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University of Mississippi

Archive for 2011

UM Student and Journalism Faculty Member Recognized for Diversity Efforts

Posted on: November 21st, 2011 by No Comments

Oxford, Miss. – For the second time in a month, an Ole Miss Journalism faculty member has been honored for her commitment to diversity, along with a student who is working to promote racial dialogue at the university.

UM Lecturer in Journalism Robin Street and members of her student committee received a second honor in a month for their Diversity Rocks campaign. Street received the faculty Diversity Award and Public Policy major Ray Mays received the student Diversity Award at the annual Black and White Affair. The student committee members received special certificates. Pictured, left to right are (front row) student committee members Ignacio Murillo and Molly Jarabica, along with student winner Mays. Back row: Kaylen Addison, ASB director of diversity affairs, who presented the awards stands next to committee member Jajuan McNeil, Street and committee member Kristie Warino.

Robin Street, lecturer in journalism who specializes in teaching public relations classes, received the faculty Diversity Award for a campaign she created called “Diversity Rocks” for the Meek School of Journalism and New Media. “Diversity Rocks” celebrated diversity, whether through ethnic origin, sexual orientation or disability, with an emphasis on anti-bullying. Street was aided by a 14-member committee of public relations students who were also recognized at the ceremony.

Ray Mays, a public policy major from Darling, Miss., received the student Diversity Award for his work with One Mississippi, a student coalition that promotes social integration. As director of dialogue for the group, Mays organizes dialogue meetings between members of different races and cultures to ensure every student feels welcomed and respected.

“The selfless work that Robin and Ray have done to promote diversity in their roles as faculty and student has not gone unnoticed and the selection committee members felt that their hard work should be acknowledged and celebrated,” said Valeria Beasley Ross, assistant dean of students for multicultural affairs and volunteer services, who oversees the coordination of Black & White Affair.

The awards were given by the Black Student Union, ASB, and the Office of Dean of Students/Multicultural Affairs at the Black and White Affair, an annual celebration of diversity. Kaylen Addison, ASB director of diversity affairs, and BSU Vice President Lauren Wright co-presented the awards.

“The very first line of the UM Creed calls for respect for the dignity of each person, and we want to encourage this and live it out,” Addison said. “The people who advocate diversity can make such large impacts on people’s lives. It is important to showcase these people and show that their actions are amazing and should be encouraged.”

The Black and White event began as a way to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the integration of the university, a fact that Street found especially poignant because her father, George Street, had been a university administrator during that time.

“Because of the hatred my father observed during the integration of the university, racial reconciliation became very important to him in the last years of his life,” Street said. “He would have been delighted to learn that some 50 years later, his daughter was continuing his efforts.”

Mays expressed his honor at receiving the award, but urged students to continue to do more

“ I would like to thank and dedicate the award to every student on campus who fights for the inclusiveness of all people,” Mays said. “Each day, I hope we strive to promote diversity in every way.”

Students who have been fighting for diversity include Street’s 14 committee members, all from Mississippi, who received special certificates at the event. They are Macey Baird, Jackson; Lauren Childers, Booneville; Kimbrely Dandridge, Senatobia; Artesha Dunning, Gulfport; Locke Houston, Aberdeen; Molly Jarabica, Vicksburg; Lindsay Jordan, Brandon; Emily Laird, Columbus;  Leighanne Lockett, Olive Branch; Ignacio Murillo, Horn Lake; Bud Taylor, Sardis; Kristie Warino, Kiln; and Poinesha Barnes and Jajuan McNeil, both of Oxford.

For more information on the Black and White event and multi-cultural affairs at Ole Miss, contact the Office of the Dean of Students/Multicultural Affairs and Volunteer Services at 662-915-7247.

J-School senior is homecoming queen

Posted on: November 14th, 2011 by No Comments

Maggie Day, an Honors College senior majoring in journalism and Arabic, was tapped by the student body as the 84th homecoming queen for Ole Miss. She visited Farley Hall and the Overby Center before kickoff of the homecoming game with her family, including her mother, Deana Day, of Fayetteville, Ark.

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Overby honored by Baylor University

Posted on: November 4th, 2011 by No Comments

Ole Miss alumnus and namesake of the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics has been honored for his career by Baylor University in Texas.http://baylorlariat.com/2011/11/04/baylor-honors-12-for-campus-donation-christian-commitment/ Overby is a former editor of The Daily Mississippian and The Clarion-Ledger. Until his recent retirement, he headed the Freedom Forum, which developed and operates the Newseum in Washington, D.C., among many other global commitments to freedom of expression. He retains his position as Chairman of the Board there. The Overby Center operates in support of journalism education at Ole Miss and is adjacent to Farley Hall, home of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media.

Photo Gallery: The ACT 2 Experience

Posted on: October 31st, 2011 by No Comments

Last week, Dr. Samir “Mr. Magazine” Husni held the second annual ACT Experience. The three-day event featured 24 speakers from around the world.

To see the full photo gallery with pictures from the event, click here.

And to read an excellent opinion column about how the ACT 2 Experience went, click here.

 

 

 

 

Students hear from NABJ leader

Posted on: October 20th, 2011 by No Comments

Kathy Times, former president of the National Association of Black Journalists, spoke to students of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media. She provided a scoresheet for students to gauge where they are in their career preparation. The tally awarded points for abilities such as being able to shoot and edit video as well as working in student media, landing internships and much more. Times, who lives in Jackson, Miss., is president of Yellow Brick Media Concepts LLC.

Questions for ESPN’s Jemele Hill

Posted on: October 18th, 2011 by No Comments

Jemele Hill, right, visited the Meek School of Journalism under the auspices of the UM Association of Black Journalists of which Instructor Deidra Jackson, left, is chapter advisor. Hill took questions and counseled students to drill on the fundamentals of reporting and writing as fundamental to their career goals. Hill, a Detroit native, has been a national columnist for ESPN since 2006 and regularly appears on SportsCenter, ESPN First Take, Jim Rome is Burning and Outside the Lines. She was a columnist for the Orlando Sentinel newspaper before that and a sports writer for the Detroit Free Press and Raleigh News and Observer. She graduated from Michigan State in 1997 in journalism and Spanish.

Three keys to better TV delivery

Posted on: October 17th, 2011 by No Comments

It’s not easy communicating with a camera lens, but it something you get better at with practice. So says Craig Ford, who has been anchoring at WTVA in Tupelo for the past 11 years.

“I still record nearly every newscast,” says Ford. “Not because I like to watch myself, but because I want to critique myself and try to improve.”

Ford spent time with students in the Meek School’s Media Performance class and suggested that successful on-air delivery can be summed up in three words: appearance, performance and preparation.

“It sounds shallow, but appearance is important,” Ford says. “You don’t want what you wear to distract from the message you’re trying to send. If they notice your clothes, they’re not listening to what you’re saying.”

In terms of wardrobe, Ford suggests that men wear solid color suits in blue, black or gray, and he favors white shirts. For women, he’s a big fan of red and says that solid colors tend to work best for them as well. Ford does recognize that it’s sometimes hard for young journalists to get used to such a basic clothing selection.

“It’s a uniform. You don’t have to wear it outside of work,” says Ford.

One other piece of wardrobe advice? Ford says you should always try a new outfit on camera before you cut off the tags — it may look great in person, but awful on the air.

When it comes to performance, Ford says you need to recognize you have multiple tools at your disposal — your voice, facial expressions and movement to name a few.

“When you do a stand up, don’t just stand – move around, gesture, use a prop,” suggests Ford.

However, he’s quick to add that the tools should not become a distraction. If you use your hands too much, for example, that’s what the viewer will focus on, not what you’re trying to communicate.

And the worst mistake you can make when it comes to delivery? Failing to seem like you are interested in the story you’re telling.

Most important of all these tips is preparation, according to Ford. He points to anchors who do sports play-by-play as the masters of preparation.

“They spend hours memorizing line-ups, talking to people, researching players,” says Ford, “but on the air it sounds like it’s all off the cuff.”

If you don’t do enough preparation, Ford says a live shot will expose you. He suggests that you jot down a few key points on a notebook or a cell phone to use as a guide for your presentation, but be ready to wing it as he did recently.

“I lost IFB, so I handed by iPhone to the photographer so the producer could give him my cues. Then I remembered that that’s where I had put my notes,” says Ford. Fortunately, he had done enough preparation that he got through the live shot just fine.

In the end, Ford says excellent on-air delivery can get you noticed, but you need more than that.

“The more things you can do, the more valuable you are.”

Ole Miss Alumna Puckett Writing Book About Food in the Mississippi Delta

Posted on: October 17th, 2011 by No Comments

UGA Press has accepted a book manuscript from Ole Miss journalism graduate Susan Puckett. A Fall 2012 publication date is planned for, “Food Drink The Mississippi Delta: An Edible Road Trip Through the Most Southern Place on Earth.”

Puckett said she hopes this will be a helpful tool for anyone traveling the Delta and also something locals will want on their coffee tables.

Silver Em Award Presented

Posted on: October 13th, 2011 by No Comments

Patsy R. Brumfield, Mississippi journalist who reports and writes for the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo, was presented the University of Mississippi's Samuel Talbert Silver Em Award on Thursday (Oct. 13) at the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics on the Ole Miss campus. At left is Will Norton Jr., Ph.D., dean of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media. At right is Morris Stocks, Ph.D., provost of the university. The Silver Em has been presented as the university's highest award in journalism since 1958. Brumfield is a graduate of Ole Miss who has worked as a reporter and editor as well as in state government as communications director for state officials.

School of Journalism and New Media campaign wins Best in Show in competition for PR pros

Posted on: October 12th, 2011 by

OXFORD, Miss. – A University of Mississippi public relations instructor and 14 of her students competed against industry professionals and brought home the top award in a multistate competition.

The campaign, called “Diversity Rocks,” won Best in Show from the Southern Public Relations Federation, an organization of more than 1,300 public relations professionals in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.  The SPRF Lantern competition, held yearly, recognizes the best work from members.

Robin Street, a lecturer in journalism who specializes in teaching public relations classes, created “Diversity Rocks.” Street recruited 14 current and former students to help plan and conduct the multimedia and multifaceted campaign during the Spring 2011 semester in the Meek School of Journalism and New Media. “Diversity Rocks” celebrated diversity, whether through ethnic origin, sexual orientation or disability, with an emphasis on anti-bullying.

“What Robin and the students did was use a full complement of communications tools and programs to teach us to celebrate diversity as a strengthening force,” said Will Norton Jr., professor and dean of the Meek School. “They met outside of class, developed ideas, budgets, strategies, raised funds, shot and edited video and scheduled campus-wide events. It was a comprehensive, professional, successful campaign, so it certainly deserved recognition by professionals.”

University of Mississippi public relations instructor Robin Street and 14 of her students competed against industry professionals and brought home the top award, called “Best in Show,” in a multi-state competition for their campaign called “Diversity Rocks.” Pictured are Street (far right) with some of the student committee members, all from Mississippi: (left to right) Bud Taylor, Sardis; Kristie Warino, Kiln; Molly Jarabica, Vicksburg; Jajuan McNeil, Oxford; and Ignacio Murillo, Horn Lake.

The SPRF competition covered more than 200 entries in 81 categories.  “Diversity Rocks” won the first place “Lantern” award in the “Internal PR Campaigns” category as well as the “Best in Show” award for the best entry among all categories.

Ron Barnes, vice president of marketing and public relations for Coast Electric Power Association, served as SPRF Lantern Awards program chairman.

“This was the first entry I have ever seen that received two perfect scores from two different panels of judges,” Barnes said. “The people of Mississippi should be very proud of the students and faculty of the University Of Mississippi Meek School Of Journalism and New Media for this outstanding accomplishment.”

Winning the award was especially meaningful for Street for two reasons. First, she and her students were competing with PR professionals and agencies with years of experience. Secondly, Street created the campaign as a personal cause.

“I had the idea for ‘Diversity Rocks’ after learning about several young gay men nationally who killed themselves after being bullied,” Street said. “I also wanted to do something to honor my father, George Street, a former Ole Miss director of university relations, for whom racial reconciliation had been a critical issue in the last years of his life. So I thought of a campaign to promote acceptance of all minorities among our journalism students.”

Students on the committee and their Mississippi hometowns were Macey Baird, Jackson; Lauren Childers, Booneville; Kimbrely Dandridge, Senatobia; Artesha Dunning, Gulfport; Locke Houston, Aberdeen; Molly Jarabica, Vicksburg; Lindsay Jordan, Brandon; Emily Laird, Columbus;  Leighanne Lockett, Olive Branch; Ignacio Murillo, Horn Lake; Bud Taylor, Sardis; Kristie Warino, Kiln; and Poinesha Barnes and Jajuan McNeil, both of Oxford.

Street and Journalism School videographer Mykki Newton also won an award of achievement in the public service announcement category for the PSA’s they produced for the campaign. Additionally, Street won both an achievement and an excellence award in the public relations writing category.

For more information on the Meek School of Journalism and New Media, call 662-915-7146 or visit https://jnm.olemiss.edu.