belongs. After some persuasion by his older sister, also a Gaylord College graduate, Parajon chose to take the leap into advertising in 2009. And a rising digital star was born.

“I came in thinking I was going to be a creative in the advertising industry. But then I took Jim Avery’s class in account planning and that kind of converted me to strategy,” Parajon says.

Says Avery, professor of advertising, “He’s a good student, he’s smart, very capable.”

Already, Parajon has quite the reputation under his belt.

His involvement as digital director in the National Student Advertising Competition and his work at Lindsey + Asp have set him apart from his peers.

“He’s very enterprising and he’s a great designer,” said advertising professor David Tarpenning, Parajon’s teacher and mentor. “He’s got really a good mind.”

The half-Cuban 22-year-old from Keller, Texas, was nominated this year by Tarpenning for the American Advertising Federation’s Most Promising Minority Students Program.

Parajon was sent to New York City to learn and enhance his knowledge and understanding of the advertising industry through the program, which offers networking, interviewing and immersion opportunities with industry professionals.

“It was very easy for me to recommend him for the MPMS because he’s so focused now on what he wants to do,” Tarpenning said. “You nominate the very best students you know, the ones that have good grade point, are focused on their career, committed to what they’re doing, get along well with people.”

Tarpenning’s instinct proved accurate. After the program, Parajon was offered the InterAct Fellowship in New York City with the Interpublic Group of Companies.

“It’s a two-year commitment,” Parajon says. “I’ll work at four agencies for six months. And I won’t know my first agency until I’m on my way there, and I won’t know the second one until the first one’s ending, so I’ll be kind of up in the air. But New York City has always been my goal.”

The outgoing entrepreneurial Parajon is already one step ahead of the digital crowd. The former Lambda Chi Alpha brother has turned his knowledge of campus Greek life into a business. He is the co-founder and creative director of StrapAds. com and founder of The Agora App Company, which specializes in creating mobile applications for fraternities and sororities. The company has established its reputation with several houses on the OU campus as well as Kansas State, Baylor and TCU as well as several local Norman businesses. The app allows users to keep

Graduating advertising senior Colin Parajon presents a campaign to Professor Jim Avery. Photo by Celia Perkins.

information stored in one spot, from events to directories, and the ability to reach the entire chapter at once.

Parajon’s involvement as digital director in Lindsey + Asp has sparked a new digital department this year, making it one of the first student-run agencies to have one.

“So instead of working on one client, all of the accounts will come to us and we develop their digital strategy to make sure >>Continued on page 58

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Restuccia

Pritchard

She says that socialism controls the media and has too much control of the newspapers as well as the television and radio stations in her home country. She wants to think freely and have the opportunity to build a better future and live in a democracy.

“Freedom is one of the most important things that every human being should have,” she says.

According to Restuccia, journalists in Venezuela are being persecuted and punished for expressing their viewpoints. She does not want to live in a country that tries to control her way of thinking or what she wants to say. She prefers to work primarily in the United States, but also wants to do some projects in Venezuela. Helping students to find the funding to come to America for an education and to learn the English language is very important to her.

“I know there is a lot of international talent out there who really want to be in the United States,” she says. “I know the tuition is expensive. I want to create an organization that helps international students come here. They do not have the opportunity to apply to many scholarships because almost always you must be a United States citizen in order to do so.”

Restuccia isn’t all work and no play, however. She loves to talk and meet new friends. She says her mission in this world is to help people who have forgotten how to smile.

“I think a smile can change everything for me,” she says. “I believe in the power of the smile. If I have a bad day and I smile, everything changes.”

Restuccia has worked hard to accomplish her goals. She isn’t afraid to face seemingly insurmountable hurdles to achieve her dreams.

“I believe in people who work hard,” she says. “People complain and tell me, ‘I can’t do it!’ I remind them that if I can come here from Venezuela without knowing a word of English, then they can accomplish the tasks before them. … Now I look at everything I’m involved in and it’s a big change. It’s really cool.”

He wants his students to be passionate about their career choice without having to be the top person in an organization.

“If you’ve got a leader mentality, you’re going to be a leader and make things better,” Pritchard says. “I think our profession has the opportunity to change the world, and that’s what I want [the students] to believe and be passionate about.”

Pritchard defines his success by how his students excel in the business world. He strives to help the students as professionals and as people through difficult decisions.

When it comes to advising students, Pritchard says he treats them as his own children. He especially enjoys seeing or hearing from previous students, which only emphasizes the passion he has for the students and their successes.

“I am kind of their OU dad and, in some cases, see more of them than their own parents do,” Pritchard says. “I always say two things when a student is going out the door for an interview, and that is confidence and passion. … I think that those two things can do more for a young person’s career in this business than any other two words I can think of.”

Public relations senior Ava Brewer says Pritchard makes a conscious effort to get to know his students.

“By taking Public Relations Publications with him, I learned something new about my creative ability and ended up discovering a new interest of mine,” Brewer says. “Pritch really pushed me to exceed my own expectations.”

Pritchard hopes that Lindsey + Asp continues to grow. The agency is working with national clients in hopes of getting even bigger and better ones in the future. Currently, the agency has a federal contract with the Office of Strategic Communication at the FIRES Center of Excellence at Fort Sill in Lawton, Okla., and is just starting work for USA Wrestling.

Pritchard says he is very proud of the agency and Gaylord College and glad to be at OU. “I can’t imagine being anyplace else doing anything else … It’s what helps me spring out of bed every morning,” Pritchard says. “If you find something you love, you won’t work a day of your life.”

Continued from page 46

Mikala Ewald is a public relations junior from Fairview, Okla.

She is a professional makeup artist and beauty blogger who was awarded Tulsa’s Makeup Artist of the Year in 2012.

Continued from page 42

Marley Dablo is an online journalism junior from Dallas. After graduation, she plans to attend culinary school in hopes of combining her writing and cooking skills to ultimately have her own cooking show.

Touchy Subjects Continued from page 31

for later reading has made it an indispensable academic tool, says Runyan. ​“I think the iPad is one of those things that amplifies what’s already there,” Runyan says. “If you’re a studious person like I am, you’ll get your studying out of it.” ​There has been far less contention in Tarpenning’s advertising class, where full-sized iPads are being tested. What separates Tarpenning’s class from Kerr’s? While Kerr teaches a large lecture class, Tarpenning teaches a group of only 20 students that is divided between lecture and workshop. ​“There’s not time to do Facebook in class,” Tarpenning says.

“They have deadlines... But it’s a small class; I can keep an eye on what’s going on…Things are being finished sooner and more efficiently.” ​That iPads don’t seem to be a distraction in Tarpenning’s class may indicate that they are better suited to smaller classrooms where more direct participation is required.

“I don’t really see a correlation between iPads and distraction,” says Kaitlyn Bivin, a PR senior. “It’s a lot easier to take notes on an iPad than a laptop.” ​​Has Gaylord College’s iPad program, so far, been a success?

Students have certainly embraced it. However, the endeavor collided with the sheer ubiquity of social media, against digital colossi like Facebook, Twitter and Google, which have generated billions of dollars by working themselves into every nook and cranny of students’ lives.

Ultimately, whether the iPad is a tool for scholarship and journalism or a mere entertainment device depends on the student using it.

“Is this better?” asks Foote, contemplating the program. “Is this worth the investment?...In the end, the students are going to have to give the verdict.”

Zachary Snowdon Smith is a journalism senior from McAlester, Okla., who wants to move to Paris one day.

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Schmeltzer Continued from page 36

Schmeltzer is glad to talk openly about his heart attack and about the ups and downs of life as a Chicago newsman, but there is one thing in his past that he doesn’t like to mention: his Pulitzer Prize.

“He never brings that up or talks about it,” Boettcher says with a laugh. “We all bring it up because we’re prouder of his Pulitzer Prize than he is himself, I think.”

Like many Pulitzers, Schmeltzer’s emerged from disaster. In 2000, the recently deregulated airline industry had outgrown itself. There were more flights in the air than the FAA could handle, and passengers were left sitting in terminals day and night, clutching tickets for flights meant to depart hours before.

However, because airlines weren’t anxious to give journalists a behind-the-scenes look at the gridlock and confusion going on in their concourses, no one had been able to cover the issue comprehensively.

Ann Marie Lipinski, then editor of the Chicago Tribune, assigned Schmeltzer, a lifelong aviation wonk, to get the story.

Co-managing the project was Jon Hilkevitch, who had worked alongside Schmeltzer at Suburban Trib in 1979. Together, Hilkevitch and Schmeltzer decided to assemble a “day in the life” portrait of America’s airline industry by putting 55 writers and photographers on planes and in airports around the country for one day.

“We wanted to do it earlier in the summer,” Hilkevitch recalls. “We wanted to do it at the peak of summer travel, but the FAA and the airlines wouldn’t give us a date. … It was clear to us at the time that they wanted to wait for a quieter period, when vacations were over and things had died down.” ​After much wrangling, Schmeltzer, Hilkevitch and the airlines settled on the date of Sept. 11, 2000, precisely one year before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. ​“They wanted to get a day when things ran extraordinarily smoothly,” Hilkevitch says. “Clearly, they didn’t want this to

be the story about how the industry really was. … It backfired, because Sept. 11, 2000, turned out to be a pretty bad weather day. It wasn’t the worst of the worst, but there were storms affecting the entire operation, coast-to-coast.”

For Schmeltzer and Hilkevitch’s team, it was the perfect storm. The resulting series of articles, titled “Gateway to Gridlock,” was a piercing indictment of the airline industry that mingled statistics and expert analyses with the stories of ordinary travelers trapped in a Kafka-esque world of obtuse bureaucracy, delayed flights and missing baggage.

“It ended up giving a pretty good window onto how things really are in a system where way too many flights are scheduled,” Hilkevitch says. “It added to the public’s understanding of what was going on behind the scenes.”

Seven months later, Schmeltzer and Hilkevitch unexpectedly received a Pulitzer for their work. Today, Schmeltzer keeps a short stack of reprints of “Gateway to Gridlock” in his office, but he doesn’t keep his Pulitzer on the wall.

“That was happenstance,” Schmeltzer says. “I never went into journalism to win a lot of awards. I don’t put ’em up. … So, you’ve got an award. So what? You’re known for what you do.

If I can help take people here, as at the Tribune, and make them better writers, that’s what I want to be known for.”

Schmeltzer is – before a reporter, before an editor and before a Pulitzer winner – an educator.

“He could just rest on his laurels, but he’s always pushing the limits, testing what is new out there,” Boettcher says. “He is who he is, which is a hard-scrabble newsman who loves this business – absolutely loves it – and wants to share that love with everyone he can.”

Zachary Snowdon Smith is a journalism senior from McAlester, Okla., who wants to move to Paris one day.

Hedrick

Continued from page 32

Outside of Gaylord Hall, Hedrick had two internships: CBS Sports in New York City and KOCO, the ABC affiliate in Oklahoma City.

“CBS Sports was a good experience in that I got to see what it’s like on the network level, but it was more of a desk job during the week,” Hedrick says. “But on the weekends when they had games on the air, that was a lot of fun just to experience all the behind-thescenes stuff that it takes to put a production on.”

He says he enjoyed being immersed in a sports culture. However, his KOCO internship was a lot more hands-on. He says he was able to put the skills he learned at Gaylord College to use through the internship.

“KOCO [was] ever so gracious enough to let me get in front of the camera and do some practice newscasts and sportscasts so I can get my reel tape together, which is awesome,” Hedrick says.

Another experience that Hedrick cherishes is serving as the drum major for the Pride of Oklahoma. He considers it an honor, but also a very humbling experience.

“Marching with them in that capacity for the past two years was really special, and it’s something that’s obviously going to stick with me for the rest of my life,” Hedrick says.

Marley Dablo is an online journalism junior from Dallas. After graduation, she plans to attend culinary school in hopes of combining her writing and cooking skills to have her own cooking show.

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Hedrick was the roving cameraman at the 2012 Gaylord Prize event.

StudentProfile

Diversity and Dedication Chelcie Hunt embraces the opportunity to win big

BY Madeline Alford

W

inning the American Advertising Federation Most Promising Minority Student Award is no small feat. But Chelcie Hunt, a public relations

and digital director of Lindsey + Asp, is a prime example of a top senior.

This award, designed to honor outstanding multicultural students, highlights the important role diversity plays in the advertising and public relations fields and connects the nation’s top seniors with prominent players in the industry.

In her time at Gaylord College, Hunt has worked with many different projects, all of which have led to innovative changes within the department. Hunt, along with fellow student Shiva Stella, crafted a pitch to create the new digital department within Lindsey + Asp. This department is one of the first student agencies to have a digital practice, giving the Web, social media and analytics students within the agency a place to call home.

As a member of the Creek Nation, Hunt realizes how important diversity is to the industry. Using her multicultural background, she can create campaigns based on personal experiences rather than just research.

“It makes a big difference when someone behind a campaign has had similar experiences as those people that are going to be viewing the campaign,” Hunt says. “Because of my background, I can connect to it on a deeper level so I know what this demographic will want, because that’s my life.”

In her capacity as an award winner, Hunt had the opportunity to travel to New York City for a two-day program, which included industry immersion activities and visits to ad agencies. It was this unique experience that led Hunt to receive a summer internship offer with ZenithOptimedia.

“The best part of the program was the chance to meet people in the industry and to get interviews with them right after the fair was over,” she says. “It was a great opportunity to be able to sit down one-on-one with a recruiter and talk to them.”

Gaylord College is familiar with the AAF MPMS Award, with 22 winners since 2004. Former recipients of the award have gone on to work at top agencies like Publicis in New York City and Saxum in Oklahoma City. Such an outstanding number of award winners highlights the prestige of Gaylord College’s various programs.

“Having students who are winning that level of award, along with all the other great things that we’re doing, brings visibility to the program,” PR professor Robert Pritchard says. “People associate that level of student with this program.”

Chelcie Hunt (center) receives the AAF Most Promising Minority Student Award

Hunt’s diverse background and exceptional talent to lead combined to make her the perfect candidate for the MPMS Award.

As faculty adviser for Lindsey + Asp, Pritchard was one of the professors who nominated Hunt for the award.

“Chelcie is arguably one of the top students in our program,” he says. “From the first time that I had the opportunity to have her in class, she’s really grown and assumed a leadership mentality.”

Hunt also led a team that beta tested Adobe’s new social media monitoring program, Adobe Social. She managed weekly meetings and reported to Adobe any problems or possible improvements that she and her team found. Her persistence and understanding of the program inspired Lindsey + Asp faculty adviser David Tarpenning to nominate Hunt.

“She’s very articulate and tech-savvy, so when you hear her talk or present, she just knows everything,” Tarpenning says. “It’s not just surface. She really dug deeply into Adobe Social, so that every little nuance, she was on top of it.”

Along with her various responsibilities within Gaylord College, Hunt is a member of both OU Ad Club and PRSSA. Through these clubs, she has enhanced her knowledge of the industry. Part of the draw of memberships with both organizations is that members get the chance to interact with leading professionals in the industry, as well as other dedicated students. >>Continued on page 58 57

Professional Writing

Tarpenning

Davis says the writing program is built to prepare students for these types of changes and teach them to be flexible. Students are also intended to graduate with an awareness of the complexities of this art form and have professional attitudes.

“There are not many people who can just sit still and write,” he says. “And the people that can do it want the opportunity to do it. They want to be successes, but they really just want to write.”

Even though the program has come a long way since the days of Foster-Harris’s teaching methods of students staring at trees for inspiration, the perception of this art form has remained consistent between the two different groundbreaking professors.

As Foster-Harris once said, “Perhaps you can write for the great and learned, perhaps not. But, if not, no matter. It is just as honorable and worthy to write for the little people’s magazines, or the simplest pulps, as it is to produce quality magazine tales, and, indeed, it is probably more valuable. You will have a far more appreciative audience in the simpler markets, and a fair more faithful one.”

One of Tarpenning’s recent projects is the Ad Copy and Layout class that uses iPads instead of workbooks.

“It’s a really fascinating experience,” he says. “My Copy and Layout class was chosen because I publish my own workbook every year for the students. The dean had suggested that we wouldn’t publish it on paper, and that we would do it on an iPad. So we did it in iBooks Author and put it on an iPad. The neat thing about it is all they have to do is tap the URL and it takes them right to the publication or the online creative resource. It’s so much better than having a book. It’s terrific, and I wish every class could do it.”

Tarpenning’s accomplishments and ability to relate to students have not gone unnoticed. He has received five teaching excellence awards over the years, and was recognized for his work as a mentor in 2013.

“I got Mentor of the Year Award, and the nice thing about it is my students were asked to write letters that were read during the ceremony at the State Capitol,” he says. “And I had five or six letters and they were very heartwarming and I really appreciated what the students had written about me. It was really nice.”

And all true.

Continued from page 25

Kirsten Viohl is studying journalism and English writing and used her experience from Pulse to obtain a fashion editorial internship with PaperCity Magazine in Dallas for summer 2013.

Haley Arias is a journalism sophomore from Fort Worth, Texas, who would love to work at a magazine in New York City.

Parajon

Hunt

they have a consistent voice in all of their advertising,” Parajon says. “Our goal is to tell the client’s narrative over the Web.” Working at Lindsey + Asp has all the benefits of real-job experience and accountability, but the coolest part of Lindsey + Asp for Parajon has been working with his peers.

“There is a core group of us that are a family,” he says. “The people in Lindsey + Asp, they’re all my peer mentors.”

Parajon has his eye on the ball and his passion for digital media is his driving force.

“His passion for social work … as in social media, has helped me understand the value of it,” Avery says.

In 10 years, Parajon hopes to be settled down and working as a director in a digital agency.

“They’ve created a new position in a lot of agencies called the CDO, Chief Digital Officer, and I have no doubt that Colin will probably become a CDO one of these days because he’s that smart and he’s that committed to it,” Tarpenning says.

But no matter where he is or what he’s doing, the recent grad said he will definitely be keeping in touch with Gaylord College.

“The ad industry is all about reaching forward and reaching back,” Parajon says. “You reach forward in order to get whatever you want, but you reach back to make sure that the people behind you do also. So I’ll definitely be reaching forward and reaching back.”

“OU Ad Club and PRSSA provide you with scholarship opportunities and the chance to make connections with your peers,” she says. “A lot of times in class you make those connections, but within the organizations you find out who’s dedicated. It’s a whole other level of dedication to be involved in other things besides your schoolwork.”

As a result of her internship in summer 2013, Hunt will work in a digital strategy and consumer insights and analytics capacity, two things she has focused on during her time at Lindsey + Asp. Hunt wants to pursue a career in both of these facets of the industry.

“I love it, it’s always moving, always changing,” she says.

“I really love looking at the numbers and conveying that to the client — which efforts are working and which aren’t. It’s great because in a traditional campaign you have to wait until it’s finished to see if it worked or not. But in digital that is instantaneous.”

Gaylord College Dean Joe Foote also noticed Hunt’s capacity to work with analytics when she worked with Adobe Social. At the end of her team’s beta testing, she led a presentation to Foote about the pros and cons of the program.

“She was able to make cogent arguments and I just left that meeting with incredible admiration for her, and I could tell at that instant that she was going to have a very bright career,” he says. “I’m very proud that Gaylord College is launching that for her, because she’s right on the leading edge of social media analytics, which is one of the hottest theories.”

Continued from page 54

Marki-MaCaulie White is a journalism alumna from Bethany, Okla., who has a deep passion for glitter and traveling.

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Continued from page 43

Continued from page 57

Madeline Alford graduated in May 2013 and moved from Dallas to New York City to pursue a career in the magazine industry. While at the university, she was president of the Magazine Interest Group and an avid blogger.

FacultyProfile

Charles Self retires

Founding dean and director of the Institute for Research and Training retires

BY CELIA PERKINS

After 12 years at Gaylord College, Charles Self retired from his post as director of the Institute for Research and Training.

Self is the founding dean of the Gaylord College, and as such he laid the groundwork for all that Gaylord College has become, both academically and physically in terms of the wonderful facilities we enjoy today.

Self came to the University of Oklahoma in July 2001 to serve as the founding dean of the newly formed Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

The first major undertaking was the four-year process of turning the vision of a new state-of-the-art journalism school into a reality. Upon completion of the building, Self returned to his first love: teaching and mentoring graduate students and serving as director of the IRT. He continued to play a central role in developing the curriculum for the new doctoral program, which launched in 2007.

Over his long and distinguished career, Self served as president of two of the leading journalism education organizations: the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication, setting the standards for journalism education worldwide.

As director of the Institute for Research and Training, he also played a key role in Gaylord College’s public diplomacy efforts, building a solid relationship with the U.S. State Department by hosting visiting journalists from Latin America, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe each year. He also was the lead in a multi-year contract to provide media training for Army officers.

Self and his wife Amelia have relocated to the Washington, D.C., area, where he plans to continue his research and finish writing a book.

Dr. Self (center) leading a faculty panel discussion in the Doctoral Seminar class spring 2013.

Dr. Self with one of his successful doctoral candidates, Aimei Yang, upon the successful defense of her dissertation.

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AlumniProfile

Stage Flight

Courtney Corbeille has used her journalism degree to launch an exciting career in arts promotion

By Haley Arias

T

welve wig changes, 17 costumes and more than a dozen back flips per show, Courtney Corbeille was constantly on stage in the hit Broadway show Bring It On: The Musical. From peppy schoolgirl to punk rocker, cheerleader to Goth, she played numerous roles as a member of the ensemble, singing, dancing

and acting.

“This experience has been life-changing,” Corbeille said.

“I have learned more about teamwork and friendship during this process than I have in my entire life. Putting together a Broadway-caliber show from its conception is the ultimate test of your perseverance, stamina, attention to detail and overall wellbeing. I have learned a lot about my limits as a performer, and have been urged to push my boundaries on a consistent basis.

To originate a show, especially one as unique as Bring It On, is beyond special and something I will probably never have the chance to do again.”

Corbeille graduated with a journalism degree with an emphasis in public relations from Gaylord College in May 2010.

While at OU, she was on the large coed cheerleading squad, a Gaylord Ambassador and a member of Lindsey + Asp agency during its formative years.

“I made it a point to become as involved as possible while I was a Gaylord student,” Corbeille said. “I got to know my advisers, deans and professors on a personal level by introducing myself, attending faculty-student gatherings and simply engaging in conversation in the halls. I spent a lot of time in the administrative offices organizing events and prospective student tours.”

Corbeille has been dancing and cheering her entire life, so she auditioned for Bring It On: The Musical in February of her senior year. The summer after graduation she taught cheerleading in Australia, Europe and China, and received a call from the casting director in New York telling her she had landed the part. She participated in the workshop in New York in 2010, the world premiere in Atlanta in 2011 and a 12-city North American tour in 2011-12 before ending up on Broadway nearly two and a half years later.

“What a ride it has been,” Corbeille said.

While the show was on Broadway from August through December 2012, Corbeille used her public relations background to represent the show. She produced a behind-the-scenes story for Playbill.com that documented a day in the life of Bring It On: The Musical.

“I often was the go-to girl when turning over our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts to cast members because of my experience connecting people and causes through social media 60

Courtney Corbielle (PR, 2010) melded her love of cheerleading, drama and public relations for a long-running stint on Broadway in Bring It On: The Musical.

while interning at Lindsey + Asp,” Corbeille said. “I was elected to give numerous interviews on-air in both English and Spanish because of my ability to communicate clearly and confidently on the spot.”

She also used her public relations skills when interacting with eager fans at the stage door, returning fan mail and organizing events to raise funds and awareness for various charities the show supported. In addition, she wrote freelance blogs for cheerleading

websites, answered questions on live radio and TV shows and was interviewed by USA Today.

“My favorite interviews usually involved teaching the reporters a cheer from our show and having them perform it live on air,” Corbeille says.

Gaylord College Dean Joe Foote and his wife, Jody, saw Courtney in the show in 2012, and were able to go backstage afterward for a tour of the theater.

“I was beyond happy when Dean Foote’s office contacted me about wanting to see Bring It On, Corbeille said. “I relayed the details, and next thing I knew, I was exchanging text messages with the dean of my college about when and where to meet them after the show. They really enjoyed it, and it made me feel so special that they took time out of their busy New York City trip to support a former student.

The Footes also hosted a young alumni dinner for several of us in [New York], which also showed us how much they valued us as journalism school graduates!”

One of the most important aspects of Gaylord College is that students can use their majors in multifaceted ways, and Corbeille is one of many examples. She never dreamed she could be on Broadway.

“Courtney is so representative of the kind of person who stands out because of her particular skills,” Dean Foote says.

“Her attitude and being an Ambassador gave her a tremendous bump in confidence, and she launched right into a musical audition and was successful. The day I saw her was the night before she was in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performing on national television, and she was just here at OU a couple of years ago. It’s remarkable.”

Corbeille also met and conversed with many celebrities who came to the show during the tour and on Broadway. Her favorites include President George H.W. Bush, Tyra Banks, Kristin Chenoweth, Rosie O’Donnell, Harrison Ford and Paula Abdul.

“I feel accomplished but I know that Broadway will not be my peak,” Corbeille says. “I may not have a more fame-worthy or glamorous profession, but I do hope to keep moving upward in my career path. I am excited to be able to go back to my journalism roots and hopefully put those skills to use in the near future. Before Broadway, I wanted to cover sports exclusively, but with my national travel and entertainment experience, I am hoping to expand my journalism vocabulary to include coverage of entertainment, lifestyle, leisure, food, culture and travel!”

Privacy

Continued from page 26

exactly what is protected by it. In short, you lose your Fourth Amendment protection when you relinquish your own private information to a third party. Amazingly, as was discussed, the police are immune to many protections against third-party violations. The police are allowed to invade our privacy as long as they don’t invade personal space.

Morozov spoke about how technology has the ability to influence our behavior, and not always to our liking.

“There is something that is happening in the macro-social societal level that makes the problem of privacy very hard to solve,” Morozov said. “And it has not so much to do with government intrusion into our affairs. It has to do with the fact that there are certain incentives now built into how we live and how we interact with social and public institutions.”

Morozov also spoke about how sensors are being built into so many items that we use, such as umbrellas that tell us when it will rain, or shoes that alert us when they are wearing out. He also mentioned a prototype for a smart trash bin, which has a smartphone in its lid.

“The smartphone snaps a photo, uploads it to a site where hundreds of people assess whether you’ve thrown something away according to the recycling rules or whether you have violated [them],” he said. “Then the photos are uploaded to Facebook and all your friends know what you have just done.

So it’s possible for designers to influence what you do and to build new types of peer pressure. So you would be forced or incentivized to recycle because your friends can see what you are doing.”

It is in this vein that Morozov feels privacy is being seriously violated.

While the symposium was certainly considered an informative discussion of privacy in the modern age, some darker conclusions were drawn. The Internet is not a privacy safe zone. Indeed the Internet is the No. 1 violator of our privacy, with Facebook leading the charge.

“The reason Facebook is free is because [it has] found a way to monetize your information, to take advantage of your privacy,” Henderson said.

It seems that we are often giving away personal information online that we do not realize will become public. College students make up a large population of those who are unaware that they’re essentially being robbed of their privacy.

“The thing that students care about the most is that the Internet is free,” said Joe Foote, dean of Gaylord College.

“As long as it’s free, they’re happy. It may be free, but they’re extracting your privacy. It’s an issue we need to be very vigilant about. If students want to give away their privacy, that’s their own business. But they at least ought to know that they’re doing it.”

Privacy may seem like a thing of the past, but it’s up to each of us to make it a part of our future.

Ryan Blackburn is an advertising alumnus from Norman, Okla.

He also is a diehard Boston Red Sox fan.

Haley Arias is a sophomore journalism major from Fort Worth, Texas, who would love to work at a magazine in New York City.

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Alumni Association

The Friends and Alumni Association of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, nicknamed JayMac, was organized in 1983 with a mission to promote pride for the college and its faculty, students and alumni and to encourage the pursuit of excellence within the college and among the practitioners in the profession.

Specific objectives:

Distinguished Alumni

• Develop a continuing interest in the college from its graduates and former students • Encourage students through incentive programs such as awards and scholarships • Promote an interest in the college among high school students • Create an awareness of financial needs of the college

JayMac Board Members The JayMac Alumni Association is led by a group of volunteer directors. The directors and officers for 2013 are: James Tyree, President Daryle Voss, Vice President Members at Large David Joplin Bill Moore Linda Lake Young

For nearly 30 years, JayMac has hosted an annual event on campus featuring the Distinguished Alumni Award recipients. In 2006, the club also began honoring a Young Professional at the event as well as recognizing excellence in teaching and research by presenting the JayMac Teaching and Research award to a deserving faculty member.

Pulse Magazine and Alumni Newsletter

The organization underwrites the printing of Pulse, the college’s annual four-color alumni publication. The email newsletter supplements the information provided on the website and in Pulse, giving alumni and friends up-to-date news about Gaylord College throughout the year.

Cost Annual dues for JayMac membership are $50 per person. A lifetime membership is available for a one-time gift of $1,000.

For more information about JayMac and supporting the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, please contact Kristen Lazalier, director of development, at (405) 325-7670 or klazalier@ou.edu.

JayMac Life Members Jari Askins Ben Blackstock James T. Bratton Bob Burke Carol Burr Phil Caudill Fred L. Cook* Jean Duke Charles Engleman* Joe S. Foote Judith A. Garson Jim ‘Tripp’ Hall, III Mike Hammer* David K. Haspel 62

Carol J. Hebert C. Joe Holland* James K. Howard John C. Johnson* Eric M. Joiner Jill Kelsey Roy Kelsey, Jr. E. K. Livermore, Sr. Gary McCalla* Tom McCurdy, II Jeffrey T. McEvoy Charles McWilliams, II* William A. Moakley Max J. Nichols

Howard F. Price Elizabeth N. Ray* John A. Rector, Jr.* Vicki J. Redick Jan D. Rogers Greg Rubenstein Ralph Sewell* Arlen Southern* Kathy Taylor Preston Trimble Steve Trolinger Larry Wade* Marilyn Weber Linda Lake Young * Deceased

Thank You JayMac Members July 1, 2012 - July 25, 2013 Ann Adams Dot Adler John Admire Alex Adwan Charles Allers, III Lindsay Anderson Peggy Aycock Mark Bagby Paula Baker Terry Baransy Alice Barry Bob Barry, Jr. Monica Bartling Jake Basden Ann Brewer Basinger Fred Beard Holly Belknap Katy Bergman Bob Bernstein Jean Bollman Tommy Booras Amber Bowie Sigrid Bowman Juli Branson Bill Braun Gracelyn Brown Jennifer Zarate Brown Patricia Brown Michael Bruce Carla Bryant Amanda Byte Susan Calonkey John C. Campbell Steven Carter Sue Carter Susan L. Carter Virginia Caudle Linda Cavanaugh Allan Cecil C.R. “Cap” Chesser, Jr. Julia Chew Lawrence Clark Nancy Coggins Benjamin Coldagelli Athena Coleman Mick Cornett Richard Couch Julia Courcier Joseph Coyne Dondi Cupp

Don C. Davis Jon Denton Connie Dickey Jim Dolan A.L. Douthitt Mary Ellen Doyle Dow Dozier Rick Drisko Bill Dutcher Bill Edwards Johnny Elbow Bob Enterline Sharon Ervin Amy Ewing-Holmstrom Larry Ferguson Lew Ferguson Nina Ferguson Brenda Finney Bill Frame John Francis Sue Francis Jonella Frank Edgar Frost Steve Garman Brooks Garner Robin Gladstein Phyllis Glickman CoCo Good Jane Goodell Randy Goodman Mark Green Michael Gregory John Greiner, Jr. Mike Gullatt Kelsie Guthrie Pauline Hale Angelita Aunko Hamilton Joe Hancock Bill Hancock, Jr. Jack Hardy Carolyn Hart Lou Hawks Alexandra Hawthorn Kelli Hayward Frank Heaston Cathey Heddlesten Ed Heintz Jim Helberg Frank Hermes Scott Hilgeman

Kristin Hincke Mick Hinton Maggie Holben, APR Dana Hope Chism Elizabeth Huckabay Linn Huntington Steven Iatrou Arnold Ismach David Iverson Terry Jenks Linda Johnson James R. Jones Ronald Jones Brenda Jones Barwick, APR Frederick Jungman Evan Katz Sherry Keck Ed Kelley Kayla Kennedy Jim Killackey Billie Kincade Tim Kincaid Amy King Steven Kizziar Chris Krug Kirstin Krug Jim Langdon Kristen Lazalier Lacey Lett Diane Lewis Marcia Livermore Ed Livermore, Jr. Cheryl Lockhart Kuyk Logan Eirasmin Lokpez-Cobo Sandra Longcrier Richard Luttrell Mary Maguire Paul Massad William Massad Susan Matthews Jim Mayo John McBreen Kay McCarthy Tom McCarthy John McClymonds Linda McLain Kathryn McNutt John Martin Meek Kristen Mees

Lisa Melton Carrie Friar Mitchell Dale Mitchell John D. Montgomery, Jr. John D. Montgomery, III Bill Moore Emma Rose Moore Pattye Moore Sydney Moran Laura Morse Charles Murphy Mary Nalefski Bill Neighbors Steve Neumann Ben Newcomer Stephany Nichols Michael Niles Trude Steele Norman Barbara O’Gwynn Andy Oden Joanne Orr Ann Palmer Mack Palmer Steve Patrick Karen Paul Linda Pavlik Jocelyn Pedersen Beverly Perkins Nicola Pintozzi Thomas Poteet, Jr. Dorea Potter Jolly Brown Pugh Matt Ratcliff Susan Rauch Carter Reid Lana Reynolds Lee Reynolds, APR S. Lynn Rhoades Tim Rice Andy Rieger Karen Rieger Winona Roberts V.E. “Peb” Rock, Jr. Karina Romero Karie Ross Bob Ruggles Connie Ruggles Susan Sala Eve Sandstrom Susan Sasso

Wendi Schuur Barbara Sessions John Simmons, Jr. Jim Sims Stanley Skinner Blaine Smith, Jr. Carla Luna Smith David Smith Ronald Smith Bill Stewart Chris Stewart Irish Stogner H. Dean Stone J.C. Strow Kelly Sturges Dean Suddath Robert Sullivan Derieth Sutton Franklin Talley David Tarpenning Kendal Tate Ed Taylor Samuel Thomas Jim Tincher, IV Katherine Tippin Valerie Tolman Ron Turner James Tyree Warren Vieth Janet Vitt Daryle Voss Ray Waddle, Jr. Helen Ford Wallace Weldon Watson Rich Wells Dorothy Dell Welsh Richard Wentworth Jon White Keith White Susan Waltz White Dennis Whittlesey C.A. Williams Robert Willis Bob Witty Kenneth Woodcock Ron Word Debbie Sherry Yount Trish Zagrzecki Michael Zeaman

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AlumniNews

Alumni Represent Top Achievements in Careers

J

ayMac Alumni Association recognized three graduates with the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award: Bart Conner, CEO of Bart Conner Gymnastics; Joi Gordon, CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide; and Barbara Winn Sessions, speaker and professional communicator. Each year the JayMac Distinguished

Alumni Award is bestowed upon alumni who have distinguished themselves and their organizations with outstanding careers. You can read a brief biography of the 2012 recipients on the next page and go to the Gaylord College YouTube Channel at www.YouTube.com/OUGaylordCollege to watch video profiles of each.

University of Oklahoma first lady Molly Shi Boren (far left) and Dean Joe Foote (far right) celebrated the accomplishments of 2012 JayMac Distinguished Alumni Award recipients Barbara Sessions, Joi Gordon and Bart Conner.

JayMac is pleased to announce the 2013 Distinguished Alumni recipients who will be honored on Sept. 6 at the JayMac Distiniguished Alumni Ceremony John Admire, Major General, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), 1965, Journalism Shane Boyd, Vice President for Corporate Communications, Devon Energy, 1985, PR Donna Shirley, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab and Mars Exploration Program (Ret.), 1963, PW 64

WEB CONTENT Watch video profiles of each of the 2012 honorees by visiting the Gaylord College YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/GaylordCollegeOU or by clicking on the photos below.

Bart Conner Bart Conner is a 1984 public relations graduate. Conner is best known for his skill on the OU Men’s Gymnastics team as well as participating on three U.S. Olympic teams. Conner is the only American male gymnast to win gold medals at every level of national and international competition.

Conner enjoys high visibility as a TV color commentator and public speaker. He has worked as an expert announcer for every major television network. Conner’s production company, Perfect 10 Productions, has produced gymnastics TV shows for ESPN, Fox Sports Net, Oxygen TV, and the World Championship Sports Network, now known as Universal Sports. He is also owner of Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy in Norman, publisher of International Gymnast Magazine, and partner in Grips, Etc., a gymnastics supply company.

Joi Gordon Joi Gordon is a 1989 radio/TV/film graduate and also received her juris doctorate from the OU College of Law. Gordon is the CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide, a leader in promoting the economic and social development of disadvantaged women.

Gordon works tirelessly to expand the organization’s reach so that more and more women across the globe will have access to the resources and tools they need to succeed in the workplace.

Gordon came to Dress for Success with hope of donating several business suits, which was followed by offering her legal expertise to the organization’s board of directors. That offer of help turned into a leadership role that has earned her recognition as one of the “25 Most Influential Black Women in Business” by Network Journal Magazine and one of the “Most Powerful Moms in Non-profit” by Working Mother magazine.

Barbara Winn Sessions Barbara Winn Sessions is a 1968 public relations graduate and also received master’s degrees in the history of science and in European history (1971) from the University of Oklahoma.

Sessions is a longtime supporter of the journalism program and OU providing scholarships for incoming freshmen. Sessions and her husband, Don, also an OU alumnus, chair the OU Club of Love County.

Sessions is a speaker and writer and regularly presents at management seminars. She also provides public relations services for a hospital in rural Oklahoma and writes for a local electric cooperative newspaper. She previously wrote about southern Oklahoma for Oklahoma Living magazine.

Sessions has built a successful career writing publications for a variety of industries including banking, professional golf and employment benefits, but she was first a high school journalism teacher. She rose to senior consultant in a large New York City communications firm before forming her own company in 1983.

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Board of Visitors 2013 members

Rob Boswell Chair Moroch Partners Dallas

Roger Frizzell Carnival Corp.

Miami

Shane Boyd Devon Energy Oklahoma City

Pam Carter Synergy Marketing Associates Tulsa

Marti Gallardo Bill Hancock Robert Hess The Wall Street Journal Bowl Championship Series Triad Retail Media New York City Kansas City/Dallas Chicago

Michael Limón Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake City

Ken Luce LDWW Group Dallas

Doug Martin The Richards Group Dallas

John McClymonds Macy’s (Retired) Houston

Howard Price

Paul Renfrow OGE Energy Corp.

Oklahoma City

Harry Sherman Sherman Media Chicago

Renzi Stone Saxum Oklahoma City

Multi-Net Marketing Inc.

Colorado Springs

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Kim Bayliss Dutko Grayling Washington, D.C.

Weldon Watson Oklahoma House Representative and ONEOK (Retired) Tulsa

Doug Williams Omni Broadcasting Woodward

Debbie Yount The Clover Group and Gaylord College Angel Fire/Norman

Linda Cavanaugh KFOR-TV Oklahoma City

Jim Dolan The Dolan Co. Minneapolis

Ed Kelley Kathy Leonard Media Consultant Freeman+Leonard Advertising Washington, D.C. Dallas

Pattye Moore Consultant Oklahoma City

Suzie Symcox First Fidelity Bank Oklahoma City

Emeritus members: Ann Adams Alex Adwan Gracelyn Brown Forrest Cameron Phil Caudill Don Cogman

Steve Pickett KTVT Dallas

Kari Watkins OKC National Memorial & Museum Oklahoma City

Genevieve Haldeman Joanne Orr Roy Page David Stringer Steve Trolinger

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2 23 1 1 2 4

CHINA (PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC)

CHINA (REPUBLIC OF TAIWAN)

DENMARK

FRANCE

GERMAN FEDERAL REP (WEST)

HONG KONG

NUMBER

104

15

2

30

6

CANADA

COUNTRY

49 or fewer

50 to 99

100 to 199

200 or more

16

417

44

79

9

11

177

57

4

33

17

NETHERLANDS

MALAYSIA

MEXICO

23

40

77

110

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH KOREA

KUWAIT

JAPAN

ISRAEL

COUNTRY

1992

4386

103

15

6

2

18

68

34

1

3

1

7

1

3

1

NUMBER

12

121

27

23

106

42

Gaylord College – Total Alumni 9,055

ALUMNI CENSUS

2

77

33

7

2 0 0

VIRGIN ISLANDS TRUST TERRITORIES

4 2 1

AE - EUROPE AP - PACIFIC/ASIA AS - American Samoa

VENEZUELA

1

4

3

7

1

1

1

0

AA - SOUTH AMERICA

MILITARY

2 PUERTO RICO

NUMBER

NUMBER GUAM

UNITED KINGDOM

THAILAND

SINGAPORE

PERU

PANAMA

NORWAY

30 13 27 34

5

FEDERATED STATES

4

COUNTRY

140

33

59

132

25

127

4

ClassNotes Advertising Adam Croom, AD, 2009, was honored as the 2013 Journal Record Innovator of the Year for his work with the OU Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage as director of Freedom.ou.edu, a digital classroom containing more than 70 podcasts on citizenship, freedom and the Constitution.

Allan Thompson, AD, 1965, published “‘Tis Grace: A Story of God’s Redemption,” his personal story of alcoholism and salvation following a career in broadcast advertising sales. While at OU he was editor of the Sooner Yearbook.

Broadcasting and Electronic Media and Radio/TV/Film Carla Clark, R/TV/F, 1983, is now marketing director of LJF Marketing, based in The Woodlands, Texas.

Travis Doussette, BEM, 2004, is now director of communications for The Children’s Center. He previously was a photojournalist at KWTV and OETA in Oklahoma City. The Children’s Center, in Bethany, Okla., is a private, nonprofit pediatric hospital serving children with complex medical and physical disabilities in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

Russell Rhodes, R/TV/F, 1981, is a co-anchor of Fox 13’s Good Day Tampa Bay in Florida, previously having worked as Good Day’s roving reporter.

Carla Wade, broadcast news, 1998, is now a Sunday night co-anchor and reporter at WFAA in Dallas, having previously spent three years at KOCO in Oklahoma City.

Journalism and News Communication DeLaine Bender, news communication, 1987, formerly deputy director of the State Chief Information Officers, is now executive director of the National Christmas Tree Association. She also continues to serve as executive director of the American Academy on Communications in Healthcare.

Paul Hart, journalism, 1973, is now editor of the Midstream Business, a Houstonbased magazine and website covering the gathering-processing-pipeline area of the oil and gas industry. Hart previously worked as communications manager for TXCO Resources in San Antionio.

Paige Mabry DeLeon, news communication, 1998, co-founded the volunteer engagement nonprofit Voluntology in Austin. DeLeon is a member of the Greenlights 501 Council and the University of Texas Scholars Advisory Council.

Dino Lalli, broadcast news, 1978, now co-hosts AAA’s weekly travel program Discover Oklahoma. He also serves as president of Clever Name Productions, LLC, which provides TV programming and corporate videography, and writes, produces and hosts Hollywood Spotlight, a weekly show on KSBI-TV. Lalli also worked as a field representative and office director in the Oklahoma Film and Music Office. He formerly served as entertainment editor and film critic at multiple TV stations in Oklahoma City and in Burbank, Calif. Lalli was a McMahon Journalism Scholar his freshman year at OU. Nick Lawton, journalism, 2010, is now a general assignments reporter for KNOE 8 News in Monroe, La. He previously spent nearly two years as a reporter at KWES in Midland/Odessa, Texas.

Bobbie Miller, journalism, 2002, is now the morning co-host at News 9 in Oklahoma City. She previously worked at KFOR in Oklahoma City from 2006 until January 2012.

Whitney Pipkin, journalism, 2008, works for the Bay Journal in the Virginia area of the Chesapeake Bay. Pipkin, who received a fellowship with the Institute for Journalists of Natural Resources in the Pacific Northwest, previously worked on the business beat and on environmental conflicts for the Skagit Valley Herald in Anacortes, Wash.

PR alumna appointed director of development at not-for-profit wellness program for cancer survivors Lee Reynolds (PR, 1977), with more than 30 years of experience in health care and financial services, recently joined public charity CT Challenge as its first director of development, .

“I am looking forward to expanding the development function at the CT Challenge. As the daughter of a cancer survivor, it is inspiring to see the resources the CT Challenge and its new Center for Survivorship are providing for cancer survivors, so that they can begin to live healthier, happier and longer lives,” Crouch said in a news release.

The CT Challenge, founded in 2005, provides wellness and empowerment programs to cancer survivors and their families at its Center for Survivorship in Fairfield, Conn., as well as fundraising support for state hospitals programs. The center opened in 2012.

Since its founding, the CT Challenge has raised more than $9 million to fund programs such as its annual bike ride.

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China’s social media mogul

ClassNotes

By Rachel Terry

Dean Joe Foote describes Charles Chao as “the Mark Zuckerberg of Gaylord College.” One difference, however, is that Chao completed his degree. Actually, he has three of them. After getting his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, Chao earned a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Texas at Austin, and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma.

The last has really come in handy for Chao, the CEO of Sina Corp. In 2009 he joined Sina Weibo, a social media website in China that is similar to Twitter and Facebook combined. Chao and the network are so successful that Chao was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by TIME magazine in 2011. Ernst & Young named Chao Entrepreneur of The Year in China in 2012.

Sina Weibo is famous for its accessibility in China despite obstacles imposed by the Chinese government. However, Chao used those restrictions as an opportunity and created Sina Weibo as a way for people in China to communicate and socialize without breaking any of the Chinese laws.

Sina Weibo is accessible to anyone in the world and is used by many celebrities and public figures, including Bill Gates, Tom Cruise and retired basketball star Yao Ming.

Currently, Weibo has about 300 million users. Though the content on Weibo is censored, it is also one of the most popular online platforms in China, due to Chao’s efforts.

Sina (China) is one of the largest Internet portals in China, and Weibo, which means “microblog,” is a Chinese version of Twitter, only with more options.

According to an April 30, 2013, story in The New York Times, Weibo is valued at $3.3 billion.

Chao spoke at length about his social media venture during an interview with CNN. “We used to be called the leading portal or “China’s Yahoo,” I think. These days, people … would call us “China’s Twitter.” But I think we are probably more than that. We are still the leading portal in China, but adding to that piece, we are adding the leading social media platform in China … called Weibo, basically.”

Chao also explained how his time at Gaylord College contributed to his success today.

“I was working for a Shanghai TV station … after I graduated from Fudan,” he said. “And then I went to the University of Oklahoma for graduate study in journalism. So, I paid a lot of attention to the media industry, not only in China, but also in the U.S. And, on the other hand, I think the journalism graduate degree was not about writing, not about production anymore. It was more about research and more about media management. I think that helps me a lot in terms of understanding media as a business versus media as a profession.”

Chao currently lives in China, and Sina Weibo continues to be an innovator in social media.

Rachel Terry, a senior from Dallas, is moving to New York City in the fall to work in public relations.

H. Dean Stone, journalism, 1949, was honored as one of the first members of the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame.

Stone is editor of the Daily Times in Maryville, Tenn., as well as a featured columnist. He also served multiple terms as president of the Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors, now the Tennessee Associated Press Media Editors.

Professional Writing Shan Gentry Boggs, PW, 1985, made her debut as a cookbook author with three e-books of the Fast and Fabulous Gourmet Cookbook Series, with Mediterranean, Pacific Rim and Diet editions. Boggs previously was an editor of a science education program for the state of California for more than seven years.

She also has a master’s degree from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.

Public Relations Lisa Brittain-Vasquez, PR, 1989, was promoted to vice president of public relations and college development at Collin College, located in Collin County north of Dallas.

Bryan Delgado, PR, 2008, formerly communications coordinator of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, was appointed an event supervisor by the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.

Roger Frizzell, PR, 1982, is now the chief communications officer for Carnival Corp., handling all corporate-level communications and public relations activities for the world’s largest cruise vacation group. Frizzell previously served as the chief communications officer for American Airlines and Pacific Gas & Electric.

Bonnie Polak, PR, 1998, is now executive director of the Union Schools Education Foundation in Tulsa. Polak is in charge of development programs of financial assistance from the trustee board to Union Public Schools, as well as its public relations and financial records. She previously served as director of special events for the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa for nearly 10 years.

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ClassNotes Elizabeth “Libby” Rodke Washburn, PR, 1992, joined the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, after President Barack Obama appointed her as the deputy commissioner for External and Intergovernmental Affairs. She oversees Reclamation’s Congressional, Legislative and Public Affairs activities. Washburn also is the executive responsible for the bureau’s national relationships with federal, state and local governments, as well as citizen organizations and other nongovernmental groups.

Megan Snowbarger, PR, 2012, is an account coordinator for the Tulsa office of Saxum, an integrated marketing communications agency. Snowbarger is responsible for conducting research, writing and developing campaign material for clients and providing managerial assistance. She previously participated in the agency’s graduate fellowship and internship programs.

Doug Thurston, PR, 1981, serves as race director of the Big Sur International Marathon, having debuted in this year’s 28th running event that featured more than 9,000 participants along the California coast.

Graduate Program Natasha (Washington) Mitchell, MA, journalism, 1997, is now a senior analyst at ConocoPhillips for internal communications, HR services. Mitchell’s previous experience includes being a professional editor, writer and page designer with 17 years of experience in print and digital communication industries in Oklahoma. She participated in several journalism organizations and fellowships at CNN, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and North Carolina A&T State University. She also initiated e-communication marketing efforts and social media initiatives at Oral Roberts University.

David Stringer, MA, journalism, 1981, is now publisher of the Carlsbad CurrentArgus in New Mexico, along with his wife, Saundra, now advertising director.

Stringer formerly worked at the Hannibal Courier Post in Missouri.

Chris Payne, MA, journalism, 1989, is director of public information for Tulsa Public Schools. Payne recently received a national Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America for his work on the district’s Project Schoolhouse, the only award received in the state.

Alumnus recognized for more than 50 years service on the OU campus Paul Massad (PR, 1960) recently was honored with the 2012 Lee Allan Smith Oklahoma Legacy Award for his 50-plus years of service to Oklahoma.

Massad is currently senior associate vice president of University Development and director of Major Gifts at OU. He also received the Meritorious Service Award from the OU Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education.

Massad’s fundraising efforts, committed to educating students from Oklahoma, have contributed to the Rainbolt College, the Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center and the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. Massad formerly served as the university’s executive director of Alumni Affairs and associate vice president for University Affairs, having begun his career as a student working in the Extension Office, now known as OU Outreach, and as a public information assistant and business manager for OU’s radio station, WNAD. He then was named the director of OU’s High School and College Relations, now Recruitment Services. Massad also has received the Gaylord College’s Distinguished Alumni Award, as well as the OU Distinguished Achievement Award.

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Melba (Mrs. Edward K.) Livermore passed away after a short illness at her home in Inverness Village, Tulsa, Okla. She was born Feb. 24, 1919, to Edward E. and Sarah Hudson in Blair, Okla. She spent much of her childhood on the Mississippi River where her father had the Bank Stabilization Construction Company. During these years, the family lived in Sikeston, Cape Girardeau and Columbia, Mo. and Alton, Ill. She attended eighth grade in Glenpool, Okla. and graduated from Norman High School in 1936.

She met her husband, Edward K. Livermore, at the University of Oklahoma. They graduated from OU’s School of Journalism in 1940.

In 1941, they were married at McFarland Methodist Church in Norman, and moved to Anadarko just before World War II. Mrs. Livermore spent the war years in Norman while her husband was in the U.S. Army Counter-intelligence Corps. On Livermore’s return from military service, they lived in Claremore where they published the Claremore Daily Progress. In 1959, they acquired the Sapulpa Daily Herald and moved to Sapulpa. Mrs. Livermore was active in the management of both newspapers. Additionally, Ed and Melba Livermore at an early the Livermores had interests in other journalism school banquet newspaper holdings, including the Edmond Evening Sun, Guthrie News Leader, Pauls Valley Daily Democrat and Catoosa Times as well as the Mineral Wells Index in Mineral Wells, Texas and the Clarksville Times in Clarksville, Ark. They were joined in these interests by their son and his wife, Edward Jr. and Marcia Livermore.

We were notified of the following deaths since July 1, 2012.

James L. Allen, 1949 Jack K. Ballas, 1965 Paul B. Beesley, Jr, 1990 Harry J. Benson, 1964 Laurence L. Benson, 1956 Carolyn A. Canon, 1959 Bette Y. Champion, 1948 Richard R. Conrad, Jr., 1980 Sharon C. Cubberley, 1980 Nijim G. Dabbour, 2009 John W. Davis, 1977 Dr. Ralph V. Enlow, Jr., 1955 Maj. Gary A. Gosdin, 1959 Karen L. Green, 1983 Ruel E. Green, Jr., 1977 Theatus E. Greeson, 1939 Mary F. Haas, 1941 Marilyn E. Hunt, 1956 Robert L. Irwin, Jr, 1990 Kelly G. Jeffries, 1954 John C. Johnson, 1950 Troy G. Kight, 1952 Melba H. Livermore, 1940

Warner E. Lovell, Jr., 1966 Richard M. McCool, III, 1970 Jaime H. Melendez, 1981 David R. Million, Sr., 1971 Jeanne S. Nickel, 1945 Sidney M. Ohmart, 1957 Lauralee N. Patterson, 1950 Marcus D. Price, 1953 Rick R. Rachal, 1987 Quentin T. Riggs, 1956 John M. Rowley, 1949 William D. Schader, 1976 Shirley J. Smith, 1950 Larry E. Stephenson, 1948 Virginia Swanda, 1939 Jo June Towery, 1949 Irv Trachtenberg, 1950 Rodney W. Underhill, 1971 Brooke A. Walker, 1964 Stephen C. Weichert, 1970 Philip L. Wettengel, 1952 Frieda L. Williamson, 1984

CelebratingLives James “Roy” L. Allen, PR, 1959, longtime instructor and adviser at Midwestern State University, died Feb. 23. He was 90. Allen worked as a newspaper reporter and editor for 15 years in Oklahoma and Texas before coming to Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls. Allen joined Midwestern in 1967 as public information director and journalism instructor. Two years later he became the university’s first fulltime journalism professor. He was faculty adviser to the Wichitan, the university student newspaper, for 18 years. He retired in 1986, but continued to teach parttime until 1992. He spent his last years at Rolling Meadows retirement center in Wichita Falls. Allen also was a veteran of WWII and the Korean War. He was a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, as well as a lifetime member of the OU Alumni Association.

Jack K. Ballas, PW, 1965, a Westerngenre author, died Dec. 22 at a local hospital in the Fort Worth area.

He was 91. Before he began writing professionally, Ballas served in the U.S. Navy for 22 years, managed a division of LTV Aerospace and ran a honky-tonk saloon. He wrote and published 19 books in the 1990s and 2000s, with millions of copies sold.

Paul “Sonny” Beesley Jr., journalism, 1990, a longtime photographer and file maker, died Dec. 6 in Oklahoma City.

He was 46. Beesley worked as a news photographer at OETA, KFOR and KOCO. He won an Emmy in 1993 for his documentary Faces of AIDS. Brooke Allen Calvert Walker, professional writing, 1964, died June 4. She was 72.

Walker attended Manhattanville College in New York before she came to the University of Oklahoma in 1962. At OU, Walker was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and was on the staff of The OU Daily. She also attended college in Switzerland for a time and was fluent in French and Italian., She worked at the U.S. Embassy in Paris and later owned a villa in a small town on the island of Sardinia, Italy, where she would visit with her husband, three sons and grandchildren.

Obituaries are taken from online notices and may have been edited to fit this space.

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395 W. LINDSEY STREET, ROOM 3000 NORMAN, OK 73019-4201

Nonprofit ORG. US POSTAGE PAID UNIV. OF OKLAHOMA

Get Connected with Gaylord College www.ou.edu/gaylord

Gaylord College and the University of Oklahoma are pleased to announce the recipient of the 2013 Gaylord Prize for Excellence in Journalism and Mass Communication is

Tom Brokaw, NBC News Brokaw will be recognized at a banquet during Spring 2014.

This was previously planned for our Centennial Celebration on Sept. 5. Please watch for more information in coming months.

Tom Brokaw, with a journalism career spanning more than 50 years and nine presidents, became the face of news for a generation. Also an accomplished writer, Brokaw’s non-fiction books The Greatest Generation, Boom!, and Time of Our Lives are NY Times bestsellers. Brokaw can now be found as a news consultant for NBC News.

For more information, to respond, or for assistance on the basis of disability, please contact OU Public Affairs, (405) 325-1701.