Journalism Student Becomes JMC’s First News21 Fellow

Daniel Moore, a JMC junior majoring in newspaper journalism, has been awarded the prestigious News21 Fellowship. Moore is the first JMC student to receive this honor and one of only 25 student journalists in the country selected for the paid summer fellowship, which is annually awarded to the top student journalists in the country. News21 is funded by Carnegie-Knight Initiative on the Future of Journalism Education.

The fellowship gives next-generation journalism students the opportunity to cover a national issue and have their work published in national media. This year’s program will focus on the re-entry into civilian life of returning veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq.

“I am thrilled to be the first from Kent State to participate in News21. I’ve always had a passion for in-depth journalism that sheds light on dark, difficult stories. This will allow me to continue this pursuit as I report on the issues these veterans face domestically after years of war,” Moore said. “I thank JMC Director Thor Wasbotten for having faith in me, as well as countless professors and advisers I’ve consulted about the program. I hope to represent Kent State well in the newsroom of the future.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Daniel to work with the best student journalists in the country as part of the News21 program,” Wasbotten said. “He will experience working with a team to produce stories that will be published on a national level and we could not be more proud of his success.”

Moore, a former editor and reporter for the Daily Kent Stater, has previously interned with Kentucky’s Lexington Herald-Leader and written for www.Kentucky.com and The News Outlet. 

What is PR?

PR Newswire asked its followers and friends via social media to complete the phrase “PR is ____.” From the responses, it put together this infographic to convey all the different ways people define PR.

(Image credit to Jamie Heckler, creator of the infographic.)

After reading those definitions, how do you define PR?

 

 

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Recruiting Designers at VCD Kent

The CIA is visiting campus to hire a graphic designer – print, a web designer/developer and an interactive multimedia designer.

Info Session with CIA Veteran, Stephanie Smith: Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 5:00 p.m. In 213 ART
On-campus Interviews: Thursday, Nov. 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. or Friday, Nov. 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Office Hours for open portfolio and resume review: Nov. 8, from 2:00-7:00 p.m., as time permits between scheduled interviews

Job descriptions for the positions listed above are attached below. The document also includes other related positions at the CIA that may be available in the future.

Attend the information session to learn more about working for the CIA, how to prepare for interviews and sign up for a interview session.

Contact Anne Dudley at adudley@kent.edu with questions.

Get to Know Your Academic Advisors

By: Meghan Caprez

I was still in high school when I first met my academic advisor. My mother insisted on dragging me into the JMC advising office one Wednesday morning Spring 2011 because she’d heard about the old “Walk-In Wednesday” policy. I’d tried to explain to her that it only applied to kids who were actually in college, but she insisted it was for anybody.

They were surprised to hear we were there, demanding to meet with an advisor, especially since I hadn’t even committed to go to Kent State yet. Nevertheless, they sent Amy Wilkins out to talk to us. I sat mortified in the corner while my mom asked question after question. I thought I’d never live it down.

When I did commit to Kent State and attended Destination Kent State, Amy was the advisor who helped me schedule for my classes. Much to my horror, she remembered me because I came in with my mom earlier that year. I think she must have known how embarrassed I was about being the “kid who came in with mommy,” so she joked about it with me to put me at ease. To this day, she still asks me how my mom is doing, and all I can do is smile and roll my eyes at the memory.

There tends to be a malevolent rumor that runs around college campuses concerning advisors. A lot of people don’t trust in the advice they are given in regards to classes and scheduling because they’ve heard through the grapevine about an advisor who gave incorrect information. Those people are missing out on an incredibly valuable resource.

The cool thing about CCI advising is that it’s decentralized. Instead of everyone in the college going to a handful of advisors who know a little bit about each major, students turn to advisors located directly in their school with knowledge about their specific programs. For example, Amy Wilkens is an advisor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Her office is in Franklin Hall, and she knows about every single one of the JMC majors and minors. If I was a VCD student, I would go see Vince Giles in the Art building. If I was a COMM student, I would go see Lorie Hopp in Taylor Hall.

After working with them all summer during Destination Kent State, I can honestly say CCI advisors are the coolest advisors on campus. Who else would lip sync and play air guitar to “Eye of the Tiger” in front a bunch of incoming freshmen and their parents? Who else would spend a half hour with a student just scrolling through and printing out Photoshopped images of Coney from Collegefest 2012? They really care about connecting with the students.

Make sure you take advantage of the services they provide! Schedule an advising appointment today!

My Best Decision: Getting Involved

by Meghan Caprez

The best decision I made my freshman year was getting involved in campus groups and activities, specifically in the College of Communication and Information. I know that seems ridiculous; of all the decisions I must have made my freshman year, I chose that one to highlight. But it’s true!

In order for an organization to excel at what it does, it must have a communications practitioner. This universal truth is especially poignant at the beginning of each school year when student organizations are trying to coerce under and upperclassmen alike to become active members of their groups.

CCI majors have a distinct advantage when it comes to joining groups they’re passionate about, even if the organization is outside the college. They have communication skills. Those skills can be utilized by the group to generate awareness in the Kent community, promote membership and much, much more.

Whether you get involved in TV2 or the Bollywood dance group, PRIDE! or intramural broomball, the group needs someone to handle social media, flyer design and even chalking across campus. Because you are a CCI major, you will always have the opportunity to enhance your resume if you choose to take on the role of communicator in an organization.

My freshman year I decided to get involved in Kent’s chapter of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). Later, I also became a part of the TV2 marketing team. Both of these activities allowed me to network with professionals in the communications field and practice what I’m going to do for the rest of my life as a PR practitioner. I also had a really great time getting to know some of my fellow students and, occasionally, I got a free meal out of it, too.

PRSSA and TV2 are just two of the many activities offered under the umbrella of CCI. Students can have their own radio shows on Black Squirrel Radio, write or take pictures for one of more than 10 media outlets, or join other professional organizations like AAF or AIGA. There are even a few companies that are run by the university that hire Kent students for their work such as Teleproductions, The Tannery and Glyphix.

My advice? Don’t wait until you’re an upperclassman to start getting involved. The sooner you get involved, the more you’re going to learn from advisors, professionals and other students associated with that organization. Do it now!

Here’s how you can get involved in some CCI organizations:

TV2 news talent audition: August 29 6:30-11 p.m.

TV2 entertainment audition: August 29 1-5:30 p.m.

TV2 tech sign-up: August 28 and August 30 from 5-9 p.m.

Black Squirrel Radio auditions: September 3 from 2-5 p.m. and September 4 from 5-8 p.m.

For any student publication, email the appropriate student leader:

a – Emily Inverso (einverso@kent.edu)

Burr – Leighann McGivern (lmcgive2@kent.edu)

Daily Kent Stater – Emily Inverso (einverso@kent.edu)

Fusion – Jackie Bergeron (jberge11@kent.edu)

Kentwired.com – Rebecca Reis (rreis@kent.edu)

KSUBuzz.com – Rachel Kilroy (rkilroy6@gmail.com)

Luna Negra – Zachary Lutz (zlutz@kent.edu)

Uhuru – Oziengbe Ikuenobe (oikuenob@kent.edu)

VCD Grad Continues Senior Project After Graduation

By: Emily Horne

Renee Volchko, a December 2011 B.F.A. graduate from Kent State University’s  School of Visual Communication Design (VCD) is continuing her senior project, even after graduation. Volchko’s 2-D concentration with a minor in Web design and programming has gone to good use as she continues to tweak her project for use by the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring organization.

Volchko’s final project consists of three “ad spots” or roughly 30-second videos. In order to create these videos, she interviewed many different kids. From her 25-30 minutes of footage from each kid, she narrowed it down to about 30 seconds for each video.

She says she chose to work with Big Brothers Big Sisters because family has always been important to her, as she has a sister eight years her junior. “I think that everyone deserves to have a sibling relationship,” she said. She also said she believes there is something special about having someone like that in your life.

One of Volchko’s biggest challenges with completing this project was adhering to a strict schedule. Between utilizing a green screen, rendering, animating, filming, setting up lights, and making sure each of the small technicalities were in place, it was a challenge to balance that with executing an overall message to her chosen audience.

“It was such an accomplishment, not only for me to get it done, but to get it done with success,” she said. She began thinking about this project in May 2011 and began executing it in October. She says there was “a lot of thinking and planning” before she began tackling the actual project.

After contacting the Big Brothers Big Sisters headquarters in Philadelphia to show the executives her project, she got in contact with the art director. The organization is now in the process of integrating its logo and an existing slogan into the project so it can be viewed by the public. Volchko said she hopes Big Brothers Big Sisters will use the spots as viral videos or ads on its Youtube channel and website.

“Completing this project gave me a little bit more confidence in my abilities,” Volchko said. She went on to say that receiving responses and praise from people who have viewed her work is a great reward.

A self-proclaimed driven and inspired designer, Volchko said she finds inspiration very easily and very quickly. “Graphic design has been my way to communicate with people,” she said “art is a language everybody speaks.” Volchko said that she has her heart set on “making something happen someday.”

Volchko recently coded and launched a new personal website to showcase her work. View it at www.hellorenee.com.

Farewell CCI

I can remember writing my welcome blog post almost a year ago, and now as I sit and write my farewell the irony seems bittersweet.  This past year at CCI has been the best work experience ever! When I started out here as Practicum student I wasn’t expecting to spend the next semester as a Marketing Assistant and even to come back this past spring semester after graduating in December.

My position here at CCI allowed me to work on a lot of fantastic projects, the coolest being the premiere for Research: The Musical. I served as the head of the movie’s marketing and PR team, which allowed me to gain hand’s on experience in planning a major art’s event like the movie premiere. This project also helped me figure out my career goals.

When I first came to CCI, I had plans on being a journalist. See blog post. However I soon realized that my love of writing would go perfectly with my love for the arts. In other words I decided that I wanted to work on the communications side of the entertainment industry. My ultimate goal would be to start my own arts non-profit for children from low-income families. I believe talent should be nurtured no matter what your financial circumstances are. I plan to work towards this goal by obtaining my Master’s from Akron University in Arts Administration in the fall and continuing to do post-graduate internships within the arts and media industry throughout Norteast Ohio.

Working with the CCI staff truly changed my life. I would recommend to anyone who has the oppurtunity to work here to make your experince count by getting to know the people you’re working with and tailoring your projects to fit your future career plans.

Britany Ruby has been a Marketing Assistant for the College of Communication and Information from May 2011-May 2012 . She graduated with her BA in Communication Studies in December 2011 and will be pursuing her Master’s in Arts Administration beginning Fall 2012.

VCD Graduate Specializes in Clothing and Décor for Children

By Emily Horne

Alex Rodgers

Alex Rodgers, a December 2009 graduate from Kent State University’s Visual Communication Design program, is now a successful business owner, specializing in printing trendy and affordable clothing and décor for children. His company, Lil’ Burritos, is a Northeast Ohio based design boutique that both sells items online and in a few specialty shops in the Cleveland and Columbus areas.

While Rodgers may not have always aspired to start his own business, he did always want the opportunity to work for himself. He began Lil’ Burritos in October of 2010 with his girlfriend Stephanie Rericha, also a Kent State graduate. At the time, Rodgers was working part-time at the American Greetings World Headquarters in Cleveland but unsure if it would result in a full-time position so he decided to start his own “passion project.” Now he works full-time with both companies.

The business stemmed from Rodgers’ passion “for creating cute, whimsical illustrations” and Rericha’s knowledge of kid culture. Though it started as a hobby, the business has turned into so much more and Rodgers says he couldn’t be happier with the result.

The name of the company was inspired by a term of the same name used to describe newborn babies as they were swaddled. Late in the planning stages, however, he had what he calls a “eureka moment” and decided to wrap the onesies in foil, like burritos. He says both he and Rericha have “an unhealthy love of Mexican food” and continued to say that the name fits on multiple levels.

The company began with onesies but has grown to include prints, tote bags, and night-lights, in addition to some adult shirts in their line of Big Burritos and dog shirts in their Doggie Burritos line. Most of the products fit into one of three categories: Regional Pride, Lil’ Animals, and their Swell Series. With Rodgers and Rericha both being from the Stow/Kent area, they admit to having an attachment to Northeast Ohio. Rodgers says the regional items seem to be most popular and are sold to many customers outside of the state.

Lil’ Burritos has grown into something Rodgers and Rericha never anticipated but they are still just a two person team. They love watching it grow and are simply along for the ride.

Look for Lil’ Burritos at the Kent Heritage Festival and Kent’s Art In The Park festivals this summer. For more information on Lil’ Burritos or how to purchase products, visit the Web site at www.LilBurritos.com.

Inspire: A Summer Creative Camp for High School Students

By Emily Horne

Jillian Coorey and Gretchen Rinnert, both Assistant Professors in the School of Visual Communication Design (VCD), have developed a summer creative camp called Inspire that will take place this summer. The day camp is for students who have completed their freshman year of high school, are between the ages of 14 and 19, and have an interest in design, photography, illustration, and creative thinking. There is no requirement of previous experience, transcripts, or a portfolio to attend this program.

Gretchen Rinnert

Taking place the last week in July from Monday through Friday, this camp will provide students with an overview of graphic design disciplines such as 2-D print, 3-D print, image making, motion, and interaction. With covering a different discipline each day, Coorey said they want to keep each session fresh and exciting for the students.

The idea for this camp has been in the making since 2009 when Rinnert began planning it with a former faculty member, but since this past summer, the planning has been in full swing. Coorey and Rinnert have high hopes for the success of this program. With only a handful of similar design camps in the country and nothing similar in the area, the directors hope this camp will become an annual event, eventually turning into an overnight camp with multiple sessions in order to reach out to more than just the local community.

Not only will students in attendance be able to either add to their portfolios or begin creating one, they will also be able to learn about careers in the field.

“So many students come to college and change majors,” Rinnert said, “the earlier students can learn about programs, it’s such an advantage for them.”

Jillian Coorey

Coorey added that the camp will act as both an introduction to the field and serve as a college experience for the students.

“Some people don’t understand the impact that graphic design has,” she said. “The term ‘design’ is an umbrella for so many things.” Rinnert added that the term design is “so overused.”

In addition to the knowledge students will gain, Coorey and Rinnert want to begin creating a community that involves high school students and VCD students and faculty. Helping with the camp is “a great tool for our grad students” as they will lend a hand during the workshops, said Coorey.

For more information on camp details, how to donate or sponsor students, or to register for the program, high school students should download an application on inspirecamp.com. Applications are due March 1, 2012 and are on a first-come first-served basis.

It’s Never Too Late to Spread Your Wings & Get Involved On Campus

By Britany Ruby

It’s less than a month into another busy spring semester. And while  a lot of people would want to hibernate until the sun comes back out, a select few of you will use this semester as a chance to get involved on campus. Whether you’re in the market for some new friends, community service hours, a resume booster, or fine tuning an old hobby, Kent State University has the organization or club that fits your needs.

1. Greek Life: Greek life is not just paying for friends as some people would say. As a member of a sorority myself, I see it as an opportunity to become a part of a sisterhood or brotherhood. It gives you the opportunity to serve your community while building lifelong friends and becoming a better person. Check out Kent’s Greek Life page to learn more.

2. Join a Special Interest Group: What better way to bond with new friends than through a shared hobby? You can join a fashion club like Modista, a film club, and even a bicycle club. Check out this special interest list for more options.

3. Serve the Community: While almost every student organization on campus does some kind of community service project, there are organizations on campus that were created solely to serve the community. You can join an organization that’s specific to KSU, such as Kent Student Ambassadors or participate in national service projects with groups like Habitat for Humanity.  Check out CSI’s service organizations list for more opportunities.

4. Build your Resume:  Getting involved on campus is the best way to build your resume and network. It’s important to gain professional experience and meet people within your major who could be your future colleagues. The College of Communication and Information offers many organizations for its students to join. Communication majors can join the Kent Communication Society. Journalism students have numerous options like PRSSA, AAF Kent and various student media outlets. VCD students also have several professional societies and companies like Glyphix.

Getting involved outside of the classroom allows students to make lifelong friends. Take the time to explore interests outside of academics and you might be surprised how many organizations catch your interest. It’s ok to join a organization just to meet people with similar interests. You’ll find that you may also be able to do other things like serving your community or find a new hobby while making new friends. To find a organization or club that fits your needs, check out Kent’s student life page.

Britany is a marketing assistant for the College of Communication and Information.