Glass and Pugh report for the Mount Vernon News

Recent Journalism and Digital Media graduates Allison Glass and Callan Pugh are now reporters for the Mount Vernon News. As reporters, Allison and Callan cover a wide variety of local subjects. They both were writers for The Collegian during their collegiate days. Allison was a double major in Digital Media Production and Creative Writing while Callan was a double major in Digital Media Journalism and Digital Media Production. According to JDM Chair Dr. Dave McCoy, "Allison and Callan were excellent students and fine writers who exhibited the converged media model established by our program."

Bree Gannon wins SPJ Mark of Excellence Award

Bree Gannon, junior digital media production major, was recognized by The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) in the 2017 Region 4 Mark of Excellence Awards last week.

Gannon won a first place award in the category of small-school Sports Photography for her picture of the women’s basketball national championship game from March 2017.

The SPJ’s Mark of Excellence Awards are nationally known for recognizing the best in collegiate journalism.

“The amount of success I’ve had so far this year is unbelievable,” Gannon said. “After hearing my photos from the 2017 National Championship won in the regional category, I got so excited. Now I’m moving on to compete at the national level and I’ve never felt more blessed.”

SPJ’s Region 4 comprises of  Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania. Honorees received award certificates and first-place winners like Gannon will compete at the national level, among other regional Mark of Excellence winners from 12 different regions.

National winners will be notified in the late spring and will be recognized at the Excellence in Journalism conference in Baltimore.

Gannon is excited by this recognition and all that she’s been able to accomplish at AU so far.

"And it's all thanks to the JDM program for giving me these amazing opportunities," she said.

Noted social media expert speaks at CAS and JDM symposium

Nationally recognized social media scholar Dr. Bree McEwan spoke at the College of Arts and Sciences and Journalism and Digital Media co-sponsored Symposium Against Indifference. Dr. McEwan is an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at DePaul University. Her engaging presentation was titled Filtered Through Networks and it described the increasing aspects, both positive and negative, of social media within our culture.

Dr. McEwan spent the day with JDM faculty and students as she discussed the relationship of social media upon the journalism profession. She also talked with WRDL 88.9 FM Program Director Tyler Lance about her research and the role that social media play in our lives.

Bree Gannon's AU vs. Mont. St.-Billings Halftime Interview

Watch AUTV 20 Sports Producer Bree Gannon's halftime interview at the NCAA Elite Eight basketball game. Bree is also the Sports Editor for The Collegian and the sideline sports reporter for WRDL 88.9 FM.

Bree recently won the First Place Award for Best Sports Interview Show (along with JDM juniors Trae Coopwood and Erich Metze and senior Renee Borcas) from the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System. She also was named the Best College Sports Photojournalist in the Midwest Region by the Society for Professional Journalists.

AUTV 20's Noah Cloonan reports on AU's Elite Eight game

The JDM converged media crew are in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to cover the AU Women's Basketball team's run at another NCAA championship. Led by JDM Director of Broadcasting and Operations John Skrada, the crew features junior Noah Cloonan, junior Bree Gannon, senior Tyler Lance and senior Renee Borcas.

Cloonan and Lance were this year's national finalists for the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System's Best College Women's Basketball Play-by-Play coverage. Cloonan is the Managing Editor of The Collegian newspaper and the Sports Director for WRDL 88.9 FM.  Lance is the Program Director of WRDL 88.9 FM. Borcas is the Webmaster of the AULive converged website and the News Producer for AUTV 20. Gannon is the Sports Editor of The Collegian, the Sports Producer for AUTV 20, the sports sideline reporter for WRDL.88.9 FM and a host of The Early Bird's Word on WRDL.

Here is AUTV 20's Sports Anchor Noah Cloonan's report on the Eagles' first game at the Elite Eight.