EF
Fall 2015
East Carolina University
C-CURRENT
The Newsletter for Alumni and Friends of the School of Communication
From ECU to NBC Connecticut by Danielle Henderson
In this issue: Dr. Brian Massey researches and publishes...
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Georgia advertising firm meets ECU alum... 3 From ECU to NBC Connecticut...
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PR grad finds real estate work in Charlotte... 5 Local job market...
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Update your record... 6 Comm Crew...
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“We [East Carolina University] Journalism was not the first thing aren’t particularly known for on her mind when she signed up for our journalism program,” said East Carolina University. Soccer was. Cordero. “Interning for WNCT Christiane Cordero left her home is one of the perks of attending in Los Angeles, California, and East Carolina University and I came over 2,600 miles to small town interned there for a couple of Greenville, North Carolina. That years and that’s where I got the was in 2009. For the next four years real-life experience I needed.” she played on After East Carolina’s graduation, women’s one of her soccer team. In colleagues addition, she from her rediscovered internship her interest in at CNN journalism. suggested Today, that she Cordero is an apply for investigative a news reporter for an internship NBC-owned where NBC TV Station assigns in Hartford, Cordero poses for her picture for NBC you to the Connecticut. Connecticut. [NBC] Today And, she Show or the said, she owes her career in part Nightly News. to the journalism faculty of East “I didn’t realize that for Carolina University’s School of application for that you were Communication. put in the mix for a bunch of “What I like about East Carolina other jobs,” said Cordero. [journalism program] is the One day Cordero received charisma,” Cordero said by phone a call from the NBC News from Hartford. Associates program, which is a During her time at East Carolina yearlong program that allows University, Cordero obtained an aspiring journalists to gain realinternship with the local news station life journalism experience and WNTC, which eventually led to a learn to hone their skills. bigger internship with CNN. continued on page 4... photo by WVIT-TV NBC Connecticut
Alumni special
Published professor does more than just teach
by Heather Bunn
Photo by Heather Bunn
Joyner East, a Quarterly in February 2015, communication/journalism has been peer-reviewed and major’s home at East Carolina returned as of September 2015. University, is also a place “Now I’m in the midst of where research is often underway by students and professors, such as journalist and professor, Dr. Brian Massey. One additional title you may not see on Massey’s credential list is “character,” which is one way ECU journalism student Ashley Boles likes to describe her teacher. “There is never a dull moment in his class,” Dr. Brian Massey types at his Ashley stated, while computer in Joyner East. still expressing that she has learned many useful making the changes suggested things from Massey. “He’s and when I finish I will resend an awesome teacher!” she it. The fact that they actually stressed. made edits and returned it to With a passion for getting me shows they like what they answers to questions that saw. It’s a good sign for me,” nobody else has asked or been said Massey, who added, “This successful in finding, Massey is what I do when I’m not is on the brink of having an grading papers or teaching.” article published in Journalism For the article, Massey & Mass Communication conducted a survey on Quarterly, a journal that independent Web news sites in is issued four times a year the summer of 2014. “Anyone by the Association for can make a [news] website Education in Journalism and today, but keeping it alive is the Mass Communication. This hard part,” said Massey. “True scholarly publication focuses entrepreneurship is having an on research in journalism and idea and really knowing what mass communication and is to do with it.” peer-reviewed, meaning blind He wanted a resourced reviewers critique the articles. based view of the firms, so Massey’s article, which he Massey sent a web survey first submitted to Journalism to over 500 independently-
owned news websites. Roughly 133 completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 58 percent. The survey shows the performance of these businesses depends on their resources. Advertising was revealed to be one of the most profitable resources with a revenue diversity score of 89 percent. In the article, Massey also explores both tangible and intangible resources within each independent news website and which is more effective for the survival of the business. “Say you can either go buy the nicest newest computer or laptop that is capable of doing lots of things and could help your business, or you can go to a seminar and actually learn how to do lots of things that could help your business,” said Massey, referring to tangible versus intangible sources. The tangible resource would be the new computer, while the seminar is the intangible one. Massey’s research and survey show that intangible resources are most related to these sites. Therefore, going to the seminar would be the best choice for these businesses. In addition to working on his own publications, Massey has teamed up with another communication professor, Dr. Cindy Elmore, working to bring newer diverse courses such as Entrepreneurial Journalism to the School of Communication.
Georgia advertising firm meets ECU alum by Ashley Federici
opportunities, such as The East Carolinian. “There’s nothing like experience. Your college degree only gets you so far,” said Dr. Hubbard. Photo by Ashley Federici
East Carolina University’s School of Communication alumna Katey Lezotte is currently an account coordinator at Robertson & Markowitz Public Relations and Advertising Inc. in Savannah, Georgia. Lezotte has held several jobs in the communications field since graduating in 2012 and says the knowledge and experiences she gained at ECU helped her reach success in her career today. “I think at ECU you get the most hands-on experience, the classes are small and the teachers Lezzote smiles for a picture with a are awesome,” said friend on graduation day. Lezotte. Lezotte attended North Lezotte spent her time at ECU Carolina State University focusing on journalism but her freshman year and was said she fell in love with public unsure what she wanted to relations after working her first pursue. Lezotte said she had internship at J Public Relations always enjoyed writing and in New York City. Lezotte said editing so when she saw she came across this internship that ECU had a journalism opportunity through her work program she transferred her for The East Carolinian, when sophomore year. Her love for she wrote an article about two writing led her to get involved former ECU Pirates who started with the student newspaper, the public relations company. The East Carolinian, where “I got that first internship she started as a writer and with a PR company and the worked her way up to editor. way that I met them was ECU’s School of initially writing about them Communication professor, through the paper. It was Dr. Glenn Hubbard, advises two former Pirates who had students to take advantage graduated and started their of the student media
own bi-coastal PR firm,” said Lezotte. Lezotte said having both journalism and public relations experience has been helpful in her work today. “The companies I’ve worked for usually have to do a little bit of everything so it was extremely helpful to have experience on both sides of the fence,” said Lezotte. The communications courses and teachers at ECU adequately prepared Lezotte for the future by giving her hands on, real world experience she said. Lezotte recalls working with Dr. Hubbard and a small group of students on a special project as one her favorite experiences. “We were doing a video for the university in a way that would’ve happened in real life. They ‘hired’ us, we worked with other people, and then presented the final project to the ‘client’,” said Lezotte. Dr. Hubbard said he feels that giving students these real world projects helps them to be more motivated knowing that there is a client or audience dependent on their work and that these projects also give students something to add to their portfolio. “It’s nice to know that you get a good grade but it’s even more rewarding to feel like you’ve done something that is real and benefiting more people,” said Dr. Hubbard. continued on page 7...
ECU to NBC Connecticut story continued from page 1
She was asked if she had any interest in moving to Hartford, Connecticut. Cordero said, “I was able to move here and get the bigger station or the bigger market experience as far as journalism [media] ethics. I was in a bigger market but I was still a small fish in a big market.” Cordero worked as news associate for about six months before two of her colleagues left. Their departure left an opening for an investigative reporter and she knew that was her chance. She said, “I went to executive producer and I told her that I’ve been doing this for six months
when my news director approached me and said, ‘You’re ready. You got the job, now go get the stories’.” Her first story as an investigative reporter is her most well known one; it is the story of Cassandra C., the Connecticut teenager who was forced to receive chemotherapy treatment. Soon after Cordero wrote the story, the Today Show contacted her and said that they were bringing in a crew and that they were going to follow the story as well. When the NBC Today Show contacted her, she had no idea what to do. She said, “Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it and that was one of those times.” This was her first major story and working with the NBC Today Show on this story was unlike anything she had ever done. Her success comes as no surprise to her East Carolina University journalism
“Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it and that was one of those times.” now and I applied for the job and I just wanted to let you know.” She and the executive producer both decided that she needed more on-air experience before she could take the position on the investigative reporting team. Cordero said, “From then on, I did about eight to 10 stories where I was basically proving myself to them. It was December of last year
professors. Brian Massey, an associate professor, said, “She came for advice. You didn’t have to get on her case and she got her work done. She was a great student.” When her contract is up in the year 2017, her goal is to go to a sister station in the Bay or Los Angeles area. She says, “I want to go be closer to home and they have the best investigative team in the Bay Area.”
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PR grad finds real estate work in Charlotte by Mackenzie Tewksbury
photo by Taylor Morrison Charlotte
While working for one and receiving her real estate freshman year in 2010 as of the largest home license, she decided to try out an intended nursing major, building companies in the sales. However, there is a lot but switched to public United States, School of more to the job than meets relations in 2012. She took Communication graduate the eye. classes at ECU over the and Charlotte-native Mary “I am basically a summer to ensure she would Katherine Whelan reminisces professional counselor, graduate in four years. At on her time spent the end of her 4 at East Carolina years, her initial University. plan was to go Whelan landed Physical Therapy an interview with Assistant School at Taylor Morrison Central Piedmont (formerly Orleans Community Homes) after College. However, studying public when those plans relations and feels fell through, very lucky that Whelan didn’t her boss, a former know what to do East Carolina because she had no graduate, gave her internships. Whelan Whelan poses for a photo with her coworkers at Taylor a chance with the wishes she had company right after Morrison in Charlotte, NC. gotten any kind graduation. of internship, but architect, construction “I will never be able to fortunately Taylor Morrison manager, negotiator, real thank him enough for that,” pulled through regardless. estate agent and shrink all Whelan said. “It’s all about Whelan almost gets wrapped into one title,” finding that person to give teary-eyed when she looks Whelan said. you your first chance in the back at her memories and It seems that Whelan real world.” lessons learned at ECU and works hard and excels in Whelan works as a considers them the best she the professional field, and Community Sales Associate has ever had. From time Whelan excelled during for Taylor Morrison. This management to organization, her time at East Carolina means that she is the person Whelan walks away from University, as well. She was who sits in the model homes ECU with many vital skills a server at Tripps, an athletic and tries to sell houses. and lessons under her belt. Like any job, Whelan academic tutor and mentor, “The most valuable thing I and the social director for her worked her way up to that learned at ECU was that you sorority Zeta Tau Alpha. position. She started off as can get through anything Despite all of her success, the Marketing Coordinator. if you set your mind to it,” though, she faced obstacles. After conversations with Whelan said. her boss, lots of training Whelan entered her continued on page 6...
Whelan works in Charlotte story continued from page 5
“She was and still is a HUGE fan,” close friend Hallie Vardeman said. “She goes in an hour before the game, eats her hot dog and Coca-Cola and stays until the very last second.” While Whelan is excited that she has the opportunity to be back working in her hometown of Charlotte, she will never forget her roots in Greenville. “I would never take back my time at ECU,” Whelan said. “It never gets easier to leave Greenville, no matter how old you get.”
photo by Mackenzie Tewksbury
Whelan enjoyed the classes in the School of Communication much more than she enjoyed organic chemistry when she was a nursing major. She liked being able to choose from a variety of classes, how interactive her classes were, and When not studying in Joyner East, Whelan was how much freedom rooting for the Pirates on Ficklen Drive. she was given with professor as Dr. Michael her workload. Cavanaugh. She appreciated how the Her favorite part about professors really seemed like ECU included an autumn they were there to help their day, a tailgate and the words students, noting her favorite “PURPLE” “She goes in an hour before and “GOLD” echoing the game, eats her hot dog through the and Coca-cola and stays until whole town of Greenville… the very last second.” Pirate football!
Update Your Record: Let us know what you’re up to. Even if you’ve only had a change in phone number or email address, please let us know.
Please email the following to: WNCT
Local Job Market
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Taylor Morrison The Daily Reflector
WNCN The News & Observer
Listed are local job possibilites for School of Communication Alumni
Barbara Bullington, Alumni Relations Committee Chair, at bullingtonb@ecu.edu Name: Semester/year of graduation: Degree: Email: Phone number: Current job title: Company/organization: Personal news (such as marriage, children, awards, etc.):
Lezotte continues life in Savannah, Georgia story continued from page 3
photo by Mackenzie Tewksbury
Robertson & Markowitz “[They] believed in us and is a full service believed in our work and “I can’t tell people advertising, marketing I just found that to be very enough how much I and PR company. Lezotte motivating,” said Lezotte. said she likes this work ECU’s School of loved ECU.” environment because there Communication offers a graduating, Lezotte said is always something to do. wide range of courses from she plans on staying with “I’m the type of person video news production to Robertson and Markowitz who likes to do a bunch of media writing. Lezotte said in Savannah, Georgia for things at once that having this a while. Lezotte lives with so for me I variety of knowledge her husband, whom she like being in has helped make recently married in June, a full service her a well-rounded and her German Sheppard. atmosphere employee. Lezotte enjoys trying new because it “I’ve realized restaurants, reading fashion allows me to that [variety] is blogs and watching Netflix do so many very essential in her free time. things and especially in our ever Lezotte said she misses work with changing world with all of her professors at so many technology moving ECU and is thankful different a mile a minute. We for all that the School of people,” said just need to be ready Lezotte worked as an Communication taught her. Lezotte. to adapt to anything editor for The East “I can’t tell people After that comes our Carolinian. enough how much I loved moving three way, especially in ECU,” said Lezotte. times since the communication field,” said Lezotte. Help the School of Communication Working as an account continue to grow: Join CommCrew for coordinator Lezotte said Friends and Alumni of the East Carolina she serves as the liaison University School of Communication. to the clients. She is the Name _________________________ Your membership supports communicating link from Address _______________________ academic scholarships, the graphic designers, web student journalism and Phone ________________________ developers and media buyers creative media production. E-mail _______________________ to the client. Lezotte said she Recent Alumni ($25) _____ has to make sure everything Please make your check Member ($50) _____ is running smoothly and on payable to the ECU Patron ($100) _____ time for the client. Foundation and return Benefactor ($250) _____ “It’s very deadline oriented to: Dr. Linda Kean, Director ($500) _____ and client oriented, making Director, School of Chancellor’s Society ($1,000) _____ sure that we get the client Communication, 102 Call me about corporate sponsorship everything that they need,” Joyner East Greenville, _______________ said Lezotte. NC 27858-4353 Other (Amount) $_________