The Mass Communicator Spring 2012

Keith Samples: West Texas to West Coast

Meet Our 2011 Greg Perkins: Outstanding A Visionary in Alumni New Media

The Mass Communicator • A publication for alumni and friends of the Texas Tech University College of Mass Communications • Spring 2012

Dean's Notes:

From Dean Jerry C. Hudson – In February 2011, we were discussing renovation options for our new facilities. September 2012 seemed to be a long time away. Here we are a year later, and September 2012 is just around the corner. We now are eagerly making arrangements and decisions for our move in August.

The university architects have accommodated all our suggestions and recommendations in making the $25 million renovations to a world-class building. The 192,000 square feet facility also will be the new home for KTXT-FM and the Daily Toreador. We are planning a major celebration in October and you’re invited. As soon as the Texas Tech football schedule is finalized, we will select a weekend when Texas Tech is hosting a home game. The celebration also will include the recognition of six Outstanding Alumni and the induction of a Mass Communications Hall of Fame recipient.

College Changes: I have forwarded a request to Provost Bob Smith to change the name of the College of Mass Communications to the College of Media and Communication. This change more accurately reflects and describes what we teach in our undergraduate and graduate programs. The faculty and the National Professional Advisory Board approve and support this request to change the name. Once the request is approved by Provost Smith, the Board of Regents and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, we will officially change the name of the college. Hopefully, the change will probably be made in October or November.

In other sections of the Mass Communicator, you will final columns authored by Drs. Coy Callison, associate dean of graduate studies, and Kevin Stoker, associate dean of faculty. Their columns will update you on changes in the graduate program, success of our faculty, and a new degree program. Another column is written by Ms. Memory Bennett, our new development officer. She will announce a new opportunity for you to fund a scholarship in your name. I encourage you to read each of these columns and direct your comments and questions to them personally.

Announcements: KTXT-FM – On April 1, 2011, KTXT-FM quietly celebrated its 50th birthday. KTXT-FM was not under our administrative umbrella at that time; therefore, we did not recognize that milestone. However, we are planning a 50+2 celebration on April 1, 2013.

If you served on the executive staff, worked at the station in any capacity, or earned academic credit at KTXT-FM, please contact me and provide your name, e-mail address, mailing address, and telephone number. We would like you to join us in 2013 in recognition of 50+2.

In response to the university’s plans to grow to 40,000 by 2020, the college has employed its first student recruiter and alumni liaison.

Emily Backe (PR 2010) joined us in January to develop an aggressive program to assist us in achieving our goal of increasing the number of undergraduate majors from 1,500 to 2,000 by 2016.

Andrew Byrne (M.A. 2011) accepted our offer in January to serve as the college’s webmaster. The college will be expanding its web services to our alumni, friends, students and staff in the coming months.

I extend my sincere thanks to Gregg Holmes (ADV 1976) for his excellent leadership during the past three years as chair of our National Professional Advisory Board. Members of the Board selected Charlene Rogers Stark (ADV 1982) as the new chair. Kim Rice (TELE 1981) will serve as vice chair.

I hope to see you in November when we dedicate our new facilities. Check our website for the specific date.

Vol. 36 No. 2 | Spring 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS ON THE COVER

18 KTXT-FM: Rides Out Financial Troubles, Hits the Waves Again

by Kimberly Atkins, photos by Tarryn Lambert Illustration by Ryan Vatzlavick

ALUMNI AND FRIENDS 4 6 8 12 26

John Rafferty: Going Places Keith Samples: West Texas to West Coast 2011 Outstanding Alumni: Role Models Honored Greg Perkins: A Visionary in New Media Donor Story: Lighting Students’ Ways

FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS 14 20 22 24 30

Ioanna Makris: A Passion For Investigation Autumn Shafer: Rising From Humbler Times Kelly Kaufhold: The Accidental Career Yunjuan Luo: A Chinese Experience Emily Balke: Taking Care of Students: Potential and Past

© 2012, Texas Tech University College of Mass Communications

NEWS

Inside Front Cover- Dean’s Notes 1 Associate Deans’ Notes 2 Development Notes 2 Student Editor Letter 3 Proposed New Mass Communications Degree Program 32 Donor List

CLICK IT ADDITIONAL STORIES ONLINE

(Visit www.mcom.ttu.edu and click Student Publications > Mass Communicator)

Aventura Española 2011 Mass Communications Career Fair Exceeds Expectations Wilkinson in Paris Women’s Basketball

MC STAFF

Publisher Faculty editor Art director Website designer Editor-in-chief Managing editor Designer

Dean Jerry C. Hudson Kippra Hopper Melissa Wofford Andrew Byrne Katie Yingling Andrew Hart Ryan Vatzlavick

From Dr. Kevin Stoker, associate dean of faculty – The most recent issue of Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, the leading scholarly journal in our field, included three studies conducted by faculty members from the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech University.

For these studies to gain acceptance as articles in this respected journal, they each were sent to three members of the journal’s editorial board and given a “blind” review. The reviewers receive the paper without identifying authors or their affiliations. A paper generally is accepted if all the reviewers give it a positive review. It’s not uncommon for these papers to be sent back for revisions as part of a process known as “revise and resubmit.” The “revise and resubmit” process can take months, even years, to complete, and then there is no guarantee the paper will be published.

Texas Tech faculty accounted for three of the seven articles published in the Winter 2011 edition, constituting more than 50 of the 137 pages devoted to scholarly research.

Dr. Glenn Cummins, an assistant professor of Electronic Media and Communications, and Todd Chambers, an associate professor and EMC Department chair, conducted a study titled, “How Production Value Impacts Perceived Technical Quality, Credibility, and Economic Value of Video News.”

The next article was a study by Dr. Trent Seltzer, assistant professor and chair of the Department of Public Relations, and Dr. Weiwu Zhang, an assistant professor of public relations. The title of their study was “Debating Healthcare Reform: How Political Parties’ Issue-specific Communication Influences Citizens’ Perceptions of Organization-Public Relationships.”

Dr. Josh Grimm, an assistant professor of journalism, collaborated with his dissertation adviser, Julie L. Andsager of the University of Iowa, to publish a study based on his dissertation. “Framing Immigration: Geo-ethnic Context in California Newspapers” was based on a content analysis of newspaper coverage of a controversial immigration bill.

– Curriculum Updates In December, the University Academic Council approved a new degree program in Media Studies for the College of Mass Communications.

The program now must gain approval from the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents.

The Media Strategies proposal focuses on giving students an interdisciplinary education in mass communications and entrepreneurship.

In collaboration with the Center for Entrepreneurship at the Rawls College of Business, the College of Mass Communications will offer classes on professional communication, media literacy, media economics and entrepreneurship, new value creation, and discovering entrepreneurial opportunities. Read more about this on pg. 3.

New MCOM courses have been approved in professional communication and media literacy. The professional communication course will fulfill the university’s core requirement in oral communication and focus on writing and delivering speeches, responding to requests for proposals, and making professional presentations.

In today’s evolving media marketplace, professional communicators may find a broad-based knowledge of the media professions more important than particular skills in one discipline. Media strategies students will learn how to turn their ideas into business opportunities.

The new program will focus more on strategic thinking about media rather than just on learning a specific skill set in media.

The new major also will provide a degree program for students interested in graduate education.

From Dr. Coy Callison, associate dean of graduate studies – The College of Mass Communications graduate program continues not only to grow but also to evolve. In the Fall 2011 semester, we added Drs. Yunjuan Luo, Autumn Schafer and Kelly Kaufhold to the graduate faculty. We also added 15 new M.A. students in the fall and eight new Ph.D. students. For the Spring 2012 semester, we added 11 new M.A. students and one new Ph.D. student.

We begin this spring semester with 66 total graduate students, up from 58 last spring. This number also includes the college graduating 21 M.A. students and four Ph.D. students over last year. This momentum appears to be continuing as we are ahead of pace on the number of applicants for the upcoming summer and fall semesters.

The new 30-hour M.A. program that we kicked off in the Fall has been a big hit, and I suspect that it has led to a good portion of our growth. Students coming in under this track can graduate in a calendar year if they attend fulltime and make steady progress. This track is evenly divided between students focusing on sports media and students focusing on a more general mass media business approach. Of course, we still have a good measure of M.A. students on the thesis track who are testing mass communications theory.

The Ph.D. program is in the midst of its seventh year and continues to surpass our initial expectations. The Texas Tech College of Mass Communications is well-represented at almost every academic conference with our students presenting peer-reviewed research papers – some of these winning top awards. In fact, doctoral student Sungwon Chung was notified in January that he will receive an American Academy of Advertising Dissertation Proposal Award at the 2012 AAA conference in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Chung's submission, titled "Motivated Cognition In Video Games: The Influence Of Emotional Video Game Content On Cognitive Processing Of Billboard Advertisements Embedded In First-Person Shooter Games," was selected to receive $2,000, the highest level of funding.

I continue to hear from applicants who are excited to study in the college because of our outstanding research facilities. Ph.D. students especially seek out programs where equipment and laboratories exist that enable scholars to investigate whatever communication phenomena that has drawn their focus. With our upcoming move to the new building, the College of Mass Communications seemingly will be home to the most impressive center for communications research in the nation. As such, I fully expect that interest in our program will continue to grow, and we will be able to select outstanding budding scholars to populate our program.

All in all, the positive trajectory continues. Outstanding new graduate faculty members join our ranks, highly recruited new students populate our classes, and our research facilities become more and more prominent. The result is that my job becomes easier by the day. No complaints from this corner.

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Development Notes

Memory Bennett

Being a newcomer to my role in the College of Mass Communications development world, I understand the term “development” can be a little intimidating. You may be wondering where to start. I’d like to try and simplify it for you. There are plenty of ways you can give back to the College of Mass Communications and Texas Tech University. Even recent graduates can give back in some way that can make a profound impact on our students and programs.

PHONE-A-THON By now, many of you have received calls from student callers participating in our annual Phone-AThon. Each year these students contact alumni and friends like you in efforts to reconnect you to the university and our college, as well as to give you the opportunity to give back. These student callers are a great asset to the college, our programs and scholarships. We truly appreciate your generosity from these calls. Many of these contributions go toward the college’s or departments’ discretionary funds, student scholarships, or specific programs. It is important to note, 100 percent of your donation is used specifically for the purposes you designate.

While not all of the student callers are mass communications students, they are students within the university, and they work closely with our office to ensure they have or can get you the information you need. So I encourage you to interact with these students and feel free to ask questions. I assure you that we will try to address each and every question or concern that you discuss with them.

Endowed Funds Endowments are gifts that keep on giving. An endowment gift is invested, and the earning on the principal is used to provide support to the college and university in keeping with the donor’s goals.

Many times these gifts are established as scholarship accounts and provide an endless number of scholarships throughout the years to students majoring in mass communications. Other times, these funds are used to support a program, department, or research area. Each endowment is unique to the donor and can be modified to fit the wishes of the individual.

Annual Scholarships Scholarships can be established and renewed on an annual basis for a minimum amount of $1,500.

This option gives alumni and donors the opportunity to give a one-time gift that is awarded to a student based on criteria set by the donor. Annual scholarships will be divided between the fall and spring semester. For example, a $2,000 annual scholarship would be awarded in two increments; $1,000 in the fall semester and $1,000 in the spring semester. The scholarship can be renewed if it fits the wishes of the donor.

Bequest A bequest is one of the easiest ways to make a gift back to the College of Mass Communications, providing an avenue for you to help students and to leave a legacy in your name. A bequest can be made when preparing a new will or by updating your current one. Always consult your attorney for legal advice. When you make a bequest to Texas Tech University, you are also eligible to be a part of our prestigious Matador Society.

I hope this helps bring the world of development a little closer to your doorstep. For more information about any of these topics, feel free to give me a call or send an e-mail. I will be glad to talk with you further about these options and other ideas for giving back to our great college and university.

Student Editor Letter

Katie Yingling

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My name is Katie Yingling, and I am proud to present the spring 2012 issue of the Mass Communicator. It has been my pleasure to be the editor this semester, and I look forward to using all the things I learned this semester to make the summer issue even better. I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to gain experience and take more than a classroom education away from my time at Texas Tech.

In this issue you will find: information about exciting happenings around the College of Mass Communications, a peek into the outstanding new faculty in our college that now call Lubbock home, and stories of the extreme generosity that characterizes Texas Tech alumni. I had the pleasure of working with nearly 20 of my fellow students to create this magazine. A unique aspect of this semester’s issue is the fact that every student who wrote a story was a volunteer. I can’t thank them all enough for donating their very valuable time.

All the opportunities I have been given at Texas Tech have allowed me to build a full, well-rounded educational experience. I am so thrilled to share a portion of it with you, the alumni I have learned a lot about this semester. Thank you for being so accessible to us as students, and thank you for your never-ending support. Enjoy.

by Andrew Hart, illustration by Ryan Vatzlavick Different from all other current degree programs in the College of Mass Communications, the newly proposed Media Strategies degree program offers a new outlook on the study of mass communications.

The proposed Media Strategies degree program, which will be considered by the Board of Regents in February 2012 for final approval, will be a general mass communications program that has an emphasis on critical thinking rather than specific skills.

Kevin Stoker Ph.D., the associate dean for faculty affairs, took the lead on this degree proposal and presented the new program to the Academic Council. He believes the Media Strategies degree will provide an opportunity for students who may not know what specific area of mass communications they want to work in.

“One of the things the College of Mass Communications really wanted to do with this was to give students the freedom to create their own program by using all the available classes out there,” Stoker said.

Stoker also mentioned that the generality of the new degree program may attract new students to the College of Mass Communications.

“A lot more students just want to know more about what’s happening across the board,” Stoker said.

A second reason why Media Strategies will stand out from the current degree programs of the college is the added element of entrepreneurism.

The College of Mass Communications’ dean, Jerry Hudson, said the college wants to add an entrepreneurial component to Media Strategies in order for students to learn about the new technology and non-traditional ways of communicating and to turn it into their own businesses.

“If you think in terms of opportunities that will be available within the next five years, it is kind of mindboggling that some of those haven’t even been thought of as possibilities yet,” Hudson said.

The College of Mass Communications has teamed up with the Rawls College of Business to offer students in the newly proposed degree program a chance to take five entrepreneurial courses, two of them being required.

“With these new entrepreneurial classes, students will know what it takes to create a new business,” Stoker said. “Students will be able to come out of here and think across disciplines and have the ability to turn what they know about mass communications into a business strategy.”

Unlike the current 2.75 minimum GPA for the other mass communications degree programs, Media Strategies will only require a minimum 2.25 GPA. The general core of the mass communication classes still will be required. mc

(Andrew Hart is a December 2011 public relations graduate from Austin, Texas. Ryan Vatzlavick is a senior communication design major from Cypress, Texas.)

Going Places

by Katie Yingling, photo by Kerry Lentz

When John Rafferty was wearing the Raider Red mascot costume holding an eye chart in front of a referee during a Texas Tech University men’s basketball game, he had no idea how successful his advertising career would be.

It was just another Thursday during the fall semester of John Wirtz’s Public Relations Management class. Students expected to talk about groupthink and conflict management, instead Rafferty joined the class to talk about his management experience as the director of sales and marketing at KATV-ABC 7 in Little Rock, Ark. “Your Texas Tech degree will get you places,” Rafferty said. “I’ve done things I never, never, never imagined I would do.”

Right after graduation, Jerry Hudson, the dean of the College of Mass Communications, recommended Rafferty for a television advertisement sales job in Roswell, N.M. “It was a ball,” Rafferty said. He worked with five other recent graduates and stayed for a year. Rafferty said looking back on his time at Roswell, he is really glad his career started there.

After a few moves, Rafferty settled in Little Rock, Ark., and said the best thing for young professionals is to be mobile. “Find what is right for you and sometimes take a chance.”

Rafferty received his Bachelor of Arts degree in advertising from Texas Tech in 1987, with a minor in marketing. He was honored as

an Outstanding Alumnus in 2004 from the College of Mass Communications; he said this was a great honor and a bit of a surprise, because he was not always the most studious.

“It all started with an education at Texas Tech. The irony of me being an outstanding alumnus is not lost on me because I was not an outstanding student.”

Rafferty’s passion for Texas Tech was apparent to the students in Wirtz’s class. Isaac Olivares, a senior public relations major from San Antonio, Texas, said, “When that person sat in the same seat in the same classroom I did, it makes it that much more closer to home for me and really resonates. Hearing him makes me feel that all the work we are doing now is leading to something big.”

Rafferty took several questions from the class ranging from what makes a good sales person, to what questions to ask in interviews. He closed with two simple words, “Go Tech,” but not before sharing a key piece of advice: “Reach out to alumni like me who are here, who want to help you.” mc (Katie Yingling is a senior public relations major from Harker Heights, Texas. Kerry Lentz is a May 2011 public relations graduate from San Antonio, Texas)

“Your Texas Tech degree will get you places.

I’ve done things I never, never, never imagined I would do.”

John Rafferty

CLICK IT

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Visit www.mcom.ttu.edu and click Alumni > Feedback to update your information with us.

“When that person sat in the same seat in the same classroom I did, it makes it that much more closer to home for me and really resonates.

Hearing him makes me feel that all

the work we are doing now is

leading to something big.�

–Isaac Olivares mc | 5

west texas

by Andrew Hart and Katie Yingling, illustration by Ryan Vatzlavick, photo courtesy Keith Samples

TO

The College of Mass Communications National Board members, alumni, faculty, and select students attended the 2011 Hall of Fame Luncheon on Oct. 14 in the International Cultural Center to honor Keith Samples.

Samples was inducted into the Mass Communications Hall of Fame, which was organized to recognize Texas Tech University alumni who have distinguished themselves in mass communications and who have specifically aided the educational programs in the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech.

Samples earned his degree in journalism in 1977. Following his graduation, he worked as the sports information director for the university before switching his career to the television and film industry. In 1991, Samples founded and became the chief executive officer of Rysher Entertainment, a company that has grown from the production and distribution house behind such television hits as “Saved by the Bell” and “Highlander: The Series.” Rysher Entertainment also produced such Hollywood films as “Big Night” and “Kingpin.”

After leaving Rysher Entertainment, Samples made his debut in 1997 as a screenwriter with the romantic comedy, “A Smile Like Yours.” He also was the director for the 2008 action thriller, “Love Lies Bleeding.”

“Even though I grew up in small towns far away from the movie business, I always dreamed about working in film and television. Movies seemed like magic to me as a kid,” Samples said. “At Tech, I got the chance to interact with a number of people in the sports side of television through my jobs in the Athletic Department.”

During Samples’ acceptance speech, he spoke about the role Texas Tech and Lubbock have played in his life and career.

“I realized any time there is a place where you have so many firsts in your life occur, that becomes part of your DNA,” Samples said. “In my years in Lubbock there were so many things that happened to me for the first time: my first child was born here, my first home, my first job. Just so many things that shaped what life became to be, happened here in Lubbock. So even though I don’t always get a chance to stand physically on the campus, please know how much I love the school and what a big and important part it has played in my life.”

Samples said he always has been drawn to the television and film industry, and he recalls the very start of his successful career in show business.

“I remember the first time I stepped onto a set,” Samples said. “It was a sound stage almost 30 years ago, how excited I was, what a tingle it was. What a great thrill. In the ensuing 30 years, I have now spent more than 1,000 days on various television and film sets. I can honestly tell you I still get that same tingle.” mc (Andrew Hart is a December 2011 public relations graduate from Austin, Texas. Katie Yingling is a senior public relations major from Harker Heights, Texas. Ryan Vatzlavick is a senior communication design major from Cypress, Texas.)

Keith Samples was inducted into the Mass Communications Hall of Fame this October for his impressive career in the entertainment industry.

CLICK IT Visit www.mcom.ttu.edu and click Alumni > Hall of Fame to see a complete listing of former Hall of Fame inductees.

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Role Models

by Katie Yingling, group photo by Kent Sparkman, portraits courtesy alumni inductees

Standing, from left: Kay Bell, Tod Robberson, Jan Boyle. Seated, from left: Rita Williams, Eddie Owens, Jennifer Schuder.

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he College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech University hosted the 2011 Outstanding Alumni Breakfast at 8 a.m. Oct. 15 in the Merket Alumni Center.

These alumni were honored prior to the Kansas State football game during Homecoming weekend. A medallion was given to each honoree, and plaques are retained for display in the Mass Communications Building. Each honoree gave a short acceptance speech upon receiving their award.

Eddie Owens

Eddie Owens earned a master’s degree in mass communications, with a public relations concentration, from the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech University in 1985.

Owens said he remembers the first time he walked into the Mass Communications Building, he thought administrators were not going to let him be a student at Texas Tech again.

“I had quit law school four years before, and honestly didn’t know if they would let me in.

Five years later, I wasn’t sure they would let me out.”

He has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations and currently is director of communications and public relations for United Supermarkets, LLC, of Lubbock.

With United Supermarkets, he is the chief public relations officer for the 30-store supermarket chain in North and West Texas.

Owens also holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and speech from Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas, where he taught mass communications courses and served as director of public relations form 1979 to 1989. His experience includes being a sports reporter and editor for the Plainview Reporter-News and the Plainview Daily Herald.

“Every learning experience I have in the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech was impeccable,” Owens said. “I am so proud of the training I received during that period of time.”

Jan Boyle

Jan Boyle earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising from the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech University in 1978. Currently, she is a partner and managing director of a new company called Five0. The first creatively driven company focused on messaging, content and relationship management for consumers aged 35 to 65, with a “sweet spot” of age 50, the company focuses on the Baby Boomers—the largest, fastest growing, richest and most overlooked consumer segment. Five0’s clients include L’Oreal, General Mills, American Express, Crimson Hexagon, and many others.

During her acceptance speech, Boyle spoke about all the changes she has noticed on campus, but she still got the same feeling she had when she was a student here.

“I am still struck at how much it still feels the same, “ Boyle said, “because the warmth and the generosity that I experienced still hit me square in the face as I cross this campus.”

Beginning her career at DDB and McCaffrey & McCall in New York, Boyle then spent 14 years at Ammirati Puris Lintas where she managed such blue chip clients as BMW, Aetna, GMC Trucks, RCA, and Burger King. Boyle’s accounts have garnered hundreds of awards, but she is most proud of the results she and her team created with Effies earned for Volkswagen, BMW and RCA. After 20 years on the agency side, she built MatchWorks, an agency search consultancy, where she applied her 20-plus years in the marketing world to create successful partnerships and increased collaboration between clients and agencies. MatchWorks’ goal was to maximize client-agency investment in one another and drive greater results from the alliance. The result was 10 years of successful relationship building and more than 60 agency search assignments completed.

Boyle joined Universal McCann, Interpublic Group’s largest global media agency, as global managing partner lead in December 2008. She acted as the global facilitator for Universal McCann and its partner agencies so that each client received comprehensive marketing solutions that pushed their brands to their full potential.

Boyle said this whole journey started before she even knew about Texas Tech.

“When I was a junior in high school, my mom cut out an article from the Philadelphia Bulletin about where to go to school for advertising. And she sent away for that booklet that described every university and school in the country with majors with classes, with sequences.

That booklet was published right here in Lubbock, Texas, with the imprint of Dr. Billy Ross. So to Dr. Ross, to Dr. Hudson, and to my mom, thank you for all this.”

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Kay Bell

Kay Bell earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1978 from the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech University. She has worked in a diverse career that has included positions as a daily newspaper reporter and editor in her native Texas, almost 20 years working for a U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the House Ways and Means Committee, and as a member of the Washington, D.C., government relations offices of two Fortune 500 companies.

When accepting the award, Bell said, “I’m incredibly honored and humbled and for the first time in my life, speechless.”

In 1999, she helped to start the tax section of the respected personal finance website bankrate.com. She continues as contributing tax editor for the Florida- based online publisher.

When she returned home to Texas in 2005, she opened SKB Editorial Services, a boutique editorial content company that provides financially focused articles to a diverse clientele.

As an independent journalist, she has written for consumer finance and general interest publications, including TheStreet.com, CreditCards.com, MSN Money, American Profile and Austin Woman magazine, for which she started the “Worth” personal finance column. On the commercial journalism side, Bell has produced copy for T. Rowe Price, Motley Fool Investor, Brinker Fixed Income Advisor, and the Community Bankers Association.

She has appeared on Fox Business, CNN, Marketplace, Bloomberg radio and The Pulse Network. Bell blogs about taxes and personal finance at two sites, her personal blog “Don’t Mess With Taxes” and “Taxes Blog” for Bankrate. Her first solo book, “The Truth About Paying Fewer Taxes,” was published by Financial Times Press in February 2009. Currently, she is working on a book about finances for young adults.

Bell has been a member of the National Professional Advisory Board to the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech since 2009, and she said that she is grateful for the opportunity to serve on this board.

“It’s an honor; it’s a great privilege to get to see some fellow mass comm alums and to work with some of the students. We met some of them yesterday, and it is very encouraging to see how energetic and enthusiastic and committed to the profession and to being great journalists that they are.”

Rita Williams Rita Williams, who earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech University in 1969, was part of the first group of women reporters on television almost 40 years ago. For 32 years now, she has been an investigative reporter and San Francisco bureau chief at KTVU-TV Oakland, Calif.

Her honors include being a 2010 George Peabody Award winner as lead investigative reporter for coverage of the killing of an African-American unarmed man by a white BART police officer and its aftermath. She also received a 2010 Associated Press Mark Twain award for being the best television reporter in the 12 western states. In 2009, at the San Francisco Federal Building, she and a federal judge created the first-ever media room in the country with live broadcast capability of court proceedings, earning a Society of Professional Journalists James Madison Award.

In 2001, she was selected for the Silver Circle of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for journalism. She also is the winner of two Emmy awards and many other journalism honors.

After graduation from Texas Tech, Williams worked as an aide and press secretary for Lubbock’s’ Congressman George Mahon, while also earning a master’s degree in political science/international affairs from George Washington University.

Williams started her television career in 1973 as a management trainee for Westinghouse Broadcasting Company at WJZ-TV, Baltimore, Md., From 1974 to 1977, she was a reporter and anchor for KSAT-TV in San Antonio, Texas, and from 1978 to 1980, she reported for KQED-TV, the San Francisco PBS station.

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Tod Robberson Tod Robberson, who graduated from Texas Tech University’s College of Mass Communications in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in print journalism, is a 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner who now works at the Dallas Morning News.

After graduating, Robberson was on the startup staff of the Washington Business Journal. He later formed a news service with Sarah McClendon. He later was an editor on the foreign, business and metro desks of The Washington Post.

After working in Beirut, he held a reporting position with the Reuters news agency, which moved Robberson to Cyprus, where he became a roving correspondent covering Syria and the Iran-Iraq war.

In 1986, Reuters promoted Robberson to be its bureau chief in El Salvador.

Shortly after that, Georgetown University offered Robberson a fellowship, and he returned to Washington, D.C., to work on his master’s degree in Arab Studies. While finishing his master’s degree, Robberson returned to The Washington Post as an assistant foreign editor. In1990, The Post sent Robberson to Iraq. From 1992 to 1996, Robberson was The Post’s bureau chief in Mexico City.

In 1997, the Dallas Morning News hired Robberson to cover Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the Middle East. He lived in Bogota, Colombia, with his wife and daughter, before moving to Panama City, Panama.

In 2003, the Morning News made Robberson its European bureau chief, based in London.

He continues to cover the Middle East extensively. He has made numerous, month-long trips to Afghanistan and more than a dozen trips to Iraq. He speaks fluent Spanish, and he speaks, reads and writes Arabic.

Throughout all his travels and experiences, Robberson still remembers where it all started.

“Wherever I have been in the world, the awards that I have won, whatever I have done, I always think back to the lessons that I learned here. I just want everyone to know the work that is being done at this university lives on, it regenerates itself, it doesn’t die.”

Jennifer Schuder Jennifer Schuder earned a master’s degree in mass communications, with an emphasis on public relations, in 1996 from Texas Tech University’s College of Mass Communications. She earned a bachelor’s degree in 1992 in management information systems from Texas Tech’s College of Business Administration. Currently she is the chief marketing officer and director of community outreach at the Dallas Opera.

Schuder reflected on the first day she stepped on Texas Tech’s campus when accepting this award.

“I was a junior in high school, and I was visiting a friend who was out here at the time. I knew instantly that this is where I wanted to be. I knew that I wanted to be here so much that I finished my undergrad in the business school, and I wasn’t ready to leave. I found my way over to mass comm, and I am very grateful for that time, because I sort of found myself during that time. I always say that the business school taught me to be logical, but mass comm taught me how to think.”

Her past positions include senior director of marketing and product marketing at Tue.com. She was director of marketing communications at ZixCorp. She worked as project manager and account manager at DigiKnow. She began her career as account executive at Vantage One. Schuder is a marketing professional who specializes in an integrated approach to promoting products and services, looking at all aspects of marketing communication – public relations, online and traditional to find the best marketing mix.

In her current role, she leads a multi-functional communications staff of 15 and is responsible for approximately 50 percent of the company’s revenue. Departmental functions include direct marketing, community outreach, competitive intelligence, interactive development, public relations, customer retention, and ticket sales. Since taking the position, she has developed and executed an acquisition and messaging strategy to expand ticket sales and deepen the patrons’ bond to the company. She also has formulated an interactive strategy to take ticket sales online and create a robust CRM/e-mail program.

She is a member of the Junior League of Dallas, a classroom aid at Notre Dame School, a member of the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Amici di Opera – Dallas Opera’s Young Professionals Group. Within the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech, Schuder is a committee member of the college’s Scholarship Luncheon Committee and a member of the Texas Tech Mass Communications Advisory Committee. mc (Katie Yingling is a senior public relations major from Harker Heights, Texas. Kent Sparkman is a senior electronic media and communications major from Slaton, Texas.)

CLICK IT Visit www.mcom.ttu.edu and click Alumni > Outstanding to see a complete listing of former Outstanding Alumni inductees.

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A VISIONARY IN NEW MEDIA

by Sarah Ivester, photo courtes

y Greg Perkins

Greg Perkins has 30 years of experience in mass communications, including advertising sales, writing TV shows, and working with Disney to create online games.

His work with Disney sparked his passion for new media, which led him to create his company, Food4Thought.

“My FAVORITE part of my job is being able to tell stories and create original content in a NEW MEDIUM,” — Greg Perkins mc | 12

ith more than 30 years of experience working in a fast-paced, always-changing environm ent, Greg Perkins credits his education from the College of Mass Communications at Texa s Tech as the starting point of his success.

Besides chasing sorority girls, Perk ins said he was involved with the Saddle Tramps at Texas Tech beginning his sophomore year.

After graduating from Texas Tech with a degree in advertising in 1979, Perkins took a job as an advertising sales representative for The Wall Stree t Journal in Houston.

Perkins said he then started doing children’s television shows, but just strictly as a writer. He said this led him into writing and producing for reality telev ision, also called nonfiction television. This included documentary style shows on National Geographic, the Food Network, and syndicated shows like “Blind Date.”

Perkins then worked for E! Entertainmen t and then said he segued into writing and producin g, doing almost the exact same thing as before, for an onlin e company called iQuestions.com.

“That led me to an opportunity to work for online games at Disney, which included ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ online, ‘World of Cars,’ based on the movie ‘Cars ,’ ‘Toontown,’ and a couple of others. This is really where I got my start in the new media area. When I went out on my own, I decided to do mobile apps and games because they were much more affordable to develop than full on, robu st, online games,” Perkins said.

Perkins now works in new media com prised of mostly games and apps for mobile applicati on, he said, in other words, handheld devices like the iPho ne and iPad. Food4Thought is a new company Perk ins started about a year ago. He said he had been with Disn ey for a few years, writing and producing video games and online games, and that ended in August 2010.

Food4Thought not only develops gam es and apps for its own brand, but also hires out to businesses and organizations to build apps for them.

“My favorite part of my job is being able to tell stories and create original content in a new med ium,” he said.

Brett Perry, a composer for television and film and friend of Perkins, said he met Perkins through mutual friends in the business and has known him for 15 year s.

Perry said Perkins’ abilities to lead a team and produce great writing contribute to his success in the business. Perry said doing both of these things well help s make everyone’s job easier.

Perry also said the best part about work ing with Perkins is that he trusts the people he hires to do wha t they do.

Perry said the keys to success are bein g a pro at what you do, learning the old school way of your profession, and knowing how things used to be done. He said even if you do not use these techniques, it will give you a great histo ry of your profession and make you better at your job.

Jennifer Oliver O’Connell, a write r, software consultant, blogger, and yoga instructor, said she met Perkins through an entertainment fellowship called “Prim ace” in the Los Angeles area.

She said Primace is a group for write rs, directors, producers, agents, and industry executives. O’Co nnell said this was around 1996 or ’97, and she has kept in touch with Perkins over the years.

O’Connell worked with Perkins on a short film or a short documentary, that is how long it has been , she said, laughing.

She said she also writes for Examiner. com and interviewed Perkins for her column. She said she did a profile on him and then reviewed one of his products.

“He has an awesome sense of humor, and he is a lot of fun, as well as a huge gentleman,” O’Connell said.

“Coming from someone who is originally from Chicago and then living in Los Angeles, there is something to be said for southern men. They are definitely gentlemen, respectful, and just treat ever y lady like a lady.”

O’Connell said Perkins is a true visio nary, and to her that is good because you’ve always got to have something beyond what your present circumstances are. She said Perkins is always looking ahead, always seeing the possibilities of what you can do and how you can do it, and he is very gifted at that. She said he also has the drive to do.

“You know a lot of people dream and then do nothing. He dreams, and he finds a way to make it happen,” O’Connell said.

She said the people who are surviving and adapting are the ones who saw different visions and who put their footprints there, and that goes for any career. You have to pay attention to what is changing, O’Connell said.

Perkins said there are two things he recommends to be successful in your career and in this cons tantly changing industry of new media.

“Learn how to write well. No matter what job you are going into, if you can write, you will always find a place somewhere,” Perkins said. “If you can communicate well in the written form and come up with creative ideas, you can alwa ys find a job, regardless of the technology.

“The second thing I would say is, learn the new technology.

Learn what is out there, learn how to use it, even if you have to go back and take some courses after you graduate on computers or the newest, latest software that is out there.” mc (Sarah Ivester is a senior public relations

major from Keller, Texas.)

CLICK IT Visit www.mcom.ttu.edu and click Alumni > Feedback to update your information with us.

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mc | 14

a passion for investigation

by Rikki Carter, photos by Tarryn Lambert

hether becoming an investigative reporter for the Daily Toreador, earning American citizenship or being published in the New York Times, Canadian born Texas Tech University journalism student Ioanna Makris does not let anything stand in her way.

But what makes someone an outstanding mass communications student? Do you have to be extremely intelligent or talented? Do you have to go over and beyond on projects or class assignments?

Do you have to spend countless hours in the library, glued to a computer screen?

For Makris, being outstanding is about fulfilling a passion.

It is about doing what she loves: investigative reporting. She is dedicated not only to her classroom work but also dedicated to work outside of the College of Mass Communications’ walls.

Makris said she has many life goals and is achieving them one at a time.

But achieving many goals does not happen overnight. From a young age, Makris knew what she wanted to do in life and that opened her eyes to many career possibilities. She discovered her passion in 10th grade, and says she is blessed to have known her career choice at such a young age.

Makris did not know where she fit in at her school in Plano, Texas, but all that changed when her fine arts teacher suggested she work for the high school television station.

She was hesitant at first, but decided to give the job a try.

“I did it in 10th grade, and I found that I kind of found my voice,” Makris said. “I kind of figured out where I belong. I would walk in the classroom and I found that it was home. I didn’t feel left out.”

In the 11th grade, she joined the newspaper staff and once again felt right at home.

From that moment on, Makris said it was a no brainer: journalism became her passion.

The College of Mass Communications, she said, has only fueled that passion.

“The college helped me find my niche,” Makris said. “I found that I liked reporting the daily stuff, the crime beat, whatever beat it may be. But it’s the investigative reporting that gets my adrenaline pumping, my heart going. That’s what I just fell in love with. And I don’t think I would have fallen in love with that without this university and this college.”

Makris said the mass communications professors push you to do better and push you to achieve goals that you do not think are possible. She said that she stuck with journalism because of the faculty members.

As a freshman at Texas Tech, Makris thought of changing her major from journalism to public relations. There was a fear of not making as much money as others, being that journalism is known as a career that does not pay the big bucks. But she received key advice from journalism instructor Robert Wernsman.

“I sat down with Mr. Wernsman,” Makris said, “and he told me the best thing I could do was learn how to write. He said, ‘Learn how to write like a journalist and that will open so many doors for you, you will be surprised.’”

Makris said she knew Wernsman was right. She said being a journalist, knowing how to write in that style, and knowing how to track down a story has, indeed, opened up a number of doors for her.

But Makris attributes her preferred choice of journalism to assistant professor Pete Brewton.

As she sat in the back of Brewton’s advanced reporting class, talking to a friend, rather than paying attention, she suddenly heard Brewton mention Texas Tribune. Being that Makris was interning with the Texas Tribune at the time, her curiosity was sparked.

The assignment was to work with the Light of Day Foundation, focusing on off-campus crime in relation to the Clery Act on on-campus crime, which was in partnership with the Texas Tribune.

She said it was not just her association with the Texas Tribune that peaked her curiosity, but also the ideals and what she could potentially uncover that built her enthusiasm.

Upon hearing the assignment, she turned to her friend, Henry Ramos, and said, “Henry, we’re going to do that.”

Because of this opportunity, Makris’ eyes were opened to investigative reporting.

As they took on this task, Makris and Ramos went on to dig and uncover many truths and for that reason, Brewton nominated Makris for a Freedom of Information Foundation award. And soon, Makris found out that she won the President’s Future Journalist Award.

As he spoke about her accomplishments and characterizations, Brewton said what sets Makris apart from other mass communications students is the fact that she is street smart, mature and personable, which puts people at ease.

“Inside she’s very determined and resolute and persistent,” Brewton said, “and she doesn’t suffer fools gladly. I characterize her as a pit bull in a poodle costume.”

But Makris said in general she does not feel like she does anything over and beyond what a typical mass communications student does.

“I have this high expectation for myself,” Makris said, “and so for me it’s going for that goal, going for that dream. I will do whatever I

Ioanna Makris is a senior journalism major whose passion for investigative reporting led to her article being published in the New York Times. Makris also writes for the Daily Toreador and recently earned American citizenship. mc | 15

need to do to get there. If I have to work two jobs just to make ends meet, but I get to do what I want to do in life, then that is OK for me because that’s my expectation. That’s my goal for myself and my dream.”

Of her many goals, one was to earn American citizenship.

Makris, who is Greek, is originally from Canada.

In September of 2011, Makris earned U.S. citizenship, a goal she did not think she would accomplish. She was asked to write a story for the Daily Toreador about her journey to citizenship, which was used to inform the student population, but also diffused much of her anxiety.

Makris said not many knew she was Canadian and did not know the process one must go through to earn citizenship.

And even though she does not enjoy writing about herself, Makris decided the process was worth documenting.

“We agreed that I would write one prior, leading up to the interview, and one after,” Makris said. “And I actually had a lot of nightmares that I wouldn’t get my citizenship, so I wouldn’t be able to write a follow-up, or my follow-up would be I failed, but it all worked out in the end.”

Doing the impossible and achieving goals that you do not think you are capable of achieving is something that Makris strives for and something that she says all incoming students should strive for.

“My advice would be don’t let anyone tell you, ‘No,’” Makris said, “and if they do, know that you can probably still do it. Don’t let anyone tear you down. You go for what you want, you go for your dreams, you go for your goals, and you fight as hard as you have to fight to be able to get what you want out of life.”

One thing that Makris wanted more than anything was the honor of being published in the New York Times. This was a dream that recently came true.

Makris was interning at the Texas Tribune when she received information about a new tax being enforced in strip clubs. Makris said she wanted to go deeper into the story, possibly write a story through the eyes of a stripper. It was in her nature to begin investigating.

Weeks later, she ended up sitting in a strip club in Dallas with the owner, a public relations specialist, a fellow reporter and a freelance photographer, all waiting for the interview to begin.

As they waited, the owner asked Makris where the story would be published. Makris told the woman the story

CLICK IT mc | 16

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would only be published in the Texas Tribune, but then the photographer revealed exciting news Makris was not expecting.

“The photographer goes, ‘And the New York Times,’” Makris said, “and I was like, ‘What?’”

She said she could not believe she would actually be published in the New York Times until the next week when her boss confirmed it. For her, it was surreal.

“I did it and didn’t even realize I was doing it,” Makris said.

But she isn’t stopping there. She said she wants to continue getting published in the New York Times. Once is not enough.

“For me,” Makris said, “and as a journalist, and I think a lot of journalists probably feel this way, you do one thing, but it’s not good enough. You want to keep going to the next level and reaching that next goal, attaining it.”

She said these expectations and accomplishments have driven her life, in that she dedicates most of her time to journalismrelated work.

“I put so much work into it that it kind of takes over my life a little bit,” she said. “I’m no longer just a student here. I consider myself more of a journalist now than just a Tech student.”

But despite all of her many accomplishments, Makris said what she will miss most after she graduates is being on the university campus.

“You can walk down one hallway and there’s a memory that pops up,” Makris said. “It’s the good times with your friends. It’s game day. It’s the day before game day. It’s seeing Will Rogers wrapped. It’s being in this building. It’s everything.”

Makris’ success gives hope to all incoming freshmen and mass communications students. Anything is possible and with hard work, much will be achieved.

“I find I’m so happy,” Makris said. “And it’s not the recognition of getting in the New York Times or the recognition of being published in this magazine. It’s more so that I like telling people the truth or figuring out what is the truth. I like being the one that gets to tell people what is going on.”

Makris has reported many stories in her four years at Texas Tech University, but for her, uncovering the truth is not only her passion, it is her way of giving back. mc (Rikki Carter is a senior public relations major from Houston, Texas. Tarryn Lambert is a May 2011 visual communications graduate and a December 2011 public relations graduate from Austin, Texas.)

“don’t let anyone tear you down. you go for what you want, you go for your dreams, you go for your goals, and you fight as hard as you have to fight to be able to get what you want out of life.”

– ioanna makris

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RIDES OUT FINANCIAL TROUBLES, HITS THE WAVES AGAIN

by Kimberly Atkins, photos by Tarryn Lambert, illustration by Ryan Vatzlavick

ix a.m. on a Monday morning is not a typical time on a college student’s schedule for fun or productivity, but, for the student staff of KTXT-FM, that’s when the magic happens. Holed-up in their broadcasting studio in the basement of the Mass Communications Building, the production team works together to disseminate news and entertainment for channel 88.1 FM, Texas Tech’s only source of student radio. On the way to campus, Texas Tech faculty members and students tune in to get the updates on what’s new in their beloved city, Raiderville.

When the station went off the air in 2008 due to financial concerns, the university lost a major source of information and Texas Tech-related programming. Now, thanks to administration and a committed group of student broadcasters, the station is up and running once again with chances for further success and development.

For program director Holly Kitten, a senior journalism major, the new environment of the station fosters teamwork, learning and innovation. The team consists of four directors, practicum students and faculty adviser Derrick Ginter, who are all being flexible with the format changes of the station while simultaneously working to build-up news and entertainment services for students.

Currently, the station broadcasts the students’ productions, syndicates BBC world news throughout the day, and plays jazz music on the nights and weekends. The student productions consist of a three-hour news segment five times a week, a sportscast twice a week, coverage of the bi-monthly Student Government Association meetings, Chancellor Kent Hance’s leadership class, and live volleyball, softball and soccer coverage on the in-season weekends.

For the news segments, the students seek out interesting stories that are relevant for a college audience while also reporting on local, nationwide and international pieces to broaden their listeners’ perspectives.

Lucas Wempe is a graduate student who works as a program director of the station. He graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in broadcast journalism and public relations and is currently studying sports media in a one-year graduate degree program.

Wempe values the opportunity to build a station from the ground-up and sees this semester as a re-birth of KTXT – taking it back under student control. The staff is in a stage of learning to figure out what brand, identity and mantra they want as a station. Wempe said the station is positioned well to be the No. 1 source for students of all emergent news and anything they want to know about the university.

“As a radio station that’s here on campus, we have the opportunity to be the voice of Texas Tech,” Wempe said.

With staff mentors, student directors and practicum students, the station has a culture of mentorship and training in hopes that student staff will be developed for their careers.

Todd Chambers, chairperson of the Department of Electronic Media and Communications, said that students across campus could learn a lot from working for 88.1 FM. Broadcasting develops the skills of decision-making, critical thinking, problem solving, technical competence, communication skills, and creativity. Because KTXT is a student-run station, individuals have a lot of freedom to produce what they find newsworthy and important. mc | 18

News director Ashley Liles, a senior journalism major, said one of her favorite experiences at the station was when the practicum students developed their first story. She enjoys the topics they come up with, such as a giant-spider migration, Texas Tech Halloween happenings, and the performances by the Texas Tech School of Music.

With the rebirth of KTXT-FM, opportunity exists for growth and greater student involvement. Directors of the station would like to include more students from varied majors and increase original programming with the station.

Format changes may continue to occur, but the students still have vision to expand coverage and popularity of the station.

Liles wants to continue improving KTXT-FM’s dissemination of news because many students do not know what is going on locally or globally.

“I think it is really important to know what’s going on outside of our little bubble that is Texas Tech University,” Liles said. “I try to extend coverage so that we don’t have a bunch of ignorant people graduating.”

Liles’s main goal for the station within the next year is to move from heavy national programming to a more studentfriendly format with talk shows and music variety. Similarly, Kitten would like to enhance the station’s accessibility with the student population.

“I really hope that it grows in the future into something that students are attracted to, that they want to listen to,” Kitten said.

Luckily, KTXT has a lot of support in the Texas Tech community, from loyal listeners to upper administration.

The word of mouth provided by these dedicated followers is necessary to build up a stronger audience and compete with new media. In the future, the station hopes to have other avenues open for people to listen, such as with telephone applications and online streaming.

Wempe encourages other students to support the station in solidarity with their peers who are building careers. He is optimistic about the direction the station is going and the development of the students who participate in the project.

“I’ve seen so much growth and development in this first semester here with some of the students,” Wempe said, “that I’m excited for what the future semesters have yet to hold.”

KTXT-FM has Twitter and Facebook pages and is developing a web page with live broadcasting. The station can be heard at 88.1 FM and is a worthwhile news source for Texas Tech students who desire to be engaged in their college community and beyond. KTXT-FM shows a lot of adaptability as a radio station after undergoing so many modifications within recent years. Hopefully, with the help of devoted student media practitioners and a faithful audience, the station will now remain a constant source of quality Red Raider radio. mc (Kimberly Atkins is a senior public relations major from Austin, Texas. Tarryn Lambert is a May 2011 visual communications graduate and a December 2011 public relations graduate from Austin, Texas. Ryan Vatzlavick is a senior communication design major from Cypress, Texas.)

“As a radio station that’s here on campus, we have — Lucas Wempe the opportunity to be the voice of Texas Tech,”

The KTXT-FM staff working on the sports-talk show, “Red Raider Rundown.”

All pictured: Austin Kolb, Colin Niebergall, Thomas Lott, Josh Koch, David Woolverton. mc | 19

Autumn Shafer, a new public relations professor, has fought back from a humble beginning to achieve her dream of being a professor. mc | 20

by Jake Matthews, photo by Tarryn Lambert

y all accounts, Autumn Shafer is one of the sweetest people you will come across.

“She is so outgoing and willing to talk to people,” Myiah Hutchens, an assistant professor at Texas Tech University, said.

“She’s such a free spirit and always up for a discussion. I love it.”

Alan Shafer, Autumn’s husband, said her beauty initially attracted him to her.

“That was what grabbed my attention,” he said. “But the more I got to know her, the more I realized there is to love. I’m still learning it.”

Talking with Autumn Shafer for more than a few minutes and you see a deeper side emerge. She has a drive to succeed, her husband said.

“Given some of the things she experienced as a child, it’s not surprising she turned into the person she is,” he said. “Accepting yet determined.”

Autumn was homeless for a period of time growing up in Washington State. The aspect of her life is one that she is not shy about, but one that has left a mark, she said.

“Those were humble times,” she said. “It definitely helps me be more compassionate today. You learn to realize that there are people out there who need a break.”

Her past homelessness is not an issue to back away from, she said. The status is a badge of honor.

“When you go from sleeping in the family car to receiving your doctorate – I look at where I’ve come from to where I am now and it feels good,” she said. “I’m proud of the person I’ve made myself to be.”

Seeing as how she is the first person in her family to graduate from college and one of two to graduate from high school, she has every reason to be proud, her husband said.

Hutchens is not surprised Autumn Shafer was able to overcome such obstacles. Shafer is the kind of person who accomplishes things when she puts her mind to them, she said.

“It definitely says something. A lot of people who are professors are driven,” she said. “Most of us just don’t have to drive quite so far.”

Autumn Shafer’s road to Texas Tech has not been a conventional one, and she is the first to admit to that fact.

She was originally a chemistry major with a math minor when she enrolled at Washington State University. The idea of interpersonal communication was what pushed her to reverse her course studies, she said.

“I went the opposite way of where I started out,” she said with a laugh. “I do still love chemistry and that interest drives some of the health communication research I’m involved in. It also helps that I enjoy research and appreciate its importance.”

That appreciation for research coupled with her lifelong desire to teach was what drew her to Texas Tech, she said.

“I wanted to work somewhere dynamic – where there was a good balance between research and teaching – Tech has that.”

She said Texas Tech’s reputation was not the only thing that drew her to Lubbock – the people also were an attraction.

Hutchens was a former student of Shafer’s and was an advocate for her coming to the university.

“I knew we had to get her,” Hutchens said. “It wasn’t a hard sell – everyone loved her.”

Alan Shafer, who is finishing up a degree at North Carolina State, said his wife’s coming to Lubbock was not a difficult decision but living apart temporarily has been.

“Her dream has always been to become a professor. I fully support it so that wasn’t the difficult part,” he said. “The process of living apart has been the roughest part.”

Shafer agreed, saying the decision was the best one, but that choice has had its fair share of challenges.

“I literally cannot cook. I can boil noodles,” she said with a laugh. “That’s about it. Alan supported me domestically more than I realized.”

They both said they are looking forward to starting life in Lubbock.

“The people seem genuinely nice,” said Alan. “It’ll be a great place to call home.”

Autumn agreed, saying Lubbock has been better than expected.

“The restaurants are incredible for a girl who can’t cook, and the people are so nice,” she said. “My colleagues, people in the grocery store, everyone is great.”

Alan Shafer graduates from school in May with a degree in environmental technology, and they both are looking forward to his graduation, Autumn said.

“As soon as he finishes up his last class, he’s hopping in his Jeep and driving down here,” she said. “We’re ready for the future.” mc (Jake Matthews is a December 2011 public relations graduate from Midland, Texas. Tarryn Lambert is a May 2011 visual communications graduate and a December 2011 public relations graduate from Austin, Texas.)

CLICK IT To learn more about our faculty, visit www.mcom.ttu.edu and click About > Faculty & Staff.

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New broadcast journalism professor, Kelly Kaufhold, says despite what he thought as an undergrad, communications was what he is meant to do.

THE

ACCIDENTAL

CAREER

by Andrew Hart photo by Tarryn Lambert

he Dayton, Ohio, native, Kelly Kaufhold, has been involved in the communications industry ever since he took a college internship one summer in Kansas City, Mo., at the local news station KMBC. Kaufhold was originally pre-law, studying criminal justice before his older sister convinced him to intern at the Kansas City television station where she was working.

“I thought to myself, ‘Yeah, I’ll go hang out in Kansas City, that would be fun. When I got out there I had a blast,” Kaufhold said. “I got to report on a lot of stories, and I taught myself how to use the machine that produced sports scores and the weather forecasts.”

When Kaufhold got back to the University of Dayton, he ended up changing his major to communications and was immediately hired at the local ABC affiliate.

“It was pretty much an accident how I got into communications, and I have been doing it ever since,” Kaufhold said. “My mom was right, I should have always been a writer.”

While working as the manager of media relations at the University of Miami, Kaufhold returned to school for a master’s degree, then earned a Ph.D. at the University of Texas.

Now an assistant professor in the College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech University, Kaufhold teaches the classes Digital News Packaging and Multiplatform News Delivery.

“One of the things that attracted me to Tech was that it had a free-standing College of Mass Communications,” Kaufhold said.

“You can really focus on your work, research and teaching because of that. But they are also pursuing this Tier-One status, and it’s a real chance for me to come in and be aggressive in research.”

Kaufhold had many reasons for coming to Texas Tech, and staying in the state of Texas was definitely one of them.

“I just loved the people here that I met here,” Kaufhold said. “Lubbock is a lot bigger and urban compared to where I’m from. I’m really enjoying Lubbock, and it also reminds me of home.”

When considering his teaching style, Kaufhold jokingly said, “It’s a big tutorial.” He said his teaching philosophy stems from when he took a graduate school class at the University of Miami.

“My professor came into class one day and asked the students, ‘What’s your end goal for this class?’ The students responded, ‘To get an A.’ He said no, it’s not to get an A. He blurted out, ‘It’s knowledge! You’re here to hopefully learn something.’”

At that time, Kaufhold said it was an epiphany for him. He goes into every class with a mission statement that consists of having an overall goal of what skill sets his students must learn. Ultimately, he wants his students to have a portfolio at the end of their class that will help them in their job search.

Kaufhold’s word of advice is to always listen to your mother and in his case, she was spot on. He always belonged in the world of communications. mc (Andrew Hart is a December 2011 public relations graduate from Austin, Texas Tarryn Lambert is a May 2011 visual communications graduate and a December 2011 public relations graduate from Austin, Texas.)

CLICK IT To learn more about our faculty, visit www.mcom.ttu.edu and click About > Faculty & Staff.

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A CHINESE EXPERIENCE

by Matt Woodard, photo by Tarryn Lambert

hree degrees from three different countries is an accomplishment to admire. Having traveled the world in the name of mass communications theory and journalism, an up-and-coming scholar is raising the bar throughout the South Plains.

The Texas Tech University College of Mass Communications welcomes Yunjuan Luo, Ph.D., a former assistant professor at the Hunan University College of Journalism and Communications in China.

Luo, or “Lily,” was born in Shaoyang, China, a prefecturelevel city located in the Hunan province. Three and a half hours northeast of Shaoyang, in the Hunan capital of Changsha, is where Luo began her undergraduate career at Hunan University majoring in English.

Luo earned her bachelor’s degree there in 2000 and began teaching journalistic English at Hunan University shortly thereafter. It was not until Luo was awarded the opportunity to continue her studies at one of the largest universities in Singapore that her post-undergraduate career began to take shape.

“I received a scholarship to pursue my master’s studies in Singapore at Nanyang Technological University,” Luo said, “which really exposed me to journalism and gave me more experience and education.”

After earning her master’s degree in mass communication at Nanyang Technological University in 2004, she returned to China and began teaching communication theories at Hunan University. During this time, Luo began to look to the United States as a potential destination to earn a doctoral degree.

“The U.S. has the best education in the world,” said Luo. “It is always in the lead with mass communications and journalism.”

In 2007, Luo received a scholarship allowing her to study at Indiana University, Bloomington, to work toward a Ph.D. in mass communications. She said that if it were not for the financial assistance she has received, she would not have been able to continue with her studies.

While pursuing her doctoral degree, Luo received several fellowships and grants including a Grant-in-Aid of Doctoral Research at Indiana University, and in 2009, she was the recipient of the Chinese Government Award for Outstanding SelfFinanced Student Abroad.

Luo has had work appear in refereed journals such as International Communication Gazette, Feminist Media Studies, and the Chinese Journal of Communication.

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She also feels very blessed to have met so many great people and friends while in the United States.

“I met a great mentor, Professor David Weaver,” she said while reminiscing on her final days as a doctoral student. “He was like the godfather of communications theory. I’m his last doctoral student.”

She earned her doctoral degree in mass communications at Indiana University, Bloomington, in the School of Journalism in the summer of 2011 and has since then joined the Texas Tech mass communications staff as an assistant professor for News Writing and News Presentation.

“I like the spirit of Texas Tech University,” said Luo. “Tech has a strong passion for higher education.”

Luo said she really has passion and enthusiasm for education and research. As an instructor for News Writing, Luo said she wishes to teach her students everything she has learned so they can prepare for their future careers.

Some of Luo’s current research at Texas Tech University focuses on the social and political impact of new media, and the influence of mediated national images on public opinion and foreign policies.

“I want to know how the youth uses new media,” said Luo, “the measure of their social use, and how they use new media and social media to participate in political affairs.”

She said she wishes to take her experience gained in the United States and apply it to research involving her home country. She said despite the wide-spread perception of China having such tough and rigorous restrictions, which is still true, today, social media is becoming more accessible to the people of China despite the current, nationwide ban of Facebook.

Luo said she hopes to work on a project involving digital media and digital literacy while at Texas Tech University.

“I’m thinking of doing a project involving high school students,” she said, “and how they use social media skills and how they project themselves.”

Luo said she feels very welcome in Lubbock and that the College of Mass Communications provides a good working environment for her and junior faculty alike.

“It’s like a family,” Luo said, “and I’m proud to be a part of it.” mc

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(Matt Woodard is a junior public relations and German major from Midland, Texas. Tarryn Lambert is a May 2011 visual communications graduate and a December 2011 public relations graduate from Austin, Texas.)

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CLICK IT To learn more about our faculty, visit www.mcom.ttu.edu and click About > Faculty & Staff.

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LIGHTING STUDENTS’ WAYS

by Holly Kitten, photos courtesy of alumni

n September, the College of Mass Communications awarded more than 200 scholarships for the 2011-2012 academic year at a luncheon. All mass communication majors were represented at the luncheon, with 141 total undergraduate awards, and 42 total graduate awards.

Face after face walked up to the stage to accept a certificate and applause from the audience. Approximately $500,000 was awarded through the College of Mass Communications, not including individual and university funded scholarships.

Although the students represent the future in the different fields of communication, it is the unseen faces of donors, both living and deceased, who provide the light for the scholarship recipients. For they were students once, too, and they know the sacrifices it takes to graduate from college, and the happiness that follows after earning a degree and pursuing a career.

Senior business assistant Dawn Moreno said the College of Mass Communications has great alumni who are personally interested in investing time and money in students’ lives.

“Our donors are just wonderful,” Moreno said. “Right now, scholarships are more important as ever because of the financial crisis. Whether it’s a small scholarship, or a large scholarship, it can help buy a book or it can pay for tuition for a year.

They help students.”

The Mass Communicator takes a moment to recognize the stories of five of these donors, and the interest they still have in further developing the education at Texas Tech.

Dorothy Bowles looked out the car window as the Texas landscape began to change. Hills turned to flat land full of dirt, and the closest things to greenery were the scrubby oaks and mesquites.

Bowles was on her way to Lubbock, to begin her freshman year at Texas Tech University. The trip was not an exciting one for her, though.

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Actually, she sat in the backseat of the car and cried.

“I didn’t want to come to Texas Tech,” she said.

Bowles grew up near New Orleans, and her senior year of high school, her family moved to Snyder, Texas, after her father was transferred to another location for his job.

Bowles said she wanted to go back to her home state, and attend Louisiana State University, because she had a scholarship there, and all her friends were going.

Not to mention, she missed Louisiana.

“I grew up on the bayous, and going to the Gulf, and going to the beach, and fishing was huge,” Bowles said. “I get out (to Lubbock) and it has none of that.”

However, her father made a deal with her, that she try Texas Tech for just one year, and if she still did not enjoy it, then he would pay for her to attend Louisiana State University the next fall. Bowles agreed on the offer, with little enthusiasm.

But once she arrived at Texas Tech, her mood changed. She liked the university. A lot.

“I fell in love,” Bowles said, “mainly with the cowboys,” she added with a laugh. “The whole ranch and cowboy atmosphere – I really liked it. It wasn’t long before I totally stopped thinking about Baton Rouge and LSU.” From there, Bowles said she got involved with the newspaper and yearbook, organizations which she had been active in during high school, as well. Years flew by, and in 1962, Bowles graduated with a degree in journalism.

Bowles spent most of her life teaching. At first, she taught high school journalism, but quickly earned her master’s degree, so she could teach at the college level, beginning in 1970.

After 47 years of teaching in various schools across the nation, Bowles retired in 2009.

She decided she wanted to give back to the school that gave her so much, the school she once dreaded attending. To show her appreciation, Bowles made a donation to the College

Phil and Victoria Price

of Mass Communications through a planned gift in her will.

She hopes the money will provide funding for the growth of students and the college in the future. She truly believes the education will benefit on a national level.

“If we don’t have an educated society,” Bowles said, “we’re not going to have a good democracy, and goodness knows democracy has enough challenges these days.”

Unlike Bowles, Michelle Buchanan’s first college choice was Texas Tech. Her reason? It was the farthest school in the Southwest Conference away from her hometown of Houston.

“That’s the truth,” Buchanan said with a chuckle.

When Buchanan arrived at Texas Tech, she said she realized what a great decision she had made.

“That’s when I found out all the positives of the campus, just the warm feeling of West Texas, and the people that live there,” she said. “I liked the size. It was a good place.”

Although Buchanan graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism, she developed a career in public relations after college. Now, Buchanan works in the non-profit consulting industry, where she is a partner in a firm that works everyday with non-profit organizations to get them ready for campaigns and strengthen their annual fundraising.

As part of her job, she said she preaches the importance of “giving back” to beneficiaries.

She also makes sure to practice what she preaches.

After her husband died in an accident 10 years ago, Buchanan made it her goal to give back to philanthropies every year in order to recognize and honor him. She said it was only natural that she donate money back to Texas Tech.

“Texas Tech is a second home to me,” Buchanan said, “and it definitely was a place that was a transition in my life of going from high school and living at home, to really being on my own and independent and taking care of my own financial needs.”

Buchanan said she worked two to three jobs while still

Dorothy Bowles

actively being involved on the Texas Tech newspaper and yearbook staffs. Therefore, she understands the workload some students have to take in order to pay their way through college.

“I thought this was a good way to help some students that really needed the assistance,” Buchanan said, “so they didn’t have to work all the time.”

Another donor who experienced a heavy workload in school was Phil Price, of the Price Group in Lubbock.

Price said even in high school, he paid his own way. Therefore, he was part of the distributive education program in Amarillo, which allowed him to work half a day, and go to school the other half.

“I always appreciated that (program),” Price said, “because I couldn’t have gotten through school.”

After high school, Price attended Amarillo College for two years, then he transferred to Texas Tech in 1965.

In 1967, Price graduated from Texas Tech with an advertising degree.

Not long after, Price got a notice in the mail that he would be drafted for the Vietnam War. Until it was time to leave, though, Price worked.

He started off by selling ads for little things around town, like television guides. Then, the company gave him a mission to sell the yellow pages for a college in Omaha. The next year, the company gave Price a crew, and eventually, Price worked himself up to the No. 2 spot in the company.

Then, whether he liked it or not, it was time to serve in the war.

As an infantry officer, Price maintained his hard work ethic while in Vietnam.

“I spent most of my time trying to keep my men alive,” he said.

Price was released to come home after he was shot twice while serving. Little did he know that Lubbock was in its own war zone.

“I was signing out Monday morning, and (the sergeant) says, ‘Sir, you can’t go back. Lubbock blew away last night.’”

It turned out that the sergeant was not lying. The year was 1970, and Lubbock had just suffered from its infamous F5 tornado. One of

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Trish Brown Joyner

the structures it destroyed was the office Price had previously been working in before he left for Vietnam.

“So, I had no money,” Price said, “and I had no job, and I did not want to go back to Vietnam.”

Therefore, Price did what he knew to do: work his way up again.

He and a friend started a magazine called Women Today in Lubbock.

Price wrote the stories and took the pictures, while his friend worked the press.

Eventually, Price began to get calls from people wanting him to do their advertising. Price said he continued working and continued making connections over the next few years.

Some of his best connections, he said, were made through his political advertising. Of those, one led him to campaign for George W. Bush when he was running against Texas Tech’s current chancellor, Kent Hance, for Congress.

Though he lost the campaign, he became good friends with Bush, and he pointed to a framed picture on his office wall of Bush, Price, and Price’s wife at the president’s 55th birthday.

“George is a nice guy,” Price said.

Price continues to do political advertising today, as well as marketing for health care, finance and education.

Like Bowles, Price also has a planned gift in his will. He has designated half of it to the College of Mass Communications, and the other half to the Vietnam Center and Archives at Texas Tech.

Additionally, Price and his wife, Victoria, have a scholarship in their name, which is given to advertising students each year. Price said one of the requirements is that the students work enough to earn at least 50 percent of his or her tuition and other college expenses.

For Price, the college experience is not all about academic achievements and awards, but also about the job experiences obtained while earning an education.

“You need to have other things you learn how to do,” Price said.

Another donor, Trish Brown Joyner, was also a transfer student coming into Texas Tech, like Price was. Joyner attended the

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University of Arkansas for her first two years of college, but she was looking for a different journalism program. At the time, the University of Texas and Texas Tech were the only accredited journalism schools in the state of Texas.

Joyner’s younger sister had just enrolled at Texas Tech under a performing arts scholarship, so Joyner decided to move to Lubbock. Not to mention, her dad, being a former Texas A&M Corps member, would have disowned Joyner had she chosen the University of Texas, she said, laughing.

Nonetheless, the idea to move schools was a good one.

“As much as I missed Arkansas, and my friends there,” Joyner said, “it was a great decision for me, because I feel like I got a really good education.”

While at Texas Tech, Joyner met several people who served as a positive influence in her education. One of those was her professor, Bob Rooker, who taught Advanced Reporting Techniques and Press Law. “He was really masterful in the classroom,” Joyner said. “I learned a lot from him.”

Another influential model to Joyner was Elise David McMillan. Joyner said she knew nobody when she arrived at Texas Tech in the middle of her junior year, except for her younger sister and a few others. Then, Joyner met McMillan in a journalism lab, and the two became roommates and lifelong friends.

“She’s wonderful,” Joyner said.

Despite the hardships of transferring schools so late in her college career, Joyner said she and her sister were very lucky to have parents who could provide for their tuition.

“I know that not everyone is that fortunate,” Joyner said.

Joyner said not only did her parents pay for her college, but they also instilled in her a value to learn, and for that, she is truly grateful. It helped her to succeed in her career endeavors after she graduated with her journalism degree in 1974.

Joyner worked as a general assignments reporter in East

Trish Brown Joyner and Debby Egly.

Texas, but later moved into communications and public relations.

With public relations, Joyner said she had opportunities to work in a variety of industries, which she loved.

One of her favorite positions was working with the local government as the director of public and constituent relations. She said she loved sitting with the reporters at city council meetings and agenda meetings.

“It was almost like being back in that (reporting) business,” Joyner said.

After 35 years in public relations, Joyner retired, and now has her own limited liability corporation called Ferris Wheel, named after her father, R. Ferris Brown.

With respect to Texas Tech, and in recognizing the people who were instrumental in her college education, Joyner created three scholarships through her estate plan in 2010.

She began funding one of them in that same year and donated mutual funds to start the Bob Rooker Endowed Journalism Scholarship, in honor of one of her favorite professors.

The second scholarship was created to honor her friend, and is named the Elise David McMillan Endowed Journalism Scholarship.

The last scholarship was created by both Joyner and her sister, Valerie Brown O’Neal. The scholarship is the R. Ferris and Marilyn Lawton Brown Endowed Scholarship, in memory of their parents.

Half of it goes to a performing arts major, and the other half to a mass communications student who is also in the Goin’ Band from Raiderland.

Joyner said each scholarship is named for people who were influential in her academic development, and she hopes future scholarship recipients will receive some of that educational value.

“There are a lot of really smart students who need the help,” Joyner said, “and we’re just glad to provide it.”

Like Joyner’s parents, Tony Wallingford’s parents were determined to give her and her brother the opportunity to attend college. Wallingford said her parents did not have the chance for higher education, so with help from them, and her aunt and uncle, Wallingford graduated from Texas Tech’s College of Mass Communications in 1968.

Wallingford then earned her B.B.A. in Advertising, and was employed as the executive director of the Houston Chapter of the Texas

Society of Certified Public Accountants until 1976. Since then, Wallingford has been active in the community as a volunteer.

After receiving her education from Texas Tech, Wallingford said she wanted to do something special in return. So, she and her late husband, Ralph, created the Dickie and Fritz Epps/Eva and Walter Beets Scholarship Endowment for the College of Mass Communications, to honor her father, mother, aunt and uncle.

Without them, Wallingford said she never could have succeeded in many of her future endeavors.

“The education I received at Texas Tech provided significant benefits for the years to come.” mc (Holly Kitten is a senior journalism major from Lubbock, Texas.)

Phil Price in Vietnam

CLICK IT To make a donation, visit www.mcom.ttu.edu and click Give to the College of Mass Communications

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Taking Care of Students:

POTENTIAL & PAST

by Shelby Chapman, photo by Riannon Rowley

he strength and growth of a program may not solely reside in the relocation to a state-of-the-art building. Filling the newly added position of Coordinator of Student Recruiting and Alumni Relations may be an equal factor.

Emily Balke ended the search that began on Nov. 8.

Four of the original 30 candidates made it to the first round of interviews; by December there was only one.

The 24-year-old, from Amarillo, Texas, moved to Texas Tech University in hopes for an education degree.

“I came to Tech to visit for education, and also for mass communications,” Balke said. “I just fell in love with mass communications. I fell in love with the college, and I fell in love with the people.”

Balke said it was not until she took a visit back to the college earlier this year that she found out about the open position.

Jerry Hudson, Ph.D., founding dean of the College of Mass Communications, said Balke will represent the college when visiting high school students, answering questions, and building one-on-one relationships.

“We want the recruiter to tell the story of mass communications and to understand the job market,” Dean Hudson said.

The dean expects this new recruit to describe the Career Center to potential students and make sure those students have a clearer picture of the benefits of obtaining a degree in mass communications.

This job will involve both local work and travel time, going to high schools and community colleges in cities such as Dallas, Austin, Houston, and eventually towns including San Angelo and Odessa.

For this Texas Tech graduate, the position is more than just a job. “The college did so much for me, and teaching me so many things that it is my way to give back to mass comm,” Balke said.

Aleesa Ross, Career Center director, plans to take on the role of supervisor for the alumni relations portion.

“They go hand in hand because a lot of what I do involves alumni.”

She said success for Emily Balke resides in the relationships she makes. Not only will she build relationships

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in the college but with potential students, alumni, college advisers and high school counselors.

This creates an opportunity to embark on a new career path. Something the Unit Coordinator for Student Recruitment and Alumni Relations is familiar with, leaving her previous job for this opportunity with mass communications.

Marijane Wernsman, Ph.D., assistant dean of students, said last spring she was doing the job of a recruiter along with fulfilling three other positions. “I would get home at 2 in the morning from a recruiting trip then have to be up at 5 to start my day again.”

The faculty members in charge of the selection process agreed the candidate chosen must have distinct characteristics.

He or she must be personable and know more than most about the College of Mass Communications.

“It all meshes together,” Wernsman said. “If you go to visit an alumnus and they give you the name of a good student, you hope they can go back to the alumnus and get an internship.”

Something Balke learned early on, saying she intends to find professionals willing to give back to Texas Tech. She said she wants to give this job a personal touch and show students it really matters.

“My wheels have just been spinning in my head,” Balke said.

“I wake up in the middle of the night to write down ideas.”

Balke said she really wants to give students a personal touch and make sure they feel welcome at Texas Tech.

Wernsman said to take care of what students need as they progress through Texas Tech and how alumni help in the process is one big circle. By filling the position for the first time, the chair will have room to mold and create new ideas for future improvement to the college.

Balke wants to help bring alumni and students together.

She said when she has an alumnus talking to someone interested in Texas Tech, she wants them to be able to refer her name.

“I want students to have Tech feel like home,” Balke said. “I want this to be their home away from home.”

(Shelby Chapman is a junior broadcast journalism major from Austin, Texas. Riannon Rowley is a senior electronic media communications major from El Paso, Texas.)

Emily Balke has filled the position of Student Recruitment and Alumni Relations for the College of Mass Communications mc | 31

Planned Gifts

$500,000 or More Wayne Sellers Management Trust Dorothy A. Bowles, Ph.D. Phil and Victoria Price Toni Wallingford $200,000—$499,999 Wayne Sellers Trust L.F. (Rick) and Ginger Francis Mary Faye Green Jerry and Sue Hudson $100,000—$199,000 Michelle and Dale Turner Chris Wallace and Shane Edler $50,000—$99,000 Trish Brown Joyner Patricia and Phil Record Debbie Prost

Lifetime Gifts

Ruby ($2,000,000 or more) Helen Jones Foundation, Inc.

Diamond ($1,000,000 - $1,999,999) Mr. C. R. (Choc) Hutcheson

Emerald ($500,000 - $999,999) Wayne Sellers Management Trust Dorothy A. Bowles, Ph.D. Toni Wallingford

Platinum $250,000 - $499,999) L.F. (Rick) and Ginger Francis Mary Faye Green Jerry and Sue Hudson Wendell and Mary Jane Mayes King (Randall) and Pam Nelson Phil and Victoria Price Sharleen Formby Rhoads

Gold ($100,000 - $249,000) Estate of Samuel O. Montgomery In Memory of Kelsey Kidd Lubbock Avalanche–Journal Mayes Investments, Ltd Ramar Communications, Inc. William Randolph Hearst Foundation Anonymous Donor Chris Wallace and Shane Edler Jim Ferguson Larry and Charlotte Franklin George and Jeannie Irish Trish Brown Joyner Marie Parkinson, J.D. and Michael Parkinson, Ph.D.

Silver ($50,000 - $99,999) Estate of Fred and Vonnie Andrews In Memory of Miller Bonner Jr. Estate of Clint Formby Dr. John Aure Buesseler and Cathryn A. Buesseler Will and Renee Jarrett Debbie Prost Patricia Record Bill and Avis Ross

Bronze ($25,000 - $49,999) Amon G. Carter Foundation Association for Women in Communication Chad Andrews Clifton and Rosalie Bolner Gene and Jerry Jones Family Charities Drs. Joe Johnston and Catherine E. Prescott-Johnston Chris and Ann Kidd David and Catherine Swofford Jonathan and Kyla Turner Tom Ward Red ($10,000 - $24,999) Anonymous Donor Burke, Mayborn Company, Ltd. CH Foundation In Memory of Lew D’Elia In Honor of Dennis Harp Lubbock Advertising Federation Lubbock Area Foundation, Inc. Nadel & Gussman, LLC In Honor of Janet Wright In Memory of Bea Zeeck Larry Ackers Netha Alsup Larry and Nancy Beaulieu Diane Burchard Kay Bell and John P. Holmes III Camille Keith Dr. Jim Kidd Mary E. Kidd Ray and Mary Moran Molly Patillo Johnnie Penton John and Gina Rafferty Michael and Linda Rutherford Keith and Megan Samples Clinton and Audra Snead Gordon and Charlene Stark Joan Tucker Ann Ward Loyce Ward Ray Ward James and Amy Wilson

Black ($5,000 - $9,999) Anonymous Donor J. H. and M. L. Bryant Foundation Joe H. Bryant Foundation In Memory of Judy Chaffee Chevron U.S.A., Inc. Franklin Family Foundation Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce Frank W. and Sue Mayborn Foundation Southwest Airlines Company Sysco West Texas, Inc. United Supermarkets The Ward Family Living Trust In Memory of Bea Zeeck Javier Aldape Don Belding Jr. George Chaffee Jeff and Beverly Curci Mike and Celia Davis Ray Diekemper Jr. Kirk and Charlotte Dooley

Marshall Formby Mrs. Margaret D. Formby David and Ardele Garets Lynn Gilmore Gordon W. Hanna Estate of Rollin T. Herald Stephen Heyman Lorene Kaiser Patrick and Susan Kelly J. D. Leftwich Patsy Lokey George and Beverly McDuff Eunice Cox Mowery George and Ann O’Dwyer Chris Pinkston Barbara Richards Stephen Spencer Paul and Telea Stafford

Mass Communications Contributors

The following donations were made between June 1, and November 30, 2011. For questions, contact Memory Bennett at memory.bennett@ttu.edu or 806.773.2650 Quest for Excellence ($500,000 - $1M) Helen Jones Foundation, Inc. Dorothy A. Bowles, Ph.D. College Friends ($10,000 - $100,000) In Memory of Lew D’Elia C. R. (Choc) and Gin Hutcheson Diane Burchard Dr. Lou Diekemper Trish Brown Joyner Marie Parkinson, J.D. and Michael Parkinson, Ph.D. David and Catherine Swofford Platinum ($5,000 - $9,999) In Memory of Judy Chaffee George H. Chaffee Gold ($1,000 - $4,999) In Memory of Fred and Vonnie Andrews Association for Women in Communications Joe H. Bryant Foundation Raymond James & Associates, Inc. In Memory of Kelsey Kidd Lubbock Avalanche–Journal In Memory of Bea Zeeck Kay Bell and John P. Holmes III Richard and Carole Fedock Charles and Faye Kennedy William and Mary Morris William and Julie Owen Joseph Roller and Holly Williams Janet Wright Silver ($500 - $999) Employees Charity Organization Lubbock Area Foundation, Inc. Ramar Communications, Inc. United Supermarkets, L.L.C. Word Publications Somer Butler Dick and Jacquie Chapin Greg Davis

Lynn Gilmore David Gonzalez Charles and Katherine Harding J.D. and Nan Howell Chris and Ann Kidd Wendell and Mary Jane Mayes Albert and Kerrie McNeel Brad and Carla Moran Kedkue and Danette Powell Jeffrey and Tiffany Shulse Mike and Joanna Troppy Danny Vaughan, Jr. Bronze ($250 - $499) A. H. Belo Corporation In Memory of Jack Dale The Wilkes Company Andrew Bell Kent and Dana Gamble Brian and Michelle Gordon Jerry and Sue Hudson Christopher and Stacy Loveless Robert Peinert Sr. Steven and Mary Platten Joshua Riggsby Bobby Dan Roberts Brandon and Daniela Snow Red ($100 - $249) In Memory of Winston C. Odom Major Michael Anda and Julie Anda Kenneth and Shellie Bailey Ashley Barnes Joe and Kathy Barnes John Baucum Jason Bolanz Aaron Bowman, retired Richard and Clare Bowman Peter Brewton Sean and Angela Browning William Brown II and Christina Brown Randal Bryant Brent and Lori Burns John and Patricia Cilke Tiffany Cox Travis and Kendal Cram Alan and Martha Davis Angela Devlin Rodney and Janet Dundas Joyce Elliot James and Lindsey Enderby Carolene English Norberto and Marie Fierro Jr. Arnold and Flori Galvan Christopher Gouge Randolph and Sindy Green James Gutierrez Tonya Hammond Janine Hill Dennis and Kathy Hoelscher Stephen Holmes B. L. Hothem Stacy and Ryan Howard Thomas and Lillian Johnson Christina Johnson In Memory of Jim Jones John and Eleanor Kennedy Jeff and Kim Klotzman

Rachel Kuykendall Rachel Lambert Nancy and Richard L’Amie Sheri Lewis Lars and Nancy Lovnander Chris and Paula Macon Curtis and Mary Matthews Craig McCoy Brent and Connie Moore David and Cindy Morgan Charles and Sharon Munson Matthew and Catherine Pettinos Barry and Danette Propes Jerad and Anne Rector Jeremy Reynolds Kandy Roby Elizabeth Roll Gregory Sampson David and Deana Sears Martin Banks and Yunhui Shafer Robert Smith, CPA Tara Stredny Mert and Rebecca Tezkol Kayleigh M. Thompson Clinton and Amy Trotter Nancy Farmer Varner James and Janet Walsdorf Victoria Waltzer Cinde Weatherby Robert and Joanne Williams Debbie and Arthur Williams Black (Up to $99) In Honor of Dennis Harp, Ph.D. In Memory of Col. (retired) and Mrs. David Montgomery Jaime Aguilar Aaron and Sabrina Arnold Ronald and Jennifer Barbin Jon and Sandra Beilue Mary Bengston Tom and Valerie Bishop Emily Bruce Kevin and Laura Bryan Brett Cervenka Von and Sindy Chapman Richard and Deborah Christian Liz Clark David Coleman Kenneth Crawford Mark Matthys and Melanie Davis Tracy and Teri Davis Keith and Diane Decker Michele Delmar Layne and Emily Deutscher Erin Dowdy Kenneth and Misti Gallaway Rosa Garcia Jennifer Garcia Thomas and Marisa Gay Mike and Shonda Gibson Donna Glick Steven and Kimberly Griffin Roger and Nancy Grist Eric and Laura Gutschke Taylor Hall Joe and JoAnn Harrison Halie Hartman

Trey and Jennifer Hattaway Mark and JoAnne Hayden Major Stephen Headley and Bobbie Headley Tom and Gloria Hille Crystal Hoffman John and Lisa Hoover Joe and Sally Hornaday Jr. Christina Hutchison Scott and Erica Irlbeck Adam and Lauren Lawlis Shera Lewis Steve and Liane Locke Shannon Long William Lowery Rodney and Susan Martin Mark McKinzey Jason McLeod Deanea McWaters Nicholas Earles and Nicole McWhorter Alison Meier Sam Monaco Jr. Christine Montgomery Alfred and Irene Moore Robert and Betty Morrow Miles and Esther Owen Donald and Camille Owens G.W. and Ellen Parkhill Aline Parks Oliver and Melda Pitt Laura Probst Richie and Debra Reecer Joshua and Katie Reed Sharon Roberts Tally and Missy Rogers Brent and Aleesa Ross Michael and Carolyn Rowley Kevin Rucker Karen Russell Rex and Jeri Saffle Rick and Rebecca Sales Joel and Aimee Sales Yolanda Salgado Joe Sears Alan and Kimberly D. Sizemore Marnie Smith Mary Smith Tiffany Stallard Shelly Sutphen Gregg and Linda Swindling Melanie Tatum George Tereshkovich, Ph.D. John and Carol Terry II Erin and Abe Thomas Terry and Kelly Tomasino Wesley Vice Joe and Dawn Villanueva Donald and Polly P. Waddington Jr. Patricia Warnick Travis and Laura Webb John and Susan Wehrle Lindsay Wharton Bill and Jo Ann Whitfield George and Nelva Wilmoth Jessica Zappa

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Box 43082 | Lubbock, TX 79409-3082

FALL 2012 COLLEGE EVENTS September 14 – 15: Family Weekend, Red Raiders vs. University of New Mexico •New building tours, September 14, 2 – 4 p.m.

•New building tours, September 15, 10 a.m. – Noon

October 12 – 13: Homecoming, Red Raiders vs. West Virginia University •New building tours, October 12, 2 – 4 p.m.

•New building tours, October 13, 10 – Noon

November 8: Career Fair, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Frazier Alumni Pavilion November 9:

•Mass Communications National Advisory Board Meeting, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

•Hall of Fame Luncheon, 11:30 – 1 p.m. McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center Honoring Robert Montemayor, Pulitzer Prize winner and 1975 Journalism alumnus •Building dedication and tours, 6 – 8 p.m.

November 10:

•Outstanding Alumni Breakfast, 8 a.m. McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center Honoring: Marilyn Peppers-Citizen (Journalism 1976) Gregg Holmes (Advertising, Graduation delayed until 2002) Joe Hornaday (Journalism 1979) Emily Jones (Journalism 1998) King Nelson (Advertising 1979) Brandon Snow (Advertising 1993)