2017 Mass Media Messenger

Mass Media

MES SEN GER

2017

Volume 28

Contents Washburn University | 1700 SW College Ave. | Topeka, KS | 66621

The Mass Media Messenger is created annually by students in Creative Media Practicum and is mailed to all department alumni and friends.

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Column from the Chair

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Student Interns at Library

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Menzie Steps Down

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Interactive Storytelling

Chorba to Retire

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Student Seminar in Paris

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18

Media Day Event Grows

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Technology Adds to Major

Kansas Collegiate Awards

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Graduates

Mass Media Banquet

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Timeline of Department Chairs

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10 12

Kathy Menzie

Shayn Jones

Kenzie McCoy

Carney Ziegler

Miyuki Nishimura

Matt Boland

Advisors Excel Offers Connections Lisa Herdman

Class Notes

Staff

Brista Robinson

Lisa Herdman

Allie Broockerd

Staff

Allie Broockerd

Contributors

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lisa Herdman

DESIGN EDITOR Kenzie McCoy

COPY EDITOR Shayn Jones

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Adam Litostansky

EDITORIAL STAFF Matthew Boland Allie Broockerd Lisa Herdman Adam Litostansky Kenzie McCoy Miyuki Nishimura Brista Robinson

Ramona Witting Carney Ziegler COVER DESIGN Carney Ziegler

FACULTY ADVISER Regina Cassell

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Experience the

WORLD OF EDUCATION

www.washburn.edu/ip

Study Abroad

As I contemplate my retirement from chair of the Mass Media Department and look back over my eight years as chair, it seems as if the time has flashed by. I remember moving into the chair’s office and feeling an overwhelming sense of responsibility. I also thought of all the accomplished people who have occupied this office, especially someone I consider a mentor—Thimios Zaharopoulos, whose guiding hand gave me the confidence and skills needed in this position.

I have loved being part of the larger university, beyond the department, attending workshops, lectures, films, debates, and yes, even meetings where I learned from wonderful colleagues across the university.

Since I have been chair, the department has accomplished a number of things. Notably: • completely overhauled our curriculum • established two new minor programs • hired three new professors • added our film editing lab and much-needed software • moved Student Media’s leadership to mass media • organized two Media Days for high school students • increased the number of community engagement opportunities for students It has been a pleasure to be chair here. The Mass Media faculty members are the best in the world, and it has been a joy to help direct all we have done. None of it would have been possible without the help, care, and support of the faculty, who have done much of the work over these years.

We are also grateful to have a wonderful administrative assistant, Anna Walker, who keeps us all in line, reminds us where we need to be, and makes sure we have chocolate when things get difficult.

And of course, what I’ll miss most is the students and the ways I could help as a chair, whether it was accepting a transfer class, finding a way to meet a requirement, substituting a course, or helping students find their way through the university systems. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to be chair. I will still be around, teaching classes next school year, so I’m not leaving yet. I still look forward to visiting with students, past and present, faculty past and present, and enjoying more free time to spend on a hobby I have come to find a passion for—quilting.

So stop by and visit next year, I’ll still be here!

Be

an

by Kathy Menzie

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Chair Reflections

us

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33 Years of Chorba Connections

Frank Chorba retires and leaves a lasting impression on department.

By Kenzie McCoy Having a conversation with Frank Chorba is like getting the cliff notes for an epic novel. Chorba, professor of mass media, often provides short glimpses into the action-filled life he’s led and it leaves everyone wanting more. After 33 years at Washburn, Chorba is sure to leave his footprint of accomplishments behind him as he takes a step back to enjoy retirement.

Chorba came to Washburn in 1984, filling the role of department chair while juggling a busy schedule of teaching and making the almost two-hour commute back to his previous home in El Dorado every day.

Chorba quickly stepped down from his role as chair to focus on his passion, teaching.

“Dr. Chorba made a huge impact on my education at Washburn,” said Jennifer Picking, 2012 graduate.

“He was one of my biggest cheerleaders not only in school, but also in life. ” Chorba said the connections he’s made with his students will be memories that stay with him forever.

“A lot of my students will still call [me],” said Chorba. “Some former students will even come over and visit me in Kansas City.”

Eric Gorton, senior psychology major, said that Chorba is known for connecting with students outside of the classroom, often inviting them to his favorite restaurants for lunch. Gorton said that one of his most memorable lunches with Chorba was at Cook’s American Grill in Topeka.

“There was a trivia game at Cook’s, and I remember Chorba knew all the trivia answers because they were very old school, and I didn’t know any of them,” said Gorton. “He was really funny that day.”

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Photo by Lisa Herdman Frank Chorba awards the Frank Chorba Mass Media Fellowship to Jamie Schartz, one of the two recipients of the newly-created honor.

Chorba said he hopes that his students can walk away from any of his classes with the ability to think comprehensively and question all aspects of media.

“He provokes his students to question the media and how it affects their perception of the world in a way parents have never been able to,” said Anthony Fast, 2012 graduate.

Fast says he has taken away many important concepts from Chorba’s classes and has been teaching them to his daughter.

“He was one of my biggest

cheerleaders not only in school, but also in life.”

- Jennifer Picking, 2012 graduate

Since 1984, Chorba has had a string of accomplishments, including being the national chair of the Popular/American Culture Association Radio & Audio Media Division and is also an editorial member of the Journal of Radio & Audio Media.

“He is charming, sweet and generous to a fault,” said Anna Walker, mass media department administrative assistant. “He has become an endeared character of the mass media department and I think that the wisdom he brings is going to be missed, the stories he has are going to be missed and his congenial and always positive outlook on life. Frank makes it possible for you to always have a smile on your face when he’s here.”

Faculty News

Jim Allen, continued to teach “Creative Strategies and Advertising.”

Mikki Burcher, digital marketing director for Hyvee, taught “Mass Media Bootcamp” in the fall.

Photo by Lisa Herdman Department Chair Kathy Menzie has some fun at the photo booth during the banquet.

Ready for Retirement

By Shayn Jones

After 19 years of accomplishments at Washburn, Kathy Menzie will be retiring from chair of the mass media department after the conclusion of the 2017 spring semester.

Menzie began working as a lecturer at Washburn in the fall semester of 1998.

Over the years she has served as an assistant and an associate professor. In 2009, Menzie was promoted to chair of the department.

As a mass media professor, Menzie has taught almost every media class that Washburn has offered, including Public Relations 2, Creative Media Writing, Visual Communications, Research Methods, Promotions and Advertising 1.

Jennifer Emmert is currently a senior with an emphasis in public relations.

Emmert has had several classes with Menzie during her time at Washburn.

“She is always busy working but she always makes time for her students,” said Emmert. “I have so appreciated Dr. Menzie. She is knowledgeable, understanding, and, most importantly, fun.”

Over the years, Menzie has had many inspirational moments, but one memory always stays close to her heart.

“I was teaching a PR 2 class and the students had recently asked if I received tenure and I replied ‘no,’” Menzie said.

“The next class I had received tenure and received a promotion. The class made a cake for me and celebrated with me.”

Overall, Menzie has enjoyed her time as a member of the Washburn community.

“I really have no interest in leaving.

I’ve loved this job. I’ve had good faculty and have worked with wonderful people, both students and other Washburn faculty,” said Menzie. “I think when it actually happens it will be hard to leave.”

Regina Cassell, lecturer and director of Student Media, has worked closely with Menzie over the years.

“Kathy Menzie is truly the best boss I’ve ever had,” said Cassell. “She values input yet keeps the department focused; she invests in her colleagues and is respected across the campus.”

Regina Cassell was named second vice president of Kansas Collegiate Press.

Charles Cranston’s documentary “Blessing the Fleet” will be screened in the Pacific Northwest area and is currently being used by the Upper Skagit Tribe in Washington.

Patrick Early, director of University Relations, taught “Photojournalism” this spring and will teach “Commerical Photojournalism” in the fall.

Kristin Grimmer’s “Promotions Writing” students were involved in creating a full media plan for Morning Light Kombucha.

Tim Hrenchir taught “Creative Media Writing” in the fall and will teach “Murder, Mayhem and the Media” this fall.

Max Kautsch, owner of Kautsch Law, LLC, was welcomed by the department as the new law professor.

Maria Stover has accepted the position as department chair, starting July 1.

Anna Walker finished up her first year as senior administrative assistant in November.

Eugene Williams taught “Intro. to Mass Media” and “Advertising II” this year.

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Seminar Leads Majors to Paris

Students see the sights, experience international media over spring break.

By Carney Ziegler

Photo by Maria Stover Students stop to shop for souvenirs while strolling down Champs-Élysées, a high-end shopping avenue, on their second day in Paris.

Earlier in the day, they visited UNESCO, a specialized agency of the United Nations, and later, they visited a giant Ferris wheel.

It’s one thing to see the beauty of the Eiffel Tower in a photograph or painting; it’s quite another to see the city of Paris from the top of it, or see its magnitude directly below it. Shayn Jones, sophomore, said one of her favorite adventures of the trip was riding to the top and seeing the Eiffel Tower up close as it was lit up at night.

Twelve students along with Professor Maria Stover flew to Paris over spring break for a study abroad trip. The students, Taryn Reed, Derrick Schwarz, Areli Bermudez, Reilly Pueser, Noah Cross, Mark Feuerborn, Jordon Hoy, Shayn Jones, Ashley Webb, Adrianna Hendricks, Carney Ziegler, and Satoko Hosoi, were exposed to various mediarelated topics, such as contemporary journalism, marketing and French cultural differences. They met several influential and experienced speakers, including a New York Times writer, authors, a photographer, advertisement representatives, an international correspondent, a Newsweek writer and more. These classes were part of the annual International Media Seminar, in which students

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around the world come to learn how different international media organizations function in comparison to those in America.

The students participated in classes for a portion of each day Monday through Friday and had Saturday to sightsee and enjoy their final evening. Reilly Peuser, a freshman media major, was one of the students who attended alongside the other eleven, plus a group of twelve from Oregon Institute of Technology.

“ I gained so many new friends

from this experience, and I loved every minute of it.”

- Reilly Pueser, freshman mass media major

“The classes were interesting. We heard successful professionals in the media field talk about how they got

there, and they gave us advice on how to be successful in our futures. The environment was like a classroom. Overall, I thought they were beneficial and I learned a lot of good tips on how to excel in my career,” Peuser said.

Aside from the seminars, the students visited famous monuments, such as the Eiffel Tower, Arch of Triumph, Notre Dame, Montmartre district, Versailles Palace and the Louvre.

“The monuments were extraordinary,” Pueser said.

“Everything else in Paris is small, but the monuments are huge. The architecture was amazing.”

After being submerged into a new country and culture for a week, the students gained firsthand understanding and valuable knowledge on the cultural differences between Europe and the United States. In fact, one fourth of the students experienced their first plane ride ever on the trip to Paris, so the societal differences were even more prominent.

Pueser, one of the students who had never flown before the trip, describes the distinctions between her home life and that in Europe.

“The main cultural difference I saw was that the people of France have very negative facial expressions,” Pueser said. “The people in America smile a lot more and just appear more friendly. Another big difference is the food.

We have bigger portions and more unhealthy foods in the states.”

The students had an educational and unforgettable experience that was full of unique foods, an engagement, newfound friends, multiple tours, time spent lounging in the hotel, over 50 miles of walking, and more.

“My favorite part of the trip was hanging out in the lobby with everyone at night and just getting to know people on the trip. I gained so many new friends from this experience and I loved every minute of it,” Pueser said.

Photo by Maria Stover 1. The group springs into the air to celebrate having a day to tour Notre Dame.

Photo by Noah Cross 2. Some women in the group enjoy the sun while exploring Versailles Palace and Gardens on their final full day in Paris.

Photos by Maria Stover 3-4. The travelers visit the Eiffel Tower on their first day and trekked to the Arc de Triomphe on their third day.

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Monuments seen: 1. Eiffel Tower

7. Moulin Rouge

2. Seine River

8. Notre Dame

3. Arc de Triomphe 9. Champs-Élysées 4. UNESCO

10. Catacombes

5. Musée d’Orsay

11. Louvre Museum

6. Montmartre

12. Palace of Versailles

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More Students Attend Media Day High schoolers explore all areas of WU mass media department.

By Brista Robinson Seniors from Maria Stover’s Career Development and Digital Portfolio course introduced area high school students to the department’s majors during the second annual Media Day. The event took place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 3, 2017.

“The goal is simple: we want more people to know what the mass media department at WU is about,” said Stover.

Kathy Menzie opened the event by welcoming students and inviting them to participate in a photo scavenger hunt to spell out WU MEDIA. Using the hashtag #WUMMDay2017, attendees could post images on Facebook and Twitter.

With more attendees than last year, upperclassman split into four color-coded groups to guide students around campus. Sessions included public relations, creative advertising, film & video and contemporary journalism. Students also had the opportunity to take a brief tour of the KTWU control room and studio.

The director of university relations, Patrick Early, held a crisis communication planning workshop for the public relations session while students learned headline writing and InDesign elements in Student Media. Other workshops included generating names for prescription and over-the-counter medications in the creative advertising session and viewing student directed documentaries in film and video.

Students “geeked out” at the behind-the-scenes look at the KTWU control room and green screen.

Many of the students were involved in their high school newspaper or news show. Following the tour, several students indicated they were “hooked” and planned to enroll next fall.

Before the last session of the day, students reconvened for lunch and networking with faculty and students. While they waited for the results of the scavenger hunt, attendees posed with props in the photo booth.

Several high school attendees gave positive feedback regarding the event.

“I was completely blown away by how amazing the event was. I was not sure what I was getting myself into initially, but it was extremely fun and

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Photo by Brista Robinson Potential mass media Ichabods stop for a picture while learning about the television station.

interesting,” said Jacob Lee, a junior at Washburn Rural High School.

Stover would like the event to continue to be free and open to high school students. Her goal for next fall is to advertise earlier, which would allow schools to include the event in their budgets. The date for the next year’s Media Day is February 16, 2018.

“The goal is simple: we want

more people to know what the mass media department at WU is about.”

- Maria Stover, professor of mass media

Photos by Brista Robinson

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1. Matt Nyquist, who will join the faculty as the film emphasis professor, speaks to potential students about the film industry.

2. High school students enjoy a tour of the KTWU station and get a chance to ask questions and experiment with the green screen.

3-4. Media Day participants take advanatage of the photo booth during a break from the tours and sessions.

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Washburn Gains 28 Awards at KCM

By Lisa Herdman

Photos by Lisa Herdman Top: Amy Chastain, Butler Community College advisor, and two students eat lunch before the first half of awards were declared for newspaper and magazine.

Bottom: Kevin Page, adviser from Benedictine College, serving as first and second vice president for Kansas Collegiate Media 2017, welcomes the students and advisers to the first of two awards ceremonies. Schools across Kansas compete for media awards in numberous categories.

Read past issues of the Messenger online at: issuu.com/massmediamessenger

The Kansas Collegiate Media Conference gathered students from schools all over the state to compete in copy-editing, attend breakout sessions and receive awards for their work in the media field.

Washburn received 28 awards from the conference, including bronze in the overall categories for the Washburn Review Newspaper and Bod Magazine and silver in the overall categories for the Mass Media Messenger, Washburn Review website and Kaw Yearbook.

Four first place awards went to Derek Richardson, Scott Stormann, Kenzie McCoy, and a shared award betweenVincent Neff and Kaleb Marconette in event photography, podcasts and infographics.

Four second place awards went to Lisa Herdman, Katie Wade, Colleen Kelly, with Annalee Lubeski and Will Hartner both sharing an award in photo essays, podcasting, news writing, sports photography, infographics and many other areas.

Four third place awards went to Mark Feuerborn, Melissa Worrell, Kenzie McCoy and Carney Ziegler for advertisements, news writing and the magazine cover.

Breakout sessions included new journalism practices, the future of the media industry and tips on finding a job or internship.

Ryan Thompson, senior English major, said that he wanted more skill classes, both in writing and editing. He wanted more workshops in the future as well as a chance to interact more with other schools. “This is the first time I have attended KCM,�

WU StudenT Media washburnreview.org

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Thompson said. “It would have been nice to have gotten the chance to interact more with students from other schools. I would have appreciated the opportunity to learn from others with similar responsibilities as mine.”

Feuerborn, senior mass media major, said this was the first time he attended the conference. He took the copy-editing test and stressed the importance of accuracy. Feuerborn also suggested a better platform for students to meet each other.

“Everyone

who received an award got a little nudge telling them they’re working in the right direction.”

-Mark Feuerborn, senior mass media major

Why? How ?

Teach En glish as a Foreign L anguage!

Get paid t o work an d travel the world!

TEFL Cer tificate Co urses starting e very 2 we eks!

“I think one of the most important parts of attending the KCM conference is having our work put in perspective to other schools,” Feuerborn said. “Through conversations with other school’s journalists, we found differences and similarities in our productions and goals for Kansas news. The one thing I’d look into for next year is a mixer of some kind for more conversing between schools.”

Feuerborn said that receiving awards and watching other schools receive their awards had the largest impact on him.

“I think everyone who received an award got a little nudge telling them they’re working in the right direction, and I guarantee that really inspired everyone to keep working hard at their media specialty,” Feuerborn said.

More Info rmatio

n!

Visit the Offi ce of Intern ational Programs W ebsite www.washb urn.edu/iip Email TEFL Coordinato Sarah Sprin r gsteen Turu sarah.sprin m b le gsteen@wa shburn.edu

Black & White Theme Honors Media Alumnus shares career wisdom with more than 100 guests at banquet.

By Allie Broockerd Instead of boring a future employer by sharing all of your hopes and dreams, the keynote speaker at the annual Mass Media Banquet suggested that students demonstrate a willingness to earn a key spot in the company.

“What can I do to earn it?” is a phrase not often heard in the job market said Dan Bennett, regional vice president of Cumulus Media in Dallas. Bennett believes these words can help students connect in a positive way with a potential employer because it shows a willingness to work hard and learn whatever it takes.

Bennett’s speech also served as a reminder to have pride in Washburn because of the experiences gained here.

During his career Bennett has hired many students from smaller schools all over the country and he mentioned many times that an ivy college education is not essential for success. In fact, it takes hard work and persistence.

Throughout his speech, he spoke of a young graduate he agreed to mentor as long as he agreed to get up every day and work full time on making career connections. Despite a few slips-ups involving lazy mornings, Bennett did not give up on Adam, he pressed him to make the necessary calls to connect with key people who would help him land important opportunities. Bennett later revealed that Adam was his son, who went on to have a successful career.

While networking is important, Bennett also reminded students how impactful sharing career dreams with friends and family can be.

“The story by the speaker was interesting, and it was fun to talk with students from different mass media fields,” sophomore Satoko Hosoi said. “Seeing other students’ achievements inspired me a lot so I hope that I can achieve something for next year.”

This event was also an opportunity for individual students within the mass media major to be recognized for their hard work. Within each emphasis one or two students were called up on stage to be recognized by their peers.

Many students were also awarded with scholarships.

The banquet also celebrated the upcoming retirement of Frank Chorba, and it was revealed that there is now a mass media fellowship named after Chorba. Several students sent in videos wishing Chorba well and his colleagues had kind words to say to him as he begins the next chapter of his life.

“I really enjoyed the banquet, and since I’m not

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technically a mass media major yet, it made me more confident in the choice I have made to switch to it,” freshman Taryn Reed said. “I also thought the speaker was absolutely amazing. I loved him! I thought he was honest, and you really don’t get that kind of honesty out of people these days.”

Kathy Menzie’s Public Relations II class planned the last banquet under her direction as next year Assistant Professor Kristen Grimmer will be teaching the course and overseeing the banquet.

This year the theme was Black and White: Colors of Media, which gave the event a formal aesthetic. Guests wore suits and black dresses and the PR class kept busy during the event making sure everything went as they had planned.

“The food was very nice and the story by the speaker was very interesting.”

- Alice Ouary, senior mass media major

“From setup

to the final award, mass media students shined—the banquet was great fun!”

- Anna Walker, senior administrative assistant

Outstanding Students

Contemporary Journalism: Kenzie McCoy Creative Advertising: Mark Kotich, Carney Ziegler Film & Video: Avery Stratton Public Relations: Fahad Alfaryyan Student Media: Derek Richardson

Dean’s Scholarship Darria Dennison Mark Feuerborn

Dan Bennett Scholarship Stephanie Cannon Darria Denninson Mark Feuerborn Ethan Jackson Bayli Milleson Cassandra Nichols Avery Stratton

Frank Chorba Fellowships Jamie Schartz Derrick Schwarz Photos by Lisa Herdman Top left: Madeleine Switzer, Sophia-Joelle Oswld, Mark Feuerborn and Bayli Mileson earn scholarships.

Top Right: Carney Ziegler and Breann Hill use props at the photo booth.

Middle Left: Senior Kenzie McCoy shows her accomplishments.

Middle right: Maria Stover, Regina Cassell and Kathy Menzie have some fun.

Bottom Left: Derek and Sonja Richardson celebrate his awards.

American Pen Women Scholarship Jessica Knieff

Bob Henson Athletic Scholarship Allyson Burr

Mass Media Scholarships Samantha Abendroth Areli Bermudez-Villarreal Shayla Connor Leah Coons Alexandria Dellinger Jennifer Emmert Jessica Knieff Marissa Meis Sophie-Joelle Oswald Alice Ouary Reilly Peuser Madeleine Switzer

13

Internship Enhances Student Learning

Topeka library offers advancement and experiences for undergraduate.

By Miyuki Nishimura

Fahad Alfaryyan, senior mass media major, works in the marketing department at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library.

As an intern, Alfaryyan gives back to the community by applying the knowledge he has learned in his mass media classes.

Alfaryyan is an international student from Saudi Arabia and has been in the U.S. for four years.

Currently, he is majoring in mass media with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in photography.

He began interning in January and has been creating videos to promote the library.

Before interning, he came to the library on a daily basis to read books.

Alfaryyan said working there is a

great opportunity for him to give back to both the library and the Topeka community. He said what he learned in his mass media classes, such as Creative Media Writing and Visual Communication, has helped him with his internship. His projects at the library support what he has learned and even allows him to try new things.

“You have to meet the deadline but you can’t turn in poor work,” he said. “Work always has to be high quality, so time management is really important to put your effort for creating the best works, and to balance work and school.”

After he graduates from Washburn, Alfaryyan hopes to work as a public relations specialist utilizing his internship experience at the library.

Photo by Miyuki Nishimura Fahad Alfaryyan, senior, completes his semester-long internship at the Topeka Public Library.

Students Partake in Visual Storytelling

By Matt Boland

The mass media department brought meaningful play to the classroom with the introduction of Interactive Storytelling. With the help of adjunct Matthew Nyquist, students explored the birth of video games and their eventual rise to become one of the biggest industries in the world, as well as the game design and the industry that emerged because of them.

There was an overall sense of excitement during this special topics course as students were able to let themselves get lost in the wonder of an industry that has captivated millions.

At the helm is Nyquist, a filmmaker who graduated from the University of Southern California, along with fellow alumni like George Lucas. Nyquist moved back to the Topeka area for family reasons and began looking for new career paths. He pitched the idea for the course to Kathy Menzie, department chair, who was eager to bring his skillset to campus.

“As of right now, I only teach this class,” Nyquist said earlier in the spring semester. “It is kind of my trial run, but I’m hoping to teach more in the summer.”

Nyquist will continue teaching within the department after accepting the newest assistant professor position. He will be teaching Intro to Mass Media, Media Bootcamp and Filmmaking I this fall.

Throughout his first course, he shared the same enthusiasm for gaming as his students. He often lost himself explaining the small intricacies of game design that make his favorite games work. Students were able to re-live the magic they experienced the first time they played games such as Final Fantasy 7. Nyquist is someone the students can relate to and share their passions with.

One of the main focuses of the class was to understand meaningful play. Meaningful play is defined as every action made by the player, whether that be jumping, running or punching, and each has a specific purpose implemented by the designers of the game.

This is interesting to both students new to video games and those familiar with them. Students who are knowledgeable with video games got an inside look into the world of video game design. It’s a peek behind the curtain

Photo by Matt Boland Adjunct professor Matthew Nyquist teaches his class about visual storytelling. The students explored the birth of video games and their rise to becoming one of the biggest industries in the world.

into a world they love. Students who are not familiar will find an appreciation for what goes into building these multimillion dollar projects.

Another integral aspect of the class was learning the ins and outs of the video game industry. Whether that is marketing, journalism or public relations, the video game industry has many job opportunities for mass media students.

“It is designed to get people ready for the industry because when I was growing up I always wanted to be involved in the industry, but I had no idea how to go about it,” Nyquist said. “Through about 10 years of doing journalism in the industry, I’ve met a lot of people, gained contacts and learned about the industry. I want to pass that on.”

Throughout the course, students were able to Skype with industry insiders like Greg Snook from 343 Industries and Chad Concelmo from Nintendo. Students applied what they learned about game design by designing their own games as the final project in the course.

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Photo by Lisa Herdman Advisors Excel is home for many mass media graduates, including co-founder Cody Foster, 1999. Though only 12 are pictured above, several more work for this growing company. Front: Carney Ziegler, 2017; Valerie (Holmes) Williams, 2007; Kelsey Parkes, 2014; Annie (Patterson) Flachsbarth, 2007; Regina (Budden) Stephenson, 2011; and Jerrica (Bachman) Winkenwader, 2013. Back: Chris Marshall, 2009; Trevin Edelman, 2017; Brandy Wathke, 1996; Ryan Bishop, 2008; Kevin Dame, 2008;Tracey Stratton, 1995; and Mallory (Hatfield) McDaniel, 2007.

“Advisors Excel really cares about our Advisors and their families as well as the people that work here and their family�

- Jerrica Winkenwader, media relations specialist

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Advisors Excel Supports WU Alumni This local, growing company often hires recent mass media graduates.

By Lisa Herdman One local Topeka company puts the skills of several mass media graduates to work every day.

Advisors Excel, LLC, has been providing insurance marketing services to to independent financial planners across the country since 2005.

All three founders of Advisors Excel graduated from Washburn. One of the three co-founders, Cody Foster, earned his mass media degree in 1999. The compay is organized into 11 teams to handle the constant workflow. It’s not a surprise to find media graduates on the Creative Team, but department grads are tucked into teams across the company putting their media skills to use. From copywriting, to radio, to video production, any media graduate could find a home in this growing company.

“We have the ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality.”

- Valerie Williams, creative account manager

Alumna Jerrica Winkenwader, 2013, has worked as a media relations specialist for a year at Advisors Excel, and has helped establish and implement the radio and TV research process, tracked and maintained leads that originated from media campaigns to help clients understand their return on investment and helped the media department start a new customer relations management system for project managing. Winkenwader manages and assigns tasks throughout the department in this new program.

“Advisors Excel is always trying to find ways to make a repetitive and meaningful impact in our advisors’ lives, their employees’ lives and the community we live in,” Winkenwader said. “They are very family orientated. There is always some kind of activity or event going on around here for co-workers

and their families.”

Valerie Williams, creative account manager at Advisors Excel, manages and consults independent financial advisors on all of their creative marketing projects. Some projects include creating logos, identity packages, seminar materials, websites, content, flyers or planning event details.

“It’s always a good feeling when you see an advisor’s project come to life and benefit their business,” Williams said. “I love strategizing with advisors and bringing ideas to the table that they might not have thought of, or providing another view or idea that they weren’t aware of. When they call you after their event or their seminar or whatever the case may be, and they tell you that they saw success and thank you for the part you played, it’s an accomplishing feeling.”

The company believes helping those around them and investing in the community is important.

Williams said she felt the company was working toward the greater good.

“We have the ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality,” said Williams. “You have a huge support system in this company - an ear to listen, a helping hand, a suggestion you hadn’t thought of.”

We, collectively, are the epitome of the words ‘team work’ and as an employee, I always feel supported by my peers. In addition, they provide tons of resources for both personal and professional growth, which makes us feel valued by our founders.”

The employees are not only a comfort to each other, but also challenge themselves each day in an effort to meet quarterly and annual goals.

Williams mentioned the changing industry and incoming students into the field.

Matt Beier, director of the Employee Initiative team, says that he loves to see applicants from Washburn’s mass media program because he, too, has a mass media degree from Washburn.

“Creative services offers students real work for clients,” said Beier. “We have a great environment.

We all pull in the same direction and offer unique opportunities in a growing company.”

17

Alumni Class Notes, Updates Tom Allen, 2003, is working for the city of Topeka as a right-of-way agent.

Jesse Bernal, 2004, is the director of the Buffalo Broadcasting System at Garden City High School. In 2015, he started the only high school radio station in Kansas, KBFZ-LP 101.7FM. Ryan Bishop, 2007, is a video producer in the creative division at Advisors Excel.

Matt Beier, 1998, is the director of employee initiatives for Advisors Excel and leads the human resources and training functions for the business. He lives in Tecumseh with his wife, Libby, 1999, and two children.

Julie Boggs, 2006, received a promotion to director of member marketing and engagement at College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.

Amber Brady-Sester, 2007, is a senior revenue representative for the state of Kansas. She married Adam Sester in 2014, and they welcomed a daughter, Araya Dawn, in 2015.

Annie (Gutowski) Branson, 2004, is the senior account manager at Advisors Excel, where she manages clients, provides counsel on design and marketing, and assists with business development.

Michel Phillipp Cole, 1985, is the vice president of corporate communications and public affairs at Westar Energy. She anticipates retiring later this year, as Westar and KCPL plan to merge.

David Cox, 2016, works as an office claims representative at Farmers Insurance.

Beth Davis, 2005, has been recruited to establish and lead public relation strategies and services at MDG Advertising in Boca Raton, Florida.

Dan Decker, 1997, was selected to participate in the 2017 Leadership Greater Topeka program.

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Sarah Farlee, 2008, is a public relations and marketing specialist at FreeState Electric Cooperative in Topeka.

Jessica Ferguson, 2016, works at Walz Tetrick Advertising as an associate media specialist.

Annie (Patterson) Flachsbarth, 2007, is the director of strategic communications in the creative division at Advisors Excel.

Jennifer Funk, 2015, started at Hay Daily News as an advertising graphic designer in 2016.

Jaycie (Wiechman) Gluck, 2009, is a commentator for Heroes of the Storm’s official league, the Heroes Global Championship.

Kelly Haywood, 2016, is the communications coordinator at the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care.

Jessica Herrera, 2014, is the communications coordinator/editor at the Kansas Legislative Research Department.

Jamie Hornbaker, 2008, graduated from American College in 2016 and is now a retirement income certified professional (RICP).

Maggie (McKinley) Hubbard, 2011, works for the American Cancer Society in Kansas City doing fundraising and event planning.

Derek Huff, 2012, joined Glazer’s Distributors of Kansas in July of 2015 as a sales and marketing representative for their the wine division.

Amanda Millard Hughes, 2000, has been a stewardship event specialist at the Washburn University Foundation since November 2016.

Curtis Kitchen, 2002, and his wife, Maranda, had a baby girl, Hadley, in July 2016. He is the editor of Auctioneer Magazine, which received a platinum and five gold MarCom awards in 2016.

Blake Kresge, 2009, is a filmmaker at MotoVike Films in Topeka.

Kip Kraisinger, 2005, is the creative director at Bajillion Agency.

Misty Kruger, 2007, serves on the board of directors for United Way of Greater Topeka as their Communications Chair.

Jill Lira, 2011, ended her tenure at The Denver Post after nearly 5 years and started at Oracle Data Cloud as a partner manager.

Mindy (Barks) Lee, 2015, was hired after completing her internship at the Washburn Small Business Development Center and is now the Business Advisor and Marketing Coordinator.

Cody Lohse, 2012, made a micro-documentary with a fellow grad student titled “Superfund Motocross,” which won first place out of almost 200 entries in the professional division at the Carolina Environmental Festival in May 2016.

Fay Lu, 2015, is currently working at Union Chance in China promoting storage items to foreign countries.

Chris Marshall, 2009, has been a copy editor in Advisors Excel’s creative department for three years.

He is also the finance chair for Topeka IABC. Josh Mabry, 2010, works for Facebook as part of its strategic partner development team in New York City.

Kenzie McCoy, 2017, accepted a content design specialist position at Lockton, LLC in Kansas City starting in June.

Monica McDougal, 2016, is one of five women in the country working as a Belle H. Bennett Fellow at the Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville.

Chelsea (May) McDonald, 2013, is working at DEG in Overland Park as a social media strategist and is

pursuing her Master’s in digital content strategy at Kansas University.

Alicia (Phillips) Mowder, 2008, is the director of brand marketing for Sonic Drive In in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Mowder and fellow WU alumnus, Christopher, had a baby girl October of 2016.

Ashley Nadeau, 2011, is the public relations manager for Mosaic of Northeast Kansas, a nonprofit in Kansas City.

Betty Lou Pardue, 1981, is at KTWU Channel 11 and completed her master’s degree in December 2016.

Lauren Pierce, 2016, is a marketing coordinator for the Allied Arts Council, in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Kelsey Papps, 2015, won second place for the Topeka visitor guide that she designed for Visit Topeka at the Travel Industry Association of Kansas. She and her husband had their first baby in September 2016.

Keri (Battershell) Renner, 2003, is a visionary volunteer and social media ambassador for Heartland Visioning.

Andy Ryan, 2006, is now the senior commercial producer at 41 KSHB in Kansas City.

Israel Sanchez, 2015, is a marketing assistant at CoreFirst. He is also writing and illustrating a children’s book and started Kansas Young, a platform where artists and entrepreneurs who live in Kansas get recognition. He recently bought his first home with his wife and two children.

Tara Schroeder-Yantis, 2009, is an account supervisor at MMGY Global in Kansas City, MO. She is also head coach and creative director of the dance program at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and head instructor for the National Dance Alliance.

Amanda Schuster, 2008, is the proposal administrator for Hardcore Skate-parks in San Diego, California.

Sarah Seuell, 2015, works for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and plans to enroll for her Masters in communication in 2018. She and her fiancé, Dj Winn, stay busy with their children, Addyson, Evan and Hazen.

Emily Scott, 2011, is the ESL teacher at USD 480, in Liberal, Kansas.

Morgan (Schaeffer) Shandler, 2010, is a public relations and marketing specialist for Shawnee Mission Health.

She and her husband, Dave, are expecting a daughter in July.

Elizabeth Shandy, 2015, married Nick Shandy in 2016. She is currently an advertising and marketing coordinator at Favorite Healthcare Staffing in Overland Park, Kansas.

Jamie Slack,2004, is currently working at The Kansas Association of School Boards.

Audranna (Monteith) Smith, 2015, is the public service administrator/ communications specialist for the Kansas Department of Labor. She got married in July of 2016.

Danielle Smith, 2008, began working as a proofreader at Barkley, an advertising agency in Kansas City, in the fall of 2016.

Melissa Sowers, 2012, moved to Garden City, Kansas, to work as the event coordinator for the Finney County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

hosting Japanese culture events.

She start her new job as a consultant at the KPMG, a professional service company, in August of 2017.

Titonian Wallace, 2014, is currently the owner of his own buisness, Nesace Media.

Josh Wallentine, 2016, is a marketing associate at Brandon Steven Motors in Wichita, Kansas.

Rob Welcher, 2011, works at KOKH in Oklahoma City. He was nominated for two Emmy awards and got married in October.

Valerie Williams, 2007, is an account manager in the creative department at Advisors Excel. When she’s not working, she is busy chasing her twin boys.

Carly Willis, 2015, recently got engaged to a newspaper writer. She took a new job at KSN news, an NBC affiliate in Wichita, Kansas.

Krystal Wiltz, 2008, is the director of development and marketing for the Boys and Girls Club of Topeka. She was named a top 20 under 40 honoree in 2015. She also serves as a board president for the Topeka Heartland Seroma Club and a board member for Sole Reason.

Jake Wingo, 2015, bought a house and works at Spectrum Sports, Fox 4, The Kansas City Chiefs and will be working for Sporting KC this year.

Adam Stephenson, 2012, is the assistant marketing director at Thompson Dryers, an agricultural industrial drying company in Topeka.

Jerrica Winkenwader, 2013, is the media relations specialist for Advisors Excel. She will marry Joey Towle in October.

Regina (Budden) Stephenson, 2011, is the books program manager at Advisors Excel.

Carney Ziegler, 2017, started in May at Advisors Excel as a digital production artist on the web team.

Tracy (Spencer) Stratton, 1995, is the public relations specialist at Advisors Excel.

Bree Zuchowski, 2016, moved to Olathe, Kansas, after graduation. She is working at Dimensional Innovations in Lenexa as a project coordinator.

Mao Tohge, 2016, is interning at the Japan Society, helping Americans learn Japanese and helping with

Alumni: Send us your news!

19

Gathering information

Finding the right tools

Sharing with the masses

Graphic by Lisa Herdman

Technology Adds To Media Major

Students still must learn the classic art of telling stories that matter.

By Allie Broockerd Having the flexibility to create videos or capture high-quality photos with smart phones that can easily be shared across multiple social media platforms does not remove the challenge of crafting a worthy message.

As technology continues to evolve, mass media faculty continue to stress the importance of teaching students how to create memorable messages.

“I remember Pub Tech with Kathy Menzie,” Jamie Slack, a 2014 graduate said. “That was my first design experience, and I loved it.”

Visual Communications, which updated Publications Technology, not only covers design theory, but it also allows students to gain firsthand application experience.

Professor Maria Stover recently incorporated the use of Piktochart.com, which allows students to customize high-quality templates.

“Piktochart gives students exposure to different design tools and pushes them to become more experimental with their approaches to design,” Stover said.

“Last semester I took Visual Communications as a mass media major and by the end of the semester, I went from being relatively clueless about design theory to acquiring a comfortably solid grasp of color theory, product placement and design,” Xavier Strong, junior intigrated studies major, said.

The hands-on experience is found across all emphases and is appreciated by many alumni, including Titonian

20

Wallace, a 2014 graduate and film emphasis.

“Personally, I enjoyed every class taught by Dr. Cranston, and the one-on-one feedback or constructive criticism he would provide,” Wallace said. “One of the best moments I believe was in Digital Filmmaking II, doing a class project with the professor. We had the opportunity to do a lot of hands on work for Dr. Cranston’s film, ‘Rockstar Game.’”

Technology is only one part of the puzzle because learning how to create compelling stories still drives the majority of curriculum.

“Students need to understand who is receiving the message and consider the best approach,” Regina Cassell, lecturer, said. “As freshmen, students are exposed to message creation via word, audio, video, social media.”

The next step is gaining a more solid understanding of best practices and theory behind the construction of messages, which again combines teaching with firsthand application.

“I remember information gathering with Barbara Burgess,” Curtis Kitchen, a 2002 graduate said. “I’ll never forget her telling me that you never have all the information and that there is always another place to look. Networking with sources is key, which I’ve come to understand means developing relationships with people as opposed to using them as information dispensers. I still remember doing research on and with the Topeka Convention Visitors Bureau and Chamber of Commerce.”

Mass Media Graduates Casey Bohannon

Brian Cervantez

Trevin Edelman

Kelly Haywood

Fall 2016

Fatima Oubaid

Rachel Proffitt

Justin Braun Brian Cervantez Michael Hibler Vanessa Nunez Fatima Oubaid Amy Reinhardt Mao Tohge Samuel Zlotky

Jamie Mauer

Vanessa Nunez­

Spring/Summer 2017 Fahad Alfaryyan* Casey Bohannon Riley Bohannon Kaycee Dillon Mikayla Douglas Trevin Edelman Kelly Haywood Breann Hill Jordon Hoy

Lauren Kostusik Julian Lamb Jamie Mauer Kenzie McCoy* Michaela Olberding Rachel Proffitt Derek Richardson* Shauna Van Syoc Carney Ziegler

*graduated with departmental honors Mao Tohge

Samuel Zlotky

Seniors pose in front of the steps of Mabee Library. front: Shauna Van Syoc, Carney Ziegler, Kenzie McCoy, and Lisa Herdman. middle: Mikayla Douglas, Stephanie Cannon, Brista Robinson and Jesse Nadeau. back: Fahad Alfaryyan, Breann Hill and Isran Rahman.

21

Alumni Connections MASS MED T-SHIR IA T

$12

Mass Media Banquet 2018 April 12

Join

Volunteer Donate

Connect with friends and faculty by joining the Washburn Mass Media Alumni, Faculty & Students LinkedIn Page and the secret Facebook group.

Friend a faculty member and ask to be added.

Connect with current students by volunteering or mentoring. Share your experiences with the fresh new faces of media.

We love to hear how you’re doing and where you’re going. Share your news by emailing massmedia@ washburn.edu or calling the office at 785-670-1836.

Come back to campus and join us for Media Day where sophmores, juniors and seniors from local high schools visit to see what the department is all about.

Seeking Career Stories 22

Save the Date!

Giving back by donating to support Media Day, Mass Media Scholarships or the alumni magazine.

Purchase a T-shirt for $12 or $20 with shipping.

Don’t forget your ticket for the Mass Media Banquet. Come see how things have changed, reconnect and meet new faces.

Regina Cassell is looking for alumni willing to do phone interviews about their career paths.

Email regina.cassell@washburn.edu or call 785-670-1801.

mass media department welcomes new chair in 2017

1993

1994

1995

Hunter

1997

Anderson

Stefaniak

Zaharoupolus

Legacy of Mass Media Leaders

By Adam Litostansky

When the mass media department was officially created in 1993, John Hunter, professor of theatre, served as acting chair. In July, the department will see its eighth department leader.

Greg Stefaniak was hired as the first full-time department chair. He taught Broadcast Promotion and Sales and supervised student internships.

Dale Anderson, who served as the KTWU Channel 11 general manager for 31 years, stepped in as an interim chair. He helped expand and strenghen both KTWU and the department as a whole.

A professor from Greece, Thimios

2005

Zaharoupolus, kept the new department moving forward and is still considered a strong mentor by members of the current faculty. He was known for teaching the research class.

Interim chair Bruce Mactavish, history professor and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, stepped in when Zaharoupolus accepted a new job.

Barbara DeSanto was the next full-time chair, and she was tasked with moving more classes online.

Associate Professor Kathy Menzie did double duty while chair as she also lead the communications studies

2010

2006

Mactavish

25% OFF Any one

Washburn Imprinted Item One coupon per customer. Not valid with any other offers or sales. Expires 12/01/17

Located on the Lower Level of Memorial Union 785-670-1049 | ichabodshop.com |

department. During her 18 years at Washburn, she has served on university committees at every level, including Faculty Senate, the Academic Affairs Committee and recently began helping connect Washburn students with community partners with high impact partnerships.

Professor Maria Stover will begin her responsibilities as chair in July 2017.

She has taught at Washburn since 2003 and has published several articles and books on the media systems of Eastern Europe. An avid researcher, she designed the foundation for the Mass Media Bootcamp class.

DeSanto

2017

Stover

Menzie

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