FOUR DEPARTMENTS l 3,200 STUDENTS l ONE RESULT
CHAMPIONS PENN STATE COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATIONS
Three students (Anna Orso, Jessica Tully and Christina Gallagher) represented Penn State — and swept the top three spots in the writing competition — during the William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s Journalism Awards Program individual national championships in Washington, D.C., in June. Orso finished first, Gallagher second and Tully third. (Photo by John Beale)
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College claims third straight national championship
Penn State’s College of STANDINGS Communications has captured an unprecedented 1. PENN STATE third consecutive national 2 (tie). Missouri 2 (tie). Western Kentucky championship in the 20134. North Carolina 2014 overall intercollegiate 5. Indiana standings in the William R. 6. Arizona State Hearst Foundation’s Journal7. Nebraska ism Awards Program. 8. Northwestern The overall champion is 9. Montana the institution that scores 10 (tie). Oregon the most points in the 10 (tie). Florida competition’s combined 12. Syracuse writing-broadcasting-pho13. Kent State tojournalism-multimedia 14. Elon standings. 15. Georgia 16. Southern California The annual Hearst compe17. Ohio University tition draws more than 1,100 18. Iowa State student entries each year. 19. Minnesota It is open to students from 20. Iowa the country’s 108 nationally accredited undergraduate programs. Rounding out the top-10 in the overall standings for 2013-2014 are Missouri, Western Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Arizona State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Montana, Oregon and Florida, which tied for 10th. “We were pleased when we won our first overall championship in 2011-2012,” Dean Doug Anderson said. “We were elated when we repeated in 2012-2013 and we are thrilled to have won this year. “Our consistency is a credit to the outstanding students we have in our program.” The College captured eight individual top-10 student finishes in the five writing categories (features, enterprise reporting, sports writing, personality/profile writing and breaking news writing); one individual top-10 finish in photojournalism; one individual top-10 finish in broadcasting; one individual top-10 finish in multimedia; and one group of students earned a top-10 finish in the multimedia team category. In addition to the 12 top-10 finishes, the College earned seven finishes in the top-20 in the four competitions. By virtue of their outstanding individual performances, three Penn State students earned spots in the 54th annual Hearst individual championships in Washington, D.C., in June: Christina Gallagher, Anna Orso and Jessica Tully. Of the more than 1,100 individual entries in this year’s
Dave Cole, seventh,
multimedia news
Christina Gallagher, first, personality/profile
Jill Carley Knight, first, photo Mossbrook, story/series
Christian Brittany Heilman, seventh, Horn, eighth,
TV features
feature writing
Anna Orso, first, sports
Stephen Pianovich, sec-
sixth, breaking news
writing
Kristin Stoller, seventh,
Jessica Tully, third,
feature writing
ond, sports writing
enterprise; fourth, breaking news
Hearst competitions, 29 students qualify for the individual championships: eight in writing; five in radio; five in television; six in photo; and five in multimedia. Penn State, Arizona State and Missouri were the only universities to finish in the top-10 in the intercollegiate standings in all four competitions. The College finished second in writing; fourth in multimedia; sixth in broadcasting; and seventh in photojournalism. The Hearst Journalism Awards Program, often called “the Pulitzers of College Journalism,” is conducted under the auspices of the accredited schools of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication and is fully funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. The program awards more than $500,000 in awards and grants annually to the country’s nationally accredited programs and its students.
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Second-place finish in writing continues top results
The College of Communications earned a second-place finish in the 2013-2014 intercollegiate writing standings of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s Journalism Awards Program. The competition, often called “the Pulitzers of college journalism,” is in its 54th year. Schools can submit two student entries in each of the five monthly writing competitions: features, enterprise reporting, sports writing, personality/profile writing and breaking news writing. This year’s writing competition drew more than 500 entries. The College traditionally is among the nation’s leaders. It is coming off back-to-back firstplace writing finishes in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 after earning fourth place in 2010-2011 and sixth place in 2009-2010. “Our talented crop of students this year kept the tradition alive,” Dean Doug Anderson said. “And this is the first time in our history that we claimed eight individual top-10 finishes in writing.” All 10 of the College’s writing submissions finished in the individual top-25. Anna Orso, sports writing, and Christina Gallagher, personality/ profile writing, led the way with firstplace finishes. Other top-25 finishers: Jessica Tully, third place in enterprise reporting and fourth in breaking news writing; Stephen Pianovich, second in sports writing; Carley Mossbrook, sixth in breaking news writing; Kristin Stoller, seventh in features; Brittany Horn, eighth in features; Steven Petrella, 15th place tie in personality/profile writing; and Leah Polakoff, 22nd in enterprise writing.
Anna Orso (left) asks a question while Christina Gallagher (center) and Jessica Tully listen to U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) during a group interview as part of the 2014 individual national championships in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John Beale)
eight years: Halle StockOrso, Gallagher and STANDINGS ton, who won in 2007; Tully earned spots in Andrew McGill, who the Hearst individu1. Indiana placed first in 2010; and 2. PENN STATE al championships in 3. Northwestern Orso, who won in 2014. Washington, D.C., in 4. Arizona State McGill earned second June. 5. Missouri in the year-end indiOnly eight students 6. Georgia vidual championships from the more than 500 7. Florida in 2008; Paul Casella writing entrants qual8. Oregon placed third in 2011; ified for the individual 9. Montana Horn garnered third in championships. 10. Kent State 2013; Gallagher fin“We continue to ished second in 2014; be impressed with and Tully placed third in 2014. the caliber of our students,” said The top-five place winners in each Russ Eshleman, associate head of of the writing competitions earn the Department of Journalism and co-coordinator of the College’s writing scholarships, with matching grants to the College of Communications. submissions. “The big thing, though, The College also will receive a is their enthusiasm and persistence. medallion and a $4,000 award for its “They latch onto their stories and second-place intercollegiate finish. aren’t satisfied until they report the Judging the writing competition heck out of them. They really do become experts on their topics, whether this year were: Marty Kaiser, editor and senior vice president, Milwaukee they’re writing about complicated personalities or tricky issues involving Journal Sentinel; John Temple, former managing editor of The Washington NCAA recruiting or wrongly convicted Post and current senior fellow, John S. prisoners. Very simply, they do good Knight Journalism Fellowship Projournalism.” gram, Stanford University; and Mike Three Penn State students have Leary, senior vice president and edicaptured the individual writing crown tor, San Antonio-Express News. in the championships in the past
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Ambitious students drive best-ever multimedia result
The College of Communications captured fourth place in the 20132014 intercollegiate multimedia standings in the William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s Journalism Awards Program. The finish is the College’s highest in that competition. Schools can submit two entries in each of the three individual multimedia competitions: narrative multimedia storytelling-features; news; and enterprise reporting. Schools can also submit two team entries in the multimedia storytelling –news category. The final intercollegiate standings are calculated based on overall student performances. Dave Cole led the College’s individual entries with a seventh place in news. Jessica Paholsky earned an 11th place tie in news and Danielle Malmgren finished in a 20th place tie in enterprise reporting. Coale Henderson and Siru Wen scored points in features and Paholsky scored points in enterprise reporting. Abigail Johnson, Kristen Appleton, Mike Bordick, Hannah Bressi, Maria Bryant and Noelle Mateer earned sixth place in team reporting. Kelly Tunney, Paholsky and Hayley Wildeson finished 16th in team reporting. Will Yurman, co-coordinator of the College’s multimedia entries, said: “Our success in the Hearst multimedia competition this year was due to the hard work of a number of students who produced stories that ranged from a lyrical piece on the dying art of film photography by Siru Wen, to two overseas stories – Dave Cole’s story on a family’s move to Shanghai in China and Jessica Pahol-
Kelly Tunney, at work here during the 2013 Keystone Multimedia Conference in Gettysburg, Pa., was one of many students who helped propel the College’s best-ever finish in the multimedia portion of the Hearst Journalism Awards Program. (Photo by Will Yurman)
long-form enterprise sky’s look at olive oil STANDINGS in Italy, to the annual reporting — challenges adventures of two difstudents to be really 1. Western Kentucky ferent groundhogs in versatile story tellers,” 2. Nebraska Pennsylvania. said Curt Chandler, 3. North Carolina “In each case, stu4. PENN STATE co-coordinator of the dents were challenged 5. Missouri College’s multimedia 6. Syracuse to learn new technoloentries. 7. Arizona State gy while never forgetChandler said work8. Montana ting the importance ing on longer stories 9. Oregon of telling a compelling that involved travel, 10. San Francisco State story. like “The Tale of Two “Many students, Groundhogs,” was parincluding Jessica, Kelly Tunney and ticularly valuable because it allowed Hayley Wildeson for their story on students to ask questions, learn skills the Grange Fair and Mike Bordick, and apply the knowledge in an enviHannah Bressi, Noelle Mateer, ronment away from the distractions Abigail Johnson, Maria Bryant and of daily campus life. Kristen Appleton for their story on The College will receive a medalGroundhog Day put in countless lion for its fourth-place finish. hours outside of class assignments Lead multimedia judges were Cory simply because of their commitment Tolbert Haik, executive producer, to becoming better journalists. It’s news innovations and strategic projextremely gratifying to see them all ects, The Washington Post, and Kate rewarded for their hard work.” O’Brian, president, Al Jazeera Ameri“The wide variety of Hearst categories — from straight news to ca, New York.
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Strong story tellers lead sixth-place broadcast finish
The College of Communications earned sixth place in the 2013-2014 intercollegiate broadcast competition of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s Journalism Awards Program. Schools can submit two student entries in the radio competition and two entries in each of the two monthly television competitions. The radio competition is for news and features. The first television monthly competition is for features and the second monthly competition is for news. Students associated with “Centre County Report,” the College’s weekly newscast, played a big part in entries The final intercolthat were honored in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program. (Photo by Dan Griswold) legiate standings are competitive pressure, skillful interviewing calculated based on STANDINGS teamwork and quality techniques, our stuoverall student performances. control, which they take dent reporters were The broadcast team was led by 1. Missouri with them to their first able to allow the sub2. Arizona State Christian Heilman, who earned sevjobs in the broadcast jects to tell their stories 3. North Carolina enth place in television features and 4. Nebraska industry.” compellingly in their 14th place in television news. 5. Southern California The College will own words.” Anita Oh earned a 16th place tie in 6. PENN STATE receive a medallion for Steve Kraycik, directelevision news and scored points in 7. Montana the sixth-place intercoltor of student televitelevision features. 8. Northwestern legiate finish. sion and online operaEric DeBerardinis finished 16th in 9. Florida Judging the broadcast tions, also praised the radio features and Caroline Goggin 10. Minnesota competition this year students. scores points in radio features. were: Marci Burdick, “It gives me a great Bob Richards, the Curley professor senior vice president deal of pride to see our of First Amendment Studies, said: of broadcasting, Schurz Communicastudents perform well in the Hearst “Once again our students showed tions Inc., Mishawaka, Ind.; Edward L. program,” Kraycik said. “Their strong that radio can be used effectively Esposito, vice president, Information finish in the broadcast competition to tell a story about a wide range of Media, Rubber City Radio Group, again shows they are doing top-qualitopics, from the difficulties student Akron, Ohio; and Fred Young, rety work and judges around the nation athletes experience when transfertired senior vice president for news, are recognizing their abilities. Our ring to other schools to a freshman Hearst Television Inc., New York. students also learn valuable leswho enjoys tracking the movement sons from this experience, involving of squirrels on campus. Through
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A photo series about Kristen Broome (left), who served as surrogate mother for her second cousin, Jamie Pursley, earned first place in the William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s Journalism Awards Program. (Photo by Jill Knight)
Third consecutive top-10 photojourn performance
Jill Knight led the Knight, a summer STANDINGS College of Commu2013 graduate, earned nications to a seva spot in the national 1. Western Kentucky enth-place finish in the individual champion2. Ohio University 3. North Carolina 2013-2014 intercolleships last June in San 4. Kent State giate photojournalism Francisco. 5. Missouri standings in the WilKnight and Andy Col6. Syracuse liam Randolph Hearst well, who qualified for 7. PENN STATE Foundation’s Journalthe individual photo8. Indiana ism Awards Program. journalism champion9. Arizona State This marked the third ships in 2012, are the 10. Nebraska consecutive year the only two Penn State College finished in the photo students ever to top-10 in photojournalism. qualify for the Hearst national chamIn 2011-2012, the College finished pionships. fourth. In 2012-2013, it claimed “I’m delighted to see our talented second. photojournalism students receive Knight earned first place this year the national recognition they dein the picture story/series category serve,” John Beale, who coordinates and 18th place in the news and feathe College’s photojournalism ture category. entries, said. “Many of the Hearst Steve Osborn scored points in the winning entries represent months news and feature competition, as did of hard work by dedicated student David Andrews in the picture story/ photojournalists. series category. “Jill Knight’s photo essay docu-
menting a mother and her surrogate, which earned first place, received national attention after it was published in the popular New York Times blog: Lens. Just months later, a second photo story by Jill was also published on the Times’ website.” Knight was named 2013 Student Photographer of the Year by the North Carolina Press Photographers Association. She interned at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Charlotte Observer as an undergraduate. She is currently working at the Raleigh News & Observer and completing self-assigned freelance photo stories. The College will receive a medallion for its seventh-place finish. Judging the photojournalism competition this year were: Steve Gonzales, director of photography, Houston Chronicle; Sue Morrow, assistant multimedia editor, Sacramento Bee; and Jakub Mosur, freelance photographer, San Francisco.
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Jamie Pursley and Kristen Broome wait for a doctor’s appointment (top left). Pursley listens for the baby (top right) and later sees the baby, a boy named Liam, crown at birth (middle left). And, while Pursley took her son home, Broome went home with a bouquet of flowers and two weeks later met her husband, Lee, when he returned from a military deployment in Afghanistan. (Photos by Jill Knight)
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‘CCR,’ news anchor again earn top national awards
A weekly TV newscast produced by College of Communications students earned the top honor and a student news anchor was named best in the nation as Penn State again performed well in the prestigious Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Festival of Media Arts, a nationwide competition honoring the best in faculty- and student-produced media. “Centre County Report,” the halfhour news program produced by communications students each week during the academic year, was selected as Student Newscast Best of Festival — the top honor in the compeititon — for the second year in a row. The honor comes with a $1,000 prize and a crystal award, which were presented at the BEA Convention in March in Las Vegas. The winning episode originally aired April 19, 2013, and included stories on Centre County survivors of the Boston Marathon bombings, security concerns due to the Boston bombings at the upcoming Penn State spring football game and a live on-set interview with NFL Hall of Famer Franco Harris. Mary Rogus, chair of the TV newcast division for BEA, congratulated the students on their work and called it “an excellent newscast.” A Penn State student was named best anchor for the second year in a row as well. Johanna Rojas, from Miami, was named the top Television News Anchor. The compilation of Rojas’s work for the award included anchor duties for stories about a fatal shooting and Meals on Wheels, as well as a standup report from the Penn State Dance Marathon and a report in Spanish about conditions for prisoners being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Students Adrienne DiPiazza (left) and Johanna Rojas with Steve Kraycik after accepting their awards at the BEA Festival of Media Arts. (Photo by Bill Gardner)
In addition, Willie Jungels, from Northfield, N.J., earned honorable mention regnition for his sports work. That included several live, on-location sports reports and duties as sports anchor during “Centre County Report.” “I’m incredibly proud of our students’ work,” said Steve Kraycik, director of student television in the College of Communications. “The ‘CCR’ staff winning best newscast and best anchor awards two straight years is proof their hard work and professional-style productions are standing out among very strong competition nationwide.” Dean Doug Anderson was pleased “Centre Country Report” claimed BEA’s top honor two years in a row. The individual recognition for Rojas and Jungels rounded out the effort. “Our students set a high mark last year, and this group equalled that effort,” Anderson said. “With the leadership of Steve Kraycik, the dedication of our talented faculty in the Division of Broadcasting and
the hard work of our students, we’ve established some high standards.” The BEA Festival of Media Arts has been honoring faculty and student work for more than a decade. Approximately 1,600 professors, students and media professionals are individual members of the BEA and some 275 college and university departments and schools are institutional members of the organization. The BEA is the professional association for professors, industry professionals and graduate students who are interested in teaching and research related to electronic media and multimedia enterprises. The organization was established in 1955, initially as the Association for Professional Broadcast Education, with the current name being adopted in 1973. While the BEA organizational name reflects its historic roots in preparing college students to enter the radio and TV business, the members share a diversity of interests involving all aspects of telecommunications and electronic media.
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Four selected in ‘Most Promising Minority’ program
as Interpublic Group, Four senior advertising majors in the Ominicom, Publicis, College of CommunicaWieden+Kennedy and tions at Penn State were WPP — was especially recognized as national valuable. finalists in the Most “Attending the Most Promising Minority Promising Minority Students program conStudents program was ducted by the American an amazing experience,” Advertising Federation. Ariza said. The four students The AAF’s Most Promwere among 50 naising Minority Students tionally who were program connects the recognized through the advertising industry with program and selected the nation’s top minorifor a trip to New York ty college seniors. The City to participate in Penn State’s four honorees in the Most Promising Minority Students program event provides opportucareer-related activities were (left to right): Sarika Patel, Sarah Espinoza, Kayla Ariza and Jamal Atwell. nities to recruit fresh taland to meet advertising and seven were named to the honor ent, to further prepare industry leaders. roll. advertising’s best young prospects and Students selected were: Kayla Ariza, “It was really humbling to be able to to help the industry’s workforce better Tobyhanna, Pa.; Jamal Atwell, Philadelspend a week with so many talented reflect the multiculturalism of society. phia; Sarah Espinoza, Seattle, Wash.; students who are just as interested as The program honors students and and Sarika Patel, Cupertino, Calif. With you are in the advertising industry and enhances their knowledge and underfour national finalists this year, Penn are hoping to do big things,” Patel said. standing of the advertising industry by State has had 34 students honored in She said the opportunity to meet with offering networking, interviewing and the program since 2006 — the second advertising industry leaders — with industry immersion opportunities with most of any university in the country. representatives from companies such industry professionals. Twenty-seven were national finalists
College sweeps AP’s Pennsylvania student broadcast contest Journalists from the College of Communications swept the student division in radio and television, and fared well against media professionals in a separate division during an annual contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcast Assocation. The contest accepts entries from across the state, with non-student work separated by market size. All Penn State entries in the student divisions came from COMM 466 Public Affairs Television Reporting and final projects completed in COMM
360 Radio Reporting. Work from the student-produced news program “Centre Country Report” and the sports magazine show “In the Game” was entered in the medium-market television division. Place winners were:
STUDENT RADIO & TELEVISION Radio First: Jesse Steinberg, “Fighting Childhood Obesity” Second: Thomas Simmons, “Gays in Scouting” Third: Sarah Brojak, ”Future of Solar Energy” Television First: Sam Ashton, Will Jenkins, Ryan Blaschak, Sean McDermott and Sean Cauley,
“Preventing Traumatic Brain Injuries in Youth Sports” Second: Priscilla Balseca, Joyann Jeffrey and Tashima Mitchell, “Researchers Link Pesticides to a Global Honey Bee Crisis” Third: Tashima Mitchell, Tejah Larkin and J.D. Intrieri, “Distracted Drivers Prompt Public Safety Debates” MEDIUM-MARKET TELEVISION Sports Feature Third: Patrick Woo, “Healing Newtown,” ComMedia Sports Photography Third: Willie Jungels, “Chambers Fires Back After Loss to Pitt,” Centre County Report News or Sports Talk Program First: “In the Game” (Episode 204), ComMedia
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Photographer Anna Ungar’s “Color Run” was the winner in the General News Photography category.
Eight first-place finishes, 23 finalists in SPJ competition Penn State again dominated the Region 1 2013 Mark of Excellence Awards competition coordinated by the Society of Professional Journalists. Students from the University claimed eight first-place finishes, with 23 honorees overall — far more than any other school. The awards honor the best in student journalism. SPJ’s Region 1 comprises Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Penn State’s regional winners were: NEWSPAPERS Breaking News Reporting Winner: “NCAA leaves door open for further sanction modifications,” John Stuetz and John McGonigal, The Daily Collegian Finalist: “Hearing for Spanier, Curley, Schultz scheduled today,” Olga Hajishengallis, Sam
Janesch and Brittany Horn, The Daily Collegian Finalist: “Conneaut Lake Park fire to hurt community financially,” Jessica Tully, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette General News Reporting Finalist: “An answer for peanut allergies may be in the pipeline at UPMC,” Jessica Tully, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette In-Depth Reporting Finalist: “For Innocent Inmates Set Free, Life Outside Presents its Own Challenges,” Jessica Tully, The Lion’s Roar Finalist: “The Journey of Jim Thorpe,” Leah Polakoff, The Lion’s Roar Feature Writing Winner: “After the Sorrow, Newtown is Determined to Recover,” Kristin Stoller, The Lion’s Roar Finalist: “Digital Revolution,” Julia Kern, The Lion’s Roar Sports Writing Finalist: “Steel Heart,” John Stuetz, The Daily Collegian Editorial Writing Finalist: Katie Murt, The Daily Collegian General Colum Writing Finalist: Brittany Horn, The Daily Collegian Sports Column Writing Winner: Anna Orso, The Daily Collegian ART/GRAPHICS Finalist: “Flood” by Jill Knight, ComMedia General News Photography Winner: “Color Run,” Anna Ungar, ComMedia Finalist: “Paterno Memorial,” Dave Cole, ComMedia
Feature Photography Finalist: “A Big Splash,” Lucia Sofo, The Daily Collegian Sports Photography Finalist: “Jubilation,” Kelly Tunney, ComMedia TELEVISION General News Reporting Winner: “Typhoon Haiyan,” Caroline Goggin, Centre County Report/ComMedia In-Depth Reporting Finalist: “Controversial Mascots,” Tristan Plunkett, Centre County Report/ComMedia Sports Reporting Winner: “Healing Newtown,” Patrick Woo, In the Game/ComMedia News and Feature Photography Winner: “Bellefonte Mansion,” Caroline Goggin, Centre County Report/ComMedia Finalist: “Drive-In Theaters Fighting to Stay Open,” Christian Heilman, Centre County Report/ComMedia Sports Photography Winner: “Healing Newtown,” Patrick Woo, In the Game/ComMedia Finalist: “Behind the Scenes at Beaver Stadium,” Willie Jungels, Centre County Report/ ComMedia Best All-Around Newscast Finalist: “Centre County Report” ONLINE Sports Reporting Finalist: “Clairton gets Bear’d up for football,” Dave Cole, Katherin Rodriguez, Steve Osborn, ComMedia
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Penn State top site for MLB internship program picks
It’s one of the more coveted opporBoston Red Sox, Stephen Pianovich tunities available to college students covering the Pittsburgh Pirates, Mike with an interest in communications Esse working with MLB.com and Tyler and sports — and Penn State stuFeldman working for MLB Network. dents have put the University’s mark Penn State students have worked on it regularly. across the country MLB INTERNS Twenty-four Penn through the program. State students in the Other teams to which Schools with the most past seven years have students have been students selected for the earned internships assigned include: BaltiMLB internship program through a competitive more Orioles, Chicago since 2008. application process White Sox, Cincinnati 1. PENN STATE (24) conducted by Major Reds, Los Angeles An2. Florida (14) League Baseball. gels, Los Angeles Dodg3. Illinois (12) Through the MLB. ers, Milwaukee Brewers, 4. Arizona State (10) com program, interns Minnesota Twins, New 5 (tie). Michigan State (9) 5 (tie). Kansas (9) work as backup beat York Mets, New York writers for a specific Yankees, Philadelphia team, producing daily Phillies and St. Louis stories and videos during the season. Cardinals. In addition, other students work in Coordinators of the MLB program the MLB office in New York City. consistently point to Penn State’s Four students earned assignments approach — with a combination of in 2014: Steve Petrella covering the classroom work, co-curricular activ-
ities and internships — as a strong training ground for their hands-on internships. The College of Communications and the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism emphasize that approach every day. “We’re proud of the opportunities our students earn,” said John Affleck, the Knight Chair in Sports Journalism and Society and director of the Curley Center. “We’re glad they are in a position to get such valuable experience.” The Curley Center, created in 2003, explores issues and trends in sports journalism through instruction, outreach, programming and research. The Center’s undergraduate curricular emphasis includes courses in sports writing, sports broadcasting, sports information, sports, media and society, and sports and public policy, which is cross-listed with the Penn State Dickinson School of Law.
University crafts strong bond with Dow Jones program With another College of Communications student selected for an internship through the Dow Jones News Fund Editing Intern Program this summer, Penn State has continued its run of success in the respected program. In the past 11 years, 61 Penn State students — the second most of any school in the country —have been selected for the program. This year’s participant, Ebony Martin, earned her degree in December 2013, and was assigned an internship with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Martin was selected from hundreds of applicants nationwide who will work at media outlets across the country beginning in mid-June. Martin earned her degree in jour-
In the past 11 years, 61 Penn State students have been selected for the Dow Jones News Fund Editing Intern Program. nalism with a minor in African and African-American studies. During her time as a student, she served as vice president of the Penn State Black Caucus and as a resident assistant. She was also a reporter for The Daily Collegian, and active on campus commissions for diversity and women. Students selected for the program attend eight-day training programs on college campuses before completing paid internships for a minimum of 10 weeks. At the end of the
full program, interns who return to college as full-time students the following fall receive scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $1,800 from the Dow Jones News Fund. Students qualify for consideration for the internships by scoring high on a standard editing test designed by the Dow Jones News Fund staff and administered under controlled conditions on the students’ home campuses. Final selections are made by directors of the training programs based on the test, reference checks, an essay and the student’s academic record. The Dow Jones News Fund is a nonprofit foundation supported by the Dow Jones Foundation and other communications companies.
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Student winners and faculty members accept awards earned by the College of Communications during the Hearst Journalism Awards Program. In 2013-2014, Penn State earned its third consecutive overall national championship in the competition called “the Pulitzers of college journalism.�