Indiana University School of Journalism » 2009 » October

Johnson interviews Crabb on Profiles

Gena Asher — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:28:20 +0000

Associate professor Owen V. Johnson will interview IU Athletics Department’s public address announcer and journalism alumnus Chuck Crabb at 7 p.m. Sunday on the next edition of Profiles, the interview program that airs on WFIU-FM, 103.7.

Routledge publishes The Global Journalist (May 13)
School research group launches survey (May 10)
Faculty, student work set for AEJMC presentation (May 10)

‘Dining for Dave’ supports SPJ’s Adams scholarship

Gena Asher — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:08:31 +0000

The IU chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is hosting “Dining for Dave,” a fundraiser for the chapter in honor of the late Dave Adams, Student Media director who died in 2007.

From 5 to 9 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, 25 percent of sales at the Noodles in the Von Lee on East Kirkwood will go to the David L. Adams Scholarship fund. Chapter president MJ Slaby said the event is in honor of Adams’ birthday, Oct. 30.

Those participating should mention the fundraiser to the cashier. The donation applies to dine-in or carry-out.

PRSSA team wins Contiki contest (May 14)
Take It Easy Open July 28 (May 9)
Apply for Murray scholarship by April 27 (April 23)

SPEA hosts Tavis Smiley for Friday talk

Gena Asher — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:51:49 +0000

Panel on women in news set for Monday (April 19)
Panel discusses media coverage of LGBT community (April 17)
Lehrer draws on many presidential debates to analyze political process (April 15)

Tavis Smiley, journalist, political commentator, talk show host and best-selling author of Accountable: Making America as Good as its Promise, speaks at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs atrium. The talk is free and open to the public.

Learn more about Smiley’s work on PBS’ show, Tavis Smiley.

Aamidor serves as panelist for legal ed forum

Gena Asher — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:59:50 +0000

Adjunct lecturer Abe Aamidor was a guest panelist at The Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum "Advising Your Literary Client" seminar in West Baden Springs in October. The forum was hosted by attorney and author Mark Shaw.

Routledge publishes The Global Journalist (May 13)
School research group launches survey (May 10)
Faculty, student work set for AEJMC presentation (May 10)

IU journal reports on Parameswaran research

Gena Asher — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:58:03 +0000

A profile of associate professor Radhika Parameswaran‘s research on beauty, media and globalization appears in the Fall 2009 issue of Indiana University’s Research & Creativity Magazine, which focuses on scholarship related to beauty in IU’s eight campuses.

The article, "Skin Deep," examines a decade of Parameswaran’s research, including her work on the controversial 1996 Miss World pageant, news accounts of India’s six global beauty queens, and the global skin-lightening cosmetics industry.

Read the article at online.

Routledge publishes The Global Journalist (May 13)
School research group launches survey (May 10)
Faculty, student work set for AEJMC presentation (May 10)

Apply now for Summer in London

Gena Asher — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:53:32 +0000

Looking for a summer internship? Apply now to work as an intern in London through the School of Journalism’s Summer in London program.

Deadline is Nov. 14 to apply for this program that combines classroom learning with internships at London media organizations. All of the requirements and description of the application process is on the Web at this link.

Read blogs from students who participated in the 2009 program.

PRSSA hosts resume workshop

Gena Asher — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:51:29 +0000

Former Kenya class partner now KTN broadcaster (May 13)
PRSSA team wins Contiki contest (May 14)
Students interested in magazines find several options to learn, network (May 2)

Polishing your resume? Get professional critiques at the next meeting of the IU chapter Public Relations Student Society of America, 7 p.m. Nov. 5 in Ernie Pyle 214.

Members will host guest speaker Bruce Hetrick, president of public relations firm, Hetrick. He and other experienced professionals will critique resumes and give advice on cover letters.

Space for those who wish to have their materials critiqued is limited to 40, with preference to PRSSA members. Cost is $5.

To reserve a spot, e-mail PRSSA. Include your name and class standing, as well as “resume workshop” in the subject line.

SPJ chapter meets Thursday

Gena Asher — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:49:39 +0000

Former Kenya class partner now KTN broadcaster (May 13)
PRSSA team wins Contiki contest (May 14)
Students interested in magazines find several options to learn, network (May 2)

Members will plan an upcoming fundraiser at the next meeting of the IU chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, in EP 214.

Anyone who wishes to work with the organization is welcome to attend. Contact chapter president MJ Slaby by e-mail or visit the group’s Web site.

Graduate student’s work continues with symposium

Shannon McEnerney — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:24:42 +0000

Photo by James Brosher

Graduate student Shameka Neely organized a symposium, "Race in the Age of Obama," to continue looking at a topic she launched with her documentary earlier this year.

WTIU producer and graduate student Shameka Neely realized that Barack Obama’s presidential election represented more than just an oath.

Instead, she saw the people of the nation, the state and the country were all witnesses to history, and she knew she had to do something about it.

Neely’s mission to report on the diversity and race relations affecting the country began last November with her documentary, Witnesses to History, which chronicled Obama’s election and January inauguration, and it continued Wednesday at a symposium, "Race in the Age of Obama," at the Indiana Memorial Union’s Whittenberger Auditorium.

The symposium, sponsored by WTIU, the Office of Diversity Education and Union Board, drew about 30 people to hear IU and Bloomington panelists discuss how Obama’s election is affecting the country nearly a year later.

Neely said she wanted to host the symposium to expand on the concerns the documentary presented. She hoped the symposium would begin a conversation on how race relations have — or haven’t — changed since Obama’s election.

“Is color seen as much anymore?” Neely said. “Does race still matter? Or do we see people as individuals?”

Neely chose the symposium’s panel: Bloomington Safe and Civil City Director Beverly Calendar-Anderson, associate professor of history and Latino studies John Nieto-Philips, IU Director for Student Programs and Services Bill Shipton, assistant professor of history Khalil Muhammad, and sociology Ph.D. student Rashawn Ray.

Neely said each brought a different perspective to the issue of race and diversity. Muhammad appeared in the documentary, and Shipton, who said he represented the “white guy” on the panel, works with diversity programs on the IU campus.

“I wanted to make sure not to seclude the program to IU,” Neely said. “I wanted to invite the whole community.”

The symposium began with a viewing of Witnesses to History, and afterward, panelists fielded questions ranging from what a black president means for society to whether affirmative action should remain at higher education institutions.

Shipton said that he rejoiced when Obama was elected, but said what is important is what happens from here on.

“Do we re-energize the issues of racism or do we hit the snooze button?” he asked.

Photo by James Brosher

Panelists fielded questions as well as posed them to the audience at Wednesday night’s discussion.

Calendar-Anderson agreed with Shipton, saying that racism did not end Nov. 5. Instead, Obama’s election meant hope. This hope is the light at the end of the tunnel leading to a place many dream of being, she said.

Nieto-Philips agreed, adding that Obama’s election was the beginning of a conversation rather than the end of a conversation about race.

The panelists turned the tables by asking the audience questions, with audience members holding up green cards for “yes” or red cards for “no.” The panelists asked if racism still exists in the country and if people still see race. The participants answered “yes.”

Neely said she hopes attendees left with a recognition that diversity is important, but she also wants people to realize the importance of discussing issues of race and diversity, even if they don’t want to talk about it.

“It’s important to see people as individuals and not color,” she said. “I hope there is a true effectiveness of this event.”

Sophomore Rayhona Abdullaeva said while she watched the Witnesses to History documentary, she wanted to cry. She saw all the people in the documentary who were rejoicing in Obama’s election, and even though she is not black, Abdullaeva said she felt the emotion and importance of such a historic election.

Abdullaeva said she left the symposium with the understanding that race still exists, and even though everybody knows it, it is important to move forward in making a change to eliminate these issues of race.

Photo by James Brosher

Panelist Khalil Muhammad, an assistant professor of history at IU, responded to several questions during the symposium. Organizer Shameka Neely said her goal was to have panelists from campus and the area join the discussion.

At the end of the symposium, everyone recited a diversity pledge in a commitment to be aware and actively involved in speaking out against the prejudices and racism.

Neely’s mission continues. Her job as a WTIU producer keeps her busy, along with her graduate work. She is working on a piece about Vigo County’s first female African American prison warden by tracing the woman’s steps.

“I’m very excited,” Neely said. “It’s been an eye-opening experience.”

If Neely is certain of one thing, it is that she will continue to be a journalist and report on the issues that matter to her, such as diversity and race.

“I want to impact the lives of others,” she said. “People turn on the TV to watch the news, so it’s important to make sure what goes on in the community is told.”

Neely said she loves journalism because it allows her to tell other people’s stories. And she knows this isn’t the end of her mission to unveil important ongoing issues.

“I don’t think this is the last you will see or hear of what I’m doing,” Neely said with a smile.

Career Cafes offer drop-in consultations for job, internship search

Shannon McEnerney — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:59:51 +0000

Photo by Shanna Rottinger

Career Services Director Marcia Debnam showed sophomore Isabel Monahan places to look for resume tools during a recent Career Cafe session. Several times a week, Debnam invites students to drop in to work out strategies to land internships and jobs.

Sophomore Stephanie Mulato is one of many journalism students who are starting to prepare for the internship and job market. Is her resume ready? How can she find an internship for next summer? What are her options?

To find answers, Mulato attended one of last week’s Career Cafes, drop-in events in the rear room of the journalism library where students can get advice about how to proceed.

Career Services Director Marcia Debnam sets aside several hours a week to host these events, where she advises students one-on-one to help them develop skills and increase their marketability for internships and jobs post-graduation. This week’s Career Cafes are 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Debnam’s advice is simple for nearly all the students who come to her for advising appointments regarding jobs and internships.

“Your job search is a research project,” Debnam said. She gives students pointers to resources, reviews their resumes and letters, and helps them connect to potential employers, but ultimately, it’s up to students to craft their game plans.

The two-hour time slots vary by date and time of day, Debnam said, giving most students a chance to find time to walk-in and seek advice. Last year, the Career Cafes focused on group sessions, with all students talking about their job or internship search concerns, but Debnam said after these sessions, students would ask for individual appointments. That is why this year’s Career Cafés are walk-in individual sessions.

“My goal is to reach out to students in an open atmosphere,” Debnam said.

Debnam has been focusing on employer outreach this year, forming more relationships with industry professionals who can become good resources for the School of Journalism for internships and jobs.

Junior Hannah Helbert attended because as a junior, she is focused on finding an internship for the summer and needed advice on how to improve her resume. Debnam showed her the School of Journalism’s Web site section devoted to cover letters, resumes, and internships.

Helbert said after her session that she feels ready to work on her resume and begin the application process. The e-mail announcements and the weekly e-mail newsletter from the School of Journalism often include leads to jobs and internships. Students also should register at IUJournalismCareers.com, where they can find leads as well as examples of application materials. Along with the support from Debnam and professors, these help prepare students to move in the right direction, Helbert said.

For students facing graduation, Debnam said to get the job search started now. Students should consider applying for posted job offerings as well as unadvertised positions. While Debnam said it is harder to apply for unsolicited jobs, it is beneficial in the long run because the more employers who see a resume, the better the chances for a job offer when a position does become available at that company.

“Make your job search a job,” Debnam said. “A job search is like fishing. You’re the one driving it. Keep throwing the line, but know you can’t catch them all.”

The job search is a multistage process involving research for potential employers, research for the employer’s demographics, and crafting a cover letter and resume.

“A cover letter can make or break you,” Debnam said. She tells students to write unique cover letters that will make an employer say, “I want to call this person right now,” after reading it.

Even those who won’t need a job right away should get busy on this “job,” she said. Building skill sets are important.

“It’s not where but what you do,” Debnam said. “Work on a multitude of skills. At this stage, prove you’ve got great communication skills.”

She tells students to think in terms of the Web – whether a blog or Twitter – to show employers their versatility in an Internet-based era. She suggests to students get involved in a different activity each semester to help in skill building. Not only will they learn new skills – such as sending press releases on behalf of a campus organization – but they’ll also be able to demonstrate their various interests.

“Students are expected to be their own business,” Debnam said, terming this as “becoming a brand.”

But it is also important, Debnam said, for students to know that there is no linear path in terms of a career.

“Your skills are going to allow you to be who you want to be,” she said. “Everybody is different. Don’t worry about anything except experiencing experience.”

Career Cafes are held each week at varying hours in the School of Journalism’s library. Students are welcome to walk-in anytime and meet with Debnam to discuss any concerns.

Indiana University School of Journalism » 2009 » October

Johnson interviews Crabb on Profiles

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