Castellaw Connect

Baylor Journalism, Public Relations & New Media

ALUMNI MAGAZINE Spring 2022

CASTELLAW CONNECT

CONTENTS BAYLOR JOURNALISM, PUBLIC RELATIONS & NEW MEDIA

4 CHAIR'S NOTE Find out what we've been up to in Castellaw. We have lots of good news to share and several updates.

28 CASTELLAW KUDOS Find out what our alumni are up to. They are landing good jobs, getting advanced degrees and launching their own businesses.

6

8 MAXEY PARRISH RETIRES

CELEBRATING MAXEY PARRISH

Professor Maxey Parrish bids farewell to Baylor. He led his last study abroad group in May. Find out what’s next.

15

EXCLUSIVE!

PROFESSOR BOB DARDEN’S LATEST PROJECT

45 NEW ONLINE M.A.

19 NEW BROADCAST CONCENTRATION We are looking forward to launching a new concentration for students interested in broadcasting this fall.

Find out more about our master’s degree in advertising and public relations.

7

FAREWELL TO A LEGEND Known as a visionary leader, Dr.Doug Ferdon helped launch the careers of dozens of Baylor faculty. The 77-year-old Wisconsin native taught his last class this May. He will be missed.

MEET MEET

ENDIA TURNEY

13

JADEN JENNINGS

39

VOL 2

Baylor Journalism, Public Relations & New Media

Castellaw

Connect

The Staff

Editors Mia Moody-Ramirez Bob Darden Cassy Burleson Amber Adamson Madison Walkes

Contributors Amber Adamson Matthew Brammer Cassy Burleson Dennisse Concepcion Bob Darden Bruce Gietzen David McHam Mia Moody-Ramirez Marlene Neill Kevin Tankersley Lanisa Tovar

MAY 2022

Spring 2022

CHAIR'S NOTE

W

hile working on Castellaw Connect, I reflected on how grateful I am to serve as Chair of the Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media. As one might imagine, the last few years have been the most challenging ones our faculty, staff, and students have ever experienced.

But we persevered and managed to continue to do well in the face of adversity. We maintained low teacher-student ratios, high retention rates and improved job placement rates to almost 100%.

In other good news, we've launched an online M.A. Classes start June 3. If you'd like to enroll this fall, we're accepting applications until July 15. For more information, please visit: https://www.baylor.edu/journalism/onlinema/May. For more information, email Graduate Program Director Marlene_Neill@baylor.edu.

We are thrilled to launch a broadcast concentration in the fall under the direction of Student Media Director Bruce Gietzen. Students are interested -- and jobs are plentiful. For more information, please see page 15 of this newsletter. ​

Our students are learning life lessons, securing good jobs, earning competitive salaries after graduation, and gaining acceptance into the nation's top graduate schools. We are thankful for the chance to play a small yet significant role in their lives. We are grateful for the diligence and support of our faculty, staff and students, friends in the Baylor community and alumni group. ​

With the broadcast concentration (and the relaunching of the American Studies master's program), students have more great choices in Baylor JPR&NM: now standing at six concentrations, two majors and six minors. ​

Our most exciting news of the semester was our department's reaccreditation. We talk about the accreditation process in this issue of

Mia_Moody@baylor.edu.

Castellaw Connect on page 5.

Throughout the pages of this newsletter, we'll be highlighting alumni, faculty and students who are excelling, and we would love to hear from you. Please share your updates with me via email:

Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D.

Retirements and Farewells Goodbyes are always difficult and saying farewell to Dr. Doug Ferdon and Professor Maxey Parrish this spring was no different. Maxey retired in May after teaching 21 years and working another 20 years as a sports public relations office at Baylor. His wife, Susanne, also taught for the department for many years. We will miss them both.

It was difficult to say goodbye to Ferdon, who taught his last class in May. Ferdon hired most of the faculty in our department, and he kept the department on track during challenging times. We are going to also miss Doug’s wife, Sylvia, Baylor’s former women’s golf coach.

Other retirements on the horizon include Professor Bob Darden, Clark Baker, Ph.D., and Brad Owens, Ph.D. Searches are underway with the goal of hiring replacements for Sara Stone, Ph.D., and Owens in the fall. We will replace other retired faculty, as we receive faculty lines.

Awarding Excellence After holding the last two student awards ceremonies virtually, we celebrated the milestones of our students in person in May. In addition to honoring current students, we also acknowledged graduate Claire St. Amant, as our 2022 Alumna of the Year. She also served as the ceremony’s keynote speaker, sharing anecdotes about her journey after graduating from Baylor University in 2008. St. Amant is the host of the 2021 true crime podcast, “Final Days on Earth.”

She has worked for CBS News “48 I Hours” since 2014. She has covered an assassination attempt on a judge in Austin, a serial killer in South Carolina, and a murder-for-hire sting on two doctors in Houston. She was part of the breaking news team nominated for an Emmy in 2016 for “Bringing a Nation Together,” a special report on the Dallas Police shooting.

REACCREDITED A N D

I T

F E E L S

S O

G O O D !

The final vote at the 2022 Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications Council meeting in May confirmed the reaccreditation of the Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media for the next six years.

Our department met rigorous requirements and is among the top-tier schools in journalism education in the nation. There are 117 schools accredited by ACEJMC; 114 are fully accredited and three are provisional. Accreditation is a voluntary process that requires participating universities to conduct a rigorous self-examination of nine standards—including, curriculum, learning outcomes, diversity, leadership, funding, and resources, Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, said.

After completing a self-study, a site visit team of educators and professionals visited in November to assess changes and updates in the department since the last site visit in 2016, Moody-Ramirez said. To improve the overall aesthetics of the department, faculty and staff added new artwork and furnishings in the hallway, classrooms and head office. Each classroom has ergonomic chairs and tables to help facilitate a comfortable, collaborative learning environment.

“We’ve been busy since our last self-study and site visit,” Moody-Ramirez said. “Most notably, we improved diversity in curriculum, endowed several new scholarships, reinstated an advisory board and created a Friends of the Department Council.”

Since the November site visit, we launched an online M.A. program, and relaunched the American Studies Program (to raise visibility and increase enrollment numbers). On the horizon is an online broadcast sequence, launching in the fall of 2022.

The report from the site visit team included a list of strengths, including faculty operating on all cylinders, student media awards and curriculum updates. Weaknesses emphasized assessment, particularly the lack of values and competences clearly mapped to ACEJMC’s curriculum.

“There is a (assessment) plan, but it needs some real specific things to get to mapping,” the site team leader said. “The committee is confident it (unit) will get to that point.”

Other strengths: students are comfortable and feel they have a compassionate faculty who make them feel safe; faculty are productive in teaching, scholarship and creative endeavors, especially for their size; faculty have strong connections to their professions, which inform the curriculum, the department chair has the respect of the administration in the college and the greater campus (she provided leadership for notable progress in fundraising, alumni engagement and diversity efforts despite the difficulties brought on by the pandemic); faculty were resilient and remained productive through the pandemic (they were a source of support for the students). Finally, the department has made strides since the last site visit with diversity efforts in its curriculum.

Weaknesses: There may be a need for better channels of communication from the chair to the faculty; the facility is lacking; a flexible space for a broadcast studio is going to be critical for the department to be successful with its new broadcast concentration. Finally, the assessment plan lacks clearly defined goals, methods, instruments of measurement (direction on how data is analyzed and reported, and in using this data).

What IS ACCREDITATION? continued…

We met to discuss what we can implement right away.

For strategic planning, we will meet with the Baylor Office of Institutional Effectiveness to improve student-learning outcomes assessment for long-term goals. Some changes will take time. These will be implemented over the course of the next few years We are working to close the loop and use feedback from portfolio reviews, pre- and post-exams and outside evaluators to update curriculum and improve courses. This cannot be done overnight. It will take time to see a difference, but the outcome will be worth the work we put into it.

In addition to ACEJMC, the department is required to file an annual report for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Baylor University’s accrediting body. SACS is recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Ben Cox, Ph.D., Baylor University’s Director of Institutional Planning and Assessment, will work with the department to help align reporting for ACEJMC with what is already collected annually for the SACS accreditation report.

“We want to keep the process meaningful and manageable for faculty involved in the process,” Cox said in an email.

What ARE OUR

GOALS? Maintain an accredited department.

Advocate for student, faculty and staff growth and development.

Market, recruit, retain and ensure inclusivity for a diverse group of students and faculty.

Ensure a variety of internship experiences, and employment or graduate school admission for our undergraduates.

Monitor graduate outcomes, refine processes and curriculum, and update our curriculum framework to meet our students’ future professional challenges.

Strengthen the department’s communication channels (internally and externally).

Develop facilities to meet the future needs of students, faculty and staff.

Grow scholarship/excellence funds.

Recruit high-achieving students.

Strengthen alumni engagement (advisory board; friends of the department, social media contacts, homecoming activities).

Maintain a culture of collaboration.

Increase the inclusion of full-time and adjunct faculty.

Alleviate faculty fears caused by changes in the department, Baylor University and industry.

Identify and implement strategies to boost the morale of faculty and staff.

FAREWELL TO A LEGEND

A

lthough he retired in 2014, Doug Ferdon, Ph.D., continued to return each semester to teach courses in the department. This May was the last time the 77-year-old Wisconsin native would continue this tradition.

”At age 77, it’s time to call it quits,“ he said during his final visit. Joining him was his wife, Sylvia, who served as the Baylor womens golf coach. “I’m going to miss this place.”

Ferdon’s career at Baylor University, both as a faculty member and as chair, was marked with many accolades; however, his main focus was on students.

“He mentored, nurtured, and empowered numerous generations of young journalists and public relations professionals,” Senior Lecturer Cassy Burleson said. “He made connections. He wrote untold letters of reference and recommendation.”

Ferdon joined Baylor in 1982, as the Lariat adviser and later became a full-time faculty member, teaching Law & Ethics and History of Journalism. He also served as chair while teaching.

“When I began college in the 1960s, enrollment was doubling across the U.S. Baby Boomers, including women and minorities, were finding a college education part of their dreams,” Ferdon said.

“Ferdon is an effective leader,” Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D., said. “He asked me to teach my first class when I was a graduate student at Baylor. I was unsure of my skills in teaching. He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. “ Burleson said Ferdon is known as the “Visionary” of the department. He patiently nurtured a generation of young professors and helped the department stay afloat when many Journalism programs haven’t survived.

“He is kind , forward-thinking and wise. He patiently built the JPRNM village while fostering harmony along the way,” Burleson said.

HOW TO DONATE TO:

THE DOUG FERDON SCHOLARSHIP Any donor wanting to support this fund should visit www.baylor.edu/give and in the Search Funds text box, type Dr. Doug Ferdon (or other specified fund) and his endowed scholarship fund for JPRNM will appear as an option to select for the giving form; then they’ll complete the requested donor details and payment information selections for gift processing.

Retirement C EL EBR A T I N G

MAXEY PARRISH

M

axey Parrish, senior lecturer of journalism, public relations and new media in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences, is retiring after 21 years as a professor. Parrish has been in the Baylor family for 41 years in various departments

Parrish first worked in the athletics department for 20 years, where he founded the athletics website.

While in the athletics department, he worked eight events for the U.S.O.C. (United States Olympic Committee), including the Olympic Games in Barcelona and Atlanta.

Along with his impressive work in the athletics department, Parrish has won numerous awards throughout his career, including a Baylor award in 2013 for Outstanding Professor and multiple other outstanding teaching awards, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Best in National writing award.

Senior Lecturer Retires after 41 Years

"Maxey has made a huge impact on Baylor University," Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D, chair of the department, said. "He is going to be missed."

Parrish said teaching is his calling, and the thing God wanted him to do.

"I’ll never forget a student telling me one day that the classroom was my mission field," he said. "And I believe that was true."

Southlake senior Matti Pennington said Parrish was a great professor.

"I had him for my first PR class when I was trying to decide if I wanted to take the Journalism PR route or the Journalism New Media route," she said. "After that class, I knew PR was the path I wanted to go down and I owe it all to his class for showing me the principles of advertising and PR.” Parrish used his faith to guide his teaching, in and out of the classroom, enforcing the university's mission statement of “integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.” (continued next page).

love and joy FROM BAYLOR JOURNALISM

Continued from page 4.

Connecting with his faith, Parrish led 10 mission trips through Baylor and Study Abroad programs in Florence, Budapest, Maastricht and St. Andrews.

“I believe students gain so much from study abroad. I see more growth and maturation in them in a six-week or semester-long program than I do in all their other years,” Parrish said.

The Baylor in Florence trip holds Parrish’s favorite memories.

“The coolest thing I used to do when we were in Florence was have the students wait outside the room where Michelangelo’s David is housed.

It’s arguably the most impressive sculpture in the world. I used to go ahead in and turn around and wait for them to come in so I could see the look on their faces. It’s so impressive, you’ll never forget seeing it,” Parrish said.

After leaving the athletics department, Parrish first started leading mission trips because of his newfound free time. He went from working 60-65 hours a week to working an average workweek. Then, Parrish read a paper a student wrote his first semester teaching, and it was about studying abroad. This paper inspired him to look into the program and figure out how he could get involved.

After years of seeing students evolve, Parrish concluded that he had impacted his students more in his office and overseas than in the classroom.

“I applied for the study abroad program two semesters in a row.

First to the Allbritton program in London my freshman year and then Baylor in Budapest my sophomore year. Sadly, both of these programs got canceled due to Covid but it had always been a dream of mine to study abroad. I grew up traveling to different countries with my family each summer, think that really sparked my interest and love for traveling the world. What really compelled me to study abroad is the aspect that we get to immerse ourselves into the culture of others,” Austin senior Logan Foust said.

Baylor and Prof. Parrish do a good job at helping us achieve this by housing us in apartments rather than hotels,” Foust said.

“Staying also allows us to explore the sites around us. Baylor does an amazing job with their study abroad programs and I highly recommend anyone to apply even if they are slightly considering it.” she said.

Two NEW A D V ISORY B O A R D

We are pleased to welcome two new board members to the team: Lisa Schwartz and Preston Lewis.

Schwartz has been an employee of Taylor (now Balfour) Publishing Company since 1993. Prior to that, Lisa taught in the Spring Branch Independent School District for seven years.

WELCOME LISA SCHWARTZ AND PRESTON LEWIS TO THE BAYLOR JPR&NM ADVISORY BOARD

As the journalism teacher, yearbook advisor and newspaper advisor at Spring Woods High School from 1984-1988 and at Memorial High School from 1989-1992, Lisa’s yearbook staffs won the Distinguished Merit Rating for seven consecutive years from the state journalism association, the Interscholastic League Press Conference, which is the highest rating given to a state publication. The Texas High School Press Association awarded the State Champion Yearbook Trophy to five of Lisa’s high school yearbook staffs.

Lisa is currently the co-owner of the Houston/International Office of Taylor Publishing Company, the largest yearbook office of any yearbook publishing company in the world. She is the first female owner since the office was founded in 1949. In 2019, Lisa received the coveted Bill Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award from Balfour recognizing outstanding achievement in sales and service.

While at Balfour Publishing Company, Lisa has been named one of eight outstanding sales representatives nationwide every year since 1995 and was a Rising Star (Newcomer Award) in 1996. The Houston Office has been recognized as one of the top ten sales offices nationwide nine times since 1996. Four times in the past 10 years, the Houston Office has been named Office of the Year by Balfour Publishing Company.

MEMBERS

After beginning his journalism career at Texas newspapers in Waco, Abilene, Orange and Lubbock, Lewis spent 35 years in higher education communications and marketing, first at Texas Tech University and then Angelo State University where he retired in 2014.

During his academic career, he won or shared more than 60 national, regional and state awards for his work. In addition to his university work, Lewis has published more than 40 novels and nonfiction works, earning him two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America (WWA) for best novel and best article; four Will Rogers Gold Medallion Awards for western humor and for short stories; and induction in the Texas Institute of Letters.

Two historical novels by Preston earned medals for western humor at the annual Will Rogers Medallion Awards (WRMA) presentation in October in Fort Worth.

First Herd to Abilene, a novel on a Texas trail drive to the railhead in Kansas in the aftermath of the Civil War, received the WRMA Gold Medallion for western humor. North to Alaska, a novel on the 1896 Klondike Gold Rush, earned a Silver Medallion.

The two books are the fifth and sixth in Lewis’s comic western series, The Memoirs of H.H. Lomax.

Both were published by Wolfpack Publishing. The fourth volume in the series, Bluster’s Last Stand on the Battle of the Little Bighorn, also received a WRMA Gold Medallion for western humor in 2019.

N E W

F R I E N D S

Meet our New Council Members We're pleased to introduce 16 new Baylor, Journalism, Public Relations & New Media Friends of the Department Council members. They joined our esteemed group of journalists, PR professionals, attorneys, entrepreneurs and educators this spring.

Council members are committed to giving back to the next generation of writers, reporters and communicators. Whether it’s reviewing portfolios, hiring interns/alums, or offering feedback on industry trends and curriculum, these professionals always are willing to help. They've shared their gifts and talents with our students and department on numerous occasions throughout the years. We are truly grateful for their contributions to the success of our program!

Jill Petri Senior Vice President managing the Business Development and Client Acquisition Strategies Team Frost Bank, San Antonio LaMarriol Smith Strategic Communications, Public Affairs Director of Communications City of Buda Jillian Price Reporter Atlanta Journal-Constitution David Ruisard Editor Argus Media, Inc. Russell Rankin Director of Public Relations Methodist Children’s Home Levi Norwood Chapter Success Manager Uplifting Athletes Allie Temple Customer Correspondence Editor Senior Associate Mr. Cooper

Interested in becoming a

Friend of the Department?

Please let us know.

Email: Mia_Moody@baylor.edu

Robert_Darden@baylor.edu

Bruce_Gietzen@baylor.edu

16 New Council Members

Kyle Beam Digital Marketing Manager Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey PC Hannah Bogue Corporate & M&A Associate Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Wendy Browder Kula, APR Founder and President The Kula Group Public Relations and Marketing Alexis Cubit Reporter Clemson Sports the Slate Newspaper Brooke Ezell Vice President of Media Relations Interdependence Public Relations Jade Fails Social Media Manager Agency Habitat Jessika Harkay Reporter Fort Worth Star-Telegram Alekza Latte Brand Manager Foot Locker Women

Christian Patterson, APR Director of Communication at U.S. Army Engineer Research

JPR&NM ALUMNI

2022

Where are they N o w ?

"Baylor JPR&NM was a saving grace for me during my sophomore year of college. I'd realized what I originally wanted to major in wasn't a fit for me, and when I took my first few journalism classes, it felt like coming home. Writing was always my thing, so I was finally able to harness my skills. There's no doubt in my mind that without the knowledge and experiences provided to me through JPR&NM, I wouldn't have transitioned into my career quite so seamlessly."

--Endia Turney

E

ndia Turney is a creative marketer from Austin. After graduating from Baylor as a Journalism major in 2015, she went on to work in marketing, both in-house and at agencies.

After several years working full-time, she decided to attend Denver Ad School in an effort to get more experience in copywriting and eventually become a creative in the advertising industry.

Since graduating, Endia has transitioned into a full-time role as a Copywriter at Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners.

Exclusive

COLLABORATIVE PROJECT

CONTINUES For Gates’ new series, “Black Gospel Music & Preaching,” Darden was asked to serve as the lead consultant.

Beginning in Fall 2021, Professor Robert Darden resumed a collaboration Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. that began with the - Black Church,” which aired in PBS documentary special, “The Fall 2020.

Darden was interviewed multiple times in “The Black Church” about the intersection of Black sacred music and the Black church. The series also used digitized music and excerpts from sermons from Baylor’s Black Gospel Music Restoration Project (BGMRP), which Darden founded in 2016.

“Henry has been one of my heroes since I can remember,” Darden, who last year was named Baylor’s 27th Master Teacher, said. “He’s everything you’d hoped he’d be – warm and funny, insightful and incredibly well-informed. The folks at McGee Media were equally wonderful. We immediately vowed to stay in touch.”

For Gates’ new series, “Black Gospel Music & Preaching,” Darden was asked to serve as the lead consultant. His 2005 book, "People Get Ready!: A New History of Black Gospel Music," will serve as the outline for the four episodes. Working with Gates’ longtime production company, McGee Media, Darden worked throughout the fall and into the spring on the shooting scripts and identifying the necessary music. The BGMRP will, again, provide the digital copies of all music and sermons for “Black Gospel Music & Preaching.”

DARDEN GATES

19

Continue Gospel Collaborative Project

"Black Gospel Music & Preaching” TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED TO APPEAR ON PBS IN SPRING 2023.

A

second round of filming, this time with Gates present, will be conducted in the late fall. Darden, who will be retiring in May 2023, will on be a research leave in fall 2022 as he finishes his biography of gospel music legend Andrae Crouch and the Disciples.

Co-authored withStephen Newby, Ph.D., it is tentatively titled, “Soon and Very Soon: The Transformative Life and Music of Andrae Crouch.”

“Bob will be missed, but the work he is doing is important, and it warrants his full attention,” Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Baylor Journalism, Public Relations & New Media Department, said.

While Darden said the extensive pre-production work this past year for “Gospel Music & Preaching” has been time-consuming, especially on top of his regular teaching and research, it has been “an utterly joyful” experience from the very beginning.

“I’m not sure I could have juggled everything without the support of our wonderful chair and my dear colleagues in the department,” he said. “This place supports and nurtures creativity like nowhere else I’ve ever experienced.”

JPR&NM ALUMNI

2022

Joe Holloway

N o w ?

“I cannot overstate the importance of my Baylor Journalism education.

Attending classes with the department’s topnotch faculty and working alongside my fellow journalism students at The Lariat were highlights of my time at Baylor. I remain friends with many of those students and faculty to this day. I am especially grateful for the experience because I know it helped me become a more effective communicator, and that has been essential to any successes I have had since.”

--Joe Holloway

J

oe Holloway graduated from Baylor in 2009 with a B.A. in Journalism. He earned a Master of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin in 2011.

He worked as a journalist and a high school student media adviser for several years before earning his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 2022.

After taking the July bar exam, he plans to join the realestate investment and finance group in Hunton Andrews Kurth’s Houston office in September 2022.

He is pictured with his wife, Sarah (Pullin) Holloway (B.S. Ed., 2011; M.S. Ed., 2014), and their daughter, Audrey Holloway (anticipated member of the Baylor Class of 2043).

NABJ Year in Review Baylor NABJ had a busy 2021-22 academic year that's been filled with accomplishments and stellar programming.

The group helped host the “The Plight of the American Criminal Justice System” Symposium along with the Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media. The symposium emphasized forgiveness, reconciliation, violence prevention and reform of the criminal justice system. It featured Anthony Charles Graves, Mark Osler and Jeanne Bishop as the keynote speakers.

“We were so honored to be able to be a part of the Reconciliation Symposium cosponsored by the Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media,” said Baylor NABJ President Madison Walkes. “It was an amazing experience to hear from our outstanding keynote speakers as they spoke on forgiveness, reconciliation and reform of the U.S. criminal justice system.”

During Black history month, Baylor NABJ hosted Cafe Castellaw, a weekly event that allows faculty and students to discuss career trends, resumes and other topics.

The event hosted by Baylor NABJ included refreshments and faculty, staff and student reflections about the history and importance of celebrating the holiday.

The group sponsored a Black History event titled, “The Black Gospel Restoration Project,” which included a field trip to the exhibit and a special talk by BGRP founder Professor Bob Darden.

NABJ members and students in Dr. Brad Owens’ class learned more about the history of the restoration of Gospel Music with Baylor’s acclaimed Professor Darden.

The BGRP is the world’s largest initiative to identify, acquire, digitize, categorize and make accessible gospel music from gospel’s Golden Age (1945-1970). It provides the gospel music for the Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African American History & Culture.

Other NABJ guest speakers for the year included Alexis Cubit, a JPR&NM alumna.

Cubit, a Clemson sports reporter and charter president of the Baylor's NABJ Chapter, shared tips on how to break into/ survive a career in the newspaper industry during an NABJ meeting.

Alumna Kennedy Dendy offered an open discussion about her experience working in the field and life after graduating from Baylor. Dendy recently won her first Emmy award as a reporter with KEZI 9 News in Eugene, Oregon.

Dendy, alongside members of her team, were recognized for coverage of last year’s devastating Oregon wildfires.

Baylor JPR&NM alumnus Derwin Graham offered career advice during his keynote talk. “Don’t just focus on your schoolwork,” he said. “Work on projects that will improve your portfolio.”

For fun, Baylor NABJ had several celebrations throughout the semester to highlight milestones such as graduations, new jobs and holidays.

The chapter’s adviser, Dr. Mia MoodyRamirez, hosted three events for the group in her home—holiday celebration, movie night and graduation celebration.

Students celebrated Moody-Ramirez’s 20th anniversary in the Baylor University Journalism Department.

Students, faculty, staff and community members attended the event.

“I am thankful for the appreciation the students demonstrated throughout the semester,” Moody-Ramirez said.

“We have a hard-working chapter of NABJ at Baylor. I am proud to serve as their adviser.”

For added fun, the group participated in a 2021 Game Night. Activities included playing games, eating and fellowshipping. Later the group participated in a friendly competition of Family Feud with Baylor’s chapter of Public Relations Student Society of America.

The hard work paid off. The group’s membership body increased by 20%, from eight to 12 members.

Congratulations to our graduating Eboard members Tori Coleman and Chine Okeke. Coleman is moving to Dallas to pursue her master’s degree at Southern Methodist University.

Okeke plans to move to Austin to work in marketing.

“Hats off to Baylor NABJ President Maddie Walkes and e-board on a job well done,” Moody-Ramirez said. “This was an incredibly busy year for the group. They did an outstanding job!”

Student Media

Baylor’s Department of Student Media had a banner year, capturing 147 state, regional and national awards, despite two-

thirds of the student staff being freshmen or in their first year in the program.

B

aylor Student Media garnered awards for content produced for several platforms — newspaper, web, broadcast, yearbook, magazine and social media.

Notable awards include the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown for hybrid newspaper, Best All-Around Television News Magazine from Society of Professional Journalists-Region 8, Best Website from Baptist Communicators Association, and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown for yearbook.

The Baylor Lariat, Lariat TV News and Baylor Roundup also were all Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker finalists this year as well.

C

ongratulations to Baylor JPR&NM alumna Andrea Kosar, the incoming president of the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The Baylor University graduate worked for KXXV-TV, Channel 25, the local ABC affiliate. She and her husband, Hunter, own a trucking company specializing in hauling aggregate.

Roundup photo editor and incoming editor-in-chief Josh McSwain earned the prestigious title of Designer of the Year during this spring’s Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conference. He was one of 14 student media staffers who attended the conference to compete in on-site contests against college students statewide.

Students nabbed nine of these awards, including Lariat staff writer Ana Ruiz Brictson’s first place in Spanish news writing. The team brought home a total of 50 TIPA awards, 19 of which were first place.

Students in the department also received numerous accolades from College Media Association, College Broadcasters Inc., Editor & Publisher, American Copy Editors Society and Baptist Communicators Association.

Student Media

Baylor JPR&NM Adds Broadcast

Journalism Concentration as

Option for Majors

Baylor students will be able to select Broadcast Journalism as a degree plan starting in fall 2023.

The provost’s office approved the new concentration this spring, and students will be able to take three new courses that are specific to that concentration.

“We have seen growing interest from students already enrolled at Baylor in learning about broadcast journalism, and also from prospective students who have had the chance to do some broadcast work in high school,” Bruce Gietzen, Baylor’s director of Student Media, said.

Some of that interest was sparked by Lariat TV News, one of the six platforms under the Lariat student media umbrella.

“As Baylor’s Student Media Director, Gietzen has added many new elements of broadcast journalism to the Lariat over the last few years,” Chair Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D., said. “The new concentration, in particular, will have a tremendous impact on the department’s trajectory for growth.”

I

nterest in broadcast news has grown steadily. In 2018 students started producing a weekly newscast for the first time ever at Baylor

This past year, there were 19 applicants for the 12 spots on the LTVN team, which is part of more than 50 students working on print, digital, broadcast, yearbook, magazine, and sales and marketing teams. They are all paid an hourly wage in the federal work-study program and have story quotas to meet each week.

“One of the key reasons broadcasting is attractive to students is there are jobs available when they graduate,” Gietzen said. “I’m told every year by TV station news directors they can’t find enough good people to hire.”

Students will take a series of core journalism classes, then have the opportunity to select three broadcast-specific courses. Broadcast Writing, which addresses the core competencies of being a multimedia journalist, is the first one. They also will have a Videography for Broadcast class, and an Advanced Broadcast Reporting/Producing course to complete to earn their degree.

Skills-based classes make students attractive for summer internship positions, Gietzen said.

“Our placement rate for graduates from LTVN has been exceptional, and news directors are now asking every year who we have graduating who they could hire,” Gietzen added.

Baylor Student Media has earned a reputation for producing hard workers.

“I like Baylor’s DNA on their broadcast students, and the training they get in the programj,” KEZI-TV News Director Matt Templeman said.

The top-rated station in Eugene, Oregon, has hired Baylor graduates as reporters each of the last four years.

19

Alumna,

Chair

Wins

Prestigious

Award

MOODY-RAMIREZ, PH.D. Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D. Recognized with Cornelia Marschall Smith Professor of the Year Award; Creates New Scholarship to Support Diversity in Journalism with Award funds

O

By Chloe Floyd, Communication Student rganizational change is necessary for entities to succeed, Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D., the 2021 recipient of the Cornelia Marschall Smith Professor of the Year Award, said during her keynote speech titled "Organizational Change in an Age of Covid-19 and Social Unrest."

The speech was given in February by Moody-Ramirez, who is professor and chair of the Baylor University Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media.

The Cornelia Marschall Smith Award is presented annually to a Baylor faculty member who makes a superlative contribution to the learning environment at Baylor.

Criteria include teaching, which is judged to be of the highest order of intellectual acumen and pedagogical effectiveness; research, which is recognized as outstanding by the national and international, as well as local, community of scholars; and service, which is regarded as exemplary in building the character of intellectual community at Baylor.

"I am grateful that my colleagues nominated me for this prestigious award,” Moody-Ramirez said. “As we deal with social injustices and the pandemic, this was a monumental year to receive the award.”

Along with the award, she also received $20,000 in cash, all of which she gave back to the university to establish a new scholarship titled the Moody-Ramirez Belden Endowed Scholarship for Diversity in Journalism.

This scholarship is a collaborative effort between Tom Belden and Janice Miller, Ella Prichard and Mia MoodyRamirez that they began discussing with Bob Darden in the fall of 2020. They wanted to create a scholarship for journalism students similar to Baylor’s Trailblazer Scholars Program, a scholarship designed to recognize the importance of fostering diversity and mutual respect at Baylor University.

Students who are members of the National Association of Black Journalists are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Moody-Ramirez serves as the faculty adviser for NABJ. Moody-Ramirez’s research focuses on media framing of minorities, women, and political candidates, and the advantages and disadvantages of social media in political campaigns, and she's examined how historical stereotypes are found in social media platforms.

"Dr. Cornelia Marschall Smith was a true trailblazer and a role model for women, so it's a privilege to follow in her footsteps; to serve as chair of the department of journalism, public relations and new media; and to join the ranks of other professors. I'm looking forward to continuing to give back to the Baylor community," Moody Ramirez said.

As recipients of this prestigious award, faculty also present a talk on a topic of their choice to an audience.

19

Department & Friends

C E L E B R A T E

C H A I R ’ S

"Dr. Moody-Ramirez's fascinating Cornelia Marschall Smith Award lecture was a timely reminder to us all that in times of great change and turmoil that the Academy must be the source of solutions -- and that can only happen if colleges and universities themselves are able to swiftly and effectively adapt to the stark and sometimes forbidding new realities of widespread anti-intellectualism, sweeping worldwide pandemics and the technological tsunamis that have continually washed over us in recent years,” Robert Darden, professor of Journalism, and Public Relations and New Media, and a mentor of MoodyRamirez, said. “Watching her presentation, I felt -- once again! -- blessed to work with someone who offers such carefully articulated, researched, and implemented solutions."

Members of NABJ are grateful for Dr. Moody-Ramirez’s generosity in establishing this new scholarship.

“I would say it’s very selfless for Dr. Moody-Ramirez and her husband to donate their award money from the school to NABJ. We’re a very small organization, especially here at Baylor being a PWI (predominately white institution),” said Madison Walkes, the president of NABJ. “It’s very awesome, and it’s going to be a big deal for our chapter.”

S U C C E S S

Selection committee chair and Vice Provost James Bennighof, Ph.D., said Moody-Ramirez has achieved tremendous recognition from students and departmental peers in her teaching, research and service, which are related to one another in a new and different way.

"I think it might be most revealing for us to observe how clearly Dr. Moody-Ramirez has been engaged in service through research and teaching," he said.

"Perhaps of greatest note, our honoree’s research and writing have been very directly and overtly oriented toward clarifying for all of us issues and situations that strike at the very core of our relationships with one another.

"Moody-Ramirez has written or co-written four books and about 30 articles, with the most distinctive element of the work addressing ways race is and has been depicted for widespread audiences in the media. All of this should make clear how the excellent work of Dr. Moody-Ramirez is obviously and crucially relevant to issues that stare all of us in the face on a daily basis, and thus provides an incalculable service," Bennighof said.

RECONCILIATION

SYMPOSIUM

Department Sponsors Reconciliation Symposium The Baylor Student Senate passed a bill of support to say thank you to the Baylor Journalism, Public Relations & New Media Department for conducting “The Plight of the American Criminal Justice System” Symposium in spring 2022.

The two-day event attracted large crowds from both the Waco and Baylor communities and sparked a campus-wide discussion on topics ranging from the true nature of justice to the limits of mercy.

Three keynote speakers advocated for reform of the criminal justice system and shared unique perspectives with the Baylor community. The symposium provided a tangible educational experience for many Baylor students to expand their “horizons and reflect on the issues plaguing the United States criminal justice system today.”

“Students gained invaluable perspectives and engaged in critical thinking over our U.S. Criminal Justice system,” Katy Crawford, Baylor '22 Student Body internal vice president, said.

“We are grateful for your contributions in enriching our educations!”

The symposium was sponsored by the Baylor Department of Journalism and the Baylor National Association of Black Journalists, in conjunction with Baylor School of Social Work, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, and Baylor Multicultural Affairs.

Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D., department chair, and Professor Robert Darden began discussing the feasibility of such a symposium around the theme of reconciliation in early 2020 after Moody-Ramirez heard panelist Anthony Graves speak. From there, a wish list of speakers and authors quickly emerged.

“We identified Anthony Graves, Jeanne Bishop and Mark Osler almost immediately,” Darden said. “From there, the hardest part was coordinating the schedules of three incredibly busy people who routinely speak across the country.”

Once the slate of speakers was confirmed, other departments quickly joined the Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media as cosponsors.

Day one included the panel discussing historical issues of tsystemic racism and the criminal justice system and a keynote speaker discussion featuring one of three keynote speakers for the event, Anthony Graves, the 138th exonerated death row inmate in America. He was wrongfully convicted and spent 18 years incarcerated before being exonerated and released, and he is now a dynamic speaker and author advocating for criminal justice reform.

“His story resonates with people from all walks of life,” Moody-Ramirez said. “He spoke with students in my Gender, Race and Media course two years ago, and I knew I wanted to bring him back to speak with a larger audience.”

Graves shared his ideas on the importance of speaking up when people are mistreated. In many instances, journalists play a role in helping to convict innocent people, he said.

“They should make sure they are not only sharing one side of the story without gathering all the facts,” Graves said. “I encourage future journalists to work harder to get to the truth.”

Osler, a professor of law at the University of St. Thomas and an advocate for clemency and better sentencing.

Bishop, a public defender who began advocating for criminal justice reform and mercy toward people convicted of crimes after the murder of her sister’s family, also spoke. Osler’s advocacy for more equitable sentencing laws has taken him to the U.S. Supreme Court and to a host of national television programs.

Continued next page …

SENATE RECOGNITION OF RECONCILIATION

SYMPOSIUM

Reconciliation continued…

Bishop’s two books, including one on the unlikely, but ultimately redemptive friendship between the father of convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and the father of one of McVeigh’s victims, have helped create a national dialogue on mercy and forgiveness. Both spoke passionately and effectively in their presentations to the large audiences.

“The speakers provided a powerful and thorough overview of the criminal Justice system, potential solutions and future directions for students,” Darden, who co-directed the event with Moody-Ramirez, said.

“Each year, I offer extra credit opportunities to the 287 students in my FDM/JOU 1303,” Darden said. “In 20 years, I’ve never had the level of feedback that this symposium generated. I sat on the podium and could see their faces and reactions. It was a powerful, moving two days for us all.”

The Baylor Student Government commendation followed.

Baylor NABJ President Madison Walkes said that such acknowledgement of a campus event is rare.

“This type of acknowledgment is unexpected and very much appreciated. I am grateful for the Student Senate’s appreciation of this important program and topic,” Walkes said.

2022 Awards Ceremony Journalism, Public Relations & New Media Department Annual

Awards Ceremony Returns to In-person Format

By Sarah Jung, Professional Writing & Rhetoric Student Baylor University’s Journalism, Public Relations and New Media Department hosted the annual Student Awards ceremony for 2022 in the Paul & Jane Meyer Conference Room at Foster Business School on Friday, April 22, featuring guest speaker and alumna Claire St. Amant. For many students, this was the first time to attend the ceremony in person due to the pandemic, which required the ceremony to be held online in 2020 and 2021.

During this ceremony, the department awarded a total of 73 scholarships to students from various donors. Students were acknowledged for their exemplary work and tenacity and received certificates of honor from Journalism, Public Relations and New Media Department professors.

Claire St. Amant, a 2008 Baylor graduate and Emmy Award nominee for “Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story in a News Magazine” with 48 Hours, shared her experience as a struggling journalist and how she pushed limits and took risks to achieve the unexpected. She was then recognized as the department’s 2022 Alumna of the Year 2022.

“Claire St. Amant is a young version of an ‘old school’ journalist who finds and tells good stories. She puts in shoe leather. She’s fearless.

She’s fair. She’s creative. She’s an excellent researcher who’s persistent – and her moral compass is impeccable. She pursues the truth and tells truth to Power. And she knows how to laugh. All in all, she’s just the kind of person we need more of these days,” Cassy Burleson, Ph.d., JPR&NM senior lecturer, said.

Students were excited to be recognized for their hard work and were eager to share bits of advice with fellow undergraduate students.

St. Amant encouraged students and graduates to chase after stories they believe in, even when faced with opposition. She shared stories of her time with multiple publications, and offered advice to the audience at the awards ceremony on achieving their goals as a journalist or public relations and new media professional.

“Take advantage of all the professionalism and expertise that all the professors have, and just become their friends and learn everything you can from them because they ultimately want to see you succeed and support you,” Bradley Springman, a senior at Baylor University, awarded with honors for Best Career Portfolio, said.

“The only way to ensure that you won’t fail is to just try one more time,” St. Amant said. “I hope that you take that confidence into stories that you believe in.… The ones that you really believe in are worth fighting for, the ones that are going to make a difference in your career .... You winners tonight probably encountered some opposition to -- so don’t get discouraged.”

We are thankful for the feedback and guidance provided by our external reviewers each year. If you have served in this capacity, thank you.

First-generation student tells why she chose Baylor, Journalism & New Media

By Stephanie Muschalik Lakesyn Melia, a junior public relations and political science major from Franklin, Tennessee, will be the first person in her family to complete her college degree.

Being the first to take on such a challenge can seem overwhelming, but the intimate Baylor setting made the transition easier for her, she said.

Melia hopes to graduate in the spring of 2023 and go to law school. Read on to find out what makes Baylor’s journalism, public relations & new media department the perfect fit for first-generation college students.

Q: What made you decide to attend college, even though your family did not?

A: Even though my parents didn’t go to college, it still felt like I was expected to do so. However, now that I am a junior and both of my college-aged brothers have chosen to not attend college, I’ve realized it wasn’t as expected of me as I believed it to be. I guess in reality it was more of an expectation I placed on myself, rather than my family did on me. I’ve always loved learning, and continuing my education was something I looked forward to, so it was an easy decision.

Q: What stuck out to you about Baylor Journalism when picking colleges?

A: The intimacy of Baylor’s journalism department was very appealing to me when I was deciding. At the time, I applied to colleges as a political science major with an interest in adding a journalism minor. After taking Professor Bob Darden’s Mass Communication class the first semester of my freshmen year, I knew I needed to officially add a journalism minor. When I took the next class on track for my minor, Reporting and Writing with Professor Amber Adamson, I knew these courses would help prepare me in a way my other major couldn’t. That being said, after taking Reporting and Writing, I quickly added a second major in journalism.

Q: How do you feel that your decision to go to college will help you in the journalism field?

A: I truly believe that journalism is one of the essential majors for college students. There are a lot of specific skills you learn to be successful. It’s very important to have them in your mental toolbox. Since I chose to attend Baylor, I believe that if I decide to go into a career in the journalism field, I will be infinitely more successful due to the instruction of my professors at Baylor.

Q: How have your teachers in the journalism department helped your transition into college?

A: I’m not sure it gets better than Baylor professors, especially the ones in Castellaw. Their patience, care and overall interest in what they are teaching set their students up for so much success in a journalism career.

RICK BRADFIELD Journalist’s Legacy

By Cassy Burleson, Ph.D. “Swim for the sun.

Take only what you can carry.

Memories and children first …

Jettison the baggage.

Don’t try to save those who drag you down.

Reach out to hands that are offered, But not to those trying to pull you under.” ~ Rick Bradfield Rick Bradfield hated getting up early…. … But he made it to Waco Sunrise Rotary meetings for more than 19 years before he died unexpectedly of a heart attack Sept. 2, 2021.

Club members are honoring Bradfield by planting a tree and putting a bench beside it in a grassy area at KWTXTV, where Bradfield served 45 years, his last title being Managing Editor after winning every award he could win as a broadcast journalist.

Bradfield’s Rotary buddy and UBS Financial Adviser Joe Calao, formerly of KWTX-TV, said, “Rick was the editor of our weekly newsletter. We all couldn’t wait until the end to read his dry sense of wit and humor. He was steady, funny – and always polite. Rick was a true southern gentleman. He was sharp as a tack, well read and educated, and is missed by many.”

Bradfield also loved to teach and was a Baylor adjunct faculty member from 1996-2020, serving first as JPR&NM’s Radford Chair. He continued to teach Electronic Newswriting on Tuesdays and Thursdays instead of eating lunch for about 25 years, joking he gave back all the money he earned – and more – to pay for his son Rob’s tuition.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Bradfield loved being outdoors.

Coincidentally, environment is the most recent addition to Rotary’s seven service areas.

Before leaving Bolder for Baylor at 17, Bradfield frequently climbed Colorado’s Flatirons (see photo at top left), was a better-than-good skier, made Eagle Scout at 12, joined the Rocky Mountain Rescue Team at 15, and frequently donated to many environmental causes.

His wife Lisa, also a Baylor graduate, loved plants.

Lisa died in 2012 after four difficult bouts with cancer. They both loved lazy days and views from the family beach house in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Bradfield described Lisa in her obituary as “an artist on canvas and a magician in the kitchen who grew her own herbs in a backyard garden ringed with bay trees and fragrant rosemary bushes filled with flocks of noisy sparrows.”

Bradfield’s sister, Nancy Valentine of Erie, Colorado, explained that after Lisa’s funeral, she and Bradfield “talked about how God is in Nature … talked about the different trees in the yard, the sky, the plants, Lisa’s beautiful gardens, the plants she’d planted, and how God was in all of nature.”

Sunrise Club Rotarian and author Margaret Ferguson said planting a tree and setting up a bench where anyone could sit quietly to admire nature and an occasional breeze seemed an appropriate memorial.

A LEGEND GONE TOO SOON Bradfield was a true newsman described by the Waco Tribune-Herald as the “backbone” of KWTX-TV. People were more than numbers to Bradfield, as he spent 45 years covering all of Waco’s national news stories: the Luby’s shooting, Branch Davidians standoff, the Twin Peaks shootout and COVID’s rising death count.

He had high standards. Bradfield also had compassion for good causes and was a thoughtful, patient man – except when it came to shoddy reporting – and often joked he'd kicked a trashcan or two in his younger days.

Dr. Marilyn J. Meyers, now a Longmont psychologist, dated Bradfield in high school. “One time Rick took me up to the back of a small Flatiron to show me how to climb up the rope and then rappel down. I … ultimately refused -- due to fear. I don’t recall him getting mad – (even though) he’d spent a lot of time setting it up.… And he was only 16.

“He also took me skiing for the first time … and spent the whole morning teaching me how to side-step up the hill and then snowplow down…. I finally got brave enough to go up by the afternoon,” Myers said, adding that Bradfield had a world view even then and said she was grateful he got her involved in the Japanese Exchange Club.

Bradfield’s Legacy Award celebrates Breaking News & Investigative Reporters.

Shortly after his death, Bradfield's family and friends established the Rick Bradfield Award for Breaking News and Investigative Reporting.

Contest judges include his son, Rob, family (including his “professional daughter” Julie Hays, a KWTX-TV anchor, and current KWTX-TV Station Manager Bob Walters), Baylor Senior Lecturer Cassy Burleson, and “48 Hours” producer Claire St. Amant, JPR&NM’s 2022 Alumna of the Year.

Baylor sophomore News/Editorial sequence major George Schroeder received the inaugural award (a $1,000 check) at the Spring 2022 JPR&NM Awards Ceremony held April 22.

“It's an honor to receive any award from the department.

But to be the inaugural winner of the Rick Bradfield Award is truly special,” Schroeder said, adding that because of Bradfield’s dedication to students and his notable KWTX-TV career, “the award carries a lot of weight. It’s significant to place my name under his in this fashion, and his legacy is a testament to his hard work and dedication. I hope one day I can be as impactful as him.”

If you would like to donate to the Bradfield fund online, please click directly on the link below.

Direct link to Bradfield Award fund: https://waco.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create? funit_id=2436 If you’d like to send a check, make it out to Waco Foundation, include “Rick Bradfield Fund” in the memo line, and mail it toWaco Foundation, 1227 N. Valley Mills, Suite 235, Waco, TX 76710.

All donations are deposited directly into the fund and are tax-deductible.

Shoes to Fill ~ in Memory of Rick Bradfield Written by Nathan Brown, Oklahoma Poet Laureate, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 “Something you might click to open” 13-Across … in the upper right corner of The Times Sunday crossword puzzle.

You have to wonder if it was the first three-square answer that he filled in on the last puzzle he ever solved.

And over a lifetime as a journalist, he’d solved his share. Some much messier, more dark and difficult, than those Times saw fit to print.

A paper he might have respected, but never felt a need to work for.

He did his good work where he felt called to do it. So determined to leave a wake of better journalists.

A calling he took quite seriously … one he believed our future survival might truly and terribly depend upon.

That’s why the void left in his passing is so severely quiet, a soul could hear a pen click.

May 2022

Castellaw Kudos

Bradfield Award recipient George Schroeder is a junior journalism major at Baylor University. He is the executive producer of Lariat TV News, in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and is active in his Christian faith.

Contracted with the USAF, he hopes to become a public affairs officer after college.

"It’s an honor to receive any award from the department, but to be the inaugural winner of the Rick Bradfield award is truly special. Because of Bradfield's dedication to students at Baylor University, paired with his career at KWTX, the award carries a lot of weight. It is significant to place my name under his in this fashion, and his legacy is a testament to his hard work and dedication. I hope one day I can be as impactful as him.”

--George Schroeder

Bradfield Award

Bradfield Award Celebrates Breaking News & Investigative Reporters Shortly after Bradfield’s death, family and friends established the Rick Bradfield Award for Breaking News and Investigative Reporting.

Contest judges for the $1,000 check include his son, Rob, family members including his “professional daughter” Julie Hays, a KWTX-TV anchor, and current KWTX-TV Station Manager Bob Walters); Baylor Senior Lecturer Cassy Burleson; and “48 Hours” producer Claire St. Amant, JPR&NM’s 2022 Alumna of the Year.

Baylor sophomore and News/Editorial sequence major George Schroeder received the inaugural award at the Spring 2022 JPR&NM Awards Ceremony April 22.

After a nearly two-year gestation period, the Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media and the Waco Tribune-Herald will launch a new internship program with an accompanying scholarship in the fall of 2022.

The joint program began as conversations between Professor Robert Darden and Chair Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D., and Tribune-Herald Editor J.B. Smith about ways that the Department could provide additional resources to the local newspaper.

Like many newspapers, the TribuneHerald’s staff has suffered cutbacks in recent years, leaving existing reporters increasingly stretched -- even as Waco has grown steadily.

"I am very excited to see this program come to fruition," Moody-Ramirez said.

"This internship is the result."

Journalism Internship

According to Smith, the Waco Tribune-Herald is looking for a creative, motivated student journalist for a 20-hour a week internship in the fall of 2022.

Smith said that qualified candidates should be inquisitive self-starters who can produce compelling content for their digital and print platforms.

Interns will work alongside professional journalists in the newsroom who will provide guidance, direction and support.

“We’re looking forward to putting Baylor interns to work covering real news in our community,” Smith said. “This is an opportunity for students to branch out beyond the Baylor campus and cover local government, crime, community events, and social issues in a market of more than a quarter million people. We are looking for ambitious applicants who want to build their portfolios and learn the craft from experienced fellow reporters and editors.”

Interns will receive customized training on a variety of topics related to reporting, such as how to develop sources, how to prioritize diversity and inclusion in news coverage, and how to pitch a great story.

Darden, who once worked for the Tribune-Herald, said that interns will walk away with a rewarding, realworld newsroom experience, great clips for their portfolios -- and the skills they need to develop into the next generation of journalists.

In addition, the department will provide a $6,000 scholarship to help with tuition. Both the internship and scholarship can renew each semester by mutual agreement.

Smith said that the Tribune-Herald is still accepting applications for the fall internship. The newspaper currently has two Baylor interns through the Tribune-Herald’s parent company (Lee Enterprises) and the APME -- Matt Kyle and Erianne Lewis.

“We’re all excited about getting more interns and would be open to multiple internships at the same time,” Smith said.

May 2022

Alumni Updates

Advocacy Public Relations

JPR&NM alumna Alexandra Leatu, Weatherford College Tennis head coach, celebrated a victory this year. In the program’s first season ever, the Coyotes finished eighth in the NJCAA National Championships.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE Meg Davis recently joined the Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services as the Director of Communications. Prior to this role, she was the Director of Events & Programs at Texas PTA, another association based in Austin serving children across the state through family engagement, advocacy, and parent education.

She was previously the Multimedia Specialist at Midway ISD, a Waco area public school district, where she served as the district graphic designer, assistant writer, and videographer.

Meg completed both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Journalism at Baylor University, where she studied public relations and new media.

“JPR&NM means the world to me,” she said. “So many of my Baylor mentors, best friends, and most meaningful education experiences happened in the journalism department. I'm so thankful for what I learned there.”

Baylor JPR&NM alumna BrenShavia Jordan recently joined the KLBK team in Lubbock as the host of lifestyle show "Trends & Friends"!

Jordan graduated from Baylor University in 2019 and holds a degree in journalism with a concentration in news editorial and a minor in entrepreneurship. While attending Baylor she served as a reporter and anchor for Baylor’s Lariat TV News. She was also the social media chair for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).

May 2022

Alumni on the move…

Congratulations to the 2022 Baylor JPR&NM Honors honorees: Margaret Alexander, Advertising; Briana Garcia, News Editorial; Katie Durham, Public Relations; and Olivia Martin, Photojournalism. We are proud of you all!

Alumna Joins Louisville Courier Journal Congratulations to Jillian Price, who joined the newsroom of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a reporter covering local governments. Price graduated from Baylor University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and continued her education at the University of Texas at Austin, receiving her master’s degree in journalism and media.

An avid fan of documentaries, she has interned at several organizations, including Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta, the Daily Dot, and Texas Monthly. Price is also a member of The National Association of Black Journalists, The Ida B. Wells Society, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.”

Congratulations to Baylor JPR&NM alumni Terry Barone and Philip Poole, ’77, who received awards in recognition of their service to the profession and life members of the Baptist Communicators Association.

Both have communications careers spanning 40+ years, and both served as president of BCA. At Baylor, both served on the RoundUp staff and worked in what was then known as the Baylor News Bureau as students.

Barone retired in December 2021 after 30 years as director of Communications for the California Southern Baptist Convention. Poole served as Baylor PRSSA chapter president in 1976-77. He retired in July 2018 after 16 years as executive director of Marketing and Communications for Samford University. He retired once again in April after a second career teaching upper-level public relations courses for the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Alexis Cubit, Baylor JPR&NM alumna, accepted a job with the Louisville Courier-Journal to cover the University of Louisville’s football, women’s basketball, and baseball programs, beginning on May 31.

Cubit previously covered Clemson for The State (Columbia) Newspaper and spent six years covering high school sports in Minnesota and Texas.

Congratulations and good luck!

May 2022

Fellowship & Promotion

! s t a r g n Co

PROFESSOR

S

Kevin Tankersley enior lecturer Kevin Tankersley applied for and was awarded two fellowships for the summer. One fellowship is through the Affordable Course Materials Summer Fellows Program, sponsored by University Libraries.

The program, according to its website, “offers Baylor faculty the opportunity to re-evaluate their course materials with an eye toward replacing required course materials with low- to zero-cost materials, such as open educational resources or OERs, in order to reduce the per-class costs for our students.”

Tankersley’s proposal was centered around one of his department’s most in-demand courses. Writing for Media Markets, which is cross-listed as a class in both Journalism, Public Relations & New Media as well as Film & Digital Media and is populated mostly by students who are business majors.

The department offers approximately 15 sections of the course each semester, and all the sections fill quickly when registration opens.

Tankersley’s proposal was to bring together material from all those

who teach the class and make it available to current and incoming faculty members – including adjuncts new to the department – so they’re all teaching from similar sources and to eliminate the need for a textbook. (The current edition of the book used most frequently in 3372 is priced at $125.)

BizCom Names Monica Feid Chief Operating Officer

For Tankersley’s other proposal, through University Libraries’ Digital Preservation Services, he’ll work with material in the Black Gospel Music Preservation Program.

Each fall semester, Tankersley teaches a section of Introduction to Mass Communication as a New Student Experience Class, which means enrollment is limited to students who are new to Baylor, mostly students in their first semester of college. The goal of the fellowship is to incorporate some of the music into his lectures on the history of American music.

Tankersley is in his 16th year of teaching in the department and was recently elected to the Faculty Senate, a three-year term which will begin this fall.

Monica Feid, a proud Baylor graduate, is one of the three original co-founders and a Principal from when BizCom was formed in 1999. She also has been the president of BizComPR since 2017.

For the last 20+ years, she has been the heart and soul of BizCom. She has been vital in guiding, inspiring, educating and enabling our expanding team and our portfolio of world-class clients.

Besides her existing roles, she will oversee the day-to-day operations of the agency and its operating divisions, BizComPR, DigitalBizCom, BizComDesign and BizComPress.

May 2022

On the Horizon

New Job in Florida

Kennedy Dendy, Baylor JPR&NM alumna, accepted an opportunity to work with Action News Jax in Jacksonville, Florida, in January. Kennedy graduated from Baylor University with a degree in journalism. While at Baylor, she worked as a reporter, anchor and executive producer for Lariat TV News, where she covered many stories, including the controversial Shawn Oakman trial and acquittal. She joined the KEZI 9 News team as a news reporter in January 2020. Starting in April 2021, she also anchored on weekend mornings. Before KEZI 9 News, she interned at "CBS This Morning" in New York City. Working with the features team, Kennedy produced a variety of daily content.

PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOL WORKSHOP

Photography JPR&NM Photography Alumna Garners Invitation Congratulations to Baylor JPR&NM alumna Corrie Aune, who has been accepted to participate in the full-time one-year certificate program in Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism at the International Center of Photography in NYC. ICP is recognized as one of the world’s leading institutions dedicated to photography and visual culture.

Cornell Capa founded ICP in 1974 to champion “concerned” photography. The International Center of Photography is the world’s leading institution and is dedicated to photography and visual culture.

According to its website, the award was founded to champion socially and politically minded images that can educate and change the world.

May 2022

Fulbright Scholar REFLECTS ON BAYLOR

Education in

JPR&NM

By Ashley Solomon, Marketing Student “The department as a whole had an outlook of service and preparing students for careers that would benefit society. This instilled a desire to be involved in my community,” said Pablo Gonzales, a 2018 alumnus of Baylor University’s Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media Department.

Through TFA and while working on his master's of education degree, Gonzales was encouraged to apply to be a Fulbright Scholar. “Well, I’ve had this incredible understanding of integration, public policy, and healthcare. What about capstoning this with an experience that would allow me to see this from the other side?” Gonzales said.

In hopes of understanding immigration from another angle, Gonzales received The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) and was placed to teach English at a graduate school in Mexico City.

Gonzales shared how Baylor’s undergraduate program prepared him for the position he is in now: a Fulbright Scholar serving in Mexico City, Mexico.

Gonzales received this scholarship with the expectation that he would also contribute to the community around him. For two years, he has dedicated 15-20 hours a week to engage Mexico City. He does this through serving as a paralegal for an organization that provides free legal support for migrants.

Gonzales graduated with a major in journalism and a concentration in news editorial. After graduation, he joined Teach for America, where he taught at a public school in Dallas.

Gonzales was a bilingual teacher for two years, helping his students integrate into the United States school system. He recognized the difficulties that came with migration and the

“I’m not surprised to find out [Pablo] is a Fulbright scholar,” said Dr. Mia MoodyRamirez, one of Gonzales’ professors during his time at Baylor. ”He is an outstanding writer and researcher who enjoys examining tough topics. He is also an advocate for change who chose to work with underrepresented students during his stint with Teach America."

Gonzales continued to question the scenarios around him after completing his undergraduate degree, constantly seeking to be inquisitive. He has found deeper understanding in legal topics and hopes to bring this into his future career.

Through this work and becoming involved in his community, Gonzales has seen how heavily Mexico and the United States rely on one another. He has also witnessed the difficulties that come with migration and hopes to return to the United States with a new perspective. His inquisitive nature and time at Baylor helped push him to ask questions and learn as much as he can.

“Whenever I go to a new place, I always read the newspaper and keep up with that place,” Gonzales said. He remembered that one of his professors at Baylor, Professor Robert Darden, encouraged his class to be excited about current events and instilled a desire in Gonzales to always read and learn more.

"I'm so thrilled that Pablo Gonzales is our latest Fulbright," Professor Darden said.

"He's exactly the kind ambassador the program is known for: committed, passionate, talented, curious! I'll be following his career with the greatest of interest and pleasure."

His curious nature pushed Gonzales to achieve Fulbright. Dr. Daniel Benyousky, the director of Major Fellowships and Awards at Baylor University, said the purpose of the Fulbright Program is to encourage cultural exchange and develop this understanding.

“The aim with the Fulbright is to develop a mutual understanding between the United States and one of the over 150 countries within Fulbright … the cultural exchange [aspect] is the beating heart of Fulbright,” Benyousky said.

Gonzales has seen the empathy that this program creates through its push for personal growth and mutual understanding.

After his time as a Fulbright Scholar, Gonzales plans to go to law school and use these new understandings and experiences to help immigrants in the United States. His undergraduate education at Baylor allowed him to deepen his desire to become involved in the community around him and to serve others while learning as much as he can to deepen his own empathy and knowledge.

May 2022

Alumni Accolades

ALUMNA

Ella Prichard Offers Tips on Grieving In the article, “Sharing Grief, Sharing Healing,” Randy Fiedler features two alumnae who have found outlets to process their own grief while helping others. Baylor JPR&NM alumna Ella Prichard shares her how life changed after her husband of 46 years died, when she experienced unforeseen crises. Prichard is a JPR&NM advisory board member and Baylor supporter of many projects, including the Black Gospel Restoration Project.

To read more: https://www.baylor.edu/artsandsciences/magazine/index.ph p?id=984659

Small Agency of the Year

Congratulations to Baylor JPR&NM alumna Amanda Lewis Hill, MBA, APR, President & CEO of Three Box Strategic Communications, for receiving the “Small Agency of the Year” from PRSA Dallas.

Three Box has been named a PRSA Silver Anvil Awards finalist. Winners will be announced in May. (JPR&NM alumna Ashton Brown also is employed at Three Box.)

Baylor alumnus John McClain had his last day at the Houston Chronicle in May. He'd been a sportswriter there for 47 years and worked in the business for 51 years, including some time at the Waco Tribune-Herald while he was a Baylor Journalism, Public Relations & New Media student.

“He is one of the most famous sportswriters in Texas history,” alumnus David McHam said.

“And that's saying something, considering the kind of sports writers Texas has produced.”

McClain will be inducted in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. https://www.houstonchronicle.co m/texas-sports-nation/johnmcclain/article/McClain-A-timeto-retire-and-give-thanks-for-4717045254.php

May 2022

Yearbook Teacher Takes All As a teacher and adviser for the high school yearbook and newspaper classes, JBeavers has demonstrated how social media can be used to enhance critical thinking, communication, and collaboration among her students. Her awardwinning submission met or exceeded all of the categories scored by the Content Generation Award Educator Finalist selection committee and received the highest number of online votes from the public.

Alumna Earns awards

M

idway High School teacher and Baylor Journalism alumna Jamie Beavers recently won the 2022 Content Generation Award.

Distributed by Class Intercom, this award celebrates educators for their creative use of social media to connect with students and school districts.

Beavers graduated from Baylor University in 1999 with a major in journalism, a concentration in photojournalism and a minor in sociology. At Baylor, she was Jamie Kmiec (kim-ick).

“I did not have a paid position on the yearbook or newspaper staff there, but I frequently submitted articles and photos to both,” she said. "I worked for four years as a student photographer though the work study program in the Baylor Public Relations and Photography Office.”

During the school year, she was a photographer. During the summers, she was a receptionist and press release writer for the PR office. Two days after graduation, she started working at the Waco Tribune-Herald and Waco Today.

She is still a stringer for them. She got the Tribune-Herald job because she had a job fair/mock interview one day before her senior year of Baylor, "The Trib managing editor and I hit it off at that event,” she said Beavers has been at Midway High School since 2001. She teaches commercial photography, yearbook, newspaper, and an independent study in journalism. She coaches the UIL Academic Team and is adviser for the high school's social media pages and its website. She also writes the principal's newsletter every Friday.

Beavers’ nomination highlighted how students in her newspaper class profiled all Career and Technical Education teachers on social media in celebration of CTE month in February.

This student-centered project allowed high school students to work together and use their creativity and critical thinking skills to connect with others.

Beavers is also the district’s leading teacher content creator on the Class Intercom platform. “We are very grateful for her dedication and contributions to our education community,” Traci Marlin, Midway ISD director of Communications, said.

Fred Hartman Chair

Alumna Becomes Distinguished Professor of Journalism Sommer Ingram Dean, J.D., joined the Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media in the fall as the Fred Hartman Distinguished Professor and Baylor University. The Baylor JPR&Nm alumna is new to the position, but not Baylor.

“We are extremely excited to have someone of Sommer’s caliber on our faculty,” Professor and Chair Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D., said. “She embodies the excellence we strive for in our department.”

Dean graduated from Baylor in 2010 with a bachelor of arts in political science. During her time at Baylor, she was a reporter for the Baylor Lariat. She went on to receive her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 2015.

Baylor’s department of Journalism, Public Relations and New Media prepared Dean for the fast-paced lifestyle of journalism, increased her interest in storytelling, and shaped her desire to work in journalism and law. She embraces her life-changing experience as a Baylor student and the positive impact it had on her career.

“Baylor journalism definitely grew my love and interest in wanting to tell people’s stories,” Dean said. “Also, the aspect of journalism that really calls us to hold people in power accountable. I took that enthusiasm and experience and let it guide me both after college and also when I decided to go to law school.”

T

The Lariat had a significant impact on Dean’s Baylor experience, equipping her with the necessary skills to stand out during her time as a reporter.

“Coming to Baylor and working at the Baylor Lariat and getting to know so many of the professors in the journalism department really was just invaluable work experience,” Dean said.

“Right after college, I worked for the Associated Press,” Dean said. “There was really no better training for that than Baylor's journalism department and working at the Lariat, having to write a story every single day. A lot of my colleagues at the AP were impressed that I could whip out stories like that right out of college.”

Despite the late nights at the Lariat, Dean made many memories and developed a family-like bond with her fellow staff members. She looks back fondly on that time.

“I feel like so many of my memories from Baylor were at the Lariat. Some of my best friends today are still people that I met at the Lariat, including my husband,” Dean said.

Engaged Learning Fostering engaged and experiential learning, Lecturer Matthew Brammer encouraged students in his JOU 3367 Principles of Advertising and Public Relations class to create a project to help families in war-torn Ukraine. The result was “Bears Helping Babies,” a collaborative effort with students in JOU 4340 Writing and Editing for Online Media.

The mission of the student-led movement was to provide aid to the women and children refugees fleeing Ukraine through direct donations to Samaritan’s Purse.

“To date the movement has raised more than $7,500 from over 100 donors,” Brammer said.

Utilizing Samaritan’s Purse allowed the class to offer aid immediately, since the agency has already established an aid program that provides diapers, formula, health care kits, and sanitary kits, among other items.

Students also created a public relations communication plan, built a website and wrote more than 20 articles.

“We encourage faculty to be innovative and collaborative in their teaching efforts,” Chair Mia Moody-Ramirez , Ph.D., said. “This is a good example of the types of projects that help students learn important skills while helping others who are experiencing obstacles."

Brammer added, “The response from students was extremely positive.

They were excited to see how the principles and skills they had learned could be applied to make a difference in their world.”

Students also produced content to promote the movement on podcasts, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok. Other efforts by students included creating personal videos, designing and handing out flyers, and using personal networks via email and word-of-mouth to publicize the website for the cause.

“The creativity and engagement were fantastic. Students were able to use their strengths to contribute to the movement and see how a variety of talents added together to create something much bigger than any individual effort,” Brammer said.

Brammer added that donations were coupled with prayers for safety, health, comfort, and peace of mind for all those living through the ravages of war.

“Overall, the project brought together learnings, passions and above all our Christian faith,” Brammer said. “I believe we are required to help, to make a difference, and this taught students that even the smallest efforts can make a sizeable difference.

“Like it says in Matthew 17:20, ‘Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains,’ and in this case, their efforts and faith will have ripple effects in eternity,” Brammer added.

Visit: www.bearshelpingbabies.c om to learn more and to donate to the Bears Helping Babies project.

NASA INTERNSHIP

By Ava Crossan, Communications Student Baylor graduate student Jaden Jennings graduated on May 13.

She provided her perspective regarding what it is like to be a part of Baylor's Graduate Journalism program.

Jennings completed her undergraduate studies at Oklahoma Baptist University and moved to Waco to pursue her graduate degree. Baylor has opened doors for Jennings, including her current internship with NASA Johnson Space Center’s public affairs office.

“It has always been a dream of mine to get my foot in the door at NASA, and I don't think this opportunity would have presented itself without going to Baylor,” Jennings said.

She said juggling her work within the program alongside her internship has been manageable, and her professors have been so helpful in pushing her toward success in every part of her professional career.

“My professors helped me believe in myself,” Jennings said.

“Without the support I was given, I would not have been able to finish my thesis with as much success as I did. I think that speaks volumes to what Baylor stands for and how they treat their students.” Jenning’s' professors offered strong praise for her work ethic and academic accomplishments.

Professor Robert Darden said, "Jaden Jennings is one of those people who you know is going places. She's got the prerequisite drive and talent. She out-works just about everybody else. But she's also got that indefinable quality that shows up occasionally that tells you 'Watch this young woman. She's destined for Big Things.'"

"Jaden is a rising star," Dr. Marlene Neill, associate professor and Graduate Program director, said. "When she is given a task, you can expect that she will not only meet but exceed expectations. She truly takes pride in her work. I know that she will excel wherever her career takes her."

Jennings recently finished her thesis which covered body image perceptions in college aged women on social media.

“I looked at and analyzed sports teams, military groups, and sorority groups based off of what new media such as TikTok and Instagram did to their body image perceptions,” Jennings explained.

She came to the conclusion that COVID-19 majorly impacted how women perceived their bodies and how they coped with their feelings of insecurity. She found eating disorders were brought about through creators “what I eat in a day” TikTok and Instagram posts, along with other problems that have stemmed from social media.

Got the T - S H I R T !

Her research sparked the question, “what can I do to make an impact within the small circle of influence that I have?”

Jaden said her research opened her eyes to the faulty world of social media and how even though there are a copious amount of “body positive” and “body neutral” influencers, there is still “this underlying pressure to look a certain way in our modern society that is so influenced by the online world,” Jennings said.

She expressed her gratitude toward her project and how it has changed her perspective in many ways.

Jennings had the opportunity to present her study at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Midwinter Conference in March in Oklahoma.

“I am very proud of Jaden,” Mia Moody,-Ramirez, professor and chair. “She is one of the few graduate students who had work accepted for presentation.

Her research is timely and important."

Jennings is eager to Austin senior Logan Foust said.see where her career will take her, now that she has almost completed her education.

“This program has already helped me outside of my education, through my internship, and I know it will continue to open more doors for me in the future,” Jennings said.

American Studies

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May, 2022

A native of Waco, Jordon Pollard earned his undergraduate degree in English and his master’s degree in American Studies from Baylor University.

Pollard is currently pursuing his J.D. at William & Mary Law School and will work as a Summer Associate at the international law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York, NY. The education and opportunities that Jordon received from the American Studies program at Baylor made a significant impact on his studies, activities, and success in law school, he said.

"The American Studies faculty’s guidance, interdisciplinary studies, and thesis that crossed multiple disciplines helped shape my legal research, writing, and analytical abilities."

“I knew going into the American Studies program that I ultimately wanted to go to law school. The program offered an unrivaled opportunity to explore academic interests across disciplines that mirrored the crossdisciplinary study that I would experience in law school. Between the coursework, working with professors as a teaching assistant, and the process of writing and defending my thesis, I developed a greater understanding and appreciation of America’s culture and development that set me up for a successful law school career. The American Studies graduate program is the perfect opportunity for motivated students who want to explore aspects of American culture, history, development, and thought in a more comprehensive and interdisciplinary way.”

—Jordon Pollard, ‘19

Leanne Rohrbach is pursuing her Master in Social Work with a focus on clinical practice through Baylor University’s MSW@Baylor program. She lives in Utah, where she works as a therapist for Wasatch Family Therapy, empowering individuals throughout ages and stages to know and love all parts of themselves.

In her free time, you’ll find Leanne attending a local bluegrass show, riding bikes, skiing with friends, or relaxing at home with her partner and cats.

American Studies: Recalibrated

W

e are pleased to relaunch the Baylor American Studies program during the Fall 2022.

American Studies offers a comprehensive knowledge of American institutions and culture, while preparing students for the world of practical affairs.

The American Studies program consists of courses in a variety of areas of study that students can combine according to their cultural and professional objectives.

American Studies programs are becoming more important as students realize that knowledge of and insight into the United States are necessary for maintaining and improving the quality of American life.

American Studies is for students who wish to play a responsible role in shaping America's future.

For more information, contact: Chair/Director, Dr. Mia Moody-Ramirez Graduate Program Director, Dr. Marlene Neill https://americanstudies.artsandsciences.ba ylor.edu/

Originally from Cleveland, Liz Fassih received her undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Arts in American Studies from Baylor University before obtaining her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.

Fassih currently practices law in Washington, D.C., where she resides with her husband and two cats.

Fassih said the education she received from Baylor's American Studies program helped her throughout law school and in her current practice, since the program's faculty mentorship, interdisciplinary course work, and independent thesis were instrumental in shaping her research and writing.

To view student testimonials, visit this link: https://americanstudies.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/p eople/testimonials American Studies Program Scholarships: •The H.L. Carter Scholarship in American Studies for Graduate Students •The E. Hudson Long Scholarship in American Studies for Graduate Students •The J.R. and Wanda LeMaster Scholarship in American Studies •Dixon Wecter Scholarship

“Baylor's American Studies program provided me with unmatched opportunity to explore my academic interests and to author work in areas I'm passionate about.

With faculty guidance, I was able to take courses in and coauthor journal articles in the fields of history, sociology, journalism, and public relations.”

—Elizabeth Fassih

WHY AMERICAN STUDIES?

“My time in the American Studies program taught me how to choose my own path and gave me the tools to stick to it. I played an active role in my education and regularly interacted with faculty who were invested in my future. That experience allowed me to expand my understanding of American culture as a student and to grow as a person.”

Hannah Bogue, B.A. ’17

AMERICAN Studies Reflection Hannah Bogue, B.A. ’17, works at international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer as a corporate and M&A associate. While earning her bachelor’s degree at Baylor University, Hannah was a Wanda Lemaster American Studies Scholar and Wector Dixon American Studies Scholar.

She also was named Baylor University’s 2016 Outstanding Female in Community Service.

A graduate of UC Berkeley School of Law, Hannah studied corporate law and earned the Jurisprudence Award for International Business Negotiations. Outside of work, Bogue volunteers as captain for We the Action’s election protection hotline.

Graduate Student Profile: Meet Hannah Smith

By Mya Blanton, Journalism Student

Photography Project

COMPLETION

As a final requirement before graduation, Hannah Smith, a Baylor graduate student, completed a defense for her master’s project, which highlights the beauty of Waco’s past, present, and future.

Smith drew inspiration from Fred Gildersleeve, a documentary-style photographer who captured thousands of photos of Waco sites in the early 1900s, as a way to look back on Waco’s history to understand its past and be able to document its growth.

“Gildersleeve became a pioneer in the field of industrial photography and was there to photograph it all and, in turn, immortalize this time period for Waco,” Smith said.

In order to reflect further on Waco’s history and the photography of its time, Smith was inspired to create something from a historical standpoint: “Waco Through the Lens of Time.” Her work is documented on Instagram as “the_waco_project.”

The Waco Project was created by Smith in order to continue the work of Fred Gildersleeve while shedding light on the growth of Waco. She worked in collaboration with the Texas Collection at Baylor University, which has preserved and archived Gildersleeve’s original photos.

"In Hannah’s 'Waco Through the Lens of Time' Master’s Project, she successfully melded material from the archives of the Texas Collection here at Baylor with her own documentary photography to create a unique, wellcrafted and original body of work. This project should find any number of avenues for publication and exhibition," said Dr. Clark Baker, associate professor, who served as Smith's faculty adviser for her master's project.

Established in 1923, The Texas Collection is a special library, archival research center, and the University Archive that collects, preserves, and provides access to materials documenting the history, heritage, and culture of Texas for the Baylor community and the public.

“The Waco Project is a social media documentation of Waco’s history and where it has come since then,” Smith said.

Through the use of Instagram, Smith was able to present her work, and the work of Gildersleeve, to college students in an attractive, attainable, and accessible manner.

Her goal was to encourage students who find themselves trapped in the “Baylor Bubble” to feel more inspired and connected to the community that surrounds them.

“Social media are an interactive and engaging way to publish information and photos,” Smith said.

Inspired by the rich history of Waco, Smith hopes to give a new life to Waco’s history through her photography.

“Waco is entering a period of rebuilding, revitalization and redemption,” Smith said. “Documenting this process will be beneficial to future Wacoans, since Gildersleeve’s work has been beneficial to us.

I want Waco to be known by Baylor and Baylor students,” Smith said that “... giving new life to Waco’s history is important to Waco, and it’s important to me.”

In the future of the Waco Project, Smith said that she hopes to highlight local businesses and activities for Baylor students, while also looking at how this project could potentially affect other Texas towns.

ONLINE M.A.

“We are pleased to bring Baylor’s renowned Journalism faculty to the online space to facilitate a premier learning experience for students looking to grow their skills and advance in their PR and advertising roles.”

—Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D.

Baylor University Meets the Needs of Public Relations and Advertising Professionals with New Online Master of Arts in Journalism Baylor University is pleased to announce the recent launch of its online Master of Arts in Journalism with a concentration in public relations and advertising. This program will equip graduates with leadership, research and creative skills that are mandatory for success in advertising and public relations.

Coursework is designed to meet the job demands and needs of communication professionals who aspire to rise to management roles in advertising and public relations.

Taught by the same acclaimed professors who teach in the university’s on-ground program, the online option provides students with the flexibility to earn their master’s degree while continuing to work in the field while managing their families and other obligations.

The small class size is structured to ensure one-on-one mentoring and engagement with faculty and provide the ability to network and engage with other students in the program.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported approximately 3.3 million job postings last year that required a master’s degree in public relations. A master’s degree in this field is said to increase earning potential by 25%. The Baylor M.A. in Journalism is enrolling students now for the fall semester. The fall deadline is July 15, and the spring semester application deadline is Dec. 1, 2022.

Baylor’s professional education portfolio of offerings are developed in collaboration with Baylor’s Graduate Professional Education department and the program, college, or school with the goal of bringing nationally ranked graduate and professional education programs to market. The goal is to equip students to bring inquiry and innovation, informed by a Christian perspective, to bear on realworld concerns as they pursue their call to lead in academia, the boardroom, the medical profession, the lab, and the studio.

“Baylor’s Professional Education team strives to not only bring outstanding learning experiences to students, but to extend the unique Baylor community to our online programs,” said Gary Carini, Ph.D., vice provost for institutional research and professional education and professor of entrepreneurship and corporate innovation. “These students are an extension of who we are as a university. We're pleased to recognize their commitment to learning and are excited to be a significant part of their career journeys.”

More information about Baylor’s Master of Journalism and the complete portfolio of Professional Education offerings can be found on the Baylor GPE website

“Journalism's landscape is changing rapidly; it's imperative the leaders of the future prepare today. This program will provide students with the latest skills and innovative thinking in the areas of digital communication, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics.”

A L U MNA J O I N S S T A F F O F

FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM Jessika Harkay (’21) is a breaking news reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where she’s covered daily local news and stories that ended up becoming of national and international interest. Prior to her position in Texas, she worked at the Hartford Courant and the New York Daily News. Jessika enjoys local reporting where she can interact with her community and tell their stories that can connect people to one another or share perspective.

“Baylor JPRNM cemented my love for journalism,” she said. “The program helped me learn what direction I wanted to take my career and the steps to get there.”

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Lora (Lee) Peir grew up in Arlington and graduated from Baylor in 2003 with a degree in print journalism. A dedicated night owl with a fondness for grammar, she read the job description for copy editing, and it was love at first sight.

She spent 18 years editing stories at The New York Times, writing front-page headlines and coordinating with the printing presses, before joining The 19th, a news site dedicated to gender and policy, in 2021.

She lives in Queens, N.Y., with her husband and children.

Baylor JPR&MM gave me the start I needed in a great, rewarding career. My professors gave me a grounding in history and ethics that I still refer to today, and they encouraged my professional development through my work at The Baylor Lariat and their connections with the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund. I am grateful for their support and for the friendships and connections I've made through my time in Castellaw.

Baylor Journalism, Public Relations & New Media

New Student Orientation