Professor Henry to chair international festival of media arts
Congratulations to SJMC professor Sandy Henry, who this weekend was named chair of the Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts for a three-year term beginning in 2021. She will be “chair in training” during the 2020 convention.
The Festival is an international digital media and broadcast competition encompassing 17 faculty and student competitions. Last year, the Festival received more that 1,500 entries from more than 300 schools, awarding 295 entries – including 15 Best of Festival awards worth $15,000 in prize money.
Henry has been an active in the Festival for years, serving in leadership roles in organizing and judging the competition. She teaches creative advertising, visual communication and design, digital media production and senior capstones in the Drake SJMC. Henry came to academia after a career in advertising, marketing and communication, and digital media production. To be named chair of the BEA competition is wonderful recognition by her professional peers.
SJMC networking coffee
Interested in agency work or simply making professional connections in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area? SJMC alum Rose McKinney, JO’87, founder and CEO of Pineapple RM, a Minneapolis-based agency, will be our guest at a SJMC networking coffee on Friday, Nov. 22 at 10-11 a.m. at the Olmsted Starbucks. Drop in for casual conversation, career tips, internship leads and more. Look for the table with SJMC Internship Coordinator Carlyn Crowe, who will host.
Enjoy International Education Week
The University is celebrating International Education Week, Nov. 18-23. Events include opportunities to sample cuisine from around the world; learn about post-graduate Fulbright scholarships and international careers; explore study abroad options and other ways to expand your multicultural perspective, and meet with representatives from Drake’s partner institutions overseas. See https://calendar.drake.edu/ieweek#tabs-15083-31884577412143 for details on events.
Video class needs your help “breaking the news”
The SJMC class JMC 63 Video for Journalists needs your help with their entry in the Broadcast News Association’s Break the News competition. Help the students create their newscast, “Studio 63: Our Coverage, Your Choice.” Use your voice to decide the stories you see! More information and a survey coming soon on Twitter and Instagram.
Alums, send in your SJMC Stories
As part of the SJMC’s centennial celebration, we are encouraging alums to share their “SJMC Stories.” See https://drakesjmc100.com/sjmc-stories/ for what we have so far. If you would like to be involved with this project, email kathleen.richardson@drake.edu. Better yet, just shoot a video telling us about your memories of the Drake SJMC and send that our way. We’ll also accept written memories to post.
Orientation leaders needed for next year
Want to help welcome new students to Drake University? Want to get involved? Want an on-campus job this summer? Consider becoming an orientation leader.
Orientation leaders are dedicated to providing incoming students and their families with all of the information and resources necessary to ensure their transition to Drake is a smooth and enjoyable one.
Orientation leaders play a vital role in this process, working closely with new students and their families on a wide variety of topics including academics, student involvement, housing options and more.
There will be two information sessions about this position:
- Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, 1 p.m., Olmsted TMR 132
- Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020, 6 p.m., Olmsted TMR 132
You will be compensated for your time and effort and gain valuable skills in this position.
Please visit http://www.drake.edu/orientation/orientationleaders/ to learn more about the position, but if you have any questions, feel free to contact Marina Verlengia at marina.verlengia@drake.edu.
SJMC alum to interview Megan Rapinoe for Bucksbaum Lecture
Jill Farmer, JO’91, a professional training consultant and coach and former broadcast anchor, will interview U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe during the Bucksbaum Lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Rapinoe and Farmer will conduct a Q&A and involve the audience during the event, which will begin at 7 p.m. in the Knapp Center. Doors open at 5 p.m. A record crowd is expected, and remote viewing will be offered in the Bell Center and online: https://www.facebook.com/DrakeUniversity/http://live.drake.edu/
More information about summer travel seminar
Professor Snider hosts social media workshop
Associate Professor Chris Snider will host a Des Moines social media workshop on Dec. 17 at Drake University. The workshop is designed for people who run social media accounts for a company or organization and want to build a strategy to better succeed on social media in 2020. Get more details and sign up here.
Fulbright offers scholarship for study program in Berlin
Operated by the German-American Fulbright Commission, the Berlin Capital Program (May 23-30, 2020) invites young U.S. journalists and students of journalism to Germany. The weeklong seminar allows them to take a closer look at the German media landscape and gain a deeper awareness of the political, economic and cultural environment in Germany and Europe. Its goals are to promote a better understanding of transatlantic issues, expand the journalists´ professional perspectives and networks, and help them better “translate” the news on this side of the Atlantic. The program is conducted in English and is fully funded through the Fulbright Commission.
The award benefits cover program costs, including round-trip transportation between the U.S. and Germany, hotel accommodation, some meals, local transportation and health insurance coverage during the seminar.
As 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of German reunification, this year’s Berlin Capital Program explores the role of the media in nurturing democracy. The points for discussion with media professionals include:
- How do the media impact political decision-making processes in Germany, and what role did they play in the reunification process in and after 1990?
- What transformations has the German media landscape undergone in the last 30 years?
- How do these transformations affect the role of journalists and public discourse?
- What skills/competencies do citizens need today in dealing with media?
The program will explore the Germans´ state of mind 30 years after reunification and investigate the many ways in which the city of Berlin has changed in its role as Germany’s capital.
Participants will also learn about and discuss continuing changes within the European Union and their impact on Germany.
For the first time this year, the Berlin Capital Program will feature a three-workday (five overnights) extension (May 30-June 4, 2020) for a limited number of participants. It allows additional time to follow up on meetings from the program week, conduct independent research, and further take advantage of the Fulbright experience.
To be eligible for the program, an applicant must
- be a U.S. young professional journalist, currently employed by U.S. media in the U.S., with fewer than 5 years of work experience in the field;
- or a Master’s student in the field of journalism or communications at a U.S. university;
- or a graduating senior in the field of journalism or communications at a U.S. university;
- demonstrate relevant background and professional interests;
- be U.S. citizens – dual citizenship holders with German citizenship are not eligible;
- permanently reside in the U.S. and have a valid U.S. passport.
The full program description and application documents can be accessed at Fulbright website and shared from Facebook post.
Applications are welcome until Jan. 8, 2020.
Questions? Contact Jamie Moore, (specialprograms@fulbright.de).
Broadcast scholarships available
The Radio Television Digital News Foundation’s scholarship program aims to enable students to pursue their passion for the critical public service that is journalism. RTDNF also offers fellowship opportunities for recent graduates and new professional journalists with fewer than 10 years of experience.
Nine scholarships for journalism students and four fellowships for new professionals are available. Explore all of the RTDNF award opportunities here. Applications will be accepted through Friday, Jan. 17.
Enter Iowa Motion Picture Association Awards
The Iowa Motion Picture Association is accepting entries to the 29th Annual Iowa Motion Picture Association Awards. There are many ways you can get involved in this year’s Gala Awards Presentation:
- Submit your film by visiting The IMPA Website or directly on FilmFreeway.
- Become a member for discounted membership fees here.
- Volunteer to help. Send an email to Michael@thespeedofplot.com if you would like to volunteer behind the scenes, help plan the awards show or be a part of the show.
- Make plans to attend the awards show. The 2019 Iowa Motion Picture Awards will be on April 4, 2020, at The Bridge View Center in Ottumwa, Iowa. Watch the IMPA website at ,http://www.impa.tv for ticket information.
The Iowa Motion Picture Association is excited for another opportunity to celebrate Iowa film and to award filmmakers with either The Award of Excellence (The Iowa Motion Picture Association’s most prestigious award) or The Award of Achievement to recognize tremendous efforts and respectable achievements as they contribute to the advancement of film in Iowa.
If you have any questions as you begin your submission process (or decide to volunteer for the show) please reach out to Michael Helgens at Michael@thespeedofplot.com or by phone at 319-821-0682.
Take campus climate survey
The campus climate survey will be open through Tuesday, Nov. 26. All faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to participate in this year’s campus climate assessment by taking a survey that asks you to anonymously share your experiences surrounding inclusion at Drake. Your participation is vital to help us continue to improve our equity and inclusion work. Learn more by visiting the DU What Matters website.
Have a news item for the Memo?
The SJMC Monday Memo is a weekly newsletter to keep members of the wider SJMC community updated on School news, achievements, events and opportunities. If you have an item for the Memo, please send it to Dean Kathleen Richardson (kathleen.richardson@drake.edu) or SJMC webmaster and multimedia professor Chris Snider (christopher.snider@drake.edu). SJMC alums and other professionals can also contact Chris to have the Memo delivered via weekly email.
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication strives to create a community of scholars that represents the complexity of the human experience in regards to race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, economic status, political views, gender identification, religion, age and physical abilities. We are committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all our faculty, staff, students and visitors, and celebrating our differences through the lens of the First Amendment value of freedom of expression.