Dateline Delhi Website Launches, Features Multimedia Projects

By Anne Dudley

Eighteen communication students and three professors from Kent State University spent 10 days of March in Delhi, India reporting on culture, environment, the economy and more for DatelineDelhi.org, a multimedia news website and product of the International Storytelling course. The site officially launched on Monday, April 30 showcasing student photography, video and feature stories from India.

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State partnered with Amity University School of Communication in Noida, India for the project. Amity provided students and faculty for collaborative reporting, guidance around the city, and for most of the group, lasting friendships. The Kent students stayed in on-campus housing and even set up a newsroom in the School of Communication’s facilities.

This is the second International Storytelling course that professors Gary Hanson, of Ravenna, and Mitch McKenney, of Hartville, have led. Last year, the team produced Dateline Shanghai with Shanghai International Studies University. LuEtt Hanson, Ph.D., the associate dean in the College of Communication and Information, accompanied the group and secured relationships with Amity leaders for future academic exchanges. Amity students will visit Kent State for 10 days in September as part of the partnership and collaborative learning experience.

Teams of students gathered images, video, audio for news and feature stories from the Delhi area, taking in the sights and sounds of the capital city and its people. Some rode elephants and visited orphanages and hospitals, while others ventured into the slums, construction sites and the local YMCA. While in India, the group traveled to the Taj Mahal, a beach resort in the state of Goa and to Mumbai.

The course met for 10 weeks prior to leaving for India, using the time to report on Indian culture in Northeast Ohio as a practice run with multimedia journalism in teams. After returning to Ohio students spent the remaining course time preparing their stories for the website debut.

Senior visual communications design major and participant Laura Contrucci, said, “traveling to India was absolutely incredible, for many reasons. The things I saw, good and bad, were eye-opening and led to reflection and growth. I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity; it is truly something I will remember fondly for the rest of my life.”

“Being able to go to India at this point in my life really changed the way I view everything,” junior communication studies major Meghan Hawsman said. “I am still at a point in my life that I am very impressionable and going to India has changed me for the better. I am now able to look at situations from a different point of view and not take anything for granted. This is a beautiful place that I believe everyone should have the opportunity to visit in their lifetime.”

For more information, follow Dateline Delhi on Facebook andTwitter.

Student Traces 30 Years of Mother’s History Through Florence Program

By Ryan Collins

Kent State University student Lydia Coutré stands on a bridge over the Arno River in Pisa, Italy, near the Santa Maria dellaSpina Church.

From 1982 to 2012, famous Italian sights like Florence’s cathedral, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum or Venice’s Grand Canal probably haven’t changed much. However, the person behind the lens in 1982 and 2012 will be different.

When Kent State student Lydia Coutré, a junior newspaper journalism major, returns in May from studying abroad with the College of Communication and Information’s program in Florence, Italy, the photos she might add to her family’s scrapbooks will look familiar.

Coutré’s mother, Rita, backpacked across Europe in 1982. She traveled to cities like Pisa, Rome, Venice and Interlaken, and Coutré wants to see literally the same sights as her mother.

Coutré’s mother brought back carousels of 35mm slides from her trip. Coutré originally saw the slides when she was working on a fifth grade project about Italy. She said she’s been captivated ever since.

Before Coutré left the United States, she spent hours converting many of the slides to files on her computer. She plans to visit the same cities as her mother and retake some of the slides 30 years later.

“I got the idea to do my ‘30 Years Later’ project last summer while I was working one of my three jobs to save money to get here,” she said. “I mentioned it to my mom, and she loved the idea.”

Coutré said her map is marked with some of the spots she needs to visit, but she plans to get directions from the Kent State Florence staff for more elusive locations.

“I knew I wanted to go sometime in my life, but I never even dreamed that I would get to spend four months here,” Coutré said. “When I found out Kent State had a program for it, my only questions were ‘What semester am I going?’ and ‘Should I sell my car to get there?’”

A group of Kent State University students studying abroad in Florence, Italy, pose for a photo. Thirty years later, Lydia Coutre (back row, third from left), a junior newspaper journalism major, is visiting the same sights her mother traveled to, retaking pictures of the same landmarks and blogging about her experience.

The Kent State Florence program is housed in a 13th century palace located in the city center. Students live in apartments near the building, and they have the support of a fully English-speaking staff.

Even though her classes in Florence get her full Kent State credit, Coutré’s apartment is fully furnished, and she gets to eat amazing Italian cuisine, the most exciting part of the semester for her is to visit Venice, just as her mother did.

“Everyone says that studying abroad will change you,” she said. “You’ll come back a completely new, and all-in-all better person. Not only am I getting to know myself, but I think this trip is giving me an entirely new way to get to know my mom.”

Coutré is blogging about her experience and posting the “30 Years Later” retaken photos as she travels athttp://lydiaislost.blogspot.com. Her first retaken shot was of Florence’s cathedral, the Duomo.

At the end of her semester in May, Coutré hopes to have 40 to 50 retaken pictures.

For more information on Kent State study abroad opportunities, visit the Office of Global Education’s website atwww.kent.edu/globaleducation.

For more information on the College of Communication and Information’s program in Florence, Italy, visit www.kent.edu/ccistudyabroad.

 

CCI is now on Pinterest!

By: Emily Horne

Pinterest, a virtual bulletin board, seems to be the new “it” Web site and social media outlet that many people are talking about. While it has not entirely reached the business and organization audience, Kent’s College of Communication and Information (CCI) is now on Pinterest. Like some other universities, CCI has been researching the best ways to utilize Pinterest. There seem to be mixed opinions on whether universities need to be on Pinterest yet or not but why shouldn’t Kent’s College of Communication and Information be one of the first?

What other universities are doing:

1. Contests
2. Showcasing its Personality
3. The Student Experience
4. Study Abroad Destinations
5. Dorm Room Decorations
6. Artwork Created by Students
7. Achievements from Alumni

What can students gain from CCI’s Pinterest profile?

1. CCI Student, Alum and Faculty Successes: Many people with connections to CCI go on to do great things during or after their time with the college. On this board, followers can see what these people are doing.
2. School of _________: There is a board for each of CCI’s four schools that showcase information about the school and stories that relate. Pay attention to these boards if you are a prospective student, a current student, or a former student!
3. Facilities: This board showcases the great facilities each of CCI’s programs are housed in. From the recently renovated facilities in Franklin Hall to the Resource Room in the Art building, CCI’s programs offer their students the best.
4. Study Away: CCI offers a variety of study away programs. Here, we are pinning information about various programs.
5. Why CCI Kent Blog: Here we are reposting blogs posted here on our Why CCI Kent blog to reach more students.
6. For Future Students: Students interested in CCI, whether current college students in other majors or current high school students, can look to this board for basic information.

Send us your work:

We would love to begin showcasing student work (artwork, photography, research, Web site design, etc.) on Pinterest. If you are interested in seeing your work on our page, please send an E-mail to ccikent@kent.edu with your work, a caption, and a link (if applicable) to attach to the pin.

Follow CCI Kent State:

Follow us on Pinterest to keep up on the latest information.  http://pinterest.com/ccikentstate/ Also, please help us to promote our Pinterest account. Share it on Facebook, Twitter and repin our pins that interest you!

Global Comparative Media in Paris and Florence

Learn about European journalism with CCIKent this May during summer intercession

Applications are being accepted through February for this short study abroad course scheduled for May 2012 Intersession: 

Open to: All graduate and undergraduate students interested in European culture and how European media function.
Length: Two weeks, one in Paris and one in Florence: Travel dates will be May 12 – May 27.
The plan: Learn about European journalism, TV production, PR and advertising by visiting media outlets and meeting professionals and experts in the field, both in Paris and in Florence, as well as during a day trip to Milan. 

Cultural outings include visits to the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles, and to the Uffizi in Florence.

The cost: Approx. $2,600 plus airfare and Intersession 2012 tuition.

Study in Paris and Florence with CCIKent’s Global Comparative Media Course

For more information and to complete the application, visit: http://kentglobalmedia.wordpress.com/

Check out the website and email Deborah Davis with your questions – dldavis@kent.edu.

 

 

Interested in studying abroad?

Information from http://www.kent.edu/globaleducation/index.cfm

Want to travel the world and earn school credit at the same time? Check out the study abroad fair!

Whether you are an international student interested in attending Kent State, or a current student who would like to study abroad, we can help you get the information you need to make it happen.

The Office of Global Education plans, coordinates, sustains, and monitors the University’s global initiatives, exchange programs, and support services for international students and scholars. Our goal is to systematically contribute to Kent State University’s efforts to prepare our students with the knowledge, skills, and perspectives required of effective citizens in a global society.

Have questions? Contact a representative from the Office of Global Education at 1-330-672-7980 today.

Communication students film from Florence, Italy

By Anne Dudley and Nicole Gennarelli

While studying in Florence, Italy, this semester, Chris Heiman decided that he would put together a video series that showed future students the study abroad experience. He hopes his videos, Flashes of Florence, will encourage more students to study abroad. We interviewed Chris to get the details on the making behind his video series.

What is your major, year, expected graduation date and hometown?

Major: Electronic Media Production in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Year: 5th year senior
Graduation Date: December 17th, 2011
Hometown: Chagrin Falls, OH

According to Deborah Davis, Coordinator of International Programs for the College of Communication and Information, this project is not for course credit. What made you want to do it?

Correct, this project is not a course credit. I was all set to graduate after a summer course in July. However, I felt that I wanted to take advantage of one more semester as an undergrad before taking the next step in my adult life. That is why I decided to postpone graduation and come to Italy instead. That being said, I did not want to feel like I was wasting my time in Italy on a four month holiday. The classes I was enrolled in were nice, but in my opinion they were not going to help me improve my resume, and more importantly, my film reel. That is where Flashes of Florence came in. I wanted to do something that would be help me improve my video and editing skills, so that I had more material to show potential employers in the near future.

In addition, I noticed that there was not a lot of information about what studying in Italy was really all about. Being a communications major, I felt it was almost my duty to put together some videos that future students could look at and get really excited and familiar with Florence before they came. I know that if I would have been able to watch the Flashes of Florence videos before I came, I would have felt much more knowledgeable and ready to come. Hopefully, these videos will encourage future students to take a semester to study abroad, because it is truly an amazing experience.

What benefit do you hope the project will have?

This kind of ties in with my answer to the first question. Again, I am improving my video and editing skills. I can edit a video together in less than a day now, whereas a year ago it probably would have taken me two or three days to complete the same type of video. And again, I really want other kids to have the same experience abroad that I have got. It’s well worth it.

How are the other students getting involved?

Two other students, Monique Zappa and Jen Bellissimo feel the same way that I do about adding material to their reel. They both want to go into the broadcasting field, and so the Flashes videos were right up their ally. Both are hoping to use these videos as a part of their experience to show people in the future what they have done and what
their potential is.

The other students are just eager to be interviewed. They like showing the videos to their friends and families back home.

How do you think this project will help you in your career/job aspirations?

I think this project will show video producers that I can handle a camera and edit my way through just about anything. I think it will show people that I know how to make content interesting and exciting. I am hoping to start making money in the video production field right after school, whether it is working on a film set, creating promotional and commercial videos, or filming events/parties. Anything I can do that involves filming, and mainly editing, I will be satisfied with for the time being. Eventually if I want to continue to pursue my dreams of becoming a film maker, I will need to make the move out to L.A or New York. I can see that happening at some point in the future, but for now, I would just like to continue improving my work, my skill and my knowledge in the film industry.

Check out some of Chris’ videos below!

Apartments

Vicolo dei Cerchi

Night Life

Anne Dudley is a second-year master’s student of public relations and graduate assistant in the Dean’s Office of the College of Communication and Information. Nicole Gennarelli is a senior public relations major and a marketing assistant for the College of Communication and Information.

Through Our Lenses: CCI Students Document Their Studies Abroad

CCI student photos from study abroad trips hang in the first floor of the main library in Kent

 Through Our Lenses: CCI Students Document Their Studies Abroad

A juried photo exhibit spotlighting study abroad students in the College of Communication and Information (CCI) is now on display in the Kent State University Main Library.

Forty remarkable photos were selected to provide a glimpse of how CCI study abroad students see the world, and included are images from all over Europe and Asia.

CCI student study abroad photos

“These photographs, all taken by College of Communication and Information students while studying abroad, show just a fraction of the depth of talent our CCI students possess and the range of experiences they’ve had around the world,” said Deborah Davis, coordinator of international programs for the College.

Adding an extraordinary dimension to the photos and the experiences they represent is the fact that it’s not uncommon for CCI study abroad students to be the first in their families to even own a passport.

“Many of our students have no family history of international travel and no easy way to finance such a thing,” Davis said. “But they have been determined to see and understand the world, and they have returned with a global perspective that will permanently change who they are and dramatically increase the contributions they will make to their workplaces and their communities as they move through life.”

CCI student photos hang in the first floor of the Kent Campus library

“They are quite impressive, and as the photos show, they are curious, adventurous, perceptive, and so talented.”

Information design major Chloe Makarick echoed many students’ reflections on their experiences abroad when describing her own:

“There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by since I’ve returned that I haven’t been reminded of my experiences while studying abroad,” Makarick said.

“The world is a much smaller place to me now; we’re all connected, and it’s important to be more aware of the people around you. I went on study abroad hoping to learn more about other places and other cultures, but I came home and realized how much I learned about myself.”

Exhibit photos will hang in the quiet study area behind the circulation desk as well as in the computer lab area near the reference desk through the end of the semester. The student photographers, along with family and guests, will celebrate the exhibit’s opening at a private reception on Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the Library.

CCI offers a range of study abroad options to meet the academic and personal goals of the College’s students, including short, faculty-led courses and semester-long programs.

To see more work of CCI study abroad students and to learn more about our programs, visit www.kent.edu/ccistudyabroad

Special thanks to the CCI Kent marketing team, Jennifer Kramer, Melinda Yoho, Nicole Gennarelli and Britany Ruby for their efforts in preparing the exhibit. AnnMarie LeBlanc was integral in developing the framing process. Justin Parsons and Anne Dudley hung the photos and captions.

How does CCI fit into Destination Kent State?

By Emily Carle

For all of our newest Kent State students, the most exciting part of the summer outside of move-in day is Destination Kent State. The day and a half orientation program allows students to learn more about Kent State, meet faculty and advisors, schedule classes and most importantly connect with fellow classmates.

While all of the information is beneficial to student success, it can be a little overwhelming. To make it easier for students, there are different sessions focusing on specific topics throughout their time in Kent. Specifically, the session Pillars of Success, known just as Pillars, focuses on each student’s major and how to get involved within their college.

As the College of Communication and Information, we offer students a look into the structure of the college and where they fit in their school and their major. Kent State University can be a big place and it is comforting to know that students have a home within CCI. Some of the best ways to feel connected is by getting involved. Luckily with CCI, there are dozens of ways to get involved with all of our majors. We stress to students, first-year students especially, to get involved in some way.

Our award-winning Student Media offers all students real-world experience in a handful of different media. Other CCI clubs include Kent Communication Society, American Institute of Graphic Arts, KSU Ad Club, and Public Relations Student Society of America that allow students to connect with classmates, faculty and alumni.

Outside of offering a support system and opportunities to the new CCI students, we want to help students find their paths within their major. To explore the majors that the college offers, visit the About CCI page or browse all degrees through Graduation Planning System.

Another valuable addition for a college student is the opportunity to study abroad. CCI offers numerous programs from two weeks to semester long trips abroad that cater to the wants and skills of our own students.

From Destination Kent State to Graduation, CCI will be there for student for advice, support, opportunities and experience. Come to us with questions!

What are some tips you wish you would have learned as a first-year student?

If you are a first-year student, what questions do you have about CCI Kent State?

If you have already attended Destination Kent State, what was your favorite part? What could be improved?

Emily is a communication studies graduate and a marketing assistant for the College of Communication and Information.

Last Call for Short Study Abroad Trips this Summer!

Three amazing CCI short study abroad courses for all majors are about to close enrollment,
so act now or miss your chance.

Contact the course instructor immediately if you want to go!

Photo taken by Emily Carle

International Strategic Marketing in Vienna, Austria

Open to: All graduate and undergraduate students interested in marketing, advertising, public relations and Vienna.
Length: Seven nights in Vienna plus travel from Cleveland to Vienna and back. Approximate dates – May 11 to 19.
The plan: Visit marketing and PR firms to learn how these industries function in Europe. Visit cultural sites and get to know one of the most beautiful cities on earth. Work with your communication students at St. Polten University of Applied Sciences to create a strategic plan for a European organization.
The cost: Approx $1.900, which covers airfare, housing and breakfasts. Spring 2011 tuition (no extra if you are currently full-time.)
Contact: JMC Public Relations Professor Bob Batchelor – rpbatche@kent.edu

Global Comparative Media Systems in Paris and Geneva

Open to: All graduate and undergraduate students and others interested in how European media function.
Length: Two weeks plus travel: May 14 – May 29
The plan: Presentations my media professionals in journalism, advertising, PR, programming, production, policy. Cultural events and museums. Amazing food.
The cost: Approx. $2,700 plus Intersession 2011 tuition
Contact: JMC Electronic Media Professor Von Whitmore – ewhitmor@kent.edu

Photographing the World in Turkey and Greece

Open to: Graduate and undergraduate students who have completed an entry-level photography course or can demonstrate camera proficiency
Length: 12 days, departing May 14
The plan: Photography and sightseeing in Istanbul, Ephesus, Greek Islands and Athens. Includes two-day cruise through Greek Islands, as well as many sightseeing excursions.
The cost: $2,914, which covers airfare, housing, breakfasts, three dinners, and all meals on the cruise boat. So your extra costs would be some meals, spending money and optional side trips. Spring 2011 tuition (no extra if you are currently full-time.)
Contact: VCD Photo Illustration Professor Bryan Rinnert – brinnert@kent.edu

Two weeks in Paris and Geneva anyone?

For students who are interested in this unique and amazing opportunity, they must have a 2.7 GPA and be in the College of Communication & Information.The final informational session is today, Jan. 20. at 12  noon and 4 p.m. in 201 Franklin. There are applications in room 201 Franklin Hall. Applications are due by January 31, 2011. For any questions about the program, please contact Dr. Whitmore, ewhitmor@kent.edu or Deborah Davis, dldavis@kent.edu. More information and a link to yesterday’s post below.

Photo taken by Emily Carle

For students with the study-abroad bug, a two-week trip to Paris and Geneva may be the perfect way to satiate this desire. Offered through the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the course Global Comparative Media Systems: Paris & Geneva is a two-week European adventure during Summer Intercession that allows students to earn course credit towards their degree, meet professionals in European media as well as experience two of Europe’s biggest cities. The trip runs from May 14, 2011 to May 29, 2011.

See Emily’s original post…

Photo taken by Emily Carle

 

Photos by Emily Carle