JDM student to present at CAS URCA Symposium next month

JDM is proud to announce Senior Broadcast Communication major Meghan Ellsworth's oral presentation based on her documentary, A Look Inside Ghana's School System was accepted for presentation at Ashland University’s Third Annual College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium March 27th.

In his acceptance letter, Dr. Andrew Greene, Director of the URCA Committee said, "We are pleased to offer this exciting forum for you to present your work to faculty, students, and friends from across the College of Arts and Sciences."

As A Blog Converged highlighted back in the fall, Ellsworth interned in Ghana last summer where her documentary was shot. She is currently completing post-production on the project.

Her presentation is scheduled during Oral Session III, which will run from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m during the Symposium.

JDM creates AU Media Group on Linked-In

What's the value of your professional network? For aspiring media professionals and seasoned media pros alike your "rolodex" connects and sustains your career. And with today's technology tools like Linked-In, connecting to fellow media pros is easier than ever.

Which is why JDM is proud to announce a new Linked-In Group called the Ashland University Media Alumni Network. AUMAN is designed to let current AU media students connect with Ashland's vast, varied and talented network of media alumni working all over the world.

For Ashland's newly created and converged media department, using Linked-In was a natural according to JDM's Dr. Gretchen Dworznik, "We wanted to provide an avenue for our current students to connect with our large base of media alums working in the industry. Linked-In was the perfect place because many of our students and alums already use it." Dworznik said. "The idea was actually suggested by one of our current students - Tim Hawk. We thought it was a great idea!"

To join the AUMAN on Linked-in - if you have a Linked-In account - log on and search Ashland University Media Alumni Network. If you don't have a Linked-In account, sign up and then search for our group!

Way to go Tim Hawk!!

Collegian photographer featured on Washington Post website

A photo taken by Dan Shade, photo editor for The Collegian and Sports Update producer for AUTV-20, is featured on the Washington Post website today.

The photo, which accompanied an Associated Press story about labyrinths, has also been published on the websites of the Deseret Morning News and the Winnipeg Free Press. Shade's mother, JoAnn Shade, a corps officer for Salvation Army, is quoted in the story regarding the labyrinth at the Kroc Center in Ashland.

The Collegian wins first place, twice, and hears VP Joe Biden speak at ONA

Four staff members for The Collegian and adviser Matt Tullis attended the Ohio Newspaper Association's annual conference Thursday, a conference that included a speech by Vice President Joe Biden and a keynote address by Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

The Collegian, which was represented by managing editor Justine Ackerman, entertainment editor Glenn Battishill, sports editor Chris Bils and photo editor Dan Shade, also picked up three awards in the Ohio Collegiate Newspaper and Web Site Competition. AU's student newspaper earned first place honors for best arts and entertainment coverage and best headline writing. The Collegian won third place for best Web site. 

This is the second time in three years that The Collegian has won awards in the competition, but the first time it earned first place honors. Judges said the newspaper's arts and entertainment coverage was, "Both amusing and informative, subjects are handled well." Judges also said The Collegian's headline, "Students diagnose Health Center" was creative and put "the students in the position of diagnosing the Health Center when the reverse should be true! Effective because the content of the story is evident immediately upon reading the headline!"

Photo courtesy of ONA

As for The Collegian's website, judges said stories were well-written.

"The structure of the sight is good," the judges said. "Nice use of white space. Good color choices. Photo galleries work well."

Biden spoke just before lunch, giving what could be construed as a pep talk for America. 

"America is coming back and America will be second to no other country in the world," he said. 

While Biden brought in a crowd, Hanna brought down the house by bringing out a lynx, a penguin, a flamingo and a cheetah. He also railed against state legislators for watering down an exotic animal bill that would effectively ban Ohioans from keeping exotic animals at their homes. 

Photo courtesy of ONA

He also shared sad news that his daughter, Julie Hanna, had just the evening before learned she had a brain tumor. Julie Hanna is a long-term childhood cancer survivor who has battled secondary tumors caused by the radiation she received as a toddler. 

Tullis featured Julie Hanna prominently in a story on long-term childhood cancer survivors that he wrote when working for the Columbus Dispatch in 2007.