WVU Reed College of Media Magazine 2020

MANY OF US ARE WORKING REMOTELY. Why not get an online graduate degree while you’re at it?

Mountaineers can learn anywhere, anytime. / M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications / M.S. in Data Marketing Communications / M.S. in Digital Marketing Communications marketingcommunications.wvu.edu

REED COLLEGE OF MEDIA

ADMINISTRATION

E. Gordon Gee President West Virginia University Maryanne Reed Provost

CONTENTS FEATURES

Diana Martinelli Dean Tricia Petty Assistant Dean for Student and Enrollment Services

20

80 Years Many things have changed in the School of Journalism-turnedCollege of Media's 80 years, but a dedication to and passion for the media profession hold steady.

Steve Urbanski Director of Graduate Studies Chad Mezera Assistant Dean of Online Programs

EDITORIAL STAFF Erica Lindsay Executive Editor

Allyson Kennedy Editor Maura Flynn Student Writer Brian Comer Student Writer Alison Chambers Designer

PHOTOGRAPHY David Smith

Ready for Virtually Anything In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, College of Media students and faculty continue the essential work of reporting while keeping themselves and others safe.

ADDRESS WVU Reed College of Media P.O. Box 6010 Morgantown, WV 26506-6010 CHANGE OF ADDRESS WVU Foundation P.O. Box 1650 Morgantown, WV 26507-1650 info@wvuf.org

DEPARTMENTS 08

mediacollege.wvu.edu/ stay_connected

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS Let us know what you want to read and hear about in the annual magazine and other College communications at mediacollege.wvu.edu/survey

30

02

Message from the Dean

03

Year in Review

08

For the Social Good Once a Mountaineer, Always a Mountaineer

12

Leading Innovation Trailblazers Transform the Culture

16

Student Profiles Aaliyah Wilkerson (M.S. IMC, 2020) and Douglas Soule (BSJ, 2020)

36

Industry Insights To Improve Social Media, Smash Some Discipline Silos

37

Faculty News

39

Class Notes

39 In Memory 40

The Last Word with Chelsea Fuller (BSJ, 2011)

A MESSAGE

From the Dean

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

Looking back helps inspire the future.

Thanks for your role in our history.

2

When I spoke last fall with Communications Director Erica Lindsay about wanting to produce a historically focused issue of our alumni magazine, we had no idea that 2020 itself would be historically significant, with a global pandemic, social justice movement and deeply divided electorate rocking our nation. In this issue, we include articles relevant to these contemporary events, as well as alumni reflections on other eras. We hope some of them will spur your own recollections of WVU and its influence on your life.

Although much has changed since the journalism school was established in 1939, people today still need information from sources that are steeped in the core values of ethics, accuracy and fairness to help them better understand society’s complex issues. Whether those issues involve giving voice to the disenfranchised, serving as a government watchdog, relaying information about public health or advocating on behalf of a cause or organization, our students still learn and embrace these same core values.

In reflecting on our school’s 80-plus years, my admiration for those who’ve come before has grown and deepened.

School founder P.I. Reed ensured that the program’s initial foundation was strong; in 1961, Guy Stewart led the school’s creation of the MSJ graduate degree; and Chris Martin expanded our graduate offerings beyond the geographic bounds of Morgantown — through a first-of-its-kind online Integrated Marketing Communications degree that launched in 2003.

Visionaries like Maryanne Reed worked tirelessly to embrace the digital era and grow our programs, as reflected in our new name, College of Media, adopted in 2014. With a focus on “purpose and passion,” she further spearheaded

the creation of our College’s Media Innovation Center, which opened on the Evansdale campus in 2016. Martin Hall, the oldest building at WVU, located on the downtown campus and our Media Innovation Center located on Evansdale campus in one of the University’s newest buildings are emblematic of our continued commitment to both traditional professional values and technologically modern practice.

Of course, the danger of calling attention to a handful of our College’s leaders is that it is impossible to acknowledge everyone, and I am deeply aware of this deficiency. Please forgive me. Know that we are grateful to all of our administrators, faculty, staff, instructors, Visiting Committee members, alumni, mentors, guest speakers and friends throughout the years, as your presence and participation have enriched our students’ lives more than we can ever know. In addition, every donor has helped to make a difference in the quality of education we provide. The generosity of our College’s long-time supporters has helped us establish and sustain an environment of dedicated faculty, meaningful courses, professional experiences, modern facilities and a culture of curiosity, commitment and excellence. The impact of these gifts is immeasurable.

Thank you all for your friendship and for your support of our noble and important mission over the years! Here’s to the coming decades of vibrant media education at WVU, and here’s to 2021: May it hold much health, peace, happiness and prosperity for you and yours.

Diana Martinelli, Dean

Year in Review

“I’ve seen firsthand how showing passion for the state and commitment in the classroom, coupled with the enthusiasm and dedication of community members, can lead to positive results. Our students are doing some of their best work because they feel invested and committed. It’s a winwin for the students and the communities.”

RITA COLISTRA, associate professor

BRANDJRNY WORKS WITH POINT PLEASANT, WEST VIRGINIA

It’s a town rich with history and folklore as home to the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant and the Mothman legend, and a community on the rise with diversified tourism attractions and the infrastructure and amenities to support visitors.

The College’s BrandJRNY team, led by Associate Professor Rita Colistra and Teaching Assistant Professor David Smith, created a cohesive brand identity for Point Pleasant which included storytelling pieces, media strategies to promote tourism and plans for community leaders to manage and maintain the new brand for long-term sustainability.

PATRICK ORSAGOS NAMED MR. MOUNTAINEER

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

Patrick Orsagos, a 4+1 journalism student from Avon, Ohio, was named the 2019 Mr. Mountaineer. The prestigious Mountaineer Week award recognizes exemplary academic achievement and extracurricular involvement.

Orsagos is a member of the Honors College and a student ambassador for the College of Media. He is the president of WVU Friends of Literacy, president of the WVU Student Media Coalition and an English as a second language tutor with the Literacy Volunteers of Monongalia and Preston Counties.

3

YEAR IN REVIEW

OUTSTANDING ALUMNI

The annual WVU Reed College of Media Outstanding Alumni Awards acknowledge exceptional professional achievements as well as commitment and service to the College.

In October 2019, veteran award-winning journalist Ken Ward Jr. (BSJ, 1990) received the P.I. Reed Achievement Award; former advertising and PR executive Alexis Pugh (BSJ, 1973) was presented with the Friend of the College Award; data-driven B2B marketer Cyndi Greenglass (M.S. IMC, 2014) received the Commitment to Service Award; and policy reporting rising star Mackenzie Mays (BSJ, 2012) won the Young Alumna Award.

PLAY LIKE A GIRL: THE NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN IN SPORTS MEDIA

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

Sports media trailblazers spoke about their accomplishments, struggles and the future of the industry at WVU’s 2019 Diversity Week keynote event. Speakers included (left-to-right below) Kelli Zinn, deputy athletics director at WVU; Paola Boivin, first female member of the College Football Playoff Committee; Tomika Ferguson, Virginia Commonwealth University assistant professor; and Meghan Duggan, captain of the U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team and three-time Olympic medal winner.

4

All photos on this page by David Smith.

REMOTE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The Coronavirus pandemic forced many companies to rescind in-person summer internship opportunities for College of Media students. In response, the College was able to offer a limited number of virtual internships to returning seniors at the Dominion Post, Impakt Results, Mon Health, NPR Nantucket, WBOY-TV and the WVU School of Medicine.

Each student was awarded a $2000 stipend for their work throughout the summer, funded by student enhancement accounts established by John (BSJ, 1978) and Cindy Walls, Betsy Klebe Dziedzic (BSJ, 1979) and Douglas and Scott (BSJ, 1975) Widmeyer.

INTEGRATED AND DATA MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS SCHOLARSHIPS

Four students were awarded scholarships from the College’s General IMC/DMC Scholarship Fund. The competitive awards are given to students each fall and are the first and only scholarships dedicated to online graduate students in the College of Media. Saresa Bass of Edmond, Oklahoma; Kaitlyn Lopez of Morgantown, West Virginia; and Jesse Yang of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, are the recipients of the IMC scholarship, and Peyton Neely of Raleigh, North Carolina, received the DMC scholarship.

Journalism student Maura Flynn is an intern with NPR Nantucket.

Photo provided.

FACULTY AND STUDENTS CONTRIBUTE TO WASHINGTON POST STORY

Emily Corio and students Patrick Orsagos, Douglas Soule and Anna Saab pore through

thousands of pages of court records in the Boone County Courthouse. Photo by Mary Kay McFarland.

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

Emily Corio, teaching associate professor, and journalism senior Douglas Soule were co-authors on a Washington Post story that tracks the state’s nearly 20-year history of lawsuits against drug companies and exposes the opioid epidemic’s effect on children in West Virginia. The article, “‘They looked at us like an easy target’: Inside West Virginia's opioid battle,” was published online and on the front page of the printed edition in October 2019. Corio spent months reporting on the story with Debbie Cenziper, a contributing reporter at The Post and former assistant professor of journalism at the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs. Cenziper and GW journalism senior Kelly Hooper are also co-authors on the story, which lists an additional six students and WVU faculty member Mary Kay McFarland as contributors.

5

YEAR IN REVIEW

FIVE FELLOWSHIPS ANNOUNCED FOR NEWSTART INITIATIVE

Five journalists from across the country were awarded NewStart fellowships to study Media Solutions and Innovation at the College of Media. NewStart and the new one-year online master’s program were created in partnership with the West Virginia Press Association to train the next generation of community media owners and publishers. Funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation supports Tony Baranowski the five fellowships.

Iowa Fall, IA

Photographer Justin Hayhurst speaks with students in an English as a second language class while reporting on the immigrant community in Moorefield, West Virginia. Photo by David Smith.

“Current events and economic conditions have created an environment conducive for learning and growing as a media entrepreneur. There is still a great need for credible local news outlets in this country, and the coming year will likely see a lot of innovation in the media industry.”

JIM IOVINO, NewStart director

Crystal Good Charleston, WV

Miles Layton Perquimans County, NC

Becky Pallack Tucson, AZ

Andrew Weiler Wahkiakum County, WA

STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS WIN INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

College of Media students and faculty won five Telly Awards this year in categories that included storytelling in online commercials, non-broadcast social issues, social media video and immersive and mixed reality. Telly Awards are the international, premier honor for outstanding local, regional and cable productions. The 2020 competition had more than 13,000 entries, which were judged by hundreds of industry experts.

STUDENTS LEARN FROM INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING PROS

Journalism students spent the fall semester taking a deep dive into West Virginia issues with the help of two investigative reporting pros, Derek Willis, a news application developer at ProPublica, and Ken Ward (BSJ, 1990), an award-winning reporter who worked at the Charleston Gazette-Mail for nearly 30 years before taking a job with ProPublica in March 2020. The hands-on course focused on generating story ideas, finding and interviewing sources, building and using data to find and analyze patterns, organizing and managing information, navigating sensitive subjects and dealing with legal and ethical questions.

Advertising student Jeffrey Boggess was part of the BrandJRNY team that won a silver and a bronze Telly for their commercials promoting Pineville, West Virginia.

Boggess also won a bronze Telly for his 100 Days story "Bienvenido a Pupuseria Emerita." Photo

by David Smith.

100 DAYS IN APPALACHIA RECEIVES CONTINUED SUPPORT

“This grant will enable us to have a long-term presence on campus. We’ll be able to share innovative digital storytelling techniques with a wider array of faculty and students beyond the Media Innovation Center.”

DIANA MARTINELLI, dean

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Facebook Journalism Project (FJP), with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, awarded $250,000 to support 100 Days’ social documentary storytelling, an editorial advisory board and reporting toolkit ensuring proper coverage of Appalachia. The regional media outlet incubated at the Media Innovation Center was also the only newsroom in West Virginia selected for a grant from the FJP to support local coverage of COVID-19.

7

FOR THE SOCIAL GOOD

Once a Mountaineer, Always a Mountaineer WRITTEN BY ALLY KENNEDY | PHOTOS BY CHUCK HARMAN

College of Media alumni from all over the country mentor students in Chuck Harman's capstone class.

The Mountaineer network is strong. College of Media students belong to a dedicated family of alumni who mentor them from the moment they walk through the doors of Martin Hall to that triumphant walk across the graduation stage … and beyond.

When Chuck Harman (BSJ, 1981; MSJ, 1984) was an undergraduate student at the P.I. Reed School of Journalism, Professor Frank Kearns (BA, 1938), a former CBS news foreign correspondent, was that mentor.

“Professor Kearns recognized my potential and motivated me to think globally,” Harman said. “It impacted my entire life and my career.”

When Harman became an adjunct instructor for the College in 1999, he wanted to similarly inspire his students and make mentorship a key element of his courses. He had that opportunity when he started teaching the public relations and strategic communications capstone course 15 years ago.

“Mentors bring the real world into the classroom every day,” said Harman. “There really isn’t a text book that explains how to ‘pitch’ a client.” So Harman engaged other alumni to serve as professional advisors for the course.

“These seasoned agency professionals have honed their skills at some of the largest agencies in the world and translate their knowl-

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

Before the Coronavirus pandemic closed down campus, Harman's capstone class met in the Media Innovation Center to Skype or Zoom with their mentors.

8

edge to my students,” he said. “As a result, our graduates often have a distinct advantage over other entry level candidates.”

In the early 2000s, Harman engaged Mike Fulton (BSJ, 1979), who was executive vice president for GolinHarris at the time, as the first mentor for the capstone course. Fulton has been a mentor several times and is now at The Asher Agency in Washington, D.C. “This was kind of a trial for a new way to teach the course,” said Harman. “I know I’m asking a lot of the mentors. The agency world is not a nine-to-five job, so for them to devote this much time to our students on top of working full time. It’s an incredible commitment on their part.”

While Harman typically has a single mentor for each class, he decided to invite three alumni to participate in the spring 2020 capstone. Chad Hyett (BSJ, 2001), executive vice president at MCS Healthcare Public Relations who has participated as a mentor since 2014; Brandon Thomas (BSJ, 2010),

vice president and general manager at PAN Communications; and Maddie Ernst (BSJ, 2019), communications associate for Rick Miller Communications, all virtually returned to their alma mater to advise students in developing public relations campaigns for Customized Educational Programs Abroad (CEPA), an international nonprofit that offers study abroad opportunities to students in semester-long and short-term faculty-led courses.

“Mentorship has always been an important part of my own professional growth, and I’ve always wanted a piece of what I do on a daily basis to be focused on empowering, inspiring and supporting those after me,” said Thomas. “The course Chuck has created for WVU students is more than just a class; it’s a well thoughtout, challenging and fun way to take on doing a senior capstone.”

Since 2011, Harman’s capstone students have worked with an international

“Mentorship has always been an important part of my own professional growth, and I’ve always wanted a piece of what I do on a daily basis to be focused on empowering, inspiring and supporting those after me.”

BRANDON THOMAS (BSJ, 2010), vice president and general manager at PAN Communications

Top: Students in the Tru Relations agency video call their mentor, Brandon Thomas, from the WVU Media Innovation Center.

Bottom Left: Capstone students present to their client, CEPA, via Zoom after being unable to

travel abroad during spring break due to COVID-19.

Bottom Right: The capstone students were divided up into three "agencies."

Maddie Ernst (BSJ, 2019) video calls with agency, Luene Blu.

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

9

FOR THE SOCIAL GOOD

In 2017, Chuck Harman won the College of Media's Commitment to Service Award, which was established in honor of Dr. R. Ivan Pinnell’s more than two decades of service and commitment to the College.

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

Chuck Harman received the NAMI Lifetime Achievement Award during NAMICon 2020.

This award recognizes individuals who, over the course of their career or lifetime, have advanced the NAMI mission to build better lives for people living with mental illness and their families.

10

In 2019, Harman was named the National Adjunct Instructor of the Year by the Mass Communication and Society Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, the leading accrediting body for mass communication and journalism programs in higher education.

“This past semester was one of the richest teaching experiences I’ve had in my 20-plus years as an instructor.” CHUCK HARMAN, adjunct instructor

client and travel abroad to pitch their campaigns in person. In the past, classes have traveled to such places as Ireland, Italy, Brazil, Belgium and the United Kingdom. The most recent course met weekly in Morgantown throughout the spring semester and the students were preparing to travel to France and Germany during spring break. When the global COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of all WVU study abroad trips, everything became virtual.

“We were all disappointed we didn’t get to go abroad, but honestly, I don’t think I would change anything,” said student Peyton Azar. “We all came together and worked against the pandemic and it strengthened our campaigns and our relationships with each other. I’m incredibly grateful to have produced and presented such an important

project, all remotely. Our ability to adapt to these circumstances will really push us ahead in the real world. I can’t express how appreciative I am for this unique and rewarding experience.”

The class is set up competition-style, with the students divided into three separate “agencies”: Cultural Crave, mentored by Hyett; Luene Blu, mentored by Ernst and Tru Relations, mentored by Thomas. Each team was tasked with creating a public relations campaign to market the European Study Center in Strasbourg, France, to WVU undergraduate students. They spent the semester doing client and campus research, identifying target audiences and creating measurable objectives to meet the goal of improving CEPA’s name recognition on campus and encouraging students to

Mentorship Maestros

BRANDON THOMAS BSJ, 2010 Vice President and General Manager at PAN Communications

CHAD HYETT BSJ, 2001 Executive Vice President at MCS Healthcare

MADDIE ERNST BSJ, 2019 Associate for Rick Miller Communications

select them as a study Hyett, Thomas and abroad option. In the Ernst were the perfect end, students gave fit to mentor this year's virtual presentations to class as they had all prerepresentatives from viously taken Harman's CEPA, who had the tough capstone course. Ernst decision of choosing a learned under Harman undergraduate students have winner. The Tru Relations in 2018 and created a participated in the Media College’s campaign, “Navigate campaign for a client in mentorship program since 2014 Your CEPA,” won with Leuven, Belgium. She its messaging and realist credits the experience resource allocations. with helping her get her The class then came first job as a communitogether to present a final cations associate at Rick comprehensive campaign, Miller Communications highlighting the best ideas in her hometown of from each group.

Cincinnati, Ohio.

“I think that was the “Professor Harman’s professional alumni have thing that I'm really proud capstone is where I grew provided valuable career of – this whole experience both personally and guidance to those students had the opportunity to professionally the most really go downhill after the within my college career,” trip was canceled and the exact opposite said Ernst. “I feel so lucky to see the same occurred,” said Harman. “The students kept thing happen to other WVU students and themselves energized with the help of the help guide them through such an awesome mentors. They adopted the mindset that ‘we project. For the students, this capstone is have a task to do, we have a client to serve the real deal — it’s as close to the real world and a good cause to work on.’” as it gets.”

Not only did the students’ work benefit Overall, Harman’s three-mentor capstone the client and their personal portfolios, it experience paid off — all three are eager to also supported the University and other participate again. Harman, who has worked units on campus. CEPA has a longstanding for the National Alliance on Mental Illness relationship with WVU Education Abroad for more than 25 years, recently accepted a and the Office of Global Affairs. Both were new position with a neuroscience-focused able to use research conducted by Harman’s biopharmaceutical company, but he plans to class, including interviews with WVU students continue his adjunct role at the College. and advisors about their knowledge of and “This past semester was one of the richest experience with study abroad, to better teaching experiences I've had in my 20-plus understand their marketing efforts. years as an instructor,” Harman said.

160+

“I would like to express our gratitude for the students’ and Chuck’s motivation and perseverance despite the challenges that prevented them traveling to visit us in person. We appreciated the variety of strategies that the students developed to help improve our organization and are excited to move forward.”

ULI LEIBRECHT, executive director and founder, CEPA

175+

RENEE VAN AMBURGH, director of engagement, CEPA Foundation

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

“Working with the capstone students was a rewarding and unforgettable experience. Their optimism, excitement and forward-oriented strategies have invigorated us with hope for the future.”

11

LEADING INNOVATION

Trailblazers Transform the Culture WRITTEN BY ERICA LINDSAY (BSJ, 2004) | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID SMITH

We use the word “innovation” often.

When you repeat a word over and over again, it starts to lose meaning. So, what are we really trying to accomplish through innovation?

Faculty and leadership who land at Martin Hall are passionate about providing better solutions for our communities and the media industry. And whether or not they hail from Appalachia, many are struck by both the state pride and the challenges and opportunities that this region presents. In its 80-plus years, the School of Journalism-turned-College of Media has garnered a reputation for being the kind of place where purpose and passion are ignited and pursued.

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

Online Education: Mountaineers go first

12

In summer 2000, Chad Mezera had just graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Advertising from the WVU P.I. Reed School of Journalism and was awaiting a response from Northwestern University’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) graduate program. At the time, the School of Journalism had only one master’s degree program – an M.S. in Journalism – but a large majority of undergraduate students were in the advertising and public relations programs.

“The MSJ program in the early 2000s was large, with 30, 40, 50 students, most of

whom had come out of the public relations or advertising programs,” Mezera recalled.

“Just like me, most of these students weren’t planning a career in the journalism profession.

The College needed a way to serve those students and offer a master’s option that would lead to careers better suited to them.”

Mezera got a call that summer from Kurt Schimmel, then director of graduate studies, that changed the course of his education and career.

“Dr. Schimmel called my house and said ‘Hey, I know you’re waiting on Northwestern, but we’re starting the IMC program here.

Why don’t you consider staying?’ That’s how I wound up in a Journalism master’s program and in the first online IMC class,” Mezera said.

There were only a handful of online courses at WVU at the time. Under the leadership of Dean Chris Martin, those first experimental online IMC classes in fall 2000 turned into the nation’s first online IMC graduate certificate in 2001 and then, in 2003, the nation’s first fully online IMC master’s degree.

As a graduate teaching assistant in his second year of graduate school, Mezera helped work out some of the kinks of the IMC class he had taken the previous year. He rebuilt

and helped run the courses under professor Archie Sader, who followed Schimmel as director of the program. Upon graduation, Mezera left academia to work at a think tank focused on government best practices, then led internal corporate communications for a global technology solutions provider. But he kept in touch with Sader, who invited him to teach an IMC course in 2004. And in 2005, Mezera returned to Morgantown to become the IMC program director.

Since then, Mezera has been the driving force behind online courses offered by the College, including the award-winning IMC master’s program, which now offers more than 30 elective courses. In 2011, he began overseeing all undergraduate online courses, including the College’s existing online minors in Advertising, Health Promotion, Public Relations and Sport Communications. In 2014, he led the development of new undergraduate minors in Event Planning, Entertainment Media and Strategic Social Media. In 2016, he led the creation of the Data Marketing Communications online master’s program.

In 2017, the same year he was promoted to assistant dean of online programs for the College of Media, he spearheaded the creation of

“We weren’t afraid to walk into any market and promote our program to the working marketing communications practitioners it was designed to serve.

It took off.”

CHAD MEZERA, assistant dean of online programs

Leaders in the Field Chad Mezera presents the Alexia Vanides Online Teaching Award to Cyndi Greenglass, a 2014 IMC graduate who was a key player in the development of the Data Marketing Communications master degree program and

coursework more rapidly, generate profit and keep class sizes small and highly engaging.”

“We grew the IMC program with the support of academic practitioner instructors from all around the country that were recognized leaders in the field,” he continued. “And we weren’t afraid to walk into any market and promote our program to the working marketing communications practitioners it was designed to serve. It took off.”

That connection with industry leaders and the invaluable learning experience that posi-

tions program graduates to become industry leaders has created a constant pipeline of contacts who help inform the future of online education at the College.

“We’re always watching the job market and what competitors are talking about,” Mezera said. “But most of our ‘Aha!’ moments happen in conversations with our College’s exceptional alumni network, people we trust.”

Most recently, this approach resulted in the development of a new master’s degree in Digital Marketing Communications and a B.S.

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

six new graduate certificates and specializations for IMC students in Creative Strategy, Data Marketing Communications, Digital and Social Media, Healthcare Communication, Higher Education Marketing and Public Relations Leadership. But all of these programs weren’t immediate successes.

“In those early years, we had a lot of challenges and lacked a clear strategy for overcoming them,” Mezera recalls. “Our most important transformation as a fledgling program was the design of a somewhat unconventional, scalable online program management model that would focus time and energy not just on growing enrollment, but on ensuring that coursework could be consistently updated as the industry evolved, while maintaining high academic standards and a student-centric philosophy. These early decisions in online program design were specific to the challenges and opportunities facing our College and allowed us to develop specialized

now teaches the Data introductory course.

Greenglass is one of more than 100 online instructors who are leading practitioners from across the country. Many travel to Morgantown for the College's annual Integrate Conference.

13

LEADING INNOVATION at West Virginia University, bringing that team storytelling concept to her role as the assistant vice president for creative direction for University Relations. Then, in 2009, she accepted a position as an associate professor with the then School of Journalism.

Coester earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of MissouriColumbia in the 1980s, when photographers were starting to use digital cameras.

“I was enthralled by the technological advances that were happening, even in the 1980s,” Coester said. “I could feel the industry shifting, and envisioning journalism’s future in a new technology landscape became my primary obsession.”

Since Coester joined the College of Media, she has been a driver of media innovation, creating programs and initiatives that not only respond to changes in the industry but anticipate and lead those changes. As the creative director of the Media Innovation Center, she led design and planning of the nearly 10,000-square-foot space that was completed in 2016 and embraces co-innovation and innovation for social change. In 2016, she also launched 100 Days in Appalachia and currently serves as the editor-in-chief of the independent, nonprofit news outlet, which has an open-source, co-publishing model and shares content from Appalachia’s diverse communities with Creativity Fuels New regional, national and international media organizations. And, most recently, she helped Storytelling Forms develop the new online master’s degree in Coester is to media innovation as Mezera is to Media Solutions and Innovation (MESO).

“Early in the Media Innovation Center online program administration. In 2005, when Mezera was returning to WVU to grow online planning, we knew that we wanted to have programs, Coester was working for Time, Inc. a signature academic program that would capture a lot of what we were doing within the as the art director and a contributing editor center,” Coester said. “It would be flexible and for Southern Living. At that time, Coester be able to evolve as industry needs/challenges and her colleagues were experimenting with creating teams of writers, photographers and and tech evolved - and be solutions oriented.”

Indeed, the new MESO program has been designers who worked together on visual a long time coming. In 2014, a hybrid model storytelling through a variety of mediums. was approved with two paths — a Maker The following year, she began her career WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

in Integrated Marketing Communications, the College’s first fully online bachelor’s degree. Both launched in fall 2020. The new undergraduate IMC program provides an option for young practitioners who didn’t complete a bachelor’s program to do so from anywhere in the world in coursework that continues to expand on the College’s successful online model.

In August 2020, 42 students started coursework in the first Digital Marketing Communications cohort. “Digital marketing communications as a subset to the overall marketing communications practice is evolving at light speed,” Mezera said. “This new program became a reality because of the continued support of our professional network, as well as the efficiency of our online program management model.”

Through conversations with alumni, students, faculty and other industry contacts and extensive market research to determine both where the industry is headed and what other institutions are offering, Mezera has been able to evolve and create new programs that have kept the College competitive and profitable.

Revenue generated by the online master’s programs has helped to fund many College initiatives, including the Media Innovation Center, the brainchild of Dean Maryanne Reed and Associate Professor Dana Coester.

14

Path to address the creative exploration happening on the content production side of media enterprise, and a Publisher Path to support emerging challenges on the publishing, distribution and economic model side of media making.

The Maker Path involves everything from immersive storytelling including 360-degree video, augmented reality and virtual reality to artificial intelligence, such as brain-computer interfaces, digital forensic skills, voice interfaces, bot building and sensors. In addition to practical skills for immediate application in a digital newsroom, there’s an experimental storytelling model that arose from the College’s multi-year Innovator-inResidence program. Under the umbrella of the Media Innovation Center, students have the opportunity to take on a real-world project that allows them to focus on an emerging pre-mass market technology.

“We teach journalists to have a seat at the tech table so that they are equipped not just to ‘use’ technology, but also to create, shape and inform its ethical practice,” Coester said.

The Publisher Path got a boost in 2019 with the creation of NewStart, a local news ownership initiative created by Reed, dean of the College at the time, and Don Smith, director of the West Virginia Press Association. NewStart works with state press associations to identify small-market, independently owned newspapers that are ready for transition and located in areas with economic growth potential. Coester helped write the grant that provided a $200,000 investment from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to fund NewStart fellows in the MESO program.

“We knew there was a deficit in our own program and across the country in true audience-first digital publishing curriculum that addressed the rapidly evolving challenges of the industry,” Coester said.

“We saw an opportunity to build and launch our publishing path around the living lab of

Online Timeline 2001

2003

2005

2009

2010

The nation's first online IMC Graduate Certificate is launched.

The nation's first online IMC master's degree program is launched.

Chad Mezera becomes the IMC program director.

Dana Coester joins the College as an associate professor of journalism.

IMC is the largest graduate program at WVU with more than 500 students.

community news outlets. We initially thought we'd launch with a regional cohort, but the needs nationally were just as urgent as they are in Appalachia, so we launched with a national cohort of diverse news organizations from all across the country.”

In July 2020, five inaugural NewStart fellows started the MESO program. They hail from a variety of backgrounds, organizations and locations from across the country, including Iowa, West Virginia, Washington, North Carolina and Arizona.

“That we launched in the middle of a pandemic with increasing threats to local jour-

nalism is a testament to everyone involved, especially the NewStart fellows who are pioneering this program,” Coester said.

One of the benefits of online degree programs is that they’re largely pandemicproof. Enrollment in the online IMC, Data and Digital programs has increased in the last several months as learners look for ways to continue their educations while avoiding in-person classroom settings. But the success of all of the College’s online degree programs can be attributed to the engaged faculty, forward-thinking curriculum development, a dedicated technology support

team and College leadership that has always had a commitment to students and effecting positive change in the communications and journalism fields.

“Dean Reed and now Dean [Diana] Martinelli have always supported what we do in online programs in such a way that we’ve been able to use the resources we generate to continually improve the programs,” Mezera said. “There is a level of trust and support from our administration.

And fundamentally, it’s not the dean or the provost or the president that we’re working for — it’s the students.”

“We teach journalists to have a seat at the tech table so that they are equipped not just to ‘use’ technology, but also to create, shape and inform its ethical practice.”

DANA COESTER, associate professor

The Media Innovation Center, designed and created by Coester, is completed.

The new online M.S. in Digital Marketing Communications launches.

The IMC program is a finalist for "Education Program of the Year" in PRWeek US Awards.

The new online B.S. in IMC is launched.

IMC is named a "Program of Excellence" by the WVU Board of Governors

The nation's first online Data Marketing Communications master's degree program is launched.

A new M.S. in Media Solutions and Innovation is approved.

Funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation support the first five fellows for the online Media Solutions and Innovation master's program.

Coester launches 100 Days in Appalachia.

2017

2019

IMC is once again the largest graduate program at WVU with more than 500 students.

Mezera is promoted to assistant dean of online programs for the College.

IMC is named the "Outstanding Online Program" by the Online Learning Consortium.

6 new IMC grad certificates and specializations are developed.

The Media Solutions and Innovation program gets a boost with the creation of NewStart, a news ownership initiative.

2014

2015

2016

2020

15

STUDENT PROFILES

Clockwise: Aaliyah Wilkerson speaks to students at a Florida A&M University event, poses with her WVU diploma and pauses for a photo at the PRSA International Converence in 2019.

Photos provided

by Wilkerson.

Celebrating a Resilient Class of 2020 WRITTEN BY MAURA FLYNN (BSJ, 2020)

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

For newly-minted Reed College of Media alums Aaliyah Wilkerson (M.S. IMC, 2020) and Douglas Soule (BSJ, 2020), graduating during a pandemic didn’t mean waiting to see what would happen next; instead, they helped their communities through it.

16

When WVU closed campus on March 10, Soule was finishing his last semester as editor-in-chief of The Daily Athenaeum.

Coverage continued from home, with the staff meeting virtually and covering topics as best they could from afar. Morgantown quieted as out-of-state students packed up their dorm rooms and headed back to their hometowns.

Just two days later and 820 miles away, Florida A&M University (FAMU) announced it was closing, too. But within two weeks, Wilkerson, a public affairs and university relations coordinator for FAMU’s Office of University Housing, returned to campus with her team to take care of the students dependent on their residence halls.

AS AN ESSENTIAL WORKER, Wilkerson managed information distribution, social media channels and events to keep those on FAMU’s campus safe and informed as Florida remained a major hotspot in the battle against the rapidly spreading virus.

“When we originally closed down, we did what most universities did – we told the students ‘look, we want to keep you safe, everybody has to go,’” Wilkerson said. “But taking into account that we are a historically Black university, some of our students have financial challenges. They don't have the ability to get up and go and they may not have a family to get up and go to, so we kept things open just for them.”

When Wilkerson started in this position a year ago, she helped implement residence hall starter packs with supplies to help students feel at home. Advocacy and compassion are at the heart of her job – traits that she shares with her team members who continue to support students through the global health crisis.

“It's definitely taught us how to be much more sensitive and a lot more genuine with how we communicate with our students,” she said.

That team has grown closer over the course of the last six months. “We’re always texting, always calling; I would say it’s been a combination of a little bit of paranoia and concern, but I think the collaborative effort of us all wanting to just provide our students with a safe environment tops everything else.”

Wilkerson, a Miami native, earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from FAMU in 2018. As an undergraduate, she worked as a FAMU TV-20 anchor, copy desk chief of the campus newspaper and lead marketing and communication intern in FAMU's Office of Communication. However, her love for storytelling and connecting with an audience dates back to childhood when she would compete in oratorical contests and perform in theater productions.

“I feel like marketing and communications has allowed me to change the way that people think about certain things, and I think making people feel good about themselves is my way of making the world a better place.”

AALIYAH WILKERSON (M.S. IMC, 2020), public affairs and university relations coordinator for FAMU’s Office of University Housing

set on gaining hands-on experience in this area of marketing and communications. For four months before COVID-19 halted many operations in the United States, Wilkerson worked as a public affairs intern for Florida’s State House of Representatives under Rep. Elizabeth Fetterhoff.

“After the course, Aaliyah would periodically check in with me and I would, in turn, send her some opportunities or thought pieces on public affairs,” Fulton said. “I also introduced her to some former students in Atlanta and contacts in Florida. The timing worked out for Aaliyah to intern for a Florida state representative I know, and the feedback I heard from the legislator was very positive.

Aaliyah’s high energy, willingness to go above and beyond and take chances bodes well for a very promising career.”

As unprecedented times of crisis continue, Wilkerson believes that disruption is necessary.

“I feel like sometimes, as people, we learn to kind of walk with our head down and just do the work," Wilkerson said. "And, finally, people are finding their voice. They're finding power and they're finding out what they can do with it. And I think the pandemic and the social issues that have been going on have really helped people find creative ways to do that – especially communicators.

“Now more than ever, we have had to embrace that we sometimes have to say the things that people don't want to hear, but we have to say those things or we're not doing our job," she continued. "I think this brings back the passion for many of us. It brings back the heart. It's not just robotic. It’s more about relationships, which is really what's pushing us now in this time.”

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

“I recently found this dream journal that I made in fourth grade, and I had cut out images from a magazine and taped them in there,” Wilkerson explained. “I said that I wanted to be a journalist. I wanted to be a talk show host. I wanted to be a producer. So, I'm making my way there through this journey.”

Wilkerson’s experience working in news and social media not only satisfied the talk show host in her, but also gave her skills

in audience interaction that have been invaluable during the pandemic. However, her marketing and communications work shifted her career goals.

“I feel like marketing and communications has allowed me to change the way that people think about certain things,” said Wilkerson. “And I think making people feel good about themselves is my way of making the world a better place.

So that’s how I was able to kind of shift that feeling of – okay, you’re not in front of the camera anymore, not on stage, everybody’s not watching you, but how do you keep that same energy and push it into someone else?”

Wilkerson found that community-based communications work allowed for more connections and more creativity. She could write, photograph, design, edit and film, but she needed a master’s degree that filled the public relations, public affairs and digital media gaps in her resume. That’s when she found WVU’s Integrated Marketing Communications master’s program and knew from the first 30-minute meeting that she would become a Mountaineer.

“That's why WVU is so dear to me.

Because in a time when I thought that something wasn't for me or I wasn't ready, the school came and said, ‘Yeah, you're ready, you can do this, and we're going to help you get there.’”

After taking the IMC Public Affairs course, which has been taught by Mike Fulton (BSJ, 1979) for nearly a decade, Wilkerson was

17

STUDENT PROFILES

“I’m only 21, but throughout my limited life experiences, I’ve found that what I can do in journalism is the best way to induce change that has a positive impact on the future.”

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

18

FOR A DECADE, high school students in West Virginia and neighboring regions put their journalism skills to the test, competing in the WVU College of Media’s and West Virginia Press Association’s Journalism Competition and Workshops.

The program was designed to provide students and teachers with an opportunity to build professional skills while enhancing the media programs and projects available in their high school settings. In 2017, the final year of the competition, Douglas Soule won first place in broadcast and feature writing and second place in public relations and editorial writing.

The Charleston-born, Bridgeport-raised West Virginian was heading to WVU in a few months to major in political science or maybe political science and journalism. But after interning at The Daily Athenaeum the summer before his freshman year had even started, he knew he wanted to be a reporter. That internship also smoothed the transition from high school to college.

“It felt natural,” Soule recalled. “I felt like I was coming home, really.”

Soule has since spent countless hours at the DA headquarters on Prospect Street working his way up from intern to assistant news editor to editor-in-chief.

“I’ve learned that maintaining composure and a good attitude is critical in a newsroom,” he said. “The DA is a student-run newspaper where you learn and grow, but as you do this growing and developing, you're treated with the same expectations as other professional journalists. If you mess up, it’s the same consequences.”

WVU Photo/Brian Persinger

DOUGLAS SOULE (BSJ, 2020), who accepted a position as a Report for America corps member and watchdog reporter with Mountain State Spotlight in June 2020

A hallmark of his work was investigating the Morgantown and WVU communities. He covered student government impeachments, scrutinized Fall Fest finances and navigated years of tumultuous Greek life decisions. As a global pandemic took hold and racism reared its ugly head in 2020, Soule reported on these important topics through a local lens to ensure the public had the facts to make informed decisions and advocate for change.

“That's one of my goals as a journalist – to lead the state forward and ensure reform,” Soule said. “I think any exposure to problems

and any amount of attention devoted to problems that we currently face is a good thing.”

Adell Crowe, WVU’s director of student media, worked with Soule to improve both his reporting and the DA’s role on campus.

“Under Douglas’s leadership, the DA staff never stopped listening and working to make things better,” Crowe said. “They welcomed the input, advice, even criticism from the campus community and relished the weekly critique from Prof. Bob Britten at Wednesday staff meetings. Douglas's legacy is that he was eager to improve the culture at the DA.”

Clockwise from top left: Douglas Soule poses with other student reporters at the Politico Journalism Institute in 2019.

Soule cheers on the Mountaineer football team, rides his scooter through campus and meets with a fellow reporter at The Daily Athenaeum. Photos provided by Soule.

“Under Douglas’s leadership, the DA staff never stopped listening and working to make things better ... Douglas’s legacy is that he was eager to improve the culture at the DA.” ADELE CROWE, WVU director of student media

be, there should always be people outside of the institution who are making sure that everything is operating in the best interest of everyone involved.”

Outside of his work for the WVU and Morgantown communities, Soule has interned with The Globe Post, a digital media publication in Washington, D.C., and the Charleston Gazette-Mail. In 2019, he attended Politico’s Journalism Institute. During his junior year, Soule was endorsed by WVU for a Marshall Scholarship – a prestigious award that supports young Americans of high ability to study for graduate degrees in the United Kingdom.

Upon graduation in May, Soule accepted a position with Mountain State Spotlight, an independent, civic news organization that focuses on major issues affecting West Virginia, including public health threats, economic development challenges, environmental issues and government accountability.

As a watchdog reporter, he’ll work to ferret out political corruption among West Virginia

public officials at all levels of government, hold powerful institutions accountable, stand up for the powerless and lift up voices that might not otherwise be heard.

“Transparency is critical for democracy and for public health, especially during this pandemic,” Soule said. “And it’s a scary time for many, including journalists who are being shot with rubber bullets, arrested and tear-gassed. Harassment isn’t new to reporters and they're not always appreciated but, honestly, you don't do it for appreciation.

At least for me, you do it with the hopes of adding value to your community. I'm only 21, but throughout my limited life experiences, I’ve found that what I can do in journalism is the best way to induce change that has a positive impact on the future.”

As long as that remains the case for Soule, he’s set on a journalism career path. “It’s not journalism in and of itself that has me in journalism. It's what can be accomplished through it.”

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

As editor-in-chief, Soule oversaw a staff of more than 50 students who reported on university and community news, sports, events and more. While the DA employs non-students in management and advisory roles, all of the writers, photographers, advertising representatives and copy editors are WVU students with full class loads on top of their DA duties.

Soule understood this pressure, but still held himself and the rest of the news team accountable. He expected them to meet and raise the standard to which they are held as stewards of good journalism. Additionally, he held his team accountable to the readers.

And since many of those readers are WVU students, he also felt an obligation to hold the University accountable.

“I think the best way to show you care is by holding something accountable – by working to make it a better place not just for yourself but for everyone around,” Soule said. “And that requires checks and balances.

No matter how well-intentioned a place may

19

While many things have changed in the past 80 years — 75 as the P.I. Reed School of Journalism and five as the Reed College of Media — the dedication to our students and passion for our professions remain.

WRITTEN BY ALLY KENNEDY

W

hen Cheryl Ferrebee (BSJ, 1988) started her journalism education at West Virginia University in 1984, Martin Hall seemed to have the premiere technology of the day.

Having undergone a $1.8 million renovation in 1977, the College had electric typewriters, a video display terminal system, modern radio and television equipment, light tables and a photocomposition unit with more than 100 typefaces. There was even a small library in the building that housed physical copies of the latest newspapers and magazines so she could conduct research.

She gained experience outside of the classroom, working in the advertising department of The Daily Athenaeum. She was challenged by professors who brought real-world situations into the coursework. And, although she didn’t realize it at the time, she was being prepared to adapt.

“When I think back to just how basic ‘technology’ was when I was at WVU, it astounds me. I recall thinking that the broadcast students were high-tech because they had monitors and cameras with which to work,” said Cheryl. “Keeping up with technology has been both the most challenging and most exciting aspects of my career in advertising. I have gone from manually setting type, to planning, executing and measuring social media campaigns for my clients.”

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

22

Fast forward 30 years and Cheryl’s daughter, Jaymie Ferrebee (BSJ, 2020) was walking through the same halls and learning similar lessons. Jaymie grew up hearing about how much her mom loved the journalism school at WVU and saw firsthand how it had prepared her for a successful career. But ultimately, it was today’s curriculum and opportunities that sold her on majoring in strategic communications.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I first enrolled at WVU,” Jaymie said. “I reached out to someone in the strategic communications program, and after the meeting, I was sold.”

Both mother and daughter found the right fit at the College—one in advertising, the other in public relations. And in both 1988 and 2020, the respective Ferrebees took capstone courses that were the highlight of their college experiences. Cheryl had to sell Professor Bob Summers on an extensive media campaign for an assigned brand, and Jaymie took Chuck Harman’s study abroad capstone, where she built a campaign for an international client in Germany.

Even though 32 years separate their graduations, both Ferrebees credit the College’s project-based, hands-on teaching style for equipping them with the skills to succeed.

“All of the professors have impressive backgrounds in the field and adapt the courses to meet the everchanging landscape of the media industry,” said Jaymie.

“I learned how to make successful campaigns and portfolios very early in my course work, and by my senior year, I was building professional-level strategic communication campaigns for real-world international clients in my capstone.”

Over the past 80 years, the College of Media, formerly the P.I. Reed School of Journalism, has played an important role in the lives of nearly 9,000 alumni.

“I honestly don’t think a week goes by when I don’t have a memory of a journalism class or a chat with a professor,” said David Cline (BSJ, 1986), now an experienced proposal writer for Perspecta, a leading U.S. government services provider.

“What they taught me still resonates, and I still practice what I “I honestly don’t think a week learned in Martin Hall.”

Although the school celebrated its 80th anniversary this past academic goes by when I don’t have a year—75 years as the P.I. Reed School of Journalism and five as the Reed memory of a journalism College of Media—WVU offered journalism courses well before the independent school was established on April 22, 1939. A two-hour course in news class or a chat with writing was offered through the Department of English in the College of Arts and Sciences beginning in 1915. Five years later, a series of professional courses a professor. What were added, and as demand increased, a complete professional curriculum was made they taught me still available to students. By 1927, a separate Department of Journalism was created, but Perley Isaac Reed advocated for more, fighting administrative battles and rallying resonates, and I outside forces until an autonomous school of journalism was created.

“Small classes, one-on-one instruction, and a regional, grass-roots journalism phistill practice what losophy” was founder P.I. Reed’s vision for the newly formed School of Journalism, I learned in and those ideas remain at the heart of the College’s culture today.

“As a relatively small college within a large university, I believe our students have Martin Hall.” the best of both worlds,” said Dean Diana Martinelli. “Our faculty still get to know DAVID CLINE (BSJ, 1986), students individually through our many skills-based classes, which are capped at 20 proposal writer for students each, and we incorporate service into students’ work, which makes it all the Perspecta more meaningful.

“In addition, our students get the benefits that a large public university has to offer, from its diversity of people, perspectives and class offerings to major sporting and cultural events. Such activities enrich our students’ lives and complement our College’s strong liberal arts curriculum.”

Same Fundamentals | Different Media

Mark Schoenster, a Sports and Adventure Media student from St. Mineral, Virginia, chose the College of Media because of the opportunities that come along with the major, such as interning with ESPN-U, covering WVU athletics from the field and good job placement records, just to name a few. But he was also enrolling in a college with a long list of successful Pulitzer Prize and Emmy award winners, Oscar nominees, best-selling authors and executives who came before him.

“I wrote a paper for a contest when I was in eighth grade that won the local award and then moved on to win district,” Schoenster said. “It was the first time something I created was recognized, and I figured writing might be something I could pursue.

When it came time to pick a college, I wanted to go somewhere that would give me the chance to hone the skills necessary to break into the sport media field.”

With a new major in Sports and Adventure Media, WVU was the perfect fit. Today, the College of Media’s majors have evolved to mirror the industry. Currently, there are six majors that prepare graduates for a variety of careers as journalists, advertising and public relations executives, on-air radio hosts, multimedia producers, marketing assistants, is named after Rev. editors, graphic designers, content strategists and social media Alexander Martin, specialists. They work in a variety of industries—news, sports, the first president fashion, entertainment, technology, healthcare, education, of WVU, who served from 1867–1875. nonprofits, government and more.

The media world looked quite different in the 1950s, when only three majors were offered. Television was replacing radio as the dominant broadcast medium and newspapers were the predominant source of news — a stark contrast to the digital-first media industry Schoenster will be entering upon graduation. “J-School” students chose between sequences in news/editorial, advertising/management or general journalism and went on to become reporters, editors, advertising managers or public relations directors.

“It was really a stick to basics curriculum at the time with an emphasis on rigorous standards of journalism,” said Barbara Sayre Casey (BSJ, 1959).

“We had reporting, editing, opinion writing, newspaper production, including typesetting and layout, and advertising classes.”

Over the decades, the media industry would expand and change at a rapid rate, and so would the school. Sequences in broadcast and public relations were added, and career paths for students expanded accordingly. For Pam Sports and Adventure Larrick (BSJ, 1972), the lack of technology during her years at the College proved to Media student be one of the greatest gifts. As an advertising major in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, Mark Schoenster broadcasts a WVU Larrick did everything by hand. men's soccer game.

“We literally taped copy and art together for the brochures or ads or storyboards Photo provided. that we were required to produce,” she said. There were also print production classes Journalism student where she typeset pieces by hand. It was hard, tedious work. But it was also worth it.

Stephanie Suwak “We learned to be resourceful,” Larrick said. “The attention to detail, to profesuses a new video sionalism, to getting it right was prevalent throughout the school. And that sheer display terminal. resourcefulness became a competitive advantage for so many of us during our careers.”

Photo from the 1981 Monticola yearbook.

Today, the focus on emerging media permeates the College, with courses in game design and digital narrative, visual storytelling, podcasting, sports and adventure

MARTIN HALL

Cheryl Ferrebee (BSJ, 1988) pauses for a photo outside of Martin Hall with her daughter, Jaymie Ferrebee (BSJ, 2020).

Photo provided.

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

Clockwise from top left: Barbara Sayre Casey from the 1959 Monticola, WVU's yearbook.

23

video production, infographics and data visualization, immersive storytelling through augmented and virtual reality and strategic social media, just to name a few. New interdisciplinary programs have been added, including an online undergraduate major in Integrated Marketing Communications that is shared with the Chambers College of Business and Economics and an Interactive Design for Media major, shared with the College of Creative Arts.

“One of the coolest things I have been able to do since coming to school is having the chance to experiment with new media technology,” said Schoenster. “I took a class that focused on these new methods of storytelling and how they can be used in a way that upholds the values of proper journalism, and it doesn't even stop in the classroom. Each semester, I have been able to work on projects with technology like augmented reality, virtual reality, 360-degree video, holograms and more to tell a story that regular photos, videos and words cannot capture.”

However, as the College adapts to the changes in media technology, the fundamentals of journalism persist, regardless of major. Required courses still include media ethics and law; basic writing and grammar; advanced writing and editing, which is major specific; along with a professionally focused capstone course.

Same Focus on Experience | Different Experiences

When students are asked why they chose the WVU Reed College of Media, they often provide the same handful of answers. In addition to a focus on emerging media, they come for the community outreach, service learning and real-world experiences. These methods of learning have been staples of the curriculum for decades.

The 1978–79 undergraduate catalog included the following description: “A journalism education involves more than learning how to write and edit

front&center

Pam Larrick (BSJ, 1972) reflects on this perfect time to study journalism

I

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

The Monicola, 1972

24

Photo provided

started at WVU in the fall of 1968 and graduated in 1972. To understand the School of Journalism at that time, you really have to step back and look at the environment of the school, the country.

There were assassinations. Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy. There was a war.

Promises of it ending. There was a draft — the first draft lottery in our country’s history. It was personal and scary. There is no question it had an impact on each of us, some more than others. Admittedly, it affected me.

I am from Clarksburg, West Virginia, only about 50 miles from Morgantown but back in the late ̒ 60s, it was a whole world away.

There was an enclave of young people coming together from different walks of life to a place where you felt cocooned. Sorority life, fraternity life was big in my world then. The SOJ was my other world. Two places as different, yet as similar, as possible — bound by hopes and dreams, by fears and challenges.

But the intersection of the civil rights

movement and the war made this period an inflection point for all in America. The draft was a major driver because the lottery impacted everyone. More importantly, it directly conflicted with the promises of ending or reducing our troop deployments to Vietnam. This made questioning our government more acceptable, and, for some of us, it led to challenging or codifying our own beliefs as well.

In May of 1970, students demonstrated across the country and at WVU as well.

Martin Hall, positioned at the crossroads of the campus, was directly across from the demonstrators and those students standing by. As the demonstrations went on, tear gas wafted into the building through the open windows. But the irony of Martin Hall, home of WVU journalism, being front and center as these events unfolded is striking to me today.

Perhaps back then it was not.

But now as I think about it, our years being in school were a perfect time for studying journalism at WVU. We were being taught to

The College of Media continually adapts its curriculum to meet the demands of the industry and prepare students for success.

Just this year, the College created three new degree programs.

1939

B.S. Journalism

1961

M.S. Journalism

2003

M.S. Integrated Marketing Communications (online) Journalism students work in Martin Hall in the 1940s.

Photo from the West Virginia & Regional History Center.

COLLEGE OF MEDIA In 2014, during the School’s 75th year on the WVU campus, the P.I. Reed School of Journalism was renamed the Reed College of Media.

Louise Crumrine Seals, editorin-chief for the DA, from the 1966 Monticola yearbook.

2015

B.A. Multidisciplinary Studies

2016

M.S. Data Marketing Communications (online)

2017

B.S. Sports and Adventure Media

2019

B.S. Interactive Design for Media

2020

M.S. Digital Marketing Communications (online) M.S. Media Solutions and Innovation (online) B.S. Integrated Marketing Communications (online)

news stories or broadcast documentaries or to prepare creative advertisements. It involves the study of substantive issues that will need to be communicated in the next fifty years as well as those which have already occurred.”

Today, this philosophy is demonstrated through the College’s many academic, professional and community partnerships. Recent collaborations include Women Beyond Bars, an investigative journalism and advocacy communications project between the Reed College of Media and the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, and a reporting partnership with George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs that tackled the opioid epidemic and its effects on children. Additionally, in response to the current political climate, the College joined forces with PolitiFact, a Pulitzer Prize–winning news organization, to help train student journalists how to properly fact-check politicians.

The College’s community engagement is also seen in BrandJRNY, a research-based capstone course that developed integrated communications campaigns for West Virginia communities.

“This class really was a journey. It's a journey of growth, maturity and experience,” said Adison Ammons (BSJ, 2020). “I grew with my team, matured professionally and experienced a new love for the state of West Virginia. BrandJRNY gave me just what I needed – a hands-on project and an immeasurable amount of real-world experience in public relations and advertising.”

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

seek the truth. To get to the core of the news or the story with objectivity and professionalism. To ask questions but be prepared. Those days in classes helped me face the realities of the world around us that seemed confusing and surreal at times.

We sought conversations late in the evening with people across the campus.

Most had different points of view and experiences. We listened. We spoke.

We learned. We drank endless cups of coffee and saw the sun come up as we headed back to the dorm more times than I can remember. Our heads full of thoughts and our hearts wavering between trepidation and determination.

But those experiences made our classes more relevant, more personal.

We became better students because we were more aware. Different ideas were not judged. Beliefs had a forum…if you had the facts to support them.

Those days at the SOJ listening, speaking and learning enabled this West Virginian to build the confidence and ability to be my own personal advocate. That helped me immensely as I navigated my life and career. This is something that is true of what the SOJ gives its students today. And that, I know, is priceless.

Mark Schoenster uses virtual reality technology in the Media Innovation Center.

Photo by David Smith.

25

MSJPhd

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

The Master of Science of Journalism program was launched in

26

“I decided to come back ‘home’ to teach at WVU because it’s the place where I was first inspired to become a professor. I had some passionate, encouraging mentors in both my BS and MS programs here in the then P.I. Reed School of Journalism.

I wanted to come back to teach, conduct meaningful research and provide service to the state while providing the same inspirational mentorship that I received. There are some special people and bright minds here, and Martin Hall has always felt like home to me.”

1961 under Guy Stewart, director of graduate studies at the time Practical expeand a former student of school founder, Perley Isaac Reed. rience has always Since then, a number of our graduates have gone on to earn been an important doctoral degrees. In fact, among the school’s first MSJ part of the College, cohort was Ralph Izard, who went on to earn a Ph.D. even if it looked a at the University of Illinois and lead the journalism little different in the past. schools at both Ohio University and Louisiana State For example, David Cline remembers a timed writing University. (Izard passed away earlier this year.) course where he had two hours While some of our MSJ graduates have come to research and write a news home to teach at WVU, others have gone article, mimicking a real experience on to make an impact on the future of the RITA COLISTRA, Associate Professor of Public Relations at West Virginia University: writing for a newspaper. industry at institutions around the world.

Ph.D.,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill “Dr. [John] Boyer would walk up and down the aisles, talking the whole time.

He would stop at our desk, lean over and Johanna Fisher, talk louder, ask questions, point out something, then move on,” said Cline. “He did managing editor, this, he explained, because newsrooms are busy, crowded and noisy, and he wanted and Scott Widmeyer, us to be used to distractions as we wrote and edited.” news editor, work at the Daily Athenaeum.

A memorable newsroom experience for many students is working for The Daily Photo from the 1973 Athenaeum (DA). First published in 1887, the DA has been regularly published on Monticola yearbook. campus for more than 130 years. In the 1920s, the newspaper became part of the journalism curriculum, serving as a lab for students, and stayed that way until 1970, when it became an independent publication.

“My DA work — from reorganizing library clip files in 1962 to being editor in 1965–66 — showed me a new world, one with more ifs, ands or buts than I had ever considered before,” said Louise Crumrine Seals (BSJ, 1966), who worked for the paper when it was located on the third floor of Martin Hall. “In general, using the DA Tuesdaythrough-Friday editions as labs for news writing, editing, photography and design also taught decision-making and awakened us to how complex it was to shepherd an idea or assignment into the paper.”

For many journalism alumni, working Adison Ammons, for the DA was a life-changing part of their second from right, college experience and played a key role in with the spring 2020 BrandJRNY landing rewarding careers. team. Photo by “As student journalists, we were left to Seth Seebaugh our own devices,” said Bob Kittle (BSJ, (BSJ, 2022).

1975). “This meant that we made plenty of mistakes but also successfully scaled a steep learning curve. Based on the strength of my DA clippings, I scored a paid internship at the Charleston Daily Mail. I had learned so much as a DA reporter that I immediately jumped in as a police reporter.”

Former DA Editor Scott Widmeyer (BSJ, 1975) recalls, “Looking back, the foundation for communications, collaboration, social justice, advocacy and community buildDaily Athenaeum ing was enriched from my four years on the editorial staff of The Daily Athenaeum. associate editor Ad There, I learned skills in managing teams, covering breaking news, writing feature Crable and editorin-chief Bob Kittle, journalism and more. And, through it all, I developed friends for life and a community from the 1975 that cares for one another.”

Monticola yearbook.

“The MSJ program was foundational in shaping my academic career. I received immense support and mentorship from Dr. Steve Urbanski, not just while I was a student at WVU but even today – almost 10 years after I graduated. Honestly, if it wasn't for the MSJ program, I would not have realized my ambition and pursued my passion for journalism.”

DEEPA FADNIS, Assistant Professor of Digital Media and Journalism, University of Hartford; Ph.D. in Journalism, University of Texas at Austin

“I did not enter the MSJ degree with a career in academia on my mind. Dr. Martinelli's methods course changed that for me. She introduced me to a passion I didn't know I had – building and communicating knowledge. The MSJ degree and Dr. Martinelli were extremely influential in me pursuing my doctorate, and I found myself very well prepared for that next step. I can't say enough about Dr. Martinelli and the MSJ degree at WVU; without them I would not be where I am today.”

“I will always be grateful to WVU for setting me on the right path to become an educator. The passion behind each of the faculty at the Reed College of Media was infecting, and the one-on-one mentorship was priceless. I now approach my students with the same respect and energy that my professors at WVU offered me. A piece of me will always miss Martin Hall!”

JUAN MUNDEL, Assistant Professor of Advertising, DePaul University; Ph.D. in Public Relations, Advertising and Applied Communication from Michigan State University

BENJAMIN LAPOE, Assistant Professor at Ohio University; Ph.D. in Media and Public Affairs from Louisiana State University

Today, the DA is just one of the campus organizations that provides critical experiential learning and career connections. There is also U92, WVU’s college radio station as well as Price and Prospect, the creative agency within the DA. Within the College of Media, students have the opportunity to be a part of the Association of Women in Sports Media, National Association of Black Journalists, Society of Professional Journalists, Mirage Magazine, Film Club, Photography Club, Public Relations Student Society of America and Radio Television Digital News Association.

Same Investment in People | More Resources

There’s no doubt that journalism and journalism education have evolved over the last century. Once a lone course in the English Department, the journalism curriculum at WVU has grown and flourished to encompass myriad media careers. It has gone from a named school with two majors and a single master’s degree to a college that offers six undergraduate majors, five master’s degree programs (including four that are wholly online) and nine online minors.

This success can largely be attributed to visionary leaders who have come before like Perley Isaac Reed, Guy Stewart — a former The official School student of Reed’s, Chris Martin and Maryanne Reed, who had at of Journalism least one thing in common: a commitment to investing in people graduated its first – students, faculty, alumni, staff and friends. class in 1940, which consisted of “The College’s administration, past and present, fosters a culture to nine men and explore, create and innovate,” said Lauren O’Connor (BSJ, 2008; M.S. five women.

IMC 2016), a member of the College’s Visiting Committee and former Innovator-In-Residence. “As a student, I felt that the faculty were really invested in me and they connected me with alumni who also invested in me.

That made me want to come back as an alum and invest in the College – to help advise and develop innovative courses and mentor students so they graduate with even better opportunities.”

But just as technology, curricula and real-world experiences evolve over time, so does what it means to invest in people.

In 2009, an investment in both students and faculty meant the creation of the College’s in-house Advising Center. Prior to its availability, students were advised by faculty (and even the dean). Now, four professional full-time advisors—all with master’s degrees—help students find and schedule courses that fuel their individual passions, support them when they’re struggling in a class and shepherd them through their college years to graduation. While faculty still support, guide

FIRST GRADUATES

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

27

and mentor students, the day-to-day academic advising role is left to specialists who are attuned to curriculum changes across the majors and University, as well as to current policies, processes and procedures, allowing faculty more time for course development, teaching, special projects and research.

In addition to the full-time advisors, the College hired an assistant dean for student and enrollment services who manages the advising services unit (Tricia Petty, who previously served the University as director of enrollment and as assistant vice president for university relations under former journalism dean and university vice president Chris Martin), as well as a recruiter (Whitney Godwin, BSJ 2012; MSJ 2014) and a student careers and opportunities director (Eric Minor, BSJ, 1995; M.S. IMC 2014). In 2013, Minor, a former award-winning journalist, returned to his alma mater to become the College’s first internship and careers advisor. He manages the College’s mentorship program; provides career advice; offers resume, interview and social media self-branding help; became the first facilitates and manages on-campus Black graduate of WVU when he student interviews with media and earned his B.S. communications companies; supervises in Journalism professional experience opportunities in 1954. for college credit; and provides internship placement assistance to students. In 2019, he received professional certification as a Board Certified Coach (BCC) from the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE).

“Whether it’s a big question, like ‘what kind of work can I do?’ or a smaller one, like ‘how do I respond to this email from an employer?’ I’m always happy to help students come up with a thoughtful plan,” said Minor.

“And alumni are central to the work I do. They provide job leads, they give us insight into industry trends and they mentor our students.

“The most exciting development of my first seven years on the job has been watching students mature into industry professionals who in turn offer their support to the next generation,” Minor added.

As we look back on the last 80 years, and even the last 40, when Cheryl Ferrebee stepped foot into a newly renovated, high-tech Martin Hall with electric typewriters, it may have been hard to imagine an entirely new building with an even higher-tech Media Innovation Center – an open concept, Google-inspired space with the latest digital storytelling technology, which opened in 2016. But as you consider the investments that were made to consistently keep the “J-School” turned Media College on the cutting edge, it’s not surprising.

Through all of the changes, adaptations and innovations, one theme has remained: believing in and supporting people who want to make a positive difference in the world, be it through journalism and communications, teaching, mentorship, research or creative works. Our history is rich with examples of such support, and the needs and nurturing continue.

“Whenever I see the bust of P.I. Reed in Martin Hall, hear alumni recall the impact made by former faculty members like Paul Atkins, Bob Summers, Pam Yagle and Ivan Pinnell, see the hall plaques commemorating endowed professorships and other high-level financial support, I’m reminded of our collective vision and dedication to journalism and education,” said Martinelli. “We’re incredibly grateful to all who have supported this vision and dedication over the years, and we know our work has never been more important.”

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

Jack Hodge

28

Jack Hodge interviews Thomas Fulton, head of the WVU Social Work Department, for The Daily Athenaeum in 1954. Photo from the West Virginia & Regional History Center.

Eric Minor (BSJ, 1995; M.S. IMC 2014) cohosts TEDxWVU with April Kaull (BSJ, 1995; M.S. IMC, 2016) at the Media Innovation Center in 2018.

Photo by David Smith.

“We’re incredibly grateful to all who have supported this vision and dedication over the years, and we know our work has never been more important.”

DIANA MARTINELLI, Dean

THEN & NOW

talked to myself, I talked to people who would listen, and I talked to people who would not listen. It wasn’t until I enrolled in classes at the WVU School of Journalism that I realized that I might as well use my powers for good.

Who was your most influential faculty member?

Maxwell: David Smith. I was a student of his for three straight semesters and had some life changing learning experiences under his instruction.

Christy: Dr. Charles Cremer. How I loved him. He instilled such faith in me as a student, and I loved his broadcast class. He was a historian and had such a great rapport with all of the students. He challenged his students to ask questions incessantly. Those questions were also inflected for our self-discovery.

I

f you’ve been listening to the campus radio station, U92, at 6 a.m. on Wednesdays these past few years, you’ve probably heard programming from Maxwell Shavers (BSJ, 2020). If you happened to be listening at 6 a.m. on Wednesdays 30 years ago, you would have heard from his mom, Christy Day (BSJ, 1990).

When Christy arrived on campus in 1986, she had no idea that her son would be following in her footsteps — she fully expected him to go in a completely different direction from her career. And while Maxwell’s professional journey will look a lot different from hers, using technology that she never imagined at the time, they both credit the College with providing them with the skills they needed to succeed in their careers.

What was your favorite class and why?

Maxwell: My favorite class in college was Brand Storytelling. I took pictures and video alongside the BrandJRNY team and traveled to Pineville and Point Pleasant.

Christy: Dr. Cramer’s broadcast class.

He emphasized the importance of telling a story – beginning, middle and end. He made you think about content and to have a vision.

He also made you think about the impact and emotional investment of your words and constructed sentences. Here we are

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

Maxwell: Don’t be afraid to seize opportunities that might seem uncomfortable to you.

Christy: Perfection is not the mode of transportation. If that is what you believe, your ride may be frustrating and unfulfilling.

The journey is made whole from the pitfalls, the missteps and the downright failures that teach the greatest lessons.

What did the College of Media/School of Journalism teach you?

Maxwell: Persistence is key. Whether reaching out for a source or finding depth in a story, persistence is key.

Christy: A year after graduating with my BSJ, I returned to WVU and earned a Master of Public Administration. After completing that degree, I moved to Washington D.C., and returned to my first love, journalism.

WVU gave me the confidence to run with the big herds. I found myself in the White House press room, sticking mics in the face of D.C. Mayor Marion Berry, digging through public files to get information and beating the pavement and knocking on doors trying to convince sources to speak to me. I had confidence and was unafraid even though I still had a lot to learn.

How did the College prepare you for your future?

Maxwell: It gave me skills that I would never have developed on my own, and it taught me professionalism and networking.

Christy: The faculty at WVU took my crude undeveloped skills and refined them in ways that have served me a lifetime. I was able to join my inquisitive nature with my love of writing and, of course, my love of talking (communicating). WVU established a sound foundational skill set to build my professional career and it developed those soft skills that are also critical for success. Today, I continue to ask the question of myself that I began asking as a college sophomore … how can I be better?

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

Why did you choose the College of Media/School of Journalism?

Maxwell: I chose that specific college because I loved the atmosphere along with what it encompassed. Communicating, exploring various media and storytelling in a progressing environment was encouraging.

Christy: When I was in seventh grade, I got an “F” in conduct in my math class. I wasn’t misbehaving, but I talked all of the time. I

What’s your favorite WVU memory?

Maxwell: Going on my Adventure WV trip right before I enrolled in classes my freshman year. I met some forever friends and crossed a few things off of my bucket list, one of them being going whitewater rafting.

Christy: I became friends with people from all over the world. I learned from them.

I became more civic-minded, and I better understood my purpose and responsibility as a global citizen. I learned painful lessons, and I lived fully in every moment at WVU. I was at the big win against Penn State (I did NOT charge the field), and I marched for things important to me. At WVU I simply “fit” there, and the J-School allowed me to hone skills that would serve me for a lifetime.

decades later, and I can remember so many of his lessons.

29

30

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

WRITTEN BY BRIAN COMER (BSJ, 2020) | ILLUSTRATED BY ALI CHAMBERS (BSJ, 2019; M.S. IMC 2020)

Coronavirus has had an impact on nearly everyone around the world, uprooting life and work. College of Media students faced a move to online classes, unexpected departures from Morgantown, interrupted sports seasons and, as journalists and communicators, a call to continue the essential work of reporting while keeping themselves and others we’ve seen resilience.

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

safe. In these struggles,

Many College of Media students get their first taste of a live news set with teaching professor and journalism chair Gina Martino Dahlia.

As executive producer of the award-winning WVU News, Dahlia prepares young journalists to be ready for anything, which now includes a global pandemic.

Dahlia’s class produces a 30-minute newscast each week that airs statewide on West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Students do everything, including in-the-field reporting, camera operation, anchoring and editing. During the spring 2020 semester, Dahlia was also piloting a new public affairs program, Morgantown Today.

When students headed home for the two-week spring break that turned into a fully remote semester, they didn’t take equipment with them. Dahlia reached out to friend Mike Castellucci, a 22-time Emmy winner who captures news segments completely from an iPhone, and he presented a workshop on shooting and editing with streamlined production from home. Dahlia also decided to combine WVU News and Morgantown Today to allow more flexibility for students.

“I threw it out to the students,” Dahlia said. “I asked them what they thought about doing a show where there are no parameters as far as time, more of a magazine type of public affairs show with longer stories. The majority of students were thrilled.”

“Initially, I was just thinking ‘how in the world are we going to make this happen now that our classes are going online,’” said Gillian Wanosky, a journalism and dance double major set to graduate in May 2021. “My goal is to get as much experience as I can. I was really worried that I was going to lose this precious time in the middle of my junior year of college, so I was relieved that Professor Dahlia had a solution.”

Dahlia offered a variety of options for students to conduct interviews virtually through Zoom, FaceTime and Skype or, if they felt safe, tips on live reporting that followed social distancing guidelines. And the final guideline – the stories had to show the positive, uplifting and inspiring stories coming out of this otherwise challenging environment.

Wanosky’s story for the special edition show combined her two very hands-on fields of study that were now forced to operate without

31

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

virtual experience, but Gagnon’s end-of-theface-to-face interaction. She interviewed “I ALWAYS THINK THAT IF year video project centered on drag queens as dance instructors in her hometown of YOU RAISE THE BAR HIGH they prepared for the Miss Vice Versa Pageant, Parkersburg, West Virginia, who were WITH STUDENTS, THEY and that had just been cancelled. exploring ways to deliver lessons virtually JUST SEEM TO MEET IT.” “I was scrolling through Instagram when I and collaborated with Morgantown was home over spring break … and I noticed Today classmates and the WVU News GINA MARTINO-DAHLIA, teaching professor and journalism chair a lot of the drag queens were posting that they team to produce her story. needed financial support,” said Gagnon. “They “It was a really supportive atmoposted their Venmo’s and PayPal’s, saying that sphere,” said Wanosky. “Everyone was they needed a little help because all of their gigs had been cancelled.” so willing to help one another because we were in it together. We Like everything else, the drag world was going digital and Gagnon wanted to produce the best possible content that we could, and it saw an opportunity to reach out to some of drag’s biggest celebrities was definitely something that I’ll never forget.”

The special newscast won a College Coronavirus Coverage Award, to create a multimedia story about how the community has been sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists, Associated Col- coping with COVID-19 — not only to salvage her final project but also perhaps to help a lesser-known community in need. legiate Press, Society for News Design, College Broadcasters, Inc., and The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

“I always think that if you raise the bar high with students, they just seem to meet it,” said Dahlia.

Broadcasting students weren’t the only ones to change their reporting plans.

On the morning of March 12, Kayla Gagnon (BSJ, 2021) had just finished swimming in the first round of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America National Invitational Championship in Cleveland, Ohio. She and the rest of the WVU Women’s Swimming and Diving team met in the lobby of their hotel to prepare for the finals later that afternoon, when they were told to go back upstairs and pack their belongings for departure.

In this still from Kayla “That’s when things started to feel real for me,” Gagnon's (BSJ, 2021) Gagnon said. “Things were getting really serious. They “dragumentary,” cancelled the entire meet, we packed everything up, “Introduction to the got on a bus, headed back to Morgantown and I fled.”

Queens of Quarantine,” she talks to Dimitria Six days later, the Blackwell at Vice University moved all Versa in Morgantown, classes online, including prior to the pandemic.

Gagnon’s photojournalism course. Not only did this hands-on course become a

32

Right: During a fall 2020 taping of Morgantown Today, hosts Taylor Hall and Natalie Comer interview Monongalia County Commissioner Tom Bloom. Photo by Gina Martino-Dahlia.

One of those celebrities was Biqtch Puddin, the winning contestant on season two of The Boulet Brothers' DRAGULA reality competition and one of drag’s most well-known names.

“I reached out to Puddin and she got back to me within a day,” said Gagnon. “And I just kind of threw myself into a documentary project before even talking to Professor Raimondo [about the change].”

Gagnon ended up talking to drag queens and kings from cities all over the country, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, New York City and New Orleans – all from her home in Kennerdell, Pennsylvania, where cell service is non-existent and the only connection to the outside world is a small router in the corner of the kitchen.

“I prefer interviewing in person. There’s something different about sitting next to a person and talking to them casually versus what we’re doing right now over Zoom,” she said. “But some of these performers — I would have never been able to see them or meet them or watch them perform if this didn’t happen.”

The drag community, which typically relies on club shows and live events, was embarking on new territory and Gagnon was there to shine a light on it and draw more attention to these virtual events, which are the livelihood for this community for the foreseeable future.

Still Serving the State

Hannah Belt (BSJ, 2021), a public relations major from Thurmont, Maryland, was only a few weeks into her study abroad program in Prague, Czech Republic, when the United States banned travel from Europe. Italy and other European countries began shutting down borders, and Belt was watching as her friends struggled to find travel back to their home countries. When she woke up one morning to an email from WVU explaining that she was required to come home, Belt also began the process of booking an earlier-than-anticipated flight home.

“It was so heartbreaking, but I also had a sense of relief because I knew it was just going to get worse,” said Belt. “I didn’t want to be away from my family when that was happening.”

Belt returned to her hometown in Frederick County, Maryland, and began the mandatory 14 days of isolation, while continuing courses online through Metropolitan University Prague.

“It’s tough. There’s a language barrier that's easier to understand in person,” Belt said. “Through email, it’s a lot different.”

Shortly after her return to the states, Geah Pressgrove, associate professor and advertising and public relations chair, contacted Belt with an opportunity. Pressgrove, whose area of interest includes advocacy and nonprofit communications, initially hired Belt as a research apprentice during her freshman “I prefer interviewing in person. year. Through this role and a subsequent internship with Your Community Foundation (YCF), Belt There’s something different discovered a passion for nonprofit and corporate about sitting next to a person social responsibility work. and talking to them casually YCF serves North Central West Virginia by versus what we’re doing right investing donated funds to increase value and distributing net earnings to deserving recipients now over Zoom. But some of as specified by the donors. YCF was partnering these performers — I would have

never been able to see them or meet them or watch them perform if this didn’t happen.”

KAYLA GAGNON (BSJ, 2021)

Hannah Belt, second from right, started her spring 2020 semester in the Czech Republic, with other exchange students from countries including

France, Germany and Canada. One-by-one, they were called home when Coronavirus took hold in Europe. Photo provided by Belt.

Caption Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent quis placerat mi. Donec lectus felis, pharetra ut semper tempus, porta in risus. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et.

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent quis placerat mi. Donec lectus felis, pharetra ut semper tempus, porta in risus. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et.

33

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

Left: In March, 100 Days in Appalachia editorial assistant Kristen Uppercue (BSJ, 2019; MSJ 2021) photographed volunteers with Feed Mon Kids, who were

34

packaging food for children who typically depend on school meals.

Below: Uppercue, top center, participates in the weekly 100 Days editorial meeting via Zoom.

with Philanthropy West Virginia, an organiza“We went from tion that supports nonprofits across the state, to raise funds for COVID relief during a the high of just special global “Giving Tuesday” initiative, and launching the they reached out to Pressgrove for potential brand to no interns. Belt was first to come to mind. longer seeing “Hannah is incredibly talented and each other in dedicated and is able to manage a project with very little direction,” Pressgrove said. “I person. But I knew it be a perfect fit — both for her and give credit to for Philanthropy WV.” my students Belt created digital assets and a tool kit to Rita Colistra, center, — they hung in benefit 53 relief funds as part of a “Take 5 to meets with residents Give $5” campaign. The initiative, which was there. We were from Point Pleasant co-sponsored by Toyota, United Bank, West prior to the pandemic. on a mission to The BrandJRNY team Virginia American Water and an anonymous continue this for held the brand launch donor, raised more than $500,000 for event just weeks our community.”

COVID-19 relief in the state. before West Virginia “I’m from Maryland, but I have so much went on lock-down.

RITA COLISTRA, associate Photo by David Smith. professor and BrandJRNY director pride in this campaign and the sense of community in this state,” said Belt. “West Virginians are so passionate, and there are the state began to shut down in March, College of Media students and so many nonprofits. I am just always amazed by how kind people are faculty worked hard to continue providing essential news and services and how much they give back.” to communities across the state and Appalachia.

In August, Belt began working with the College’s Public Interest BrandJRNY, the College’s community branding initiative, requires Communications (PIC) Research Laboratory on a grant-funded project students to embed themselves in West Virginia communities, to build to explore COVID-19 virus-related communication strategies to enhance community resilience. Through participatory action research, personal relationships with residents, develop trust and do extensive research that informs a custom branding plan. which unites researchers and communities to create positive social “We really focus on the relationship building and we focus on the change together, she is working with a team of investigators led people and the sense of place rather than just cranking out a bunch of

by Pressgrove and Assistant Professor Julia Fraustino to engage deliverables,” said Rita Colistra, associate professor and founder and community members in Monongalia and Taylor counties. They will director of BrandJRNY. “You can't brand a place if you don't spend use a whole-community approach to identify co-created solutions for any time there experiencing it and really getting to know the people. issues of public health, equity and disaster resilience.

And, the people in the town really get to know us.”

Like Belt’s work, many College of Media projects on both the jourOn March 3, the BrandJRNY team of students led by Colistra and nalism and advertising and public relations sides are centered around David Smith, teaching assistant professor and BrandJRNY storytelling West Virginia. And in a state with one of the highest median ages and poverty rates, the impact of COVID-19 can be quite threatening. When lead, launched the brand for Point Pleasant, West Virginia, in front of a

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

crowd of more than 170 residents. The Point and the Daily Yonder of the Center for Rural “We’ve seen dozens Pleasant website launched that same day, Strategies, 100 Days was created in 2016 of papers in the and then the students met in person for the to combat Appalachian stereotypes and has region and across last time on March 12. been amplifying the region’s diverse voices the country furlough The latter part of the spring semester is ever since. The news outlet collaborates and lay off their spent implementing the brand – working with writers, reporters and visual journalists with local vendors to install billboards and throughout Appalachia’s 13 states to journalists. As we signage, getting materials into the hands of showcase the diversity of the region. During watched that happen, community business owners and preparing the pandemic, many of these journalists were we tried to respond town leadership to carry out the brand once joining the ranks of the unemployed. by hiring some of the project is over. That work, which is typi“We’ve seen dozens of papers in the region cally done in person, was moved to Zoom and across the country furlough and lay off those journalists and meetings, conference calls and texting, but their journalists,” said Ashton Marra, digital photographers.” the transition was made smoother by the managing editor of 100 Days and a teaching ASHTON MARRA, teaching associate professor fact that the class was set up like an agency assistant professor in the College of Media. “As and digital managing editor of 100 Days with those tools already in place. we watched that happen, we tried to respond “We went from the high of just launching by hiring some of those journalists and photogthe brand to no longer seeing each other in person,” Colistra said. raphers. The Charleston Gazette-Mail let go of a photographer that “But I give credit to my students — they hung in there. We were on within two weeks I had a project for. We’ve made it a goal to support a mission to continue this for our community. It’s about more than a the people that live in Appalachia.” grade. We had just gotten the community so excited by launching this Since 100 Days has always been a digital news platform that brand and we didn’t want to stop everything.” works primarily with freelancers, production has remained consistent.

On the brand storytelling side, Smith’s The big difference is that Marra is no longer working out of the students had already captured a lot of the Media Innovation Center, where she held daily meetings with Kristen photographs and video footage for multi-platform Uppercue, editorial assistant for 100 Days. Uppercue (BSJ, 2019) storytelling that would accompany the brand, so will graduate with her master’s degree in journalism in May 2021, and the workflow didn’t experience much interrupshe’s been working for 100 Days since her junior year — fall 2018. tion. The students worked from their hometowns, “I miss meeting at the Innovation Center,” Uppercue said. “If I communicating with Smith through a variety of wanted to take a break, if I needed to take a breath, I could just walk online discussion and file sharing platforms to out and see a dozen different people. But working from home, with complete video advertisements, audio storytelling the pandemic and protests and everything going on in the news, it’s pieces and some augmented and virtual reality hard to take a step back and not feel like I’m falling down.” components for Point Pleasant.

Uppercue is typically behind the scenes — editing content, “If everything had happened publishing stories on the website and creating posts for social three or six weeks earlier, it would media. While she conducts interviews and writes an occasional have been a lot more difficult story, she is rarely out in the field. But at the onset of COVID-19 in because we would have needed Morgantown, Uppercue was called upon to photograph local families to go down to Point Pleasant,” and volunteers with Feed Mon Kids, a program that has provided food Smith said. “But for the students to to children who stopped receiving school breakfast and lunch when be able to meet with the community, the town went on lock-down. Her work was published alongside get their feedback a little bit more photos by Brian Furguson in "The Front Porch Network is a Lifeline in and say some farewells would have Appalachia," written by 100 Days freelancer Alison Stine. The story been really nice.” was produced in partnership with Yes! Magazine and West Virginia Just as BrandJRNY persisted in Public Broadcasting and explores ways community members are its mission to revitalize West Virginia becoming more connected because of the pandemic. Since that story communities amid the pandemic, so ran in May, 100 Days has published more than 200 stories that shed too did 100 Days in Appalachia. light on how the pandemic has affected people in Appalachia.

A nonprofit news partnership with Although the fall 2020 term also has brought curricular challenges West Virginia Public Broadcasting and changes, College of Media faculty, students and staff have had time to reflect on spring to better prepare for fall — whether that work be online, in person or a combination of the two. Through it all, resiliency, patience and grace have been key.

“I am so proud of and grateful for our faculty and staff, who remain dedicated to serving our students to the best of their ability under trying professional and personal circumstances,” said Dean Diana Martinelli. “We’re in a unique position to model flexibility, resiliency, empathy and professionalism for our students during a time of international crisis, and I believe what we’re learning will ultimately make us better and more creative teachers, mentors and colleagues.”

35

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

To Improve Social Media Smash Some Discipline Silos.

WRITTEN BY KEITH A. QUESENBERRY

To succeed in social media, it is important to have a customer-first, cross-

discipline mindset. The consumer does not see a difference in disciplines when interacting with a brand in social media. The customer does not distinguish

between marketing, advertising, public relations, customer service and sales

activity. Social media professionals must be able to see beyond their discipline and work as a social care team.

Consumers’ needs and behaviors also change when they’re not actively

seeking to buy, when they become interested in buying and after they have

become customers. These are different stages of the buying cycle. Marketers, advertisers, public relations professionals, customer service agents and sales

representatives are often better at creating content and engaging consumers in various ways for the pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase consumer.

Different employees from a business’s or organization’s various departments

are best suited for communicating with customers in these different stages.

Setting up a cross-department social media team can help generate customer engagement throughout the buying cycle to gain new customers, purchases,

loyalty and brand advocates. How can brands optimize each of these stages with

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

social media monitoring through active listening, publishing and response?

36

Silo-smashing in the pre-purchase stage.

For the pre-purchase stage, seek consumers who are in the market to buy but who have not yet purchased. Listen to social media for people using the right keywords, such as mentions of the brand, competitors, industry or specific products and services.

Marketing and advertising professionals can create relevant messages, valuable content and social media ads to attract followers and monitor conversations to engage.

Public relations professionals can look for larger industry or corporate issues, identify journalists or bloggers for media outreach and manage influencers. Social selling has become an important part of sales strategy.

Thus, for a B2B company, sales professionals

could leverage this stage by creating and sharing valuable content and answering questions to generate leads.

Smash silos in the purchase stage. In the purchase stage, look for consumers seeking purchase information. Marketing, advertising and public relations professionals could help answer questions and provide additional information, but sales representatives may be better suited to deliver more relevant engagement. In a B2C company, the sales team may interact with customers on social media to facilitate a sale. With a B2B brand, salespeople could address the question of qualified leads, helping them toward conversion. Public relations professionals

can also be proactive with social media crisis communication by addressing negative posts or reviews of the brand and its products and services, thus removing those purchase barriers.

Smash silos in the post-purchase stage.

In the post-purchase stage, focus on keeping current customers happy. Listen for brand customers seeking help. Marketing, advertising or public relations people can play a role, but resolving product and service issues is best addressed by customer service representatives. These satisfied customers are then likely to share their positive experiences, leave ratings and reviews or make additional purchases, all of which help turn customer service into a marketing function. In B2B, sales representatives should follow up with existing customers – ensuring their satisfaction will lead to referrals and additional sales. Marketing, advertising and public relations can also encourage and leverage happy customers. Marketing can create customer loyalty and brand advocacy programs. Advertising and public relations can work together to get customer permission to turn positive posts into paid social ads. They can also develop user generated content campaigns and encourage ratings and reviews.

Smash silos for efficiency. Customized listening and response with cross-discipline teams in social media can help scale social media content creation and engagement.

Content creation and engagement takes a lot of time and effort. A cross-discipline social care team divides the staffing and budget requirements across departments.

Plus, uniquely meeting the different needs of consumers through all stages of the buying

FACULTY NEWS cycle can help businesses achieve their marketing, advertising, public relations, sales and overall business goals more effectively.

Distributing social responsibilities across departments to the most relevant people makes communication more efficient and effective, making the demands of frequent content creation and one-on-one social media engagement more scalable.

Smash silos but don’t lose consistency.

In creating a cross-discipline social care team, avoid social media management by committee. Decentralized social media, when no one department is in charge, tends to lead to inconsistencies in frequency, quality and voice. Forming a cross-discipline social care team is not the same as social media management by committee. Marketing or some other department should take the lead in overall management of social media for the brand. This is evidenced by the fact that 75% of social media activities are performed inside companies versus using outside marketing communication agencies.

Often it is the marketing department that leads brand content development, determines brand style and voice and sets business objectives that social media activities must help to meet. Yet, they cannot and should not manage social media alone.

Smashing discipline silos will improve efforts for every department, outside agency and discipline involved in brand social media. The good news is that today many social media software solutions make it easier to integrate cross-discipline teams, from assigning tasks and level of authority to providing templates and content sharing. Then the effort becomes less about smashing silos and more about building better social teams.

Keith A. Quesenberry is

an adjunct instructor in the Communications master’s degree program. He is an

associate professor of marketing at Messiah

University and author of “Social Media Strategy:

Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations in the

Consumer Revolution.” Before teaching, he spent 17 years as a marketing communications professional working with brands including Delta Airlines,

Hershey Foods, McDonald’s, ExxonMobil, Choice

Hotels, PNC Bank, Blue Cross, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Post and startups.

Harker and Mezera receive faculty awards Jennifer Harker, was recognized with the College of Media’s Faculty Research Award, and Catherine Mezera received the Outstanding Teaching Award for the 2019-2020 academic year. Harker was honored for her research and work rooted in sport communication, public relations, journalism and rhetoric, examining the way social dramas play out in sports and the ways in which stakeholders perceive, discuss and react to them. She was published in five journals this year, received a book contract and received the top research paper award in the Sports Communication Interest Group from the Associate for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Mezera is the only VoiceThread Certified Educator at WVU and was instrumental in developing the new IMC online undergraduate curriculum. She also teaches general education foundation courses in Advertising, helping students realize their desire to be a part of the College of Media’s program.

Harman receives national adjunct teaching award Chuck Harman (BSJ, 1981; MSJ, 1984) was recognized at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s international conference in Toronto with the top adjunct teaching award. Harman has been an adjunct faculty member at the College since 1999. For the past 15 years, he has taught the public relations and strategic communications capstone course, incorporating and leading study abroad trips to Ireland, Italy, Brazil, Spain, France and the United Kingdom.

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

WVU Integrated Marketing

Faculty News and Awards

37

FACULTY NEWS

NICE WORK

Promotions CATHERINE MEZERA was promoted to teaching associate professor. She joined the College in 2013, teaching courses in the Advertising and Public Relations program. Since, 2019, Mezera has been an academic advisor for the EcoCAR Challenge, a cross-disciplinary collegiate automotive engineering competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors, Mathworks and managed by Argonne National Laboratory. She is also the faculty advisor for Ad Club, a local collegiate chapter of the American Advertising Federation. Prior to joining the faculty full-time, Mezera was a project manager for West Virginia University Research Corporation. She is a graduate of the College of Media, earning her undergraduate degree in advertising and her master’s degree in journalism.

MARY KAY MCFARLAND has been promoted to teaching associate professor.

McFarland is currently co-leading Women Beyond Bars, an investigative journalism and advocacy communications project between the Reed College of Media and the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She is also the coordinator of the West Virginia Uncovered project.

She joined the College in the summer of 2009 and teaches visual and multimedia journalism.

Previously, she worked at The Charleston Gazette as a staff photographer and multimedia editor. McFarland earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Bethany College and her master’s in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

HELLO

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

Welcome New Faculty Members

38

CHUCK BORGHESE has joined the College of Media as the Harrison Omnicom Visiting Professor in Advertising. Previously, he was the New York City group creative director at Merkley + Partners, as well as a lecturer at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. He has worked with numerous brands including Mercedes Benz, Coca-Cola, Lipton, Popsicle and Arby’s.

Borghese earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University.

CHUCK SCATTERDAY (MSJ, 1992) has joined the College of Media as the Schott Teaching Assistant Professor in the Sports and Adventure Media program, bringing more than 30 years of television production experience to the role. Previously, he served as an executive producer and operations manager for WV Illustrated, who manages all third-tier media assets for WVU Athletics.

Scatterday spent more than 25 years with ESPN as a broadcast manager and then as a coordinating producer.

JESSE WRIGHT (BSJ, 2000) is a Mellon Foundation funded full-time practitionerin-residence for the College. He is working to develop a trans-disciplinary minor in community documentary storytelling, and to better integrate 100 Days in Appalachia into the College’s curriculum. Wright also teaches beat reporting and serves as a contributing editor with 100 Days, focusing on visual and audio content. Previously, Wright was the news director for West Virginia Public Broadcasting where he served as executive producer of Inside Appalachia and the Legislature Today.

Class Notes 1960s Tony Hylton (BSJ, 1965) published his first novel, “Enough,” in November. The book covers what happens when a principled brand of journalism collides with a crooked political machine in the fictional southern West Virginia county of Jordan. Feeling their political power threatened, two political kingpins set in motion a conspiracy that burns the paper to the ground and hatches a plot to murder the young publisher on a deserted country road.

1970s Thomas George (BSJ, 1978) has retired after 40 years working in business, primarily in the medical products community. He’s now in the north Georgia mountains staying active in local affairs.

1990s Allyson Bullian (BSJ, 1999 ; MSJ, 2001) is an account executive at O’Brien Garrett in Washington, D.C. Brian Reinhardt (BSJ, 1999) works in another impressive Big 12 institution, serving as director of athletics digital communications at NC State in North Carolina.

Matthew Tabeek (BSJ, 1994) is now the digital managing editor for the Atlanta Falcons.

Matt Franzblau (BSJ, 2005) is now a development officer for the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County in Boca Raton, Florida. He handles the Young Adult Division in addition to corporate sponsorships. He was also recently named to the National Board of JNFuture as its vice-chair of communications and assumed the role of chair in his local Broward chapter.

In Memory We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the following WVU Reed College of Media alumni who passed away from June 2019 through June 2020.

2010s Elyse Anderson (M.S. IMC, 2012) serves as the director of communications and events at Minnesota State University, Mankato’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Leann Arthur (BSJ, 2010) is a content strategist and art director at Rotary International in Chicago, Illinois.

Trevor Builta (BSJ, 2019) works as a marketing research assistant at Good Karma consulting in Springfield, Virginia.

Samantha Cossick (BSJ, 2011) is a content strategist at Facebook out of Menlo Park, California.

Alex McPherson (BSJ, 2011; M.S. Data MC, 2017) was promoted to vice president, Insights and Analytics, at Methods+Mastery, a FleishmanHillard agency in Dallas specializing in social strategy and data-driven creative this July.

Maggi Mumma (M.S. IMC, 2019) has joined the Pennsylvania Department of Health as the deputy press secretary.

Pamela S. Barr BSJ, 1962 David J. Baum BSJ, 1980 Robert O. Billingsley BSJ, 1972 Bonnie J. Bolden BSJ, 1976 Richard J. Bouma BSJ, 1973 Patrick M. Gallagher BSJ, 1972 James N. Goldsworthy BSJ, 1969 Robert M. Gornall BSJ, 1963 Larry T. Greco BSJ, 1951 Cynthia A. Harrington BSJ, 1975 Mary F. Haynes BSJ, 1948 Charlie A. Heyl BSJ, 1974 Robert L. Hodges BSJ, 1977 Colin D. Kelly BSJ, 1982

Rachel Palo (BSJ, 2011; M.S. IMC, 2014) is the communications and marketing manager at Blue Cross Complete of Michigan in Southfield.

Mara Regling (BSJ, 2014; M.S. IMC, 2019) serves as the regional development director at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern West Virginia, in Charleston. On July 26, 2019, Regling was proposed to outside of Martin Hall.

Shelby Toompas (BSJ, 2013) now works as the social media and content editor for WVU’s John Chambers College of Business and Economics.

Laken Vita (BSJ, 2014) is a media assistant for TeamPeople at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. Eric Winkfield (M.S. IMC, 2016) was named vice president at M Booth & M Booth Health where he will also lead the company's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts.

Rodney H. Lillard BSJ, 1988 John W. Lucas BSJ, 1981 Frederick R. Mason BSJ, 1970 Donovan V. McClure BSJ, 1950 Robert E. Pastin BSJ, 1971 Clarence Pelaghi BSJ, 1954 James J. Roop BSJ, 1971 Nancy L. Smith BSJ, 1964 Marcus E. Snyder BSJ, 2001 Nick Stepoulos BSJ, 1952 Kenneth W. Stoner BSJ, 1969 Ronald B. Yuss BSJ, 1968

ME DI ACO L LEGE MAG.W VU. EDU

2000s

Stephanie Mathias (BSJ, 2009) is the director of government affairs at Cox Enterprises.

THE LAST WORD WITH

Chelsea Fuller

INTERVIEWED BY MAURA FLYNN (BSJ, 2020)

Chelsea Fuller founded the West Virginia University student chapters of the NAACP and the Association of Black Journalists, which are both still active today. Now, she’s the deputy communications director for Blackbird, a ‘high-impact, lowego’ movement-building agency that supports campaigns like the Movement for Black Lives, #MeToo and others.

How did your path lead to WVU?

My mom took a position as the director of WVU’s Center for Black Culture and Research, so our family moved to Morgantown. I grew up on the [Kent State] campus around faculty in the Pan-African Studies Department who were literally members of my family. So, leaving that community to come to a new place, a very white place, where we didn’t know anybody was really difficult. But we were welcomed with open arms, and I was able to make friends and acclimate quickly in the work that I was doing in student leadership. The fact that folks were so welcoming of my mom in her position was a sign that they were ready for a real culture shift.

WVU MEDIA MAGAZINE 2020

Student leadership certainly shaped your undergraduate career. Can you speak to the importance of work outside of the classroom, particularly for underrepresented students on campus?

40

For students of color and those who identify as a member of a marginalized group, community can be really critical to whether or not you’re able to navigate your college experience in a fulfilling way. When you have safe spaces in the form of student organizations, especially organizations that are supported by faculty and staff, students can see that the issues that are important to them are also important to other people. There's space for them to engage in critical discussion, and to brainstorm and dream about what the campus community could and should look like.

You’ve held a variety of positions since graduating from WVU. What has been one of your careerdefining moments?

Right out of college, I took a job as a reporter with the Dominion Post in Morgantown. My editor, Geri Ferrara, gave me the freedom and encouragement to cover diverse stories. She also sat with me and ripped my stories apart. She taught me how to be a good writer, how to be critical, how to be thoughtful and how to be a good steward of other people's stories. I couldn't just launch off and tell these beautiful stories about the Black heroes of West Virginia if I didn't know how to report. I was at a smaller paper in a mostly white, rural state, and my stories centered on Black people were showing up on the front page. That career moment was pivotal for me.

When you're thinking about writing your story or creating whatever piece, you also have to be thinking about how people are going to receive it, what it's going to take for them to be able to retain it, share it and especially do something about it afterward.

You are no longer a reporter, but storytelling is still a large part of your work in community organizing. What was the most important lesson you learned while working as a reporter?

That professional experience and opportunity showed me that there are allies in unsuspecting places that you can lean on and that will help get you where you want to go. I learned not to shut down opportunities because of what appears on the surface. Take a risk and be trusting.

What do you think about the current social justice landscape and the role journalism and communications play in it?

I think we are seeing this moment play out because of several factors. The main ones are this reorienting, this shifting consciousness within the industry around how identity plays out in reporting and what value people's identities actually bring into the office or newsroom, but also the movement has forced people to tell stories about injustice in a different way. There are people around this country organizing and building power and running for office and writing policies to make it so that a moment like this is possible. So with Blackbird, the majority of my work every day looks like supporting those people.

PHOTO CREDIT: BLACK HOUSE FOUNDATION

REED COLLEGE OF MEDIA

how to stay connected during a pandemic

Fuel your creativity, learn about new trends and more...virtually.

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS TODAY

by West Virginia University

Listen live, Thursdays at 1 p.m. EST, 10 a.m. PST wvmctoday.com

marcom.wvu.edu/blog

from the wvu media college New episodes every Thursday on

integrate.wvu.edu/online

410013100001 Non-profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Morgantown, WV Permit No. 34

P.O. Box 6010 Morgantown, WV 26506-6010

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS Let us know what you want to read and hear about in the annual magazine and other College communications at mediacollege.wvu.edu/survey.

mediacollege.wvu.edu 304-293-3505 MediaCollege@mail.wvu.edu @wvumediacollege WVU Reed College of Media Reed College of Media magazine is produced once each year for the alumni, friends and other supporters of the WVU Reed College of Media.

Copyright Š 2020 by the WVU Reed College of Media.

WVU is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer. The WVU Board of Governors is the governing body of WVU. The Higher Education Policy Commission in West Virginia is responsible for developing, establishing and overseeing the implementation of a public policy agenda for the state's four year colleges and universities. WVU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Many WVU programs hold specialized accreditation.