Opportunity for Excellence

Students invited to submit media work

The Ohio University chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has been given the opportunity to submit entries to the Mark of Excellence awards free of charge. Each student who is an SPJ member can submit two entries of their work and they will be reimbursed by the JSchool for the entry fee.

The Mark of Excellence awards are given annually by SPJ’s national chapter to honor the best in student journalism. The awards offer categories for print, radio, television and online collegiate media. Entries are first judged at the regional level. Next, first place regional winners advance to the national competition and are recognized at the SPJ spring conferences.

Mark of Excellence submissions are due January 25, by midnight. This is the first year that the JSchool is paying these fees. OU SPJ President Taylor Mirfendereski brought this to attention.

“Every year we never have a turnout of entries like we should with how nationally known our program is,” said Mirfendereski. “SPJ always has winners every year and we understand that money is an issue for college students. So by being allowed to have two entries paid for, students are given a tangible benefit.”

Scripps Alumna Shares Tips for Time Management

When it comes to being successful, time management is a key component.  Jill Del Greco, an OU Scripps alumna, is an expert at time management and meeting pressure deadlines everyday at her job.

She has been working at the WHIO news station in Dayton as the crime and courts reporter for the past five years.  The members of the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) skyped with Del Greco this past Wednesday evening to get an idea of what deadline reporting is all about.

As Del Greco began to describe an average 10-hour shift at the newsroom, many RTDNA students were in awe of all she manages to get done.  She even jokes that when she wakes up in the morning she “gets ready in front of my computer.”  She is constantly checking on the news beats and following up on old stories as well.

Free Food or Free Life?

Kenneth McNulty, Reporter

The First Amendment Free Food Festival, hosted by the Society of Professional Journalists, gave Ohio University students and members the Athens community a chance to experience an unusual scenario last Friday at the Howard Hall Site.

After symbolically signing away their First Amendment rights, festival attendees were given free food. However, if these surrendered rights were abused, the  “goons”, enforcers of the new law on the festival’s grounds, escorted the attendees who failed to comply off the premises.

The motive behind this event was to emphasize the importance of the First Amendment rights.

“We’re trying to spread awareness of what the First Amendment is,” Planning Chair for OU SPJ Sandhya Kambhampati said.

Kambhampati believes that many people in our country do not fully know or appreciate what the First Amendment does for us.

“It’s something you don’t really think about, but take for granted,” Kambhampati said.

Being a national organization, SPJ events in smaller chapters such as OU’s can help spread the message to multiple locations.

“It’s [the festival] a national event and held at a lot of other campuses,” said Taylor Mirfendereski, President of the Ohio University SPJ chapter. “We were lucky enough to have that foundation; it wasn’t our idea from the start”.

Mirfendereski helped organize the festival and was one of the “goons” who enforced the First Amendment restrictions and rules during the event.

Upon entering the festival, attendees were given passports to symbolize their entrance into a new country along with a list of “commandments” to abide by. These commandments included, but were not limited to, no speaking in line or to members of the opposite sex, dress code restrictions and a requirement for members of the press to be supervised at all times.

Some participants had difficulty adjusting to these rules.

“I mean, I understood what I had to do, but it was kind of hard being with your friends and not being able to talk to them,” OU student Ariel Stiggers said.

Overall, the event helped students and members of the Athens community see just what the First Amendment rights entail and how lucky Americans are to have these rights.

“Even in a free country, you will always have different interpretations of the First Amendment and there are people who don’t necessarily follow it, but when you compare that to other countries,” Mirfendereski said, “…I am grateful for what we have.”

 

 

National News Correspondent Talks Tragedy and Truth

Holly Moody, Reporter

There is some news coverage we will never forget.

While many Americans experienced the tragic events of the September 11 terrorist attacks through their television screens at home, CBS chief national news correspondent and 60 Minutes contributor, Byron Pitts, was on ground zero gathering the facts of a story that told how thousands lost their lives.

Last Tuesday, Pitts discussed his experiences with covering world tragedies and the importance of reporting the truth with Ohio University’s Society of Professional Journalists members via Skype.

Specifically, Pitts shared details about his Emmy award  winning 9/11  coverage and what went through his mind  on that day.

Having just basic information prior to arriving at the  scene, Pitts said he  was unsure about what to expect and  unaware that this incident was a    terrorist attack on the  U.S until later that day. He began taking notes, with  the  assumption that people would make it out of the building  safely.

“We saw what looked like a giant white piece of paper  floating to the ground,” said Pitts. “We realized it was a  woman in a dress”.

From 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina, human death isn’t an unfamiliar sight to Pitts. Over the course of witnessing 47 deaths in his career thus far, Pitts has become used to watching tragedies occur right before his eyes.

While many may think that Pitts would become emotional in these traumatic moments, he says he does not let his feelings come between him and the story.

“Journalists much reach a balance,” said SPJ president Taylor Mirfendereski.

Pitts aims to always report the truth and humanize his stories, so that viewers can identify with them in some way. He said that humanizing stories makes the American audience appreciate traumatic situations and creates a deeper impact.

“He inspires me to do things like that,” said Broadcast Journalism major Brianna DiPilato, “—reporting hard news that informs and effects people.”

Pitts’ experiences with reporting have not only taken place on American soil. He has traveled across the world, reporting on natural disasters such as the earthquake in Haiti and has been recognized for his work under fire in Baghdad.

He also gave advice about the balance between showing the reality of situations and showing respect in other countries.

“Be careful and listen, don’t pretend to know what others’ lives are like,” said Pitts.

Many students that sat in on Pitts’ discussion identified with his goals as a journalist and what he thinks the foundations of reporting are. In turn, Pitts identified with students as he spoke about working his way up in the journalism industry.

“It’s called making your bones at CBS,” said Pitts. “You have to do certain things to be seen a certain way.”

Today, Pitts continues to report for CBS globally while staying true to the foundation of journalism.

“Honor the truth, that’s my job,” said Pitts.

SPJ to hold journalism toolbox discussion

Holly Moody, Reporter

Ohio University’s Society of Professional Journalists will be discussing various online journalism tools and resources in order to help students further their journalism careers on Tuesday, October 4 at 5 p.m. in Scripps 111.

Students will be able to gain insight on tools such as Poynter.org, an informational journalism website with the latest in journalism news, events, training, and how-to’s on news gathering, using social media, and more.

“We realize that there are not always chances for students to learn everything about the journalism profession and how to further their careers,” said Mirfendereski.

In addition, students will be shown resources via websites on how to shoot video, use photo shop and other journalism technologies.

“People want to learn these tools but sometimes can’t find the time because of classes,”said Mifendereski.

The event is open to all students and majors.

Resumes are InDesign

Kenneth McNulty, Reporter

On Tuesday, September 27 ,the Society of Professional Journalists will be hosting an InDesign workshop from 5-7 pm in the 002 Mac lab of Scripps Hall.

Sarah Grothjan, Publicity Chair for SPJ organized the event to help out journalism students who may not know what InDesign is or how to use it.

“We felt that it was important that people could get skill sets at these meetings that they can’t necessarily get in the classroom unless they take courses within the school of visual communication,” said Grothjan.

Grothjan said she wanted to hold this workshop to help journalism students of all fields.

InDesign is an ever-growing tool in the journalistic field and Grothjan sees the program as vital for students to be comfortable with early on.

Grothjan will be teaching students how to use InDesign and will specifically go through how to make a resume using the program. She wants the students to not only be able to use InDesign comfortably after the session, but also to come out with something to prove what they have learned.

President of SPJ, Taylor Mirfendereski said,  “We just wanted to benefit our members however possible, so it was kind of like a two birds with one stone kind of deal.”

Mirfendereski sees these events as a very beneficial force in helping students get a more in depth overview of the software, which are skills they may not be able to fully encompass during their classes.

“Really whatever programs our members are eager to learn, we will find a way to make it happen,” said Mirfendereski.

SPJ encourages students who may need help with learning the mechanics of the InDesign software, or just want a head start on their resume design, to come to Scripps 002 this Tuesday and leave with the skills and materials desired.

 

An experienced SPJ executive board to focus on meeting recruitment

Alex Felser, Reporter

Last year’s nationally top-ranked Society of Professional Journalists chapter has one big focus in the upcoming year: involvement.

The newly elected executive board held their first meeting together last week and are “focusing on recruiting new members for next year,” said Junior Taylor Mirfendereski, next year’s Chapter President.

Mirfendereski, along with the rest of the executive board, has been involved with SPJ since her freshman year.

“I’ve invested so much and saw it grow throughout the years. I wanted to help and represent the organization,” Mirfendereski said.

SPJ has been one of the most important organizations to Mirfendereski, who has been Vice President the previous two years. This encouraged her to help SPJ continue to grow and stay involved, she said.

Mirfendereski is also excited about the new executive board. Each person brings their own strengths and diversity that helps a lot in event planning.

Freshman Sandhya Kambhampati, next year’s co-programming chair, enjoyed planning different meetings and organizing events for the chapter as one of this year’s freshman liaisons, which motivated her to run for an executive position.

“It’s a good organization to get involved with and next year I will get to help plan meetings for future freshman and members,” Kambhampati said.

SPJ’s biggest event this past year was the Sunshine Summit, which brought together students from all over Ohio to Ohio University to discuss press freedom issues confronting student journalists.

“We want people to realize we do these events,” Mirfendereski said.

As far as for the events, “we would like to increase attendance,” said junior Emma Morehart, next year’s vice president.

Morehart, who has been treasurer the past two years, feels she has a lot of experience on how the executive board works and looks forward to working with Mirfendereski next year, despite having an internship fall quarter.

Sophomore Sarah Grothjan, who will be next year’s publicity chair, hopes to inform students about SPJ and the resources it offers.

“My goal for next year is to simple spread the word about our chapter,” she said.

“It’s a great organization for anyone who wants to learn more and keep up on the facts in our field,” said junior Gina Mussio, next year’s secretary.

“I want people to look forward to our meetings each week. I have gotten so much out of them, and I’d love other students to as well,” Grothjan said.

“Every year we continue to grow,” Mirfendereski said.

SPJ to host 60 Minutes producer on in-depth reporting

Story // Nicole Spears, Reporter

The SPJ event this week presents Ohio University students with a rare opportunity. The event, covering in-depth news reporting, will center on a Skype interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes producer, Robert Anderson.

This distinguished guest speaker has worked with 60 Minutes for 20 years, serving as a producer for both Mike Wallace and Scott Pelly. Throughout his time at CBS, he has produced more stories than any other producer in the broadcast field, worldwide. In addition to these accomplishments, he is also a Yale graduate and a multiple-time Emmy winner.

SPJ hoped to switch things up with this event. For journalism students who find they are more prepared to deliver breaking news, this event will offer an opportunity to learn about a different side of the industry. While the challenges of breaking news may include fast deadlines, the form of in-depth coverage produced by 60 minutes requires a type of detailed reporting that may be unfamiliar to students.

“We’ve always talked about breaking or fast paced news coverage,” said SPJ’s vice president, Taylor Mirfendereski. “But not in-depth (reporting).”

The Skype interview will be moderated as a discussion, providing SPJ members and attendees the chance to join in with questions or commets. The event will serve as an opportunity to speak with a high-caliber professional in the in-depth news industry.

The discussion will cover Anderson’s time at CBS, as well as questions about in-depth news in general. SPJ is interested in finding out more about Anderson’s path to the notable position he currently holds.

Anderson will also be asked to share his views on the future of the news industry. Another interesting topic of discussion will be the inside operations of 60 minutes.

Although in-depth news may be a smaller portion of the news industry, students can gain valuable experience by being well-versed in it. While breaking news entails working with a shorter deadline, in-depth coverage can teach journalists to be more thorough and detail-oriented.

“We want to open some eyes about what else is out there,” Mirfenderski said about the SPJ event.

The event takes place tonight at 5 p.m. in Scripps 111.

Outstanding Seniors talk achievement

Story // Mat Roberts, Reporter

On Tuesday, May 10th, Ohio University’s Society of Professional Journalists held their annual elections followed by a springtime ice cream social and movie event. The elections for new positions began at 5 P.M and included opening slots for president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, pub- licity chair and co-programming chairs.

Following the elections, SPJ decided to wind down and relax with ice cream and a movie. Students met in Scripps 116 for a viewing of the film Morning Glory.

“The social went great, [and] we enjoyed four different types of ice cream. People came and went as they pleased, but overall I think it was a nice way to unwind after elections and have fun with our members,” said Gina Mussio, SPJ secretary.

Today, SPJ will be featuring the recently announced Outstanding Seniors of 2011 to speak as a panel to SPJ members. The Outstanding Seniors, who were announced at the Scripps Awards Banquet last Wednesday, include Jennifer Bak (Advertising), Will Tapper (Broadcast), Sarah Holt (Carr Van Anda), Savannah Aepli (Honors Tutorial College), Natalie Knoth (Magazine), Erich Hiner (News Editorial), Alyse Kordenbrock (Online), Devin Hughes (Public Relations), and the Overall Outstanding Senior, Evan Millward. SPJ will host these nine seniors today at 5 P.M in Scripps 111. It will serve as a great opportunity for students to ask the seniors what they have accomplished and to understand the process of how they were able to achieve their newly gained title.

“Overall, this event, which occurs almost every year, should be very beneficial to all of SPJ’s members,” said Taylor Mirfendereski, vice president of SPJ.

For those who dare, SPJ will also be leading the First Amendment Free Food Festival co-sponsored by College Media Advisors and the Society of Professional Journalists.

The event will be held Friday, May 20th, from 1-4 P.M. Free lunch will be awarded to all of those who attend, but there is a catch. Students and staff who participate will symbolically sign off their First Amendment rights and receive a “passport,” listing the rights they have relinquished.

“The event is open to all students, not just journalists, and is a prime way of advocating 1st amendment rights and showing people how it can be taken for granted,” Mirfenderski said.

While waiting in line for food, students carrying on with their normal 1st amendment rights of speech and religion will be halted by the “goon squad” who are determined to enforce the new laws and take away the students’ right of assembly. In SPJ terms, this means the students will be denied the right to sit with friends while delighting in their free food. So far, this type of event has taken place at Pacific Lutheran University, University of Baltimore, University of Miami, Florida Atlantic University and Grand Rapids Community campus.

“Students will be able to think twice about countries that don’t have these rights and how journalists keep fighting for our current first amendment rights,” Mirfendereski said. “We hope it will be a good turnout and become an unique eye-opening experience.”

A Lot of Work Earns a Little Play

Nicole Spears, Reporter

Everyone’s favorite things about kindergarten were learning their ABC’s, counting to 100, and drilling addition fact cards—right? I think not. For those of us who enjoyed the elementary school days, it was most likely the friends we met in class. We lived for recess, craft time, and the occasional field trip to the local petting zoo, because that was when we could socialize and be ourselves. Now, a decade and a half later, many of us feel the pressure to grow out of our child-like states and into more professional versions of ourselves.

One way that Scripps students gain this reputability in their field is by partaking in one of the many organizations offered on campus. Though students get down to a lot of hard work through these groups, there’s some fun to be had when the job is done. These social events let us revert to that kindergarten state of mind, showing our true colors and making new friends. The fun and friends made by becoming involved on campus is just another part of what makes college some of the best years of our lives.

What does your organization do for fun?

ACRN | All Campus Radio Network
“One of the first events we have this spring is our exec retreat, a chance to get together with the other executives in the department and the assistants and just celebrate the year so far. In mid-May, we usually have our $2 Prom dance party, which is a party at The Union where people dress up and we have a theme and Prom pictures. LobsterFest, our end of the year music fest, is also a social. It’s an incredibly involved event we put on for the community and the student body. It’s really another celebration for us to get to relax before the end of the school year, and we have our end of the year barbecue the next day.”
    Jacob Derr, ACRN General Manager

NCASC | National Communication Association Student Club
“NCASC has scheduled an array of events for Spring Quarter fun. At our meeting tonight, we prepared Easter baskets for professors. We will be having a litter pick up with our organization on campus, and we are planning to have a cookout on South Green.”
Hanna Menius, NCASC President

ImPRessions
“With ImPRessions, people can come into meetings and get really focused on the work itself, so it’s important for us to remind them to get to know people and socialize. Once a quarter, we have a big all-firm meeting, so that all our account members can come together and share the work they are doing with other members. We keep the tone fun and informal, and include silly awards or games to get the group chatting. Aside from professional benefits, many of my best friends in college are students who I met via ImPRessions.”
Devin Hughes, ImPRessions President

RTDNA | Radio Television Digital News Association
“RTDNA heavily emphasizes professional development, but we also like to have fun! In the past, we’ve played with dogs at the Athens County Dog Shelter,  held movie and ice-cream socials, and bonded over pizza at Courtside’s slice night. Because the weather is starting to get nice, we’re going to have a cookout at Strouds Run in a few weeks! We realize the importance of bonding with fellow student journalists on a personal level because we’ll likely be working in the same newsroom someday.”
Taylor Mirfendereski, RTDNA President

SPD | Society of Page Designers
“As a group of designers, SPD tries to think outside the box when it comes to springtime socials. We try to promote a positive image for our group with alcohol-free get togethers. This spring, we are planning to have a cookout at Stroud’s Run. Besides socials, SPD takes an annual trip to Columbus to visit The Columbus Dispatch and SBC Advertising.”
Marianne Simmons, SPD Secretary

SPJ | Society of Professional Journalists
“This quarter SPJ is planning a few socials to contribute to the spring quarter atmosphere and to thank our members for another great year in SPJ! We are showing ‘Morning Glory’ in the Scripps Amphitheater to members, journalism students or anyone who wants to join. We are also looking into having a social to finish out the quarter on a fun and positive note. We appreciate our members and want to provide a fun atmosphere to get together, talk, eat and say goodbye for the summer!”
Gina Mussio, SPJ Secretary

OUMS | Ohio University Multimedia Society
“We try to do at least one social event per quarter to get to know one another in a more casual setting. Last quarter we were able to have our website launch party at The Pigskin, and this quarter we are planning to have a cookout or potluck dinner. Major social events also include our trips to Chicago and New York City. Sometimes the best kind of bonding for an organization is experienced outside of Athens, Ohio.”
Annette Drapac, OUMS President

OU Advertising Association
“Advertising majors definitely have the most fun, so it’s not hard for us to get together and have a good time. In the spring we celebrate our Transitions social, a social celebrating the elections of new executive board members. We also have an annual Cinco de Mayo social, which also serves as a senior-send-off. Another tradition is the annual kickball game against PRSSA. We also go out after weekly meetings to Courtside’s Slice Night sometimes to get to know each other outside of the meetings. Having socials outside of meetings is a way to get to know the other members in a fun atmosphere. You definitely get to know them better than you would at the meetings.”
Stephanie Cesear, Ad Club Vice President