the proof DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION NEWSLETTER • SPRING 2016
Communication students attend GOP primary debate in Milwaukee A packed theater welcomed the new Speaker of the House, Chair of the Republican National Committee, the Governor of Wisconsin, and eight candidates all hoping to win this upcoming primary election. Thanks to the generosity of departmental alumna Gail Gitcho ’01, six communication students and Associate Professor of Communication Steve Martin ’96, were able to attend the GOP presidential debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This was the fifth debate in a lengthy primary season. Communication students also attended the debate with members of the student advisory board for the Center for Politics and the People and President Messitte’s politics class. Samantha Raygo ’18, a politics and government major and communication minor said, “The debate was an incredibly unique opportunity. I learned a great deal about the candidates and their platforms, and also gained insight into the production that goes into putting on a debate.” Some students were even able to meet candidates. Rachel Grutza ’17 and Lauren Hince ’18 snapped a selfie with Carly Fiorina, and Willie Penterman ’18 grabbed a photo with current Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Both Raygo and Hince agreed that their favorite part of the debate was getting to watch the candidates interact during commercial breaks. Raygo added, “I enjoyed the off-screen interactions between the candidates, seeing how the stage and debate are set up, and the overall experience of watching the debate. Being in the audience,
particularly so close to the stage, made for a very engaging experience.” Not all students who attended were politics buffs. Avery Herbon ’18 said, “I am not someone who can speak fluently about politics; however, since attending the debate, people have asked me my opinion on certain people and ideas, and I actually have opinions about them now. It has really given me more motivation not only to educate myself more about politics, but to also go out and vote this upcoming election year.” Viewing the debates live was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students. Raygo concluded, “This is the type of opportunity that would only be available to students in small schools like Ripon, which makes me incredibly grateful and proud in my choice to attend Ripon.”
Grayson Brooke Skypes with students On Thursday, Dec. 3, Grayson Brooke ’05 communicated via Skype with students of the Communication Consortium. Brooke is a television producer living in Los Angeles, California. Students were able to ask questions concerning Brooke’s line of work as well as his hobbies and interests. Among the items learned were Brooke’s favorite TV show (“Breaking Bad”) as well as how he got to where he is now. Brooke is currently working on several projects.
Speakers Bureau students #SpreadKindness to local schools For seven years, Ripon College Speakers Bureau has worked with Ripon Middle School and Catalyst Charter School to prevent bullying. This year, the students in Speakers Bureau created a new anti-harassment campaign titled #SpreadKindness. The goal was to promote positive, healthy friendships with a more positive and uplifting message than typically is heard about the subject of bullying. In September, the students of Speakers Bureau spent a week at Ripon Middle School and Catalyst Charter School speaking about the new message. Presentations to the classes involved fun, interactive games, personal narratives and strategies for handling harassment. At the end of every speech, the middle school students were encouraged to sign a poster pledging to promote kindness at their school. #SpreadKindness was wellreceived. School Counselor Todd Arft, the Speakers Bureau’s contact within the public school system, remarked that the “[middle school] students thoroughly enjoyed the presentations, and the reaction to the campaign has been overwhelmingly positive.” A week after the Speakers Bureau
members presented their message, the hashtag was still being used on social media and in sidewalk chalk messages outside the middle school. Maddie VandenHouten ’17 reflected on the experience. “I love #SpreadKindness! It’s an important message for children and adults of all ages to hear. I’m having a great time with this campaign, and I am looking forward to carrying this message across the country,” said VandenHouten.
After the success at the middle school, Speakers Bureau members traveled to Holy Family Elementary grade school in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In total, Speakers Bureau members have presented #SpreadKindness in 15 different classrooms. The students will take their campaign to the national youth summit for Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) as keynote speakers. The event will take place in North Carolina in March 2016.
Applied Comm students assist county re-branding efforts The students of Applied Communication worked with the Fond du Lac County Department of Social Services to re-brand the county’s volunteer services program. The students developed a new mission statement, slogans and a logo. They also created a series of brochures for all of the county’s volunteer programs. Haley Madson ‘09, the volunteer coordinator for the organization, is appreciative of the work done by the applied class. “I know Ripon College holds a very high standard within the communication department. The students I worked with were nothing less than professional. I was very pleased with the quality of work presented. My immediate supervisors were impressed with the results and the students’ willingness to receive constructive criticism and feedback,” said Madson.
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The opportunity to work with such an organization was extremely beneficial for the students, as well. The applied communication class provides students with a chance to apply the theories and skills taught in the core curriculum to a real-world setting. 2
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Ripon teams up with Penn State to create Emerging Scholar Apprenticeship Program Last spring, Ripon’s Department of Communication and Penn State’s Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, developed a jointly sponsored professional development program for graduate students known as the Penn State-Ripon College Emerging Scholar Apprenticeship Program. The program is designed to provide benefits for both the graduate students of Penn State and the undergraduate students of Ripon College. Penn State graduate students will be exposed to a small, liberal arts atmosphere and engage undergraduate students in smaller classes. At the same time, students of Ripon College will be able to learn from the graduate students about their
experiences attending a topranked doctoral program as well as to hear about their doctorallevel research. Last March, Brad Serber, a graduate students from Penn State, became the first representative for this new initiative. Serber made a strong impression throughout a visit to campus, especially when he presented his dissertation “Reaction Rhetorics: Targeted Violence and Public Security.” Additionally, he led a discussion in Associate Professor Steve Martin’s American Public Address course on Robert La Follette’s 1917 speech, “Free Speech in Wartime” and its relation to the contemporary “War on Terror.” “This program has been one of
the main highlights of my graduate school career. It was a great opportunity to share my research, reflect upon my experiences in graduate school, meet new people, and think about the kind of school where I might want to teach in the future,” Serber said. With such an overwhelmingly positive first experience, the Penn State-Ripon Emerging Scholar Apprenticeship Program is sure to continue. Serber remarked, “I have been hearing wonderful things about both Ripon College and its communication department for years, and my visit exceeded my already high expectations. I hope this partnership will continue for many years.”
Students speak with inmates about punishment “Just as the prisoners were shocked to learn about the steep consequences for plagiarism, our students were surprised to learn how even small rule infractions in prison can result in very serious punishments, including segregation (solitary confinement). Yet, the value of the experience comes not so much from the contrast, but from the comparisons that both groups make. In the case of this topic, both the students and prisoners reflected on the nature of authority and also on the reasons particular rules exist in order to protect everyone within a system. While the prisoners were shocked to learn about the consequences of plagiarism, they also understood why it’s a serious academic ‘crime’ and took great offense to the idea that one student would steal another student’s or author’s ideas.” Garrison Anderson ’16 said, “Speaking at prison, for me, was a great overall experience. Going through the stresses of the final year of college can be overwhelming. Going to prison gave me a respect for the situations the various inmates were in and encouraged me to appreciate my own situation.”
“I will never forget the sound of the prison gates closing behind me,” said Lauren Hince ’18. Three Speakers Bureau students took their first steps across the prison yard on their way to speak to a group of medium-security inmates this past November. The goal of the speaking engagement was to have an open and honest dialogue between the college students and the inmates about punishment, how it occurs within the prison system and also on a college campus. Both groups of people shared thoughts and experiences about the different regulations and behavioral codes, punishments and structures of power within their living systems. The students spoke about plagiarism and academic honesty policies. Hince explained, “The inmates had a lot of questions about this system. They were taken aback by the fact that if you get kicked out of school for plagiarizing, you don’t get any of your tuition back.” Observations such as these lead to many interesting discussions. Professor Jody Roy said the opportunity to speak at the prison can be very eye-opening for students:
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Bonnie Sierlecki ’01 presents ‘Baller-In-Chief’ research
ALUMNI UPDATES CHLOE PIEPHO ’15 is a communications associate within the Department of Public Affairs at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. CLARENCE SANNON ’15 attends Colorado State University where he is enrolled in a master’s program. He also teaches public speaking.
This fall, the communication department welcomed back Bonnie Sierlecki ’01. After earning her master’s degree and doctorate from Penn State, Sierlecki became an assistant professor of communication at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. Sierlecki spoke with students about her research regarding sports and presidential images. Her speech focused on how politicians use persuasive strategies regarding sports to shape American values and strengthen their campaigns. She analyzed President Barack Obama’s efforts to craft his own public image via playing basketball. Justin Leistikow, a senior business major and member of the basketball team, was intrigued by Sierlecki’s talk. “It was interesting how much of a role basketball played in Obama’s presidential campaign to make him seem just like everyone else. She spoke about things I had never really thought about before. I never thought about how basketball was used in politics as a way to find a common
ground with the public.” Allison Barnes, a senior communication minor and member of the volleyball team, commented, “It was interesting to see how athletics can be tied to the world of rhetoric. As a student athlete and communication minor, I was engaged by how Sierlecki combined the two in relation to our past and present presidents.” Sierlecki was pleased with the students’ reactions and insights. “What impressed me most was how many thoughtful and intelligent questions I received from students following my research presentation. Students were making connections between concepts they’ve studied in their courses and my findings,” she said. She was delighted to see the expectations of being a communication major or minor have remained high. “The communication students clearly were confident in their ability to engage in a scholarly conversation, which is a strong testimony to the academic rigor and intellectual curiosity that are expected from the majors and minors.”
KARENA SCHROEDER ’15 lives in Mankato, Minnesota. She is the grocery-produce assistant manager for Sam’s Club. ALISON THIEL ’15 is a project manager for the Green Lake Association in Green Lake, Wisconsin.
For more updates about our alumni, please “Like” the Ripon College Communication Department page on Facebook.
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Looking ahead with Speakers Bureau: National SAVE Youth Summit Members of Ripon College’s Speakers Bureau will be traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina, March 12 to promote their campaign #SpreadKindness. After presenting their message to 15 classrooms over the course
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of the fall semester, they have been invited to share their story as keynote speakers at the National Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Youth Summit. The students of Speakers Bureau have been asked to speak to
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SAVE chapters of all ages as keynote speakers and through four interactive workshops. For more information regarding presentations and the National SAVE Youth Summit, please visit www.nationalsave.org/summit.
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