2012 Mass Media Messenger

Mass

M

edia

Messenger

2012

Message from the chair of the editing bays in room 23, we have really created a wonderful space to support the students’ abilities to edit film and video.

We do have two sad endings this semester—two long-time adjuncts are retiring. Jim Hollis, who has taught one section of Introduction to Mass Media (sometimes two sections and usually one of them at 8 a.m.) and Phil Grecian, who has taught both advertising classes, will be leaving us at the end of the spring 2012 semester. Both teachers have brought incredible real-world experiences to the classrooms, gladly sharing their insights and talents in media and advertising. We’ll miss both Jim and Phil and their cheerful greetings before classes.

With the departures of Phil and Jim, we’ll be adding some new adjuncts to our faculty. We already have a contingent of great adjuncts who are willing to give up their time, in addition to their full time jobs, to

By Kathy Menzie enhance the kinds This was our first full year of our new curricula of classes and we got off to a rousing start. We’ve been thrilled we can with the changes and the ideas the new classes have offer. Jim given us.

Allan, Mike In fact, one assignment to write a podcast spurred Merriam a whole new program. The ‘Dn’A’ Show on Air Bods and Beth radio got the go-ahead from student media and began Davis have the department’s first-ever radio show in October all been 2011. There is an hour of talk radio, anything from great assets international news to campus events, and two hours to the of music featuring local bands. A radio show is program something we have talked about since I started in this year and we hope, for many more years. the department in 1997, so we are very proud of We truly do have a great department with talented the students Derek Huff and Austin Abernathy who faculty and wonderful students and we’re proud of worked through many challenges to get this started. the work we do here. It is a pleasure to see and hear As part of the new curricula and our addition of about successful graduates and to watch as our new the Film and Video emphasis, we have completely students prepare for their media careers. Thank you revamped room 17, in the basement of Henderson. to the faculty who work so hard to do their best and We have installed the best equipment we could to thank you to our students, both past and current, create an amazing Avid editing lab. With the addition who make our work so rewarding.

“We truly do have a great department...”

-Kathy Menzie

page 2

Table of contents Department Chair Message

2

Campus News

4

Curriculum Upgrade

6

Real World Classroom Experience

8

Adjunct Professors Retire

10

Mass Media Banquet

12

International Media

14

AirBods

16

Alumnus Travis Perry

18

Class Notes

22

Managing Editor: Sheena LeMay-Nelssen

Design Director: Matt Kelly

Messenger Staff: Katharine Arroyo Charity Hockman Kyle Kelly Richard Kelly Melissa Kershner Dakota Palan-Johnson Brooke Rollison Petr Seredkin Mallory Shehi Ebonie Williams Anjelica Willis Lynda Zook

Contributors: Anthony Fast Nathan Hargis Cody Lohse Jordan Loomis Chelsey Moran Sam Sayler Student Media

Campus News: Football sets new high

Exhibit draws crowds

By Anthony Fast

By Cody Lohse

The Mulvane Art Museum had its most successful It was a year of firsts for the Washburn football exhibit to date with “The Art of the Brick.” team in 2011 as it barreled through to the most successful year in school history. For the first time in The sculpture exhibit was created by Nathan the program’s 121-year old history, the Ichabods won Sawaya, an artist from New York. Sawaya creates his sculptures using only Lego building 10 games, including a playoff game, blocks, and some Gorilla Glue to and hosted a nationally televised keep them together. game.

“It felt great to be “The exhibit appealed to all The team began the year by recognized like that, ages; from small toddlers to the winning three games in a row elderly,” said Carol Emert, curator before the nationally televised game but I couldn’t do it of collections and exhibitions at on the CBS Sports Network, which without my team the Mulvane. connected Washburn with more and winning games.”

The exhibit brought more than 95 million households. people to the museum than ever “The first nationally televised Dane Simoneau before. The official total on the game against Missouri Western was number of visitors for the exhibit a very exciting game that we played was 60,412. The exhibit was at the well in and won,” said head coach museum from June 17- Sept. 18, 2011.

Craig Schurig, “It was great to spotlight Washburn “We had family groups of 10 to 12,” said University and our football program.”

The Ichabods they were especially gifted Emert, “We had people from 48 different states, and internationally from places such as Australia under the guidance of senior quarterback, Dane Simoneau, who threw more than 4,000 yards and 38 Germany and Morocco.” touchdowns on the year.

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Photo By Jordan Loomis

Photo By Jordan Loomis

A record breaking year in nutshell Enrollment reaches peak

By Brian Dulle

Courtesy of the Washburn Review archive

CONTACT US

Lower Level of Memorial Union (785) 670-BOOK (2665) See www.washburnbookstore.com for more details Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/WUBookstore Find us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WUBookstore

Washburn University President Jerry Farley announced that Washburn’s fall enrollment of 7,303 students surpassed the previous record set in fall 2005 of 7,261 students.

Enrollment manager Richard Liedtke said that it feels great to reach such high numbers.

“It’s a good feeling for the people that worked very hard to do this,” said Liedtke. “It’s also great for the university, not just for the students but for the faculty, the staff and alumni to have this great opportunity to say we’ve broken the historical record for enrollment.”

Each year Washburn sees a larger incoming freshmen class come in, but it also see an increase in students leaving the university.

“That’s what we are here to do, to not only bring in students into a wonderful Washburn experience but to graduate and go out there and be proud Washburn alums as well,” said Liedtke.

Department changes Students and faculty roll with the changes

By Lynda Zook

Regina Cassell, mass media faculty. “I am excited to see our program continue to evolve and grow.”

General degree expectations did not change. There is still a required 40 hours in the major, including a core set of courses every student must complete.

Those include Introduction to Mass Media, Media Boot Camp, Media Literacy, Internship and Advanced Media Lab. Changes within each emphasis have required renaming, updating or replacing older curriculum.

Faculty has also been leveraging special topics courses as preparation for the transition. As a result, students already enrolled in the program are adjusting to changes and many will graduate with a mix of old and new course work.

“The adjustments that I had to make were effortless. Most of the work was done by faculty to make sure my hours got moved to the right places,” said Cody Lohse, senior mass media. “The only Photo by Petr Seredkin difficulty that I had was that certain classes were only Mass Media Bootcamp is one new course developed by Maria offered during certain semesters. That isn’t a mass Stover. Both Stover and Regina Cassell have been teaching media issue, more of a small university issue. Overall sections of the course. it was a pretty smooth process.”

The mass media department implemented changes to its curriculum this Spring. The transition involved a long process of revision and introduced incoming freshmen to three new emphases, contemporary journalism, digital film and video and creative advertising.

“We have worked really hard to put the new curriculum in place. We are still updating and tweaking courses, as we have always done,” said

DIGITAL FILM AND

DIGITAL FILM AND

DIGITAL FILM AND

Updated Curriculum Emphases

DIGITAL FILM AND

Contemporary Journalism Creative Advertising

Digital Film and Video

Public Relations

Digital Filmmaking I

Creative Media Writing

Journalism I

Creative Media Writing

Cinematic Storytelling

Public Relations I

Cinematic Storytelling

Visual Communication

Digital Cinematography

Visual Communications

Visual Communication

Advertising I

Film Editing and Theory

Promotions Writing

Journalism II

Promotions Writing

Documentary Filmmaking

Public Relations II

Electronic Journalism

Entrepreneurial Media

Editing and Design

Editing and Design

Creative Strategies in Advertising

Digital Filmmaking II page 6

Advertising II

Media Bootcamp Building a foundation for success

By Chelsey Moran With a new curriculum in place, students are learning the basics of technology and more in a new class called Mass Media Boot Camp.

Maria Stover and Regina Cassell teach the class, which covers the basics of HTML, social media and creating portfolios.

“We wanted a class in there early that would address technology,” Cassell said. “We have so many students who, yes they’ve had technology their entire lives, but are still stymied by some of the basics. We’ve had students who have never attached a file in an email.”

Instead of using a textbook, the class uses a blog, which includes links to various resources and information.

“The beauty of not having a textbook is we can give you the latest links,” Cassell said. “It’s very interactive. A student who wants to learn is not limited. It’s easy to access all the information that’s out there. It’s a little overwhelming at times. It can

sometimes be challenging if links you use suddenly disappear.”

Students also learn how social media has changed the field of mass media and influence their careers.

They find that learning more about social networking has helped them.

“It taught us more than Facebook and Twitter,” Anjelica Willis, junior, said.

“It also taught us LinkedIn.” Willis says that the class also sharpens team building skills.

Students are encouraged to learn and not shy away from different software.

“The biggest thing is we, in mass media, do not teach software,” Cassell said. “That is key. It’s impossible. People use such a wide variety of things that the main skill students need to know is how to teach themselves a new program. You’re going to have to figure out what’s new and how to use it.”

Cassell also says that teaching tools she has never used professionally in the media world is hard.

C I S BA NI NG I A R T

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Jim Allan

Photo by Mallory Shehi Jim Allan is a favorite among Washburn mass media students for his real life experiences in the mass media field and his crazy hand movements in class.

family atmosphere • daily specials

Local media professional takes time to teach

By Nathan Hargis

Jim Allan is a name familiar to many in the Topeka community. He is also a name familiar to many Washburn University mass media students, especially those with an emphasis in advertising.

While his primary occupation is general manager of Topeka radio station Country Legends 106.9, he teaches Creative Advertising and Promotions Writing at Washburn as an adjunct instructor.

Allan began his teaching career at Washburn as a volunteer instructor and speaker. He was a frequent guest in Frank Chorba’s classes, until 2008 when he interviewed for a position as an adjunct instructor.

“I am a little bit different,” Allan said. “I like to give the students a view from the streets. I like to take what is, or was going on at a street level and relate it to the book, rather than traditional lectures straight out of the book. I am not saying it’s a better method, just different. I’m sure that I am not quite as polished as most of the other instructors.”

Allan has been a Topeka resident since 1989, and has always contributed to the community. He has held seats on many boards such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Topeka, Topeka Advertising Federation and most recently, American Red Cross.

Allan has received a number of awards throughout his career. These awards include Distinguished Sales and Marketing, a Presidents Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters, Fourth Place

In Membership from the American Advertising Federation and the 2009 Kansas Association of Broadcasters Mike Oatman Award for outstanding achievement in Kansas broadcast sales, sales management and mentoring others to sales success.

His strong beliefs and experiences with regards to advertising and the intimacy of radio advertising has led him to become not only a college instructor, but a student favorite at Washburn.

When asked about Jim Allan around campus, the student response is frequently in the form of one word, “awesome.”

“He is a great teacher,” said Nathan Hess.

“He conveys a lot of real world information and experiences to students, which is absolutely invaluable.”

Many students seem to be attracted to this unorthodox style of teaching. Washburn has focused on catering to the non-traditional student and Jim Allan is the non-traditional instructor.

“He does an excellent job of getting and keeping students engaged,” said Melissa Kershner. “He really takes the boring droll of college lecture courses away.”

With three children, two jobs and strong dedication to community involvement, one would think that his plate is full, but he is also the coach of his son’s basketball and baseball teams.

Phil Grecian

Mass media professor gives up grading Story by Sam Sayler

Photo by Peter Seredkin

Phil Grecian has stepped down as adjunct professor at Washburn University after 18 years of teaching advertising.

With 25 years experience in the advertising business, Grecian created and wrote many campaigns, including Zip Card and Showbiz Pizza.

“I got into advertising sort of by accident,” Grecian said. “I went to work for a local radio station and was writing about 1,500 radio commercials in a year’s time for several years.”

For years, Grecian bounced around from ad agencies to other radio stations and even worked for TV station KTWU.

“There wasn’t much advertising there, but there was some creative stuff involved for KTWU,”Grecian said.

The last ad agency for which Grecian worked was Harry Turner and Assoc.

“We did everything there,” said Grecian. “When they disappeared as a result of a client pulling out at the last minute, I freelanced for a while.”

After years in the creative side of advertising, Grecian lectured as a guest at Washburn and eventually became an adjunct professor.

“Frank Chorba, Washburn mass media professor, apparently saw me give a speech someplace,” said Grecian. “He called me up and asked me to give a presentation in his class because I was deeply involved in advertising.”

Over the past years, Grecian has taught one advertising class per semester, the first was an introduction to the creation of advertising and the second had students creating their own advertising campaigns.

Grecian accepted an adjunct professor position because he thought it would be fun.

“We did [presentations in class] for a couple years, and then the department called me one day and asked, ‘Would you like to teach this?’” said Grecian. “So I began teaching it, and it’s been several years.”

Though advertising paid Grecian’s bills and put food on his table, he now makes money primarily from royalties for plays he writes, which is one of the reasons Grecian has retired from teaching.

Mass Media Merriment

Thank you to our 2011 sponsors

785-554-2827

Hollis says goodbye to WU Story by Kate Arroyo

Photo by Melissa Kershner

Jim Hollis, adjunct instructor, is retiring this year after 15 years of teaching for the mass media department. Hollis is known for his storytelling in class, but long before he came to Washburn he had an exciting career in broadcast media.

“Jim Hollis was a great teacher and his experience in his field made him more effective in teaching the

course,” said Bridget Walter, mass media alumna.

Jim started his broadcasting career while attending Kansas State University in 1956, where he worked at the university radio station.

During the next several years, he also worked at other radio stations and television stations, including KSEK, KIND and KMAN. After college, Hollis enlisted in the Army National Guard and then returned to Kansas and began his television broadcast career at KOAM –TV in Pittsburg, Kan. Hollis worked as a news anchor in Pittsburg from 1958 to 1969.

When a school supply business in Pittsburg caught fire, Hollis took scrap ends of film, which would only record 15 to 20 seconds of film and kept finding dark rooms to reload his camera and running back to get live footage. He got permission from a nearby building to go through a private apartment, so he could climb up on the roof and onto a large steel sign to get aerial footage of the fire.

After Hollis’s successful years at KOAM, he moved to Topeka and began his career at WIBW-TV as an anchor for the 10 p.m. news. He was the news director at WIBW from 1979 to 1993 and retired in 1997.

In 2006 Hollis was inducted into the KAB Kansas Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

“Jim is a great example for our students and we will miss him,” said Kathy Menzie, department chair.

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Photo by Mallory Shehi The evening’s keynote speaker was Lena Rodriguez, who is the chief marketing and development officer for Urban Entrepreneur Partnership Inc. She entertained the audience with her story about finding opportunity in an unlikely place.

From mass media with love

Annual banquet brings department together Story by Lynda Zook Students, faculty and friends gathered on Thursday, April 12 to celebrate at the 2012 mass media banquet.

More than 100 people came out to recognize outstanding achievements of department students and staff. This annual event was hosted by students from the Public Relations II class. Daphne Phillips and Daniel Schneider served as the evening’s emcees.

Classmates Jordan Kelly and Katharine Arroyo said a lot of work went in to planning the banquet.

“We had to choose the decorations, decide who the speaker would be and sell the tickets,” Kelly said.

“Picking out the food, that was my responsibility.”

Arroyo especially thanked this year’s sponsors for their support of more than 50 door prizes given out during the event. Lively rounds of drawings and dinner music added to the evening’s entertainment.

The banquet began with a welcome by Kathy Menzie, department chair. Featured guests included Washburn President Jerry Farley and Laura

Outstanding Students 2012 Stephenson from the College of Arts and Sciences.

“I was really surprised,” Zoey Brown said after winning the Stauffer scholarship. “I didn’t know it was a mass media award.”

Brown, a junior, says her main ambition is to work in the U.K. and pursue a career in entertainment media.

The evening’s keynote speaker was Lena Rodriguez, chief marketing and development officer for the Urban Entrepreneur Partnership Inc. Rodriguez won several awards for UEP’s branding campaign from the Association of Marketing and Communication in 2011.

In addition, Rodriguez speaks on topics of entrepreneurship, business management, marketing and co-hosts a national issues talk show for a PBS public television affiliate.

Rodriguez presented the audience with a story about fear and opportunity. While a student in Nebraska, she was offered an internship in the department of aviation. The job was assisting with data retrieval for a NASA project. The instructor said it required wading through marshes in rubber boots and overalls, to measure evaporation rates. Rodriguez, a major in business management, innately feared science and wasn’t certain she could do the job. She was also reluctant about working outside, during the coldest Nebraska winter on record.

However, the benefit of $2,000 outweighed her initial fears and Rodriguez was trudging through swamps in overalls and boots. Ironically, she was reminded of Thomas Edison, who noted that often people miss opportunity “because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

Rodriguez points out how overcoming her fear

in this situation resulted in both immediate and unexpected benefit. For in addition to the money, the internship sparked a personal interest in aviation, and led her to become a licensed pilot.

Rodriguez closed echoing Edison in her words of encouragement.

“Take chances, be bold and don’t pass up opportunity because it’s dressed in overalls.”

Following the keynote speech, professor Maria Stover introduced initiates to the Society of Collegiate Journalists and Regina Cassell acknowledged the year’s achievements in Student Media, thanking all participants on the print and online teams.

Zoey Brown, a mass media major, was attending her first banquet. Brown was among the students recognized for outstanding achievement, with initiation into the Society of Collegiate Journalists and as recipient of the Oscar Stauffer scholarship.

The faculty formally recognized all 2011-2012 graduates and then presented the department’s outstanding student awards. Recipients were Cody Lohse for electronic media, Bridget Walter for advertising, Shaun Collins for film, Richard Kelly for media writing and publishing, Megan Hash and Daphne Phillips for public relations.

Outstanding Students of 2012 Advertising: Bridget Walter Electronic Media: Cody Lohse Film and Video: Shaun Collins Media Writing and Publishing: Richard Kelly Public Relations: Megan Hash & Daphne Phillips

The Public Relations II Class would like to thank their sponsors: Washburn Auto Service Beautiful Sunset Massage R & D Sports Collectibles Roach TruValue Hardware Ed Bozarth Chevrolet Briggs KIA Warehouse 414 CASA

Billy Vanilly Porterfield’s Hairslingers Glory Days Pizza Topeka Natural Food Co-op Whitehall’s Blackbird Café The Hub Boutique

The Burger Stand The Team Sporting Goods Envy Salon The Flying Monkey McFarland’s One With Earth Salon & Spa Cold Stone Creamery Altered Image Salon Carino’s

Red Robin Hooters Qdoba Old Chicago Seafood Thyme Hair Productions Grover’s Jimmy John’s page 13

Freedom of the press International students gain appreciation for American media rights Story by Summer Workman

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W

ashburn University hosts exchange students from around the world allowing many international students to observe different media systems and broaden their knowledge base.

“By interacting with students in different cultures, you increase your awareness of their culture, but also yourself as well,” said Maria Stover, professor of International Media Systems.

Currently there are exchange students studying in Washburn’s mass media department from all over the world. There are students from Scotland, Mexico, Sweden, the Philippines and China.

Studying in an America allows international students to learn new techniques and experience a different media system.

The mass media department has opportunities for American students to travel and study abroad as well. Stover, who is from Bulgaria, took six students to Paris, France, over spring break to study Frances’ media system.

“I think in this day of globalization an awareness of different cultures is an essential skill,” Stover said.

Having exchange students come and study here has many benefits.

“As students come to my classes it not only gives perspective to them, but it also gives us perspective and adds another dimension,” Stover said. “It’s truly a symbiotic relationship we’re talking about. It’s enriching.”

Jinglan Jiang, a journalism graduate student from China said she saw many differences between media systems.

“I was surprised to hear in journalism class that you do not show the interviewee the article before it gets published,” Jiang said.

In American news sites, networks and publications are allowed the freedoms to choose and broadcast

their news. For some publications in China this is not the case. News publications owned by political parties require approval of all articles before publication.

Shuang Xia is here studying mass media from China.

“China is still undeveloped so there must be some policy to limit the mass media’s transport of news to people,” Xia said.

Policy is not the only difference Jiang and Xia saw after coming to America to study. Xia was excited to be able to try out cameras and use a studio in her Broadcast Performance class. Xia’s emphasis in her degree in network news and explained that her school doesn’t have the ability to give such a hands on experience.

While there are many differences in the curriculums, as well as the media systems of both countries, both Xia and Jiang agreed there were several similarities. Many individuals in both countries are turning from print news publications in favor of more available news on websites and are opting to get their news from niche publications.

In China these niche publications are often seen as more objective and less restricted by policy. The curriculums have some similarities as well. This includes the beginning survey courses which both agree are very similar in each country.

Since the earthquake and resulting tsunami is Japan, Jiang said that China has been allowing more journalists to travel and cover a broader range of news like in America.

Xia added that the way American news media is presented, specifically with broadcast media influences China’s broadcasting techniques. She believes her experience here with her broadcasting course will help her during her future career and both believe that their time spent at Washburn will benefit them in both of their media degrees.

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Photo by Brian Dulle Austin Abernathy and Derek Huff discuss campus issues during their weekly AirBods series The Dn’A Show. Abernathy and Huff began producing the radio show fall 2011 and have continued through May. Abernathy will continue this fall.

AirBods radio hits airwaves

By Chelsey Moran and Richard Kelly

What started out as a simple podcast assignment soon became a weekly radio show at Washburn University.

Derek Huff and Austin Abernathy were both enrolled in the Maria Stover’s Mass Media Bootcamp class in the spring of 2010, where they first discussed the idea of a radio show on campus. They presented the idea to the Washburn University Student Media Board, were granted permission and funding to proceed, and Internet radio was born at Washburn on Oct. 13, 2011.

Huff and Abernathy’s show, The Dn’A Show, was the first to air on AirBods Internet radio.

Every week, they met before the show to scour the Internet for news sources and trending topics, creating a basic outline for the show. The show always began with broad topics such as international, national and regional news—and whittle down to campus events.

“Since this is the first show on AirBods radio, we kind of cover everything,” said Huff. “We interview department heads from student life and Greek life, and basically anyone with an event to promote. Who our guest is usually depends on what’s going on that week.

We tend to have at least one guest per show, but most of the time we have two or more.”

Although Washburn’s mass media department has always provided a variety of opportunities for its students, radio technology and training has been living in the shadows for years, so it’s no surprise that students and faculty were excited to finally see a radio show at Washburn.

“If you really think about it, we have so many other venues for mass media students,” said Maria Stover, mass media professor. “It seemed we could provide yet another medium, which was radio.”

The first two weeks were the most difficult for Huff

and Abernathy, but during their third broadcast, Huff said he found hope that the show would be a success.

“We saw how many live listeners we had and it was very reassuring,” said Huff. “It made us feel good that people were getting interested.”

The show was originally recorded in the basement of Henderson in the instructional media center—where AirBods has had a fair share of technical difficulties.

During one show in particular, Dn’A actually had to cancel for lack of audio.

Even with the technical difficulties, Huff and Abernathy hoped their fellow students would be interested in being a part of AirBods radio. They have since moved to the editing lab in the Student Media office. This is where the department plans to keep the show for future years.

Even once Huff and Abernathy have graduated, the hope is that the show will continue. Kara Kyser, junior mass media major with an emphasis in public relations, also joined the broadcast team in the spring semester and will continue with Abernathy in the fall. Huff will graduate in summer 2012.

During spring 2012, AirBods began weekly with at 12:30 p.m. on Friday with Dn’A, followed with the Dexter Leary download at 1:30 p.m., and finished off with Urban Astronaut at 2:30 p.m.

Huff’s last show was May 4. He knows the show’s success will continue from here and he encourages other students to get involved.

“We’re constantly looking for people who want to contribute just doing field news stories or even if they want to host their own show, we want to have as many people contributing as possible,” said Huff. “We want to get it to where KJHK is at KU.”

page 17

Travis Perry

Photo courtesy of Travis Perry Wearing the same press pass as White House officials, Travis Perry, news editor for the Osawatomie Graphic, stood in the Osawatomie High School to photograph President Barack Obama. Obama visited Osawatomie to speak to ordinary Americans about, among other things, his beliefs concerning the country’s economical situation. Perry was granted higher security clearance than even reporters from major news outlets allowing him to stand near the podium during the speech.

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WU alumnus lives reporter’s dream

By Matt Kelly Most local newspaper reporters would kill for a chance to stand within 10 feet of the United States president during a globally significant speech.

Washburn alumnus, Travis Perry, is one of the few who can say he has.

President Barack Obama came to Osawatomie, Kan., to speak to the ideologically gridlocked American public about, among other things, how some of the proposed economical strategies could affect ordinary middle-class Americans. White House officials gave Perry, news editor for the “Osawatomie Graphic,” a specialized press pass allowing him to stand just a few feet away from the president’s podium during his speech. They did this to ensure that Osawatomie’s local newspaper could cover the event properly.

“I was right up there— right up close, I was so close I could see the hem of his pants.

It was pretty surreal,” said Perry.

The speech took place in a high school gymnasium, where a podium was set up on one side with 10 to 12 feet of empty space surrounding it.

A barrier divided the empty space from the audience.

Within that empty space, Perry was allowed to roam as he pleased­, a privilege that wasn’t given lightly.

However, unlike the other reporters, he was also asked to go through a very comprehensive background check before he would be allowed to stand so closely to the president. In fact, with possibly hundreds of reporters in attendance, only Perry and White House officials were allowed to stand so close. Even reporters from national news organizations were given standard press passes.

“The press passes were fairly open,” Perry said.

“There were about 100 to 200 members of the press at this event, ranging from small town newspaper staff like myself to the ‘Kansas City Star,’ the ‘Topeka Capital Journal,’ and then of course the major news outlets. However, they were all given normal passes that were kind of relegated to an area off to the side of the gym, or at least a decent ways back from the president.”

While many go to work every morning only to experience the exact same routine as the workday before, every day Perry spends as a reporter brings a new story and a new change of scenery.

“One day you’re out covering the president of the United States speaking in your town, and the very next evening you’re out getting photos at a kindergarten music concert. It’s one thing after another, but there’s a lot of variety, that’s what I like best about it,” said Perry.

Perry only had one semester worth of journalism experience from high school when he enrolled at Washburn in 2005. However, his four college years were spent working at the university’s newspaper, “The Review” as a staff writer, and eventually as news editor.

“I met some very unique people and had the privilege of meeting, talking with and being taught by many unique and talented professors,” Perry said.

“It was something that definitely shaped who I am today. I strongly believe it was because of the small environment at Washburn that I was able to get my hands on so many aspects of the news producing environment.” page 19

Class Notes

By Kate Arroyo • Tom Allen Allen, 2003, works for the Kansas Department of Transportation as a Right of Way Acquisitions Agent, as well as running his contract business, Computer Consultations. He serves as a volunteer for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Berryton Elementary School, and has started a cancer advocacy group, Cancer Connections.

• Cordell Anderson Anderson, 2008, entered graduate school at Morgan State University and is now the graduate assistant for the director of the Digital Media Center.

• Mikale Burcher Burcher, 2010, is working on a Masters in Strategic Communications degree at Kansas University.

• Rob Burkett Burkett, 2012, has accepted a reporting job with the Iola Register in Iola, Kan. • Shanley Cox Cox, 2009, is the marketing and communications editor at The Great Plains Laboratory in Kansas City.

• Benjamin Fitch Fitch, 2011, is a reporter for the Emporia Gazette.

• Julie Gould Gould, 2006, works for Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home in Topeka. She is married to Grant Gould, class of 2007. Their daughter, Elliott was born July 23, 2011.

• Beau Harkness Harkness, 2006, teaches journalism at Garden City High School in Garden City, Kan. • Charity Hockman Hockman, 2012, will begin a 10-week corporate intership with the Target Distribution Center.

• Brianna Holmes Holmes, 2011, works at Heartland Visioning as the Communications Coordinator. page 20

• Scott Holmes Holmes, 2004, is the Business Development Manager for CD Tradepost Entertainment’s 24 stores located throughout the Midwest.

• Molly Howey Howey, 2008, works for the Topeka Chamber of Commerce/GO Topeka as the Research and Development Promotions Manager.

• Derek Huff Huff, 2012, is the Promotions Coordinator for KMBZ News Radio and 610 Sports at Entercom Communitcation in Kansas City.

• Tim Hrabe Hrabe, 2011, works as a marketing assistant for the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers in Topeka.

• Whitney Jones Jones, 2011, works for National Geographic Expeditions in Washington, D.C. • Lacey Kinder Kinder, 2008, is administrative assistant at Easter Seals Capper Foundation.

• Jill Lira Lira, 2011, is the marketing assistant at Visit Topeka, Inc. • Kerrice Mapes Mapes, 2005, is the marketing coordinator at Family Service & Guidance Center, and owner of seveneightfive magazine and XYZ magazine.

• Angie Marquart Marquart, 2009, works as media coordinator at Jones Huyett Partners. She will receive her MBA from Washburn in May 2012. She was a Topeka Association of Women in Communications Headliner Nominee 2012.

• Chris Marshall Marshall, 2009, works for the Topeka Capital Journal. Last year he was recognized as one of the Top 10 sports writers in Kansas in Kansas Best 150.

• Shalyn (Marsh) Murphy Murphy, 2009, was married Oct. 15, 2011. In January she received a promotion to director of marketing and communications at Visit Topeka, Inc. • Ashley Nadeau Nadeau, 2011, is the senior copywriter and marketing coordinator for Personalized Brokerage Services, a division of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America.

• Mary (Hammel) Napier Napier, 2004, and her husband welcomed a daughter, Leila Elizabeth, Oct. 25, 2011. Mary runs her own freelance and contract communications business, Napier Communications, Inc. • Jimi Norman Norman, 2006, was accepted into Washburn Law in the fall of 2011.

• Selby Renk Renk, 2011, works at the Rooks County Health Center as a Communication and Development Assistant.

• Keri Renner Renner, 2003, is Director of Communications for the Kansas Association of Realtors.

• Maggie Robinson Robinson, 2009, is the Admissions Representative at Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kan. • Morgan Schaeffer Schaeffer, 2010, is a PR assistant account executive at GlynnDevins in Overland Park, Kan. She received the 2010-11 Association for Women in Communications Rising Star Award and was a nominee in the Headliner Awards Top 10. She was a semifinalist at the 2012 Miss Kansas USA pageant.

• Tara Schroeder Schroeder, 2009, has been promoted to Account Manager at Zillner. She is a volunteer with PRSA-Greater Kansas City, a Go Red for Women Ambassador for the Kansas City Chapter of the American Heart Association, and Social Media Chair for the ambassadors group.

She is the Creative Director for the Saint Thomas Aquinas Dance Program and coaches the Varsity and Junior Varsity dance teams.

• Amanda Schuster Schuster, 2008, works as a communications specialist for the League of Kansas Municipalities. She served as Association of Women in Communications President for 2011-2012.

• Emily Scott Scott, 2011, is teaching English as a Second Language in the Republic of Georgia.

• Jordan Shefte Shefte, 2011, is a reporter for KHAS Television in Hastings, Neb. She is getting married June 2, 2012 to fellow Washburn graduate, Steve Kinderknecht.

• Ryan Sinovic Sinovic 2009, is an account manager for VML in Kansas City.

• Maria Sigala Sigala, 2011, works for Jones Huyett Partners in Topeka.

• Melissa Treolo Treolo, 2009, is an education reporter for The Shawnee Dispatch.

• Adam Turner Turner, 2012, is Technical Director for 27 Kansas First News Fox/NBC/ABC affiliate.

• Rob Welcher Welcher, 2011, is moving to Los Angeles, Calif.

• Leslie Welker-Kruger Welker-Kruger, 2010, works as a Creative Production Assistant for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.

• Ernie W. Webb III Webb, 1998, is a media specialist with the Washburn Alumni Association.

• Rachel Whitten Whitten, 2010, works as the Public Information Officer for the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. She serves on the board of the Topeka non-profit community advocates for social enrichment. She lives in Topeka, Kan. with her husband and son.

• Michael Wilhoite Wilhoite, 2010, has signed with the 49ers NFL football team. page 21

Mass media graduates

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Whitney Jones

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