Mass Media
Messenger Fall
20:23
Contents
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Letter From the Editor
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Connect with Mass Media
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EXCLUSIVE! ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN CREATIVE FIELDS
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Writer’s Guild Strike
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Washburn Filmmaker’s Association
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Alumni Profiles:
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Part 2 of Washburn MM Grads at WU:
Andrew Dunlap; Bailey (Baker) Huir; Dani Sipe; John Burns; Taryn Reed; Tyler Clark-Chiapirrelli; Tracy Ann Anderson
Conner Sisters; Lauren Edelman; Sarah Towle; Jerrica Towle; Amanda Hughes; Leah Brown; Josh Cannon; Lesley Ostmeyer; Vanessa Nunez
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Alumni Updates
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Mass Media Faculty Updates
Staff Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Ford
Design Director Zach Stephens
Managing Editor Tiana Smith
Fall 2023 Advanced Professional Media Class Braden Burcham, Jeremy Ford, Ashley Heavner, Trevor McCollum, Rebekah McIntosh, Drew Olson, Taylor Romanchek, Zach Stephens, Serina Weathers Faculty Adviser Regina Cassell Mass Media Faculty Kristen Grimmer, Maria Stover, Matt Nyquist, Sam Finch
The Mass Media Newsletter and Mass Media Messenger are created during the fall and spring semesters by Washburn University students enrolled in MM 403 Advanced Professional Media Writing. Both publications are emailed to anyone who would like to subscribe. The 2023 Fall Messenger cover page was created by Zach Stephens with inspiration from Jeremy Ford. 3 FALL 2023 | ISSUE 02
From the Editor Hello all! I am Jeremy Ford, a sophomore mass media major with a concentration in journalism. As the fall 2023 semester is wrapping up, we are gifting you a wonderful present in the form of the 2023 Mass Media Messenger! Our small-but-mighty staff has been hard at work to put together colorful stories of all the great work from our mass media department, both past and present. Our magazine displays a variety of features and profiles for you to enjoy. You can get a great insight on how the rise of artificial intelligence is affecting the mass media field. You can also read about how two sisters are teaming up on the volleyball court. On top of all that, we have great profiles over several mass media alumni that are putting their skills to great use in their professional careers. As editor-in-chief, I am proud to help publish our newest edition of the magazine. I hope you find it informative, entertaining, and most of all, inspiring. We are thankful for the connections our alumni have kept with us throughout the years and are happy to share their stories. With that being said, thank you for supporting our department and we hope you enjoy this issue of the Mass Media Messenger!
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Jeremy Ford
Department of Mass Media Contact Us: (785) 670-1836 massmedia@washburn.edu washburn.edu/massmedia
Connect With Us: Washburn University Department of Mass Media @massmediawu
@massmediawu
@massmediawu
@wumassmedia
Office: 316 Henderson Learning & Resource Center 1700 SW College Ave. Topeka KS 66621
Faculty: maria.stover@washburn.edu kristen.grimmer@washburn.edu matthew.nyquist@washburn.edu regina.cassell@washburn.edu sam.finch@washburn.edu
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Rapid growth of artificial intelligence By Rebekah McIntosh Artificial intelligence brings into question future job security because of its rapid growth and accessibility. Artificial intelligence has become a significant question and concern for many mass media students, educators and other professionals. AI could either become a useful tool for them or a detrimental replacement. Because the impact of AI is largely unknown, media professionals should be educating themselves on both the opportunities and risks with this rapidly developing technology, both personally and collectively. “We’re kind of at the beginning of the wave, you know,” said Joseph Kendall-Morwick, an associate professor of computer science at Washburn University. “It’s hard to know really how everything will be impacted yet; and it’s important, I think, at the very least to understand what this technology can do to mitigate the consequences of its arrival, because it’s here, right? And that much I can say with certainty. So where do we go from here? What do we actually start doing?” Maria Stover, interim assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and mass media professor, explained that AI wasn’t even a part of the conversation a few years ago. Stover said the ideas about AI doesn’t come from personal interactions as much as how the media portrays it because it is so recent. “Ever since the conversation became bigger,” Stover said, “I have personally been trying to gain more information to then gain better understanding of what it is. What it is as a trend and of course the bigger question of how it will impact not just education, this is a question that will be relevant to all of my colleagues regardless of whether they’re in mass media, history, sociology, or biology. Then at a second level, how is it relevant to mass media and the mass media field?” Stover, Kendall-Morwick and Matthew Nyquist,
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associate professor and acting chair of the Mass Media department, all emphasized the importance of learning more about AI. Their main points were to not be afraid of AI, as well as to learn it and utilize it as a tool. “Well, you have to adapt because it’s here,” Nyquist said. “You can’t say, ‘oh, I don’t like it and I don’t want it,’ because you just can’t. It’s here. And that’s just how technology is. You have to adapt. You have to figure out ways to incorporate into what you’re already doing.” Nyquist went on to say like everything else, AI can be used for good and bad. There will be positive results of this technology as well as negative results. Specifically, for mass media students this could be an amazing opportunity. Stover attended a conference called Spark KC where she learned about these opportunities. “Their advice to mass media was that this could be a niche for young people,” Stover said. “Because the people who are already at the agency, and those are the older owners, a different generation, don’t have the same experience with technology as what we call the digital natives. People are born with technology and this could be that extra experience or extra niche benefit for them to tip the scales for others to say they want to hire this person.” Kendall-Morwick said that AI has been around a few years longer than people realize, and it wasn’t a very big deal because people didn’t know about it. However, he also explained that the accessibility to AI has changed. Because it is now so easily accessible, people are more aware of it and more afraid of it. “Machine learning is like a suite of different approaches, algorithms that can develop what are called models,” Kendall-Morwick said. “That model is a result of training or is developed from all of this training data and is something you use to make predictions. So that’s kind of what it’s all built on at the basic level, the generative AI.” The biggest question AI presents is how it will affect jobs and also if parameters will be put on it. Stover
There would need to be a paradigm shift in how the AI is built for it ever to be created in the same way a human is.
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- Joseph Kendall-Morwick
produces questions in mass media
AI image generated by img2go.com
This graphic was made by typing specifications into a box of what you might want to see and even what you do not want to see.
replaced, it doesn’t mean they should be or that AI will do a better job. Kendall-Morwick also said that it’s easy to get focused on all of the negatives of AI, but there are many positives, too. “One of the things that really motivated me to go into AI was that I had looked at the system people were developing to diagnose diseases, and it just struck me, healthcare is expensive,” Kendall-Morwick said. “Like what if we could do it cheap? It can help, right? If someone’s not getting care because it’s too expensive or unavailable in some way? If a computer can help, then maybe that’s a good thing.”
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explained her hope is of having parameters put on AI with ethical and practical considerations. By slowing it down, Stover explained, it’s giving us all an opportunity to keep asking questions, to keep this debate going and to start understanding it better. In addition, it allows professionals to create and form some guidelines of what’s allowed and not allowed as well as what’s ethical and unethical. “I think that the negative they should try to avoid is removing jobs,” Nyquist said. “Because the more jobs AI kills, the more people are struggling to make ends meet. The best way, the positive, can be people utilizing it to minimize more menial tasks, right? If you can utilize it to help you do something rather than do it for you.” Stover, Kendall-Morwick and Nyquist all agreed that AI still cannot fully replace what a human can accomplish. Stover challenged people to think back on their history. She said that when television showed up people thought radio would disappear, and people thought movie theaters would disappear. Some jobs will inevitably become obsolete. “As it continues to grow and get new sources, it’s starting to get inaccurate stuff too,” Nyquist said. “So, there’s been times where the AI is actually wrong about something because it grabs something from social media. There was one famous example of it saying the capital of some country was a different city than it was.” Stover said to consider newspapers. There aren’t really jobs where people are typesetters anymore, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still consuming information in the news. With this new technology, new jobs will also be created. “There’s things that most people are better at than the AI just across the board,” Kendall-Morwick said. “So, it’s hard to say, the technology will always be improving. But there would need to be a paradigm shift in how the AI is built for it ever to be created in the same way a human is.” He used the example of AI generated secretaries. They answer the phone for people and help them get answers, but nobody enjoys talking to a computer secretary. There is something special and human about talking to another person over the phone. Although some jobs can be
Hollywood writers demand fair pay by: Zachary Stephens The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failure to reach an agreement resulted in a 148-day strike, making it one of the longest strikes in Hollywood history. The strike began May 1, 2023, and ended Sept. 27, 2023. The main sticking points included the payment structure for streaming shows, the transparency of viewership data, the minimum number of writers for pre-development “mini rooms” and the guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence tools that could replace or undermine human creativity. The writers were demanding fair and equitable treatment from the studios, while the studios argued that the writers’ expectations were unrealistic and unsustainable in today’s media landscape. The strike highlighted writers’ challenges in the entertainment industry, which many people were unaware of. The strike affected the production and release of many films and TV shows, as well as the livelihoods of thousands of writers and other workers in the film and entertainment industry. “It affected everyone in the industry. You couldn’t cross the picket lines. Directors, painters for film sets, everyone involved with the entire industry is affected
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Photo 288995055 © Sheila Fitzgerald | Dreamstime.com
Northern California local members of SAG-AFTRA strike in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America.
because they can’t shoot anything,” said Matthew Nyquist, associate professor of mass media. Even film majors at Washburn suddenly found their internships in jeopardy, and students had to make a decision whether to move forward with their projects. “The writer’s strike was crucial in ensuring that writers are fairly compensated for their work,” said senior Jess Seidel. “As a student who plans to go into screenwriting, I fully supported the strike. Nothing in the industry gets made without someone writing it first, and it was imperative that the WGA received a fair deal in order to protect their members going forward.” The overwhelming support from actors, directors and other celebrities who have joined the picket lines or refused to work on projects that are not covered by the WGA contract helped the strike’s cause. Seidel said she believed the deal was essential to make screenwriting a sustainable career option. “As nerve-wracking as the strike was, especially the longer it went on, it was also amazing to see so much of the industry come together and support the writers,” said Seidel. “At the end of the day, people understand the value that writers bring to the industry … It gives me hope that I will be entering an industry that respects its writers and pays them fairly.” The terms of the contract include pay raises, regulations for the use of artificial intelligence, provisions for health care, increased residuals from streaming, and longer minimum periods of work for writers in development rooms and post-greenlight rooms. The protections against AI are of notable importance. Per the newly reached agreement, guarantees were made that studios must declare if any material provided to authors is generated by AI, prohibits AI from being used to write or modify any scripts or treatments, and notifies writers of their scripts being used to train AI. Contract clauses also state that writers are free to use AI for their own purposes. WGA’s new contract has the potential to be a precedent-setting agreement at a time when many professionals fear that generative AI could replace them in their employment, not just in Hollywood.
Photo courtesy of Matt Nyquist
Ciera Haner and Derek Blanchard film students for a project outside of Benton Hall. The Washburn Filmmakers Association allows students to collaborate on films.
WFA shares film-based fun with all by Ashley Heavner Haner said she became a part of the club because she was invited by her best friend and former WFA president, Weston Smith, who graduated from Washburn in the spring of 2023. “I want to say my favorite memory was recreating my cinematography project, which Weston acted in,” Haner said. “I recreated the “Pitch Perfect” scene. That, I feel like, was the most fun that I’ve had in the club out of all the projects we’ve done.” Currently there are a lot of mass media majors, mainly film and video, invovled in the club, but they are trying to make it known that you don’t have to be a mass media major or know anything about film and video to be a part of the organization. “If you just want to come hangout and talk about movies, we are just a bunch of nerds that really like movies,” Haner said. “It is definitely open to everyone, mass media or not. We also teach some of the skills, so you don’t have to know about making a film or about the equipment.” The Washburn Filmmakers Association teaches a lot of the skills required for filmmaking and allows for a hands-on experience with equipment. The committee and its officers have experience and use what they’ve learned in their film classes to create their own movies and teach others about it. “I really hope we can build it up again,” Haner said. “I may try to help out after graduation since it’s even open to Washburn Alumni.”
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The Washburn Filmmakers Association has had a lot of fun this semester watching movies, hearing from guest speakers and creating their own films. WFA is lead by senior mass media student, Ciera Haner. Starting out as vice president just a week into the fall 2023 semester, she stepped up as president for the club. “Washburn Filmmakers Association is a club where filmmakers, non-filmmakers and anyone who is interested can come hangout,” Haner said. “We used to watch films, we’ve made a few films, we’ve had guest speakers, it’s basically just a place for people to come hangout who like movies.” Haner said they are brainstorming new ways to get people to attend meetings. She said they currently aren’t working on any projects. “Our goal is to fix our constitution and just build the club,” Haner said. “We are currently working on trying to build the club back up because all of our officers are graduating.” Haner said there are no plans for the future as of right now, they are just focused on finding people to take over the current office positions. Recently she said they have been watching films and playing games. “We’ve watched some films from the past that fellow mass media students have made,” Haner said. “We’ve also played Framed 10, which is a game where they show you clips and you have to guess the movie and we’ve played movie trivia as well.”
photo courtesy of Andrew Dunlap.
Dunlap is in the human resources branch of the creative advertising agency, Happy Lucky, based out of Portland, Oregon.
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Mass Media alumnus finds his calling in human resources by Braden Burcham students to Germany for a spring school program and joined student media where he was able to work on his advertising and promoting skills. “I didn’t really feel like I was engaged throughout my entire college career until I came to Washburn. It wasn’t until I got involved in Student Media that everything clicked as I was using things I was learning in the classroom for my career,” Dunlap said. Dunlap graduated from Washburn in 2009 and went to work for a radio station called Entercom but known today as Audacity. He was on the promotions team for these radio companies and then started working for creative advertising agencies. “I moved to Philadelphia where I embedded into account management and project management at the agencies out there,” Dunlap said. “A digital agency I worked for went from having about 25 employees to 90 by the time I left, so it was amazing to see how the company grew to a bigger organization.” He has worked for various agencies nationwide and discovered his passion for human resources. He now lives in Kansas City, Kansas, where he works remotely for a Portland, Oregon based creative brand agency called Happy Lucky. He loves to contribute his work to the people he enjoys working with including his excellent friend, Marla Nixon. “Andrew is one of the friendliest people I have ever worked with,” Nixon said. “He is very talented and finds solutions in the workplace and making people feel heard. Even though he has succeeded in his career, Dunlap always remembers the obstacles he had to overcome as a college student and supports all students unsure of their future.” “It is okay to struggle as a student, but it always helps to do some networking and work to make connections even if it seems a little intimidating,” Dunlap said. “It is also never too late to get involved and do some things that are in addition to your education to round out your experience.” Andrew enjoys his everyday work lifestyle and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
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After attending one out-of-state and two Kansas colleges, Andrew Dunlap class of 09, still sought out what major piqued his interest. Little did he know that Washburn University would be the perfect fit and give him the jumpstart he needed for his career. Originally from Olathe, Kansas, Dunlap graduated from Olathe East in 2004 and worked summers as a lifeguard for the local pools. He briefly attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and wanted to join the music business. “I quickly realized right out of high school I was not quite ready for that whole experience. A place like Nashville can be kind of overwhelming for an 18-year-old freshman out of high school,” Dunlap said. He transferred to Johnson County Community College for a year and then to the University of Kansas to attend the school of Journalism Strategic Communications program. “Mass media started to appeal to me when I attended Johnson County. I took some electives and a PR class which really got me interested especially because of the diversity of concentrations in the field,” Dunlap said. After attending KU for a year, Dunlap felt stuck at such a large school and wanted to move to a smaller university. He applied to the J school at KU but was encouraged to pick a different major because of that program’s competitiveness. He then contacted professors at Washburn to ask about the opportunities in its mass media program. Kathy Menzie, a professor at the time, invited him to talk and see what kind of things he was interested in. “She gave me many possibilities of things I could do with more comfort, not a lot of hoops to jump through and smaller class sizes,” Dunlap said. “Instead of all these brick walls, the competitive nature that existed at KU, and not feeling like I was learning, it just seemed like a better environment with better opportunities.” While at Washburn he enjoyed the video production courses which were very real world and project based. He enjoyed working with production teams and creating films with his peers. He was also involved on campus where he took a study abroad trip with mass media
photo courtesy of Bayley Baker
Junior copywriter climbs ranks by Alex Younger with reporting by Drew Olson
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Imagine graduating from college without any ceremony as the world is shutting down. Bayley Muir (Baker), ‘20, could not have imagined all the changes she would encounter in her final semester. “It just became so real for me. I had pictured graduation so many times in my mind. To realize that graduation was going to be taken away from me was devastating and it really brought into view what COVID-19 really was. It made me realize the severity of the situation,” Muir said. Before COVID-19, she was living in an off-campus residence and working on campus in the communications department. Once she realized that she was going to be doing classes, online she decided to move to Kansas City, Kansas to live with her boyfriend.
Muir took advantage of her time staying indoors. She put her best foot forward digitally. She updated her resume and LinkedIn profile, she applied to jobs and did online interviews, which she wasn’t used to. She wanted to do her best to stand out. Her biggest support system was the professors in the mass media department, Kristen Grimmer and Maria Stover. “That was a very tough year because we had to change up all our classes to a completely different format,” Grimmer said. “Through all of that, though, Bayley was exceptional. She worked really hard to finish up her degree and get the most out of her education despite the challenges,” Grimmer said. Muir’s first job once she graduated was with Summit
Marketing in Kansas City, Kansas. She started off as a junior copywriter and worked up to senior copywriter. After all her hard work she got promoted to copy manager in May 2022. She handles messaging development, strategy, print and digital marketing and manages the copy writing team. Summit Marketing is an integrated marketing communications firm. Their primary clients are non-profits, so Muir helps create effective fundraising copy for their clients. “I’m so grateful to the mass media department for how flexible they were at the time. They were so mindful of everyone’s mental health and how difficult it was to transition to virtual classes. They were understanding and accommodating,” Muir said.
Stover invites social media specialist by Rachel Janzen Taryn Reed, ’19, is currently a social media specialist at Woodruff where she manages social campaigns and identifies new opportunities for various companies as well as analyzing the data for how those campaigns perform to give recommendations for future planning. “Talking about working at an agency is a really important thing for me. Agencies weren’t ever something I considered during college and because of that I like getting to introduce this lifestyle and the range of opportunities,” Reed said. Maria Stover’s senior portfolio class is her favorite class to speak to because she remembers sitting in that class herself. Reed believes that her strength as a speaker comes from her ability to relate to the current student body. “Maria always brought in great speakers, but it always felt like they were people who had been in the industry for 15 plus years and I just didn’t connect. Just being able to connect to the seniors to say ‘I know this pressure, I know this stress.’ It’s changed so much in the past few years that it’s just so different than it was for the seasoned professionals,” Reed said. Stover has known Reed since 2016, when Reed was a student of hers. “It is always very rewarding to see our students do so well in the professional world,” Stover said. “In spite of her busy schedule, Taryn is the type of alumna who takes the time to give back to mass media through her speaking engagements and support of current students.” Reed hopes to continue to speak to more mass media classes in the future as she gains more knowledge and meets more students. “I do feel very privileged to get to speak to students. The energy of it is great. I just think to myself ‘maybe one person got something out of this,’ and that’s what keeps bringing me back,” Reed said.
photos courtesy of Taryn Reed.
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Media skills benefit children by Serina Weathers Danielle Sipe, ‘18, now works for The Family Initiative, a non-profit foster care agency, where she uses her advertising and public relations skills to help the children in the foster care system. She creates print and social media advertising for TFI as well as event planning for foster children. “My favorite part is helping plan events for the kids at our psychiatric residential treatment facility or our teens who are transitioning out of foster care and into independent living,” Sipe said. She knows that she could create content, plan events and carry out other marketing duties with any company, but seeing the work she
does change the children’s lives is simply too rewarding to want to consider any other job options. “Find something that makes you happy,” Sipe said. “Every job will have things you dread, people you don’t like and hard situations - but stay with the one that you have more positives than negatives. Always know your worth and keep fighting for new ideas.” Sipe has learned since graduating that enjoying what you’re doing is one of the most important things. She says if you don’t find that enjoyment, you will pass up the opportunities you have to do something extraordinary with the skills you possess.
Photo courtesy of Danielle Sipe
Sipe continues to put in the work for The Family Inititive. She has always believed in nonprofit organizations and looks forward to new opportunities in the future.
Concept artist gets screen credit by Drew Olson
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John Burns, ‘18, took the skills that he learned from his time at Washburn to the silver screen. After his time at Washburn came to an end, he had the opportunity to help make the positively acclaimed film “The Creator” as a concept artist. He got to work with many of the industry’s top concept artists which is something that he’ll never forget. “The people who I got to work with on a daily basis were phenomenal. I was able to work with many of my mentors and them accept a rookie to show business with open arms is fantastic,” Burns said. After the design stages wrapped, Burns was able to start his own production company called Burns Productions where he runs the
Photo courtesy of John Burns
John Burns is one of the content artists for the acclaimed film, “The Creator.” He helped design many of the characters for a few months in 2018.
film and photography side of the company. Recently the company finished producing a short film
“Weight” in which Burns filmed and directed the project. “Those two days were magnificent to produce. The cast and crew worked extremely hard and I’m thrilled about how it turned out,” Burns said. John has mastered his craft to perfection and many of his professors have noticed his great potential right away. Associate Professor Matthew Nyquist immediately found this out when John took one of his courses. “John is one of the best filmmakers we’ve had at Washburn,” Nyquist said. “His unrelenting pursuit of cinematography has been fun to watch and it doesn’t surprise me he’s having Hollywood level success.”
Baseball network ties to career by Trevor McCollum Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli, ‘22, shared insights into both his educational and baseball journey and how it has influenced his career path. “I was proud to maintain a 3.7 GPA during my time at Washburn, and it was an honor to be recognized in the MIAA honor-roll during my senior year,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. Clark-Chiapparelli underscores the importance of relationships forged during his time at Washburn and how they have influenced his personal and professional development. “Meeting my teammates, coaches, and connecting with professors and professional people was truly special,” ClarkChiapparelli said. He reflects how getting a little uncomfortable forced him to learn new things, which have helped in his professional career. Clark-Chiapparelli said his internship within Washburn Athletics was a significant career milestone. “It allowed me to apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations, gaining practical skills that continue to benefit me in my professional journey,” he said. Clark-Chiapparelli identifies a symbiotic relationship between his baseball career and mass media studies because he learned how to connect with people. Connections have been his biggest blessing in the professional world. Mass media has opened him up to anyone. “I am a professional baseball player and a business owner,” said ClarkChiapparelli. “Mass media has given me sources and connections in baseball. To the point where I remember questions from mass media and ask professional scouts and coaches things that make them think or remember my name simply because of the professional questions I ask.” While he loves playing professional baseball and meeting people from diverse backgrounds, he does face the burden of extensive travel.
“
Photo courtesy of Trois-Riviéres marketing team
Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli , ‘22, has played for the Trois-Riviéres since the 2022 season. He is currently looking for opportunities within the minor leagues.
Tyler has always been very open and accepting of what he needed to do in order to be the best. He has always been one of the most competitive people I have coached. He put in countless hours into his craft and was always eager to find new ways to enhance his play,
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- Harley Douglas
Shifting up the spirit of giving By Zachary Stephens
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Tracey Ann Anderson, ‘96, has always had a passion for helping others and making a positive impact in her community. After graduating from Washburn, she came back in 2002 as a liaison and advisor for first-generation college students. She also helped with the organization and setup of what is now the administration office in Morgan Hall. After getting her master’s in administration in 2014 and working for a few years in the marketing and sales industry, she realized that she wanted to use her skills and connections to create a project that would benefit the children in the state of Kansas. She came up with the idea of Shift Up to achieve those goals. The idea for the Shift Up project was ignited in Anderson when an organization gave her the experience of a lifetime when she was young. Her mother was in the hospital over the holidays, and Anderson was unable to go Christmas shopping. That organization made it possible for Anderson to go to the mall to pick presents for her family. The experience had a significant impact on her. She wanted to give children all over a chance to experience the same joy of giving and receiving gifts, as she had done when she was a kid. “It only takes a spark to get the fire going. We want kids to experience the exhilaration of giving in hope it lights a desire to carry on giving to others in the future,” Anderson said. Shift Up’s first event was four years ago, and Anderson is just as passionate this year as she was when she began. This year, the group invited families with children aged 6 to 16 to shop at a Walmart in Overland Park. The participants will canvas the store for an hour one-on-one with a volunteer shopper to choose appropriate gifts. Volunteers are on hand to help kids make decisions that will have everyone on their list accounted for. Then each gift is wrapped and sent home to go under the tree with the giver. The Shift Up experience is meant to encourage the spirit of giving in kids, but it is also meant to be a good exercise in decision-making, as they have to budget the $150 they have to spend on gifts, and an opportunity to interact with others in their community. Anderson is grateful to be able to share in this
photos courtesy of Zachary Stephens Tracy Ann Anderson, ‘96, and senior Zachary Stephens meet at the 2023 Shift Up shopping event, where Stephens volunteered to help after hearing about the event.
amazing experience through the help of other passionate individuals. Anderson works with her son, Weston Payne, and friend, Dan Petenau, as well as their friends in car enthusiast groups to carry out the shopping day event. Shift Up is made possible with the financial
in Kansas City support of the community and organizations such as KTK Law, Croft Trailer, KC Exotics and Supercars, Dream Team KC car group, European Floors, Keen Financial Advisors and Elite Car Care. The Shift Up event took place Dec. 16. To sponsor a shopper next year or find information on the project, visit the Shift Up event page on Facebook.
Reporter’s Note: The Shift Up event was an amazing experience. The impact of each volunteer on each kid is quite clear. Hearing about what each kid has gone through and then giving them a chance to shop for their families as well as themselves and provide for them a wonderful Christmas was something I’ll never forget. Seeing all the volunteers come together and create this memory that will last for years to come is remarkable. What Tracy Anderson has been able to do with the Shift Up event is something truly praiseworthy. - Zachary Stephens
Mass Media grads at Washburn, part 2 Editor’s Note: This is part two of our mass media grads at Washburn series. Read part one here.
Profiles begin on page 18 If you earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass media and work at Washburn University or WU Tech, we would love to hear from you.
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Reach us at: massmedia@washburn.edu
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Washburn Alumni Association & Foundation stories by Taylor Romanchek
Sarah Towle After graduating with her master’s degree from the University of Nebraska, Sarah Towle, 07, returned home to Topeka to serve her beloved Washburn community at the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation. “I knew I wanted to come work in higher education, so it was a perfect fit to work at Washburn,” Towle said. She currently serves as the executive director of engagement for the organization. Her role involves overseeing annual giving, stewardship, events, marketing and communications. Essentially anything that goes into making sure alumni know about Washburn and how they can still be involved with the campus. Along with working for the foundation, Towle has also been able to teach some classes for the mass media department and connect with professors that she had when she was in undergrad. “I am so grateful that the faculty of mass media are
still available to myself and other alumni just to talk and give career advice. I have had the opportunity to come talk to classes and interact with students,” Towle said. Before coming back to Washburn, Towle also worked at the Lawrence Journal World, University of Kansas Medical Center and the Special Olympics. “I like to work. I really thrive on productivity and I love Washburn,” Towle said. At all of these jobs, Towle found that she was way ahead of her coworkers due to mass media professors focusing on design software and writing styles that are heavily used in the professional world of journalism and public relations. Outside of her career, Towle enjoys watching her 7-year-old son grow up and volunteering at his school. Education has always been one of her biggest passions and she loves that she is able to support her son’s school while also cheering him on in his learning journey.
Jerrica Towle
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Washburn takes pride in welcoming its alumni back as staff after graduation, no matter if it’s right after they walk across the stage or return a few years down the road. Jerrica Towle, ‘13, found her way back to campus after having successful careers at Mammoth Creative and Stormont Vail Health. As the Washburn University Alumni Foundation Data Integrity and Workflow Specialist, Towle works with data and processes with the goal of making foundation tasks more efficient and filling in any gaps that come up in departments. “Knowing people on campus and already having an established relationship with them has allowed me to better know my way around campus and how it is broken down,” Towle said. Towle’s ability to connect with people has allowed her to be immersed in Washburn’s culture quickly and has aided her in getting her current position through an old contact and forming new bonds as well.
One of those bonds includes Sarah Towle, who is the Executive Director of Engagement at the foundation and Jerrica’s cousin through marriage. “We had never really interacted much but have been at the same events due to our husbands. It wasn’t until we sat across from each other at a meeting that I first got the chance to talk to her,” said Towle. Speaking of family connections, Towle enjoys spending time with her husband, Joey, and their two kids, Baylynn and Kinsely, outside of work. “Outside of my professional life, I love spending quality time with my family and enjoy watching my daughters dance,” said Towle. “We are also foodies and enjoy trying new restaurants.” To maintain a healthy lifestyle while also being a foodie, Towle works out every morning and has a passion for hula hooping that keeps her active and is a fun way to spice up the day. Her familial values and fun energy brighten up the
Photo courtesy of Sarah Towle Sarah Towle, ’07, works as the executive director of engagement for the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation. She has enjoyed finding new ways to connect the Washburn alumni community through events, marketing and communications.
Photo courtesy of Jerrica Towle
Photo courtesy of Amanda Hughes
Jerrica Towle, ‘13, works at the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation to make tasks involving data and processes more efficient. She has enjoyed being back on campus and reconnecting with faculty.
Amanda Hughes, ‘00, works at the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation. She has enjoyed getting to hear many stories over the years from students and alumni about their Washburn experience.
foundation’s office and show there is no limit to what she will accomplish next as an Ichabod. Baylynn and Kinsely, outside of work. “Outside of my professional life, I love spending quality time with my family and enjoy watching my daughters dance. We are also foodies and enjoy trying new restaurants” Towle said.
To maintain a healthy lifestyle while also being a foodie, Towle works out every morning and has a passion for hula hooping that keeps her active and is a fun way to spice up the day. Her familial values and fun energy brighten up the foundation’s office and show there is no limit to what she will accomplish next as an ichabod.
Amanda Hughes and hear their stories, having unique opportunities, like running the mascot program or getting to hear speakers on campus, and getting to see students grow while at Washburn. While each day is different in the foundation, Hughes prefers it that way and finds that her busiest time of year is during football season when she helps host the alumni tailgates. She finds events like these to be the best way to bring alumni back to campus. Outside of the foundation, Hughes also teaches the Brenneman Series through the Leadership Institute. The Brenneman Series gives select students an opportunity to learn more about servant leadership and connect with organizations in the local Topeka area. “I love getting to meet all the different students who come through the program every semester and teaching them to do good without going in blindly,” Hughes said.
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Amanda Hughes, ‘00, is the director of membership and outreach for the Washburn Alumni Association and Foundation. Some of her roles include collaborating with stakeholders to identify and anticipate needs, facilitating leadership and philanthropy topics, organizing events, developing strategies and programs to engage Washburn alumni on digital platforms and much more. Hughes is no stranger to Washburn as she worked for the Public Relations office for almost 12 years before taking a brief break from her alma mater. She returned in 2016 to put her skills to work for the Foundation, first as the stewardship event specialist before switching over to membership and outreach in 2019. “I enjoy getting to hear more about people’s stories and how they got to Washburn,” Hughes said. Some of Hughes favorite things about working for her alma mater include getting to connect with people
Conner sisters serve WU volleyball by Ashley Heavner Shayla Conner, ‘18, has always been a model for her younger sister, Sydney Conner. Now, the former Washburn volleyball All-American gets to mentor her sister on the court, coaching Sydney Conner as she follows in her footsteps. Shayla Conner became a student assistant at the University of Missouri at Kansas City for the 2019-2020 school year. She got a call one day from Chris Herron, Washburn’s head volleyball coach, to apply for the assistant coach position for the Ichabods. “He called me out of the blue one day and told me he had a job opportunity that he wanted me to apply for,’” said Shayla Conner. “So I applied and now I’m here, going on my third year and loving it.” When she got to Washburn, she knew she was meant to stay. After her first year of coaching for the Ichabods, Herron and Shayla Conner led their team to the Division II National Championship game. Just a year later, her sister joined the team. “Everything is heightened as a coach, especially coaching your sister,” said Shayla Conner. “You always want all of your players to succeed, but when Sydney does well it’s just awesome.” She said that being able to coach her sister in the same position that she played when she was on the court makes the highs super high and the lows super low. She enjoys watching Sydney Conner follow in her footsteps and gets excited to see her sister accomplish her goals. “Shayla reads her like a book, body language, facial expressions, all of it,” said Herron. “There is a strong bond there, and it’s very fun to watch.” Sydney Conner said that being coached by Shayla Conner has been super cool because she has been an inspiration her whole life. “I grew up watching her all the time and learning
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from her then, so now verbally learning from her as my coach is really fun,” said Sydney Conner. The bond between them has grown stronger and stronger as they work together on the court. “Syd leans heavily on Shay,” said Herron. “Shay is a protective older sister for sure.” Shayla Conner has learned a lot from her experience in the mass media department and has been able to use the skills she learned throughout her degree to coach Sydney Conner and the Ichabods. “Through my public relations degree, I feel comfortable talking to people and doing social media,” said Shayla Conner. “I cover a lot of things with that degree and I feel well well prepared.” Not only is Sydney Conner following Shayla Conner’s footsteps on the court, but she’s also following after her in the classroom, too. Sydney Conner is also studying mass media emphasizing in film and video. She hopes to create digital content for the sports world one day. “My experience in the Washburn mass media department has been great so far,” said Sydney Conner. “My professors are great, and I really enjoy the classes I’m in this semester.” Sydney Conner said she is looking forward to learning about the opportunities she will have in the future with film and video. Both Conner sisters have already impacted the Washburn volleyball social media accounts with their degree experience. They have been able to create videos and graphics together for the team’s Instagram page and have had fun using their skills. Although the 2023 season didn’t end as they hoped, the Conner sisters enjoyed being together on and off the court, making each other laugh and always staying positive. They look forward to making more memories and winning games in seasons to come.
Everything is heightened as a coach, especially coaching your sister. You always want all of your players to sueed, but when Sydney does -- well, it’s just awesome.
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- Shayla Conner, ‘18
Photo courtesy of Sarah Cavallaro, Washburn Athletics
Assistant Volleyball Coach, Shayla Conner, coaches her sister, Sydney Conner, during a matchup against Northwest Missouri State University. The Washburn volleyball team finished its season with a record of 17-11.
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Mentoring leadership students for global competition by Tiana Smith
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Thanks to the mentorship of Lauren Edelman, ’11, Washburn University students are equipped with the leadership skills they need to succeed academically and professionally. As the director of Washburn’s Leadership Institute, Edelman is someone students look to as a role model and mentor. “She is a motivator, whether she thinks it or not,” said Dante Jordan, one of Edelman’s students. Jordan was part of a group of five leadership students who were selected by the Leadership Institute to attend the International Leadership Association Global Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. As a part of the conference, students had the opportunity to participate in a case study competition where they chose a complex social issue to address and apply leadership theory to propose a solution. “We realized that that is an extraordinary opportunity for students to showcase their ability to apply things that they’ve learned in the classroom to a real-life problem,” Edelman said. She has been mentoring student teams for the conference since 2014 when she was a co-mentor with the former director of the Leadership Institute, Micheal Gleason. “It’s just great to be able to challenge students to ask them good questions, hard questions, to help them think a little deeper about an issue,” Edelman said. “And then we see what they come up with and figure out how we can kind of support them along the way.” This year’s student team decided on the topic “Cultivate to Activate: The Importance of Green Spaces for Health and Climate Change.” Even though the students did the work, it was Edelman’s mentorship that helped them excel. “I know the potential that these students have,” Edelman said. “I want them to feel really confident submitting their work that ‘this is the best that we could do, and we are proud of it.’ That way no matter what
happens in the competition, it was worth it. It was totally worth the late nights, the lots of hours and the group coordination.” Edelman says her main job as a mentor is reminding students about deadlines. In a competition like the case study, there are a lot of deadlines to keep track of, so Edelman is there to remind students when things need to be submitted. She also serves as a sounding board for students to talk through challenging parts of the project. Her commentary helps guide students when they hit a roadblock. “I help them kind of weigh the pros and cons and figure out what are they most excited about, what they’re most passionate about,” Edelman said. “What do they think? What ideas do they have for applying leadership theory?” Questions like these may seem simple, but they are crucial in helping students to think critically about their issue. “It was hard, because there were times where I felt like maybe I wasn’t going to meet her expectations, because, in my eyes, she is one of the best faculty on this campus,” Jordan said. “But she always kept me encouraged to keep me going.” Even the most encouraging mentor can face some challenges. A challenging part of mentorship for Edelman is not being able to provide written feedback. Per competition rules, mentors are only allowed to provide verbal feedback to their students. Even with verbal feedback, Edelman still couldn’t give her students all the answers. “It would be easier for students if I could give you the answer, right? I can’t do that. That doesn’t help you. That doesn’t teach you anything. It doesn’t help you apply the theories that you’ve learned,” Edelman said. “And so, I know that it’s frustrating for students when they say, ‘I’m kind of stuck on a leadership theory’ and I’m like, ‘Well, here are some resources’ and I hand them some textbooks or some articles or things like that for them to
Photo by Tiana Smith
Lauren Edelman attends the 2023 International Leadership Association Global Conference with her students Bella Wood, Bryce Liedke, Dante Jordan, Lily Thompson, Tiana Smith, and her co-mentor James Barraclough. Edelman worked closely with her students while preparing for the conference’s case study competition.
as important as the growth students go through during the experience. Students came back with knowledge taught to them by leaders from across the globe. “It is so awesome to see the personal growth that students walk away with,” Edelman said. “I mean, you truly do get out of it what you put into it, and we’re fortunate that every year our students go all in, our students fully commit. And while they’re there, they’re sponges and they try to absorb as much as they can, and I am super proud of them.” Edelman went from a student being mentored at Washburn to the mentor that is impacting students’ lives. For many years to come, she will continue to teach students what it means to be a leader.
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think about, but don’t give them the answers.” There were 15 undergraduate teams who competed in the case study competition this year. After making it to the finals, Washburn walked away with 3rd place. There was more to the leadership conference than just the case study competition. The students got to go to a variety of sessions about a variety of topics. This was an opportunity for students to expand their knowledge on their case study topic, their area of study or even just their personal interests. “Seeing the students when they get to the conference, and they’re making connections in the sessions that they’re attending, the speakers that they’re listening to, they’re making connections back to their case study; they’re making connections back to other things they’ve learned in our courses. And they are having these aha moments,” Edelman said. These are the moments that make mentorship worthwhile for Edelman. Success in a competition is not
Leah Brown by Braden Burcham
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Leah Brown is the director of graduate continuing education and adult learner recruiting at Washburn University. Brown attended Washburn from 2005-2009 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Media with emphasis in Electronic Media. From August 2008 to May 2009 Brown started as a production assistant for KTWU, a local Kansas radio and TV station. She produced videos for the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Student Awards Banquet, used a variety of software to edit segments for seasonal promotions and much more. Brown was responsible for show orders including knowledge of the tape library to pull shows, transfer from video to DVD and package for mailing. She also assisted with building and tearing down sets. “My experience at KTWU was invaluable,” said Brown. “It was a work study position which allowed me to work but keep school as my main focus. I was able to assist in multiple aspects of production from pre, during and post on projects. I made great connections that would serve as my reference for my graduate school applications.” From June to August of 2009, Brown was a production intern for KTEH-TV and mainly worked as the nightly business reporter. While interning there she prepared short clips for the KTEH website, researched upcoming shows and assisted during location and studio shoots. Assisting in studio shoots included lighting and monitoring of audio and maintaining phone contacts as references for upcoming television content. “Interning at KTEH-TV gave me insight to working in the Bay Area TV market,” Brown said. “I was able to build upon my skills from Washburn that helped prepare me for the next step in my career and education.” Shortly after her internship ended, Brown graduated from Washburn and attended California State University in Los Angeles, California. While she was there, Brown was involved in many jobs and activities including a graduate thesis reviewer and student assistant. “I found myself really enjoying working with students and as I wrapped up my program, I decided I wanted to continue on that path instead of going into the industry. This led me to applying at Washburn University,” said
Photo courtesy of Leah Brown
Leah Brown is the director of online student services in student nursing at Washburn. She’s excited to watch Washburn contunue to grow in the future.
Brown. After receiving her master’s degree, Brown came back to Washburn to work full-time as director of online student services in the school of nursing. She always had a passion for this career, and knew exactly what she wanted to do going forward. Brown was in this role at Washburn for over three years before switching to her current role as the director of graduate continuing education and adult learner recruiting and admissions. Brown has been involved in this role for the last four months and really enjoys it. “My favorite thing about Washburn currently is all of the exciting growth and opportunities that are happening. I have been part of Washburn since 1992 when my mother decided to return as an adult learner to complete her teaching degree. Washburn is making college accessible and more affordable for many more students, and I hope to be part of this for many more years to come,” said Brown. Attending Washburn gave her opportunities to graduate and stay full-time to work for a great university. Brown looks forward to the future of Washburn and hopes to see it keep growing.
Vanessa Nunez by Braden Burcham equipment, etc were pretty minimal at that time of the day”, said Nunez. Today Nunez still currently works as a senior administrative assistant in the Ichabod Service Center. She has been there for the last six years and still enjoys it to this day. She works closely with students and facult to provide campus ID cards and answer questions regarding meal plans. To do this she uses software such as CBord’s Odyssey which provides information on students’ meal plans. She also works with Persona, a lock system used on Washburn’s campus for residential halls and other buildings. Her role at Washburn continues to grow and she is thrilled to be here. Another part of working in the office that I don’t think a lot of people know is that we’re in charge of the campus lock system, so we deal with a lot of access/reader issues. I like to tell people every once in a while that I have the keys to the castle”, announced Nunez. Nunez continues to do great things at Washburn and is giving back to the school she enjoyed attending.
25 Photo courtesy of Vanessa Nunez
Vanessa Nunez spreading her Christmas spirit by standing next to a Christmas tree. Nunez looks forward to her next chapter at Washburn and is excited to be there.
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Vanessa Nunez, ‘16, is a senior administrative assistant in the Ichabod service center at Washburn University. She has made several stops along the way throughout her career to land her role at Washburn. She has been involved with the Washburn Leadership Institute as a student worker, she was a student ambassador at Washburn, a student assistant as Mabee library, and now the full-time senior administrative assistant at Washburn. Her experiences and jobs along the way have helped her gain experience and form connections to land her full-time job now. Nunez helped build a house in New Orleans, LA, and helped students register to volunteer at several locations throughout the city of Topeka. “When I first started my college search, I knew I wanted to attend a bigger city than where I’d grown up, but slowly came to the realization that a bigger city often meant a bigger school as well. After doing a few tours, Washburn was what most felt like home. I was still in a bigger city than my hometown, but I didn’t feel like I would get lost in a sea of faces in a lecture hall,” said Nunez. Nunez became a student ambassador in February 2015. Her main responsibility for this job was to give tours to students interested in Washburn and answer any questions they had. This is a very important role to have because this was the incoming student’s first impression of Washburn, and they will have plenty of questions about the history of the school. Also in February 2015, Nunez accepted a student library assistant job through Washburn. Her responsibilities included checking in library books and equipment, refilling printers and answering any questions regarding finding materials and online help. She was very involved in this role which led her to form new connections and potentially land a job full-time as the Senior Administrative Assistant in the Ichabod Service Center. “I worked the graveyard shift at Mabee (this was when Mabee went to 24 hours and later switched to staying open until 2 am). My favorite part of working that shift was my co-workers and the Washburn police officer who worked with us. I had 3 co-workers who I worked with on different days, and we always had great conversations. It was also a great space and time to study and get homework done. Issues with printers,
Josh Cannon by Jeremy Ford Washburn staff and faculty has many alumni returnees in various departments across campus. Josh Cannon and Lesley Ostmeyer are two mass media graduates who came back to work for their alma mater. Cannon, ’20, works as the livestream production specialist. He oversees all livestream events that happen on campus. “As a student, the main thing you’ll see is any home sporting event . . . other than tennis,” Cannon said. All sports that Cannon livestreams can be found on the MIAA Network. He also livestreams other campus events, such as scholarship events, graduation, building openings, and most recently the inauguration of President JuliAnn Mazachek. These livestreams can be found on their YouTube channel, Washburn University Video Central. He enjoys many aspects of his job but is particularly fond of his hours. “I don’t have a ‘normal day’, and I like that,” Cannon said. “I still work 40 hours a week, but it’s not every day from 8-5. I adjust my hours depending on when I need to setup for events, get my equipment organized, stuff like that.”
Cannon gets help from his student workers to have a successful livestream. These students are in charge of running the cameras, helping set up the livestream, and work the videoboard that switches between camera angles. Cannon said that he also worked with the student production crew, and that is what led to him receiving this position.
Photo courtesy of Jeremy Ford
Josh Cannon shoes his student production crew how to work the technical side of things. Cannon and his crew livestreamed the men and women’s basketball games on December, 9.
Lesley Ostmeyer by Jeremy Ford
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26 Photo courtesy of Leslie Ostmeyer
Leslie Ostmeyer is the web/course materials specialist in the Ichabod shop. She has been working there since she was a student.
Lesley Ostmeyer, ’16, is the web/course materials specialist in the Ichabod Shop. Her job is to maintain the website as well as fill web orders that are made at ichabodshop.com. She also estimates what course materials the shop will need and fills those orders. “I also do social media now. I’m sending out constant contact letters so it’s a bunch of different things,” Ostmeyer said. Ostmeyer has been working at the Ichabod Shop since she graduated. Her favorite part of working in the Ichabod shop is just being at Washburn and she uses her mass media skills that she learned at Washburn almost every day. “I use design, photoshop, web design, and maybe some marketing and advertising a lot,” Ostmeyer said.
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Want to be in our next issue?
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Are you a Washburn mass media graduate? Do you want to let other alumni know what you’re up to? Students gain valuable experience by interviewing alumni like you. We want to showcase how flexible a mass media degree truly is! Get in contact with us at massmedia@washburn.edu to find out more!
Alumni share updates by Serina Weathers Editor’s note: updates with * have a photo on page 29
Joy Bailes, ‘00, received her master’s in communication and leadership in ‘21 and was promoted to director of internal communications and brand management in November 2023. Justin Shepard, ‘22, is a books program editor at Advisors Excel.
Josh Lehman, ‘11, is an administrative officer for the Shawnee County Parks and Recreation where he has been for the last 10 years.
Madison Dean, ‘21, is the corporate project manager at Advisors Excel, where she will be celebrating two years in April.
Shaylyn (Marsh) Murphy, ‘09, is a freelance marketing consultant and is a marketing specialist for Chris Keeshan Associates.
Erasmo Nuñéz-Baeza, ‘20, is the senior internal communications specialist at T-Mobile, where he has been for two years.
Gina Penzig, ‘96, was promoted in September 2023 to director of corporate communications at Evergy where she has worked for 23 years.
*Nigel Burgess, ‘21, is a marketing specialist at Reltio. Burgess and his partner, Amanda Bender, will be welcoming their second daughter in March 2024.
Westen Smith, ‘23, established Videosmith LLC, video/media contracting, this year and is currently contracted with the Fort Leavenworth Center for Army Leadership.
*Tricia (White) Connors, ‘08, is chief of staff at Security Benefit where she has been for four years. Connors has four children, the oldest started college this year, her twins started middle school and she has a “sassy” 5-year-old at home. Mark Feuerborn, ‘18, is a digital executive producer at WCMH-TV in Columbus, Ohio. Feuerborn also joined the Totem Arts development team and contributed voice acting to create Firestorm, a video game set in the critically acclaimed Command and Conquer Universe (find a link?), set to be released in early 2024. *Cathryne (Scharton) Klise, ‘15, is the senior marketing coordinator at HME Inc. Klise and her husband welcomed their son, Carson, in May 2023.
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Jaden Leffler, ‘23, was promoted to television video editor in October at Advisors Excel where he previously interned.
Kip Kraisinger, ‘05, has spent the last three years as the Vice President at MMTH Creative Studio/ Mammoth Sports construction where he has spent the last eight years. Blake Kresge, ‘09, is the lead filmmaker at Mammoth Creative Studio where he has been for the last seven years.
*Ashley (Shepard) Spahn, ‘11, is an account supervisor at Idea Ranch. Spahn and her husband, Matt, welcomed their daughter Addison in January 2023. Samantha (Stanley) Stallbaumber, ‘15, is a graphic designer at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. She married Issac Stallbaumer in October 2021. Regina (Budden) Stephenson, ‘11, is a senior content specialist at AgentSync. She presented “Killer Content in a Niche Industry” at Content Marketing World 2023 in Washington D.C. in September. *Ally Ulsaker, ‘19, is the corporate marketing coordinator at Advisors Excel where previously she worked on the media buyer team. *Delainey Williams, ‘21, is the Outreach Program Manager at KANSASWORKS, division of the Kansas Department of Commerce. Williams is a 2023 NextGen Under 30 Recipient.
Delainey Williams
Ally Ulsaker Cathryne Klise
Tricia Conners
Nigel Burgess
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Ashley Spahn
Faculty Updates By Rebekah McIntosh
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Maria Stover and Regina Cassell kicked off their 21st year of teaching this fall. Throughout their time in the department, they have worked under four different chairs and seen several faculty members come and go. Stover has been a longtime member of the Board of Student Media, so the two have collaborated on many projects regarding Student Media. During the initial development of MM199, the pair worked closely to develop assignments and concepts for the course they both taught. After taking over as chair, Stover has helped faculty evaluate every single class mass media offers, find the funds for necessary equipment and made resources for students a priority. This fall Stover assumed the position of interim assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, where she assists with a number of college-wide initiatives. Associate Professor Kristen Grimmer and Stover presented “The Summer Institute on Distance Learning and Instructional Technology” at Johnson County Community College. The presentation covered research they had conducted on the awareness of open education of resources to students at Washburn. Librarian Amanda Luke, Grimmer and Stover had a second presentation as part of the Tilford conference at Washburn examining diversity and multiculturalism inclusion. They will share this presentation with faculty a second time at Washburn in early
spring. Stover hopes to continue the conversation about free and low-cost textbooks as well as other resources provided for students. This fall, Cassell focused on implementing a new training program in Student Media and had students in both sections of MM199 use the department’s new podcast space to create podcasts with faculty members across campus. On a more personal note, all four members of the Cassell family were active at Washburn this fall. As she continued to teach, her youngest son, Jared Cassell, started his first semester at Washburn, while Jake Cassell continued his Washburn journey. Her husband, Gene Cassell, started his 26th year at Washburn in December and is teaching MM321 as an adjunct for the department. Sam Finch has been a lecturer for the past five years, starting in the fall of 2018. He is married with 16-month-old twins, who keep him and his wife very busy. Along with teaching and being a dad, he has been working on a feature-length screenplay that he hopes to complete during the spring semester. Kristen Grimmer was granted an academic sabbatical for the fall 2023 semester to work on the manuscript for the memoir of Dick Snider, a long-time columnist and sportswriter for the Topeka Daily Kansan and later the Topeka Capital-Journal. She is preparing the manuscript for publication and enjoying learning about Kansas history from the perspective of a journalist who was known for his quick wit and comical way of talking
about local Kansas events, people and issues. Tracy Horacek is more settled into her role as the office coordinator and has enjoyed training the newly hired staff. Horacek has headed up and established monthly meetings about how things are running in each department to see if they need any additional help or advocacy. Furthermore, she said one of the best things about being an office coordinator is being able to help create a cohesive flow and build relationships with administrative staff. She’s adjusting to being an empty nester as her youngest has just moved out, but has adopted a golden doodle, Tobi, who she hopes to train as a service dog. Matt Nyquist is excited about taking a sabbatical to shoot a future film in fall 2024 called “Eyes Open.” The script is currently 186 pages, and Nyquist is working on editing it through the summer. The locations of recording will be Topeka, Lawrence and Los Angeles with a Hollywood-based crew consisting of locals and students assisting. Nyquist also taught a new class, Star Wars Impact on Filmmaking, during summer 2023. Nyquist’s wife, Tara Nyquist, just completed her doctor of nursing practice degree at Washburn this fall and will be practicing psychiatry this spring.
Sam Finch
photos courtesy of faculty page 30: Where are the selfie police? Kristen Grimmer, Matt Nyquist, Maria Stover and Regina Cassell gather before President JuliAnn Mazachek’s inauguration ceremony.
Matt Nyquist
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Maria Stover
top left: Sam Finch with wife, Katie, and twins Ronin and Oakley. middle left: Regina Cassell with alumnae Leah Jamison (left) and Christina Noland (right). bottom left: Tracy Horacek with daughter Savannah Horacek. top right: Matt Nyquist teaches in Henderson room 17.
Regina Cassell
middle right: Maria Stover takes in a sunset on the beach at Coronado Island in San Diego. bottom right: Kristen Grimmer with sister, Miranda.
Tracy Horacek
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Kristen Grimmer
Mass Media
Messenger Fall
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