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What’s Inside? – Alumnus of the Year, p. 2 – hands-on learning experience, p. 4 – Keeping up with alumni, p. 5 Save the date: Homecoming North, Feb. 21, 2014 (details to come!)
A publication for EIU journalism and student media alumni Volume 40, No 1, October 2014
Homecoming offers many events for alumni By Ashley Jordan, sophomore
Homecoming week at Eastern Illinois University is Oct. 20 to 25. The homecoming football game will kick off at 1:30 p.m. at O’Brien Field on Saturday, Oct. 25. Before the game, fans, students, family and faculty will tailgate, coming together with food and games to celebrate their team. Journalism professor John Ryan will be tailgating before the game and said that alums are more than welcome to stop by. “I have a red 2014 Buick Enclave and will be parked outside the stadium beginning two-totwo-and-a-half hours hours before the game,” Ryan said. He also said that he would be sending out Facebook and Twitter messages before the game as well. Alums Danny Damiani and Zach White will also be tailgating at the event. The Eastern Panthers vs. Tennessee State University Tigers football game is the center of Homecoming. There are various activities and events all week leading up to the game. Another event to attend is the Chili Bash, which is after the football game on Saturday. Ryan said this is the annual gathering for the journalism department. “It has been going on since 1973 when Dave Reed joined the faculty. Dr. Reed started hosting the chili bash at his house sometime in the mid-to-late 1970s. The event got so big that he
Photo: Lola Burnham Journalism alums Robyn Dexter, Zach White and Nike Ogunbodede at Chili Bash 2013. This annual event is one of many during Homecoming week each year.
had to start renting various places to hold the event,” Ryan said. All current students, faculty and alumni of the journalism department can come to the Chili Bash, which starts at 5 p.m. at the Raths-
keller in the MLK Jr. Union. “Since 1985 when I joined the faculty, we’ve held it at Friends and Co., the Eagles Club, Krackers and its successors and now the union,” Ryan said.
The Daily Eastern News strives to raise $100,000 Journalism and student publications alumni have begun donating to the Daily Eastern News endowment fund in an attempt to raise $100,000 by the student newspaper’s centennial celebration Nov. 7, 2015. More than $30,000 has been pledged thus far. Alumni began sending in donations this summer after receiving the first mailing to alumni, editors and former staff members of The Daily Eastern News. Fundraising letters will continue to be sent out during the next year leading up to the centennial celebration, John Ryan, director of student publications, said. “We are asking past editors, staff members and alumni to make a donation to help build a foundation for the News for its next 100 years,” Ryan said. Alumni can spread their donations out each year – 2014 and 2015 – or make just a onetime donation. Giving levels include Publisher, $1,000 or more; Editor, $500; Exec Editor, $250; Staff Editor, $100; and Staffer, up to $100. In the next year, other fundraising efforts will be planned with the assistance of Made-
leine Doubek and Mark Turk, co-chairs of the a past News staffer who holds the distinction of “Publishing the Next 100 Years” campaign. A being the News’ fourth pressman. golf outing is being planned for summer 2015. “Sending the mailings to alumni is also helping us develop a good list of addresses so that we can send out invitations to the centennial celebration in the fall of 2015,” Ryan said. “We would like to have as many alumni return for the celebration.” The Daily Eastern News turns 100 on Nov. 5, 2015, and the celebration is being planned for Nov. 7, 2015, in the University Ballroom. The endowment fund will continue for years to come, meaning alumni will be able to donate to it after 2015, Ryan said. The News will receive the interest money from the fund annually. “We want the News to be around as a teaching newspaper and community news organization forever,” Ryan said. Doubek (’85) is chief operating officer of $30,000+ Reboot Illinois, past executive editor of the Dai in pledges ly Herald of Arlington Heights and a past edi tor-in-chief of the News. Turk (’77) is president to date! of International Label & Printing Co., past production director of the Chicago Sun-Times and
Goal: $100,000
Help support an organization that supported you
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Santana Named Alumnus of the Year By John Ryan
Marco Santana, technology/startup reporter at the Des Moines Register, has been named Alumnus of the Year by the Eastern Illinois University Journalism Department. Santana, a 2008 graduate, is being awarded for his many contributions to the department. “Marco has been a very loyal alum since he graduated from our program,” said John Ryan, chair of the Journalism Department’s Outreach & Service Committee, which voted to honor Santana. “He has volunteered numerous times to assist the department in various activities, including speaking annually at the department’s summer workshop, talking to classes, and speaking at college and high school press events the department sponsors.” To be eligible for the award, a recipient must be a graduate of the journalism program with significant college media experience, have attained a positive reputation as a journalist and continued to support the Journalism Department after graduation. Santana, a past editor of The Daily Eastern News, has worked at the Des Moines Register for the past three years. He will soon join the Orlando Sentinel as a technology reporter. Before joining the Register, Santana covered suburban schools and local government
Marco Santana, a 2008 graduate of Eastern, was named Alumnus of the Year for 2014.
for the Daily Herald at Arlington Heights. He also covered education for the Galesburg Register-Mail. Santana will be given the award at a luncheon Friday, Oct. 24, before faculty, students and guests at the Union.
Reflections on my time at Eastern with some of the most interesting people on My favorite memories of EIU happened as campus: fellow student journalists. Whether a reporter for The Daily Eastern News. that was an outing at trivia night (winners, by Late nights on the copy desk. the way) or to an apartment for card games, Battling deadline on a story. they are the moments, and people, I will alRoad trips to journalism conferences. ways cherish. They all helped prepare me for what I now When I meet with students who want to be get paid to do. journalists, I do my best to champion EIU, beBut the greatest memory I have from EIU cause anything I achieve in this industry is beis just about any night I was able to hang out cause of my time there. By Marco Santana
Past Alumni of the Year: n 2001 Jim Hanks n 2001 Jim Roberts n 2002 Carl Green n 2002 Chris Soprych n 2003 Patrick Coburn n 2004 Mike Cowling n 2004 Lori Miller n 2005 Lisa Green n 2006 Jeff Britt n 2007 Ted Gregory n 2008 Richard Fox n 2010 Amy Carr-Burke n 2010 Jean Wright Medina n 2011 Dann Gire n 2012 Chuck Burke n 2013 Nora Maberry Daniels
‘I remain excited about journalism’ - Renaud Welcome to another -30-. I feel a bit of a fraud writing to you all, as in comparison to many of the faculty here, I am a newcomer, just starting my 10th year at Eastern. And as interim chair I am temporarily filing some big shoes: DT. Reed. Les Hyder. Tidwell. JR. Legendary men who led the department. For those of you who do not know me, first let me introduce myself, and then tell you a bit about the state of the department. For the past nine years I have been teaching journalism, advising the Warbler and working with the Society for Collegiate Journalists. I have also been directing the Illinois Journalism Education Association, which James Tidwell had done for about 20 years before I arrived. I believe ferverantly in journalism and that high school, college and professional journalism must support and defend each another, continually educate their audiences, and most importantly, do good journalism. I remain excited about journalism and our students. As former Newser Kyle Mayhugh put it so astutely recently on a Facebook post, “And then Sally says “but have some cookies and life
encouragement anyway.” Most of you know the department has gone through a particularly difficult time in the past few years. Our once hearty department has been decimated with retirements and heartbreaking deaths, and to say we have been affected by them would be an understatement. We miss our friends. But our students, both past and present, have reminded us of our mission and have reaffirmed our commitment to doing what we do best: teaching and practicing journalism in all its forms. • Two of our most productive student media are led by former students who remember and revere their teachers and experiences as students. We are lucky that Kelly Cress Runyon, ‘92, guides News Watch and that John Ryan, ‘75, is back advising The Daily Eastern News, while Lola Burnham, ‘83, is on sabbatical. • Liz Viall is advising The Agency, whose staff conceived and organized Media Fest to showcase student media opportunities. • Joe Gisondi is advising The Warbler, whose staff just finished a week of shooting organiza-
tional photos at the union. • Brian Poulter is advising SCJ, whose membership sponsored an open mic and free speech wall on the library quad for Constitution Day and talked to prospective students at a recent open house. • Les Hyder and three students, seniors Katelyn Ifft (director of The Agency and president of PRSSA), Gina Volk (Warbler editor), and history grad student Dani Swindel (Warbler staffer last year) presented research projects as part of Booth Library’s “Remembering the 1960s” semester-long event. We’re small, but we are working hard. There seems to be an energy, generated from guests like former Newsers Evan Hill, Kevin McDermott and John Ferak and WEIU alums Marine Glisovic and Joe Astrouski coming to campus already this semester to visit and talk to students. They inspire us. So, enjoy this issue of -30- and keep sending us your job openings, your personal news, your updates. And come see us if you are in town. We’d love to have a cup of coffee with you!
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October 2014
Community Journalism-first hand Maberry-Daniels, ‘05, lives it every day
Maberry-Daniels, editor of The Leader, spoke to the Illinois Community College Journalism Association Oct. 2. We asked her to share portions of her speech for publication in -30-. By Nora Maberry-Daniels
… Community journalism is what you do. It is what I do. It’s what I love to do. Community journalism is locally orientated news coverage. It focuses on city neighborhoods, suburbs, small towns and yes, junior colleges. When a community newspaper covers wider topics they focus on how those topics affect readers. When you graduate you will no doubt work on an education beat. You will spend a lot of time writing about general state aid, which is the amount of money the state of Illinois gives to public schools. There are a lot of factors that go into determining how much money a school gets per child but generally the amount lessens each year. That is a big deal. My job is to show how it will affect the students in the community I cover. I have to show readers that it means less new books, less field trips, less computer equipment. Then readers care. I’ve found that it’s hard for readers to care about issues unless you show them how they are affected. I am sure you have found the same thing at your schools. When I was in college I never thought I would be doing community journalism. I wanted to be a National Geographic photographer. I didn’t have an interest in covering bake sales or running honor rolls or running a photo of a member of the Masons. I was above that. But in the past six years I have learned that is what communities, especially smaller communities, want to read. If I don’t run the honor rollswatch out. People are proud of their kids and their grades. They want to see that list in the paper. If someone has been a member of the Masons for 50 years– that is amazing and should be documented in the paper.
Nora Maberry-Daniels
People want to read about people they know. That is what I come back to every day at my job. People want to read about people they know. It is our job to document the community we cover in a way that no one else can or will. We are effectively creating a time capsule for our readers. That is a serious job and not one to be taken lightly. What I want you to remember is that no one cares about your community like you do. No one knows what is important to your community like you do. It is our job to tell the stories of our community with dignity, respect and integrity. A lot of the kids I went to college with are no longer in journalism. I understand why. It is a hard profession. The hours are very long. I used to have a professor that said the “news does not stop for the weekend” Oh how right he was. I would also say the news doesn’t stop for birthdays, holidays, sleeping or vacations. It is hard work. You have to want to do this every day. When I was little, I was pretty nosy. It’s a trait I got from my Dad. He always wanted to know everything that was going on. I think that’s why I love journalism so much. I cannot imagine doing anything else. I attend a lot of board meetings where I am the only audience member in the room. That’s a heavy responsibility, especially when the boards are discussing controversial issues like chickens within city limits, sports co-ops, raising property taxes or giving tax incentives to new businesses. I love knowing things no one else knows and spreading that information around. It’s a big responsibility to tell a community what the import-
ant issues are that their village and school board are talking about. Journalism has allowed me to cover a lot of great things. I regularly interview one of the most respected prep football coaches in the state, I have interviewed a Lt. Col. in the Illinois National Guard who has worked with the government of Poland and NATO, I talk to a mayor who also owns a beauty shop, I’ve covered a state championship football game, I’ve covered a basketball team at state, I’ve talked to a senator who went on to become president, I’ve talked to lots of bands and a National Geographic photographer, I’ve talked to an ISU student who served as a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, I’ve talked to a man who worked crowd control when President Kennedy came to the University of Illinois in 1960, I’ve interviewed the winningest softball coach in IHSA history, I’ve covered a town coming together to fight a coal mine and I’ve covered a school rebuilding from a fire that caused more than a million dollars worth of damage. What other job would allow me to do that? There isn’t one and that is why I love what I do. I’m sure your professors have told you that as a journalist you have to be impartial. You have to be fair. They are correct. But I don’t believe being impartial means you can’t celebrate the really good things that go on in your community. Nothing makes me happier then football team does well or if a community member raises money to save the jobs of two teachers at a local elementary school. Those are extraordinary things. … And finally, Item 6: If you want to continue your journalism education go to Eastern. The program allows you try everything you could possibly need to try to be a successful journalist. The professors are passionate and caring. They mentor you even after you leave school. That is a rarity, trust me. If you decide to go somewhere else please make sure it is a place that you feel comfortable and will help you succeed in your career. Journalism is tough. We need all the support we can get. Thank you for letting me speak with you tonight. It was a pleasure.
Department welcomes Renaud as interim chair By Emily Gunter, sophomore
Starting out in any successful position may seem difficult, and with it includes commitment and determination and, most importantly, a plan. Despite the struggle of a new role, Renaud emphasizes, “Even though it’s a challenge, I’m learning and I’m very grateful to have people here who can help me.” Sally Renaud, who has an undergraduate and a doctorate in journalism and a master’s in English, is interim chairwoman of the journalism department at Eastern. As interim chairwoman, Renaud has a contract for one year and her position is not permanent. “I oversee the department for the year,” Renaud said. “My job is to make sure deadlines are met, faculty and students have what they need, and my goal is that we continue to meet the needs of our students and faculty.” This year marks 10 years that Renaud has been on campus. She came to Eastern after directing the jour-
nalism program at Emporia (Kansas) State University, where she advised the student newspaper, The Bulletin.“I had already been working, and I knew the people who worked here,” Renaud said. “When the position became open I was encouraged to apply for it and I did.” For nine years, Renaud advised the Warbler yearbook and was also active with the Society of Collegiate Journalists in the Journalism Department. “Being interim chair is a challenge, when you do this job you have to not do other jobs,” Renaud said. “I’ve had to step back and give those things up and it’s kind of strange to not be doing those things, but I hope that in my position as interim chair I can continue to support all those things.” The best part, Renaud said, is the relationship the department has with the alumni. “We have fantastic alums who are so supPhoto: Brittany Borthwick portive and they’re on Facebook and they’re Sally Renaud, interim department chair calling and they’re coming to campus and they
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Hands-on experiences enhance learning We hear it from alums all the time: The hands-on experiences are what made their time at Eastern so valuable. And that kind of experience happens in classroom as well as in the student media newsrooms. For many years, Brian Poulter has been taking his JOU 3001 Photojournalism students to cover a women’s rugby game at Lakeside Field. This semester, his class is also doing a semester-long project, Portrait EIU.
Rugby Assignment By Sally Renaud
This season for the rugby assignment, the journalism majors were to shoot a photo essay. But they knew almost nothing about rugby. That’s where the lesson started. Senior Brittany Borthwick said the class first watched a video to learn about the game. “”We had to know the rules and understand the game,” she said. Then came the way to shoot such an event. Senior Clarissa Wilson said the class had to learn angles and positions. “We learned how to kneel and get closer to the action,” she said. “ And we had to learn which lenses to use to shoot sports.” The day was perfect: warm weather and sunshine. Stephen Proctor pointed out that shooting sports in general is different, but rugby was cool. “I had no expectations,” said Proctor, a senior, “but shooting made it better.” Poulter worked with the students, showing them what he shot and offering suggestions for their pictures.
Photo: Dominic Baima Journalism professor Brian poulter instructs students Rose Sacco, Bobby Galuski and Cody Delmendo on the fundamentals of shooting rugby before the game on Sept. 27
They all agreed the experience itself, practicing a photo assignment alongside their professor, took learning to a new level. “It was different from class,” Wilson said. “It was more personal.”
Borthwick agreed. “When I got there, I really had fun,” she said.
Portrait EIU Eastern has its own version of the popular photo blog, Humans of New York, begun in 2010 to chronicle the inhabitants of New YorkCity, www.humansofnewyork.com/, called Portrait EIU. It has emerged from Poulter’s photojournalism class. “It’s a spin-off,” said junior Tony Komada of Portrait EIU. “It’s those kinds of characters.” Each student has to post one portrait by midnight on Saturday, for a total of 10 throughout the semester. One portrait has to be a faculty member, one can be someone the student knows, and one has to be a community member; the rest of the subjects are up to the students. Students have to ask permission to photograph the subjects. “It’s a portrait, not an action shot,” Komada said. “It’s posed.” And the students have to find a story in it, too, with a quote. The site has taken on a life of its own. “Now that the site is popular, it’s easier to get people to agree to be photographed,” said senior Katelyn Ifft. “And it helps that you have a camera,” said senior Jackson Mortka. “When you are carrying a camera, you have an excuse.” You can find Portrait EIU on Facebook. Top: Jane Ball-Saret, owner of Grand Ball Costumes on Sixth Street in Charleston. Photo: Gina Volk Bottom: Jessica Hegberg, graduate student in exercise science. Photo: Clarissa Wilson
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October 2014
Covering crisis in Ferguson, Missouri
Photo: Brian Poulter Evan Hill, journalism alum and designer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch designer, discussed how the paper handled the coverage of the recent shootings in Ferguson, Missouri. Hill, a former, Daily Eastern News staffer, designed a majority of the layouts for the Ferguson coverage. He visited campus Sept. 15 to talk to classes and addressed students at an evening lecture.
Thank you to all who helped with the Illinois Press Association/ Eastern Illinois University 2014 High School Journalism Workshop! Joe Gisondi Lisa Green Beth Kastl Miranda Hankins Kevin Hall Dann Gire Stan Zoller Adriana Colindres Bryan Murley Amanda Bright Beth Heldebrandt Kelly Runyon Dan Hagen David Porter Greg Bilbrey Nora Maberry-Daniels Marco Santana Jeff Egbert Scott Harms Darrell Hoemann Penny Weaver Dan Corkery Dave Dawson Marylee Lasswell
CLASS NOTES: Keeping up with journalism alumni 1982
Brian Cannon, who was a member of the journalism faculty at Eastern from 1988-1992, has moved from Honolulu to Southern California. He is now an associate professor in the department of journalism and integrated media at Biola University, a Christian university in LaMirada, Calif., north of Anaheim. From 1998-2014, minus a year’s leave of absence while he was deployed in Iraq, he was an assistant professor and chair of the multimedia programs at Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu. Brian wrote us an email recently to say hello to alumni and J faculty members and closed with “Go Panthers!”
2008
Kevin Kenealy teaches English at CreteMonee High School. Rachel Gasperin is marketing coordinator at Springfield Clinic MOHA and is still the varsity cheerleading coach at Lanphier High School. Marco Santana is a reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, covering technology, defense and banking/finance. Scott Richey is a sports reporter at the Champaign News Gazette.
2009
Zach Nugent has accepted a new position at WMTV, NBC15 in Madison, Wisconsin.
2010
Christine Godbey, 2010 Warbler editor, was promoted to Human Resources manager at Access Communications in Chicago.
Marriages
2011
LaMar Holliday, a multimedia journalist Kristy Mellendorf (’08), married Shane for WANE-TV NewsChannel 15 in Fort Wayne, Brownfield on Aug. 23, 2014. Eugenia JefferIndiana, is competing in the Fort Wayne’s Small- son (’08) was a member of her wedding parest Winner, season 7. Good job, LaMar! ty. Kristy is a communications coordinator at Health Alliance in Champaign. Abby Allgire passed the Illinois Bar Exam and is the house legal counsel for the Illinois Matt Kelly (’08), married Christy Berka on Environmental Regulatory Group in Spring- Oct. 12. Matt is an account director and social field. media strategist at Social@Ogilvy in Chicago. Krista Henery is on a mission trip in South Rob Siebert (’08), married Lora Van Marel, Africa. on Sept. 27, 2014.
2012
Joe Astrouski (’10), married Charity Carls Chris O’Driscoll, is a web designer at CPXi on Sept. 27 in Charleston. Joe is a producer/rein New York City. porter in news and public affairs for Wisconsin Public Television based in Madison. Kristin Jording is a yearbook specialist at Josten’s. Robbie Wroblewski, (’09), married Amanda Heinrich on Oct. 4, 2014 at the Aspen Lodge 2013 in Estes Park, Colo. Amir Prellberg (’14) was a Megan Johnson received a promotion at member of the wedding party. her job at the Hilton Worldwide on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Births Laura Griffith Inlow (’06), a media specialAlex McNamee is a prep sports reporter for ist/web editor at Lewis and Clark Community the Decatur Herald & Review. College, and her husband, David, are the proud parents of a baby girl, Amelia Harper, born 2014 Sept. 4. Emily Provance is an operations assistant for Texas Teachers doing data entry and communiNicole DeToye Serena (’07), is the proud cations between the schools and the interns. parent of a baby boy, Henry David Serena. Nicole is a sales and promotions consultant at Brandyce Gordon is a development coordi- Caterpillar in Peoria nator at Easter Seals Central Illinois in Peoria. Sara Cudrado Galo (’08), and her husband, Tommy, are the proud parents of a baby girl, Send your Class Notes to: Gianna Nicole, born Oct. 4. eiujournal@eiu.edu
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Solid foundations produce success
Journalism alums branch out into writing their own books By Jazmin Smiley, senior
Eastern Illinois University’s journalism department continues to prove the curriculum produces students with successful and ambitious careers. Two Eastern journalism alumni, John Ferak (’95) and Dobie Holland (’86) have become published authors. Ferak and Holland have published books that have been critically acclaimed and widely successful. Ferak’s book, “Bloody Lies: a CSI Scandal in the Heartland” is about a double murder that took place in Murdock, Neb. Ferak of Appleton, Wisconsin, is an investigative editor for Gannett Wisconsin Media. Ferak said he was compelled to write this story in a book format because of the uniqueness of the case. The case had many different elements that made it unusual. First, Murdock was a very small town and hadn’t had any murder occurrences in over a decade. Second, there were false confessions and inconclusive forensic evidence. Lastly, there was the element of a crooked CSI Director, “There are very few cases in the U.S where the CSI Director gets convicted,” Ferak said.
Ferak said his book provides more detail of the case rather than a collection of news stories. Holland was formerly a sports writer for Danville Commercial News, The Chicago Defender and “Jet Magazine.” His first book was “The Book of 3,” which is three short stories, one autobiographical and two fiction. The autobiographical story is about his fifth birthday and how a haunting event changed the lives of everyone. The two fiction stories are about a sportswriter and the other an 8-year-old at a Chicago Cubs game. Holland’s newest project is about baseball icon Ernie Banks. Holland said this project is still in its formative stages. “It’s not really a biography, more of a retrospective. An observation of how an icon becomes an icon and how he has maintained his iconic stature,” Holland said. Ferak and Holland both attributed their success to the strong educational foundation of the EIU journalism department. They both participated in student media and were heavily involved in the Daily Eastern News. “I felt like we had a lot of real life experiences in the class and in the DEN. The experiences were invaluable and helped provide a smooth transition into the real world,” Ferak said. Holland, who is one of the founding editors of Minority Today, really appreciated his education in journalism.
“My experience was all encompassing. It taught me everything that I have experienced in my life, from newspaper to business,” Holland said.
“The Book of Three” by Dobie Holland “Bloody Lies: A CSI Scandal in the Heartland” by John Ferak Holland and Ferak are alums of the Eastern journalism department
Department emphasizes student recruitment By Lexi Stickel, sophomore
Eastern Illinois University has always recruited new students for the journalism program and recruitment has never been more important. The journalism department uses many techniques to recruit new students such as open houses, high school outreach, community college outreach and the shadowing program. Each of these methods show students what the department does and which area of concentration might be right for each student. The recruitment process is necessary because more student participants are better for our campus and student media and allow for the students to perfect their skills, journalism professor and interim chairwoman Sally Renaud said. “We have fantastic students who have become successful alumni and we need to make sure people know that,” she said. The journalism department is always recruiting new students and thinking of new ideas to recruit students. “We have to let students know we’re here-and that’s both students on campus and people considering which university to attend,” Renaud said. The media groups from the journalism department are flourishing and getting stronger throughout each year. “They are producing news content daily, and multi-tasking,” Renaud said. The Agency also hosted Media Fest this year to show off the journalism department and help recruit more students. Media Fest involved displays by The Agency, The Daily Eastern News, WEIU TV and FM, The Warbler, and PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America). The Society for Collegiate Journalists provided food and sold journalism t-shirts and travel mugs.
Photo: Sally Renaud Journalism majors Katelyn Ifft, Jason Howell, Samantha Middendorf and Megan Ivey, along with WEIU-FM program director Jeff Owens, greet prospective students and their families at the open house on Oct. 13.
Media Fest also included a student media panel moderated by Brian Poulter. Students representing student media were Katelyn Ifft, Gina Volk, Brad Kupiec, Bobby Galuski and Aaliyah Stephen. There were also tours of the news room and where the WEIU-TV and FM studios . “Actually to me the Media Fest wasn’t so much about the new students, that was just a bonus. To me it was about showcasing what our
department does best,” Renaud said. Media Fest empowered students to do good journalism and public relations, Renaud said. “To hear student leaders talk enthusiastically about what they do, and why other should join them, was uplifting,” she said. Recruiting students is something that the journalism department has and will always be doing. New students are always welcome to become part of the journalism family.
October 2014
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Sharing the wealth of knowledge
-30- is a publication of the EIU Department of Journalism 2521 Buzzard Hall 600 Lincoln Ave. Charleston, IL 61920 217-581-6003 www.eiu.edu/~journal
-30- is organized, edited and designed by The Agency, the student-run public relations firm at EIU. Wordpress: eiujournalism. wordpress.com Twitter: @EIU_Journalism Facebook: Eastern Illinois University Journalism Staff: Writers: Ashley Jordan, Lexi Stickel, Emily Gunter, Liz Grubart, Jazmin Smiley Contributors: Dan Hagen, Sally Renaud, John Ryan, Marco Santana, Nora Maberry-Daniels Photos: Brian Poulter, Dominic Baima, Sally Renaud, Liz Viall, Lola Burnham, Brittany Borthwick, Gina Volk, Clarissa Wilson The Agency Adviser: Liz Viall, ekviall@eiu.edu Agency Director: Katelyn Ifft, krifft@eiu.edu Agency Assoc. Director: Jazmin Smiley, jnsmiley@eiu. edu
Photo: Brian Poulter Journalism alum John Ferak visited Eastern Oct. 6-8 as the Fox-Thornburgh visiting professional. Ferak, an investigative editor, spoke not only to journalism classes, but to English and soicology students as well. Ferak addressed an audience Oct. 7 in the physical sciences building on his book, “Bloody Lies: A A CSI Scandal in the Heartland.”
A summer trip to London Hagen recalls time spent with Cam Simpson
By Dan Hagen
This summer, I found myself on a British Airways flight to London, courtesy of my old friend Cam Simpson, who was an award-winning student journalist at EIU when I was a local newspaper reporter. In flight, I reviewed a mental checklist of the things I wanted to experience in the metropolis that I’d dreamed of visiting for several decades: • Enjoying perfect weather, maybe with soothing rain on the roof one night. Check. • Enjoying delicious world-city food — meat pies, mash and custard in Greenwich, a full English breakfast at a corner café, brunch with a Dan Hagan, left, pictured with alum Cam Simpson (‘06) in Buck’s Fizz at Soho’s elegantly London. appointed Dean Street Town• Spotting a celebrity accidentally in public. house, dim sum off Electric Avenue in Brixton. Check. We saw the film actor Jesse Eisenberg Yes, THE Electric Avenue. Check. chatting with friends at an outdoor café in Brix• Attending a play with talented British ac- ton Village. tors on the West End. Check. We saw Nigel • Seeing Big Ben. Check. We did that on my Havers and Siân Phillips at the Harold Pinter last night, when I gloriously tired, standing beTheatre, which began as the Royal Comedy neath the London Eye. Theatre in 1881. And although this wasn’t on the list, my bald • Chatting about life and love with young spot apparently appeared on the CBS Evening Brits in a pub. Check. My old friend Greg Har- News as I regarded the poppies at the Tower of ris, a bloke who looks like a young Terrence London set out for the centenary observation of Stamp, treated me to his favorite Plateau pale World War I. ales at the Harp in Covent Garden, and I linThrough it all, I had the best of boon comgered on. panions, the celebrated, intrepid investigative • Seeing the seven sassy, confident ravens at journalist and international man of mystery the Tower of London, the most famous ravens Cam Simpson, who works for Bloomberg News. on the planet Earth. Check. A legend allegedly On the summer of my 60th birthday, my old dating from the Great Fire of London in 1666 friend flew me to London and put me up, and has it that if the ravens are ever lost, England that is just about the nicest thing anyone has will be too. ever done for me.
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Alum creates new journalism scholarship By Liz Grubart, senior
Sheila Billerbeck, a 1996 Eastern graduate and alumna of the journalism department, helped with the creation of a brand new scholarship, The Daily Eastern News Scholarship, worth $1,000 annually. The scholarship, which started in 2014, is given to students in the journalism department who meet the set standards for grades, goals and acceptable financial needs. Billerbeck, who worked on this idea with professor John Ryan and late department chair James Tidwell, said she was excited to be a part of the foundation for this scholarship. “I think it would be made available where needed - whether to pay for some student to travel to an important event, fund a student for
a special event, if there was a shortfall for funding anywhere, etc.” When the journalism department approached her and asked her for help, she said she was fortunate to be in a position to provide students with this opportunity. “I was so thankful for the opportunity to attend Eastern,” she said. “Don’t we always want to pay it back when possible?” For Billerbeck, working with scholarships hit close to home. When she attended Eastern, she and her mother made an agreement that she herself would have to pay for two years of her college education, which, by the help of student loans, made this possible. “I remember having the “weight of the world” on my shoulders when I graduated with
$5,500 in debt from student loans,” Billerbeck said. “Now, kids graduate with $55,000 in loans for a BA degree, I can’t even imagine that!” Billerbeck worked at the Daily Eastern News during her college career. She said she frequently misses the creative environment of being around journalists, artists, photographers and working in the positive atmosphere of the newsroom. “My experience at the Daily Eastern News was invaluable,” she said. “I still look back and relish those days of camaraderie, daily deadlines, competition and seeking approval from your department head on each article or edition you put out.”
Revolutionary Decade: Reflections on the 1960s
Photos: Sally Renaud As part of the Revolutionary Decade exhibit at Booth Library, graduate student Dani Swindel and senior journalism majors Gina Volk and Katelyn Ifft presented their research papers The 1960s: Then and Now, where they looked at primary sources to find out how events from the 60s were covered at the time they occurred.
Journalism professor Les Hyder also presented his presentation Neglected Promises Realized: The First Amendment Comes of Age in the ‘60s as part of the event. The exhibit continues in Booth Library through Octoboer.
Homecoming 2014 Events
“Bright Lights, Blue City”
Friday, October 24
11:30 a.m.:Alumnus of the Year Luncheon, Rathskeller (AKA 7th St. Underground) Loft Afternoon: Tours of WEIU-TV and FM 5:30 p.m.: Watch live broadcast of News Watch
Saturday, October 25
9a.m.: doughnuts and coffee, student pub news room 9:30 am: homecoming parade 10:30 am.: Alumni tent city, O’Brien Field 1:30 pm: Football vs. Tennessee State 5-9 pm: Chili Bash, Rathskeller Loft