COM
Inte r
Nicholson School of Communication Newsletter September/October 2011
• InterCOM September/October 2011•
1
Jara Lipman: Nicholson School of Communication Spotlight of the Month by Vince Sclafani munications field, you need to be the type of person who isn’t afraid to take charge and be the initiative you wish to see. I recently had the opportunity to talk with Jara to learn more about what makes her life and involvement at school and work so interesting. What follows is a series of questions and answers from our interview.
Jara Lipman
The university itself is renowned for offering some of the most specialized majors and programs in the state, and within these majors are the students that attribute to its credit. One such student is Jara Lipman; a prime example of what it means to use your talents and scholastic integrity to give back to your college campus. Jara’s talents include communication, micromanaging, and internal organization; three qualities necessary to carry out her duties within Her Campus UCF. Jara interns for Her Campus at UCF as the current vice president. The personality and charisma that she brings to the table perfectly compliment her knack for getting everything on her to-do list done, no matter what. It’s very simple: If you’re a leader in the com-
2
Q: Have you been a student of the Nicholson School of Communication since you came to UCF as a freshman? A: No, I transferred to UCF my junior year of college and started in the Nicholson school once I got here. Q: What is your major and what are the certain qualities about it that you enjoy best? A: I am an Interpersonal/ Organizational Communication Major. I love how no matter what career path you choose you have the tools to be successful. Q: What are you involved in outside of Nicholson? Are there any internships or jobs that you’ve held that you can directly attribute to your studies within Nicholson? A: I have been working with Her Campus since January 2011. Everything I have learned in I/O Communication, I have used in my posi-
• InterCOM September/October 2011•
tion with Her Campus. Q: NSC offers a wide variety of classes and majors that other universities wouldn’t normally offer. What have been some of your favorite courses that you were able to take within your major? A: I loved the course Topic of Intercultural Communication, and I feel like some of the Interpersonal Organizational core classes (Interpersonal Communication and Organizational Communication) should be mandatory to people outside of the major I have learned so many things about how to communicate in life from those classes. Q: As of now, what are your post-graduation plans? Do you plan on taking your degree to graduate school, or the work force? A: I thought about the Graduate school course but right now it isn’t something I have a passion for, so I am going to go into the workforce! Wish me luck! Q: Tell us about what you do for Her Campus UCF. A: I was previously the publicity and events director but have recently been moved up to vice president. I help ensure that things are running smoothly from the staff to editorial to social media engines and even to the events. Q: UCF is definitely situated in a city that fosters the creativity and opportunities of its students, especially within the
Nicholson School of Communication. What specific opportunities did you take advantage of during your time here in Orlando? A: I love the fact that we are basically connected to a large city it is a great opportunity for internships and jobs. I am actually currently applying for internships with Disney, Universal and the downtown area - where else can you get that kind of experience? Q: As a member of the Her Campus UCF staff, what do you like best about your position? A: I love when I am talking about Her Campus to other staff members or friends and class and I notice people listening or saying “Yeah, I have heard of that!” It makes me feel like we really are reaching the students of UCF and making the impact that we wanted to. Q: What have you learned within your major that has helped you cater to our collegiate fan base? A: I have learned how to get points across over to a wide variety of people. Through classes like Intercultural Communication, Gender Issues, and Attitudes and Communication I know exactly how to get what we want to portray out to the readers no matter their sex, race, sexual orientation, religion, or ethnicity.
doing what you do for Her Campus on the professional level? A: Yes and no. I love what I do and I love the magazine, but I think the team I work with is what makes the job so great! It honestly wouldn’t be what it is without all of them. Ale Azor is a junior majoring in advertising/public relations and minoring in marketing and technical communications at the University of Central Florida. She’s expected to graduate in the spring of 2013 and hopes to continue her education to receive a master’s degree in mass communications. As a dedicated student of the Nicholson School of Communication, Azor has earned and retained her spot on the College of Science’s Dean’s List since she began her education at UCF. With her current internship at evok advertising, in Orlando, in account services, Azor is looking forward to gaining firsthand experience in the industry and learning a variety of skill sets that she’ll be able to utilize in her professional career. From a young age it’s been a dream of hers to pursue a career as an account executive and showcase her passion for advertising.
Follow Us @UCFNSC
Q: If given the opportunity, would you like to continue • InterCOM September/October 2011•
3
Student Spotlight I-O Major Makes it into the New York Times Alyssa Nation, a Junior at the University of Central Florida majoring in Interpersonal/ Organizational Communications, was featured on the New York Times’ Business section’s front page article, “On Campus, It’s One Big Commercial.” Nation was featured for her work Alyssa Nation as a HewlettPackard and Intel brand ambassador for UCF. As a brand ambassador, she sets up tabling events outside of the Student Union to promote HP products and answer students’ questions. Along with her peer-to-peer promotional work, she also maintains Facebook and Twitter pages to offer students advice, discounts and promote upcoming events.
Visit NSC Online 4
• InterCOM September/October 2011•
Homeless Voice Three NSC journalism students, Ashley Sikand, Adrienne Cutway and Laura Newberry, spent their Labor Day weekend in South Florida on a project to publish a newspaper for the homeless community there. Along with 17 other journailsm student from around the country, the three women spend the weekend at COSAC homess shelter in Hollywood, Fla., creating a publication called “Homesles Voice”. To view their work please visit http://issuu.com/spjwwff11/docs/issue.
Faculty Spotlight Dr. Collins’ Journey in Africa
Dr. Steve Collins is an associate professor of journalism at the Nicholson School of Communication who will be spending the 2011-2012 academic year as a Fulbright Scholar conducting research in Kenya and Uganda. You can follow Dr. Collins’ African journey through his blog at www.steveinafrica.com
• InterCOM September/October 2011•
5
Student Spotlight
The Best Available Science
UCF Alum and Radio/Television Production graduate Presley Adamson was selected to screen his documentary short, “The Best Available Science”, at the 2011 Orlando Film Festival. Presley directed the film his senior year while enrolled in Dr. Lisa Mill’s Documentary Workshop course from Fall 2009 through Spring 2010. Since completion it has been selected to screen at two film festivals, and recognized nationally with a CINE Golden Eagle Award in Washington, D.C. In “The Best Available Science”, Presley follows a group of local fishermen on the east coast of Florida as they struggle to survive with continually increasing fishing bans and closures, which they say are unnecessary and causing the demise of the local economy. Presley’s film won Best Student Short Documentary, at the Orlando Film Festival.
6
• InterCOM September/October 2011•
Evok Advertising’s Newest PR/Media Intern Nick Montesi is a senior advertising/public relations major at the University of Central Florida and is expected to graduate in the summer of 2012. He excels inside and outside the classroom, and is interested in the media buying/planning aspect of advertising. Montesi has interned previously with H & H Products Co. where he collaborated with the marketing department to develop an updated logo for its beverage products. Montesi also plans to return to school after a few years of working in the professional advertising industry, to receive a degree in Exceptional Student Education.
Representatives from about 80 companies and more than 200 UCF students came together Oct. 31 for the Nicholson School’s first combined Internship Fair. The fair was sponsored by student clubs within the School, including the Society of Professional Journalists, Quotes, the Radio Television Digital News Association, Ed2010 and the National Association of Black Journalists. Students from these clubs, under the direction of NSC instructors Rick Brunson and Ryan Sheehy, planned and organized the event. The fair marked a new effort by the mass commu-
nication programs within the Nicholson School to work together to maximize their resources to offer the greatest amount of opportunity to students and to serve the needs of the industries and professions in the School’s service area. Formerly, the Journalism and Radio-TV programs held their own Multimedia Internship Fair and the Ad/PR program held its own Intern Pursuit. This year, the programs came together to offer one big fair on one day and under one roof in Pegasus Ballroom in the Student Union. “This is great,’’ said Michael McLeod, editor of
Orlando Home & Leisure Magazine, who attended the fair with associate editor Harry Wessel. “I haven’t met one bad student. I’d hire them all.’’ About 80 companies representing Central Florida’s advertising, public relations, publishing and broadcasting fields sent representatives to the fair. These representatives interviewed students all day long, offering spring and summer internships to the most qualified candidates. Another internship fair is planned for spring, with the date to be determined.
Events
Nicholson School Internship Fair Draws Dozens of Companies
Photo: Orlando Business Journal managing editor Susan Lundine interviews Journalism student Mandy Georgi during the Nicholson School Internship Fair. Georgi accepted an editorial internship at the newspaper for the spring term.
The 2012 International Crisis & Risk Communication Conference: Cultivating Trust in Uncertain Times will bring together leaders, researchers and experts from private industry, government and the academy to facilitate an international dialogue about how we can collectively understand, adapt and respond to the significant crisis communication challenges we face in the wake of growing skepticism, suspicion and erosion of public trust. The conference will be held at the Fairwinds Alumni Center at the University of Central Florida on March 5-7, 2012. For more information please visit www.icrcommunication.com.
Registration Now Open! Student $295 Corporate Early Bird $395 • InterCOM September/October 2011•
7
Florida Scholastic Press Association Fall Workshop About 125 journalism students representing Central Florida high schools converged on the Nicholson School on Oct. 22 for the annual Florida Scholastic Press Association fall workshop. The Journalism program hosted the event, in partnership with Walsworth Publishing. RadioTelevision professor Tim Brown led two workshops on “Storytelling and News writing for TV’’ and led a couple of tours through the NSC’s television studio and production area. One of the popular sessions was a Q&A led by UCF journalism students Mike Clinton, Katie Kustura, Jordan Snyder and Maria Parada on transitional from high school to college. The event was a great recruiting opportunity and gave the Nicholson School a chance to showcase its facilities, faculty and students to potential communications majors.
Excellent Journalism Students RTDNA @ UCF attended the Excellence in Journalism Conference from Sept. 25-28 in New Orleans. Students had great networking opportunities and learned many valuable tools that they are excited to bring back to UCF and the Nicholson School of Communication.
From left to right: Lauren, Julie, Lydia, Natalie, Kayla, Naz, Chelsie, Valezka, Amanda and Paula.
8
• InterCOM September/October 2011•
Champion of Choices Visits NSC
Marc Mero
Former WCW/WWE Wrestling Champion, founder of Champion of Choices and author of “How to be the Happiest Person on the Planet”, Marc Mero visited NSC on Oct. 27. Mero was a guest speaker in I-O instructor Karisa Workman’s COM 1000 class. Mero told an emotional story about the many losses and lessons he has had in his life. About eight years ago, he hit rock bottom with drugs, drinking and poor decision making, now his life is dedicated to motivating others to make good choices. Mero travels around the world speaking to schools, corporations and churches speading his message. With bullying being the topic of coversation in the media, Mero works to inform his audience about teen suicide, bullying, drug and alcohol use and how to rise from tough situations. To learn more visit ChampionofChoices.org.
• InterCOM September/October 2011•
9