Alumni – Harrison Connect

February 7, 2015woocw No Comments

SCOM Requests Distinguished Alumni Award Nominations

It’s that time of year again, when the School of Communication Studies Community Committee has the opportunity to select another accomplished alumnus to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award. The committee is accepting nominations and self-nominations for this award until February 16, 2015.

“I would encourage alumni to consider applying—if anything, it’s a great exercise in reviewing your goals and general career direction,” said Meghan Ely, 2003 SCOM graduate and last year’s Distinguished Alumni Award winner, when asked why alumni should self-nominate, “It never hurts to be a bit introspective from time to time. Awards help professionals stand out when faced with a saturated market and it’s nice to have an added competitive edge.”

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented every spring to an alumnus who makes exceptional contributions to their discipline or profession and demonstrates outstanding service to the School of Communication Studies, James Madison University, their community, region or nation. The winner of the award will receive up to $1,000 in travel and accommodations to attend the SCOM banquet on April 8, 2015, where they will be recognized for their dedication and growth in the communications field.

April 15, 2014woocw No Comments

Aftermath of an successful Alumni Day!

Harrison hall was filled with energy on Friday, April 11 with students, alumni and faculty enjoying an eventful day for the ‘Springboard Into the Future’ Alumni event.

April 4, 2014woocw 1 Comment

SCOM Conference and SCOM Alumni Day, Here We Come!!

There are two upcoming events this week to kick-off the eventful month of April!

36th Annual SCOM Conference

JMU SCOM will hold it’s 36th Annual conference from April 7th- 9th.

(click imagee for Facebook event page)

KEYNOTE ADDRESS:

“Takin’ It to the Streets:” Promoting Social Justice through Communication Activiism Scholarship by Dr. Lawrence Frey will kick off the Conference. It will take place in Highlands Festival Conference Center at 7-8pm.

Here is a brief schedule of the conferences:

Monday (7th)

Pre-Conference Workshop 3:30-4:30pm @ Harrison 1290

Conference Start 7-8:15pm @Highlands, Festival Conference Center

Tuesday (8th)

Paper Session 1:Social Movements and Cultural Change 9:30 – 10:45am @ Transitions,Warren

Paper Session 2: Communicate Criticism and Popular Culture 11-12:15pm @ Transitions, Warren

Paper Session 3: Independent Research Projects 12:30-1:45pm @ Transitions, Warren

Paper Session 4: Communication and College Life 2-3pm @ Transitions, Warren

Information Session: Graduate Degree in Communication and Advocacy 3:30-4:30pm @ Transitions, Warren

Wednesday (9th)

Paper Session 5: Mediated Communication and Identities 9:05-9:55am @ Transitions, Warren

Paper Session 6: Presidential and Public Rhetoric 10:10-11am @ Transitions, Warren

Paper Session 7 : Honors Theses 11:15-12pm @ Transitions, Warren

Since there are multiple sessions, find ones that fit your schedule and attend. You will be able to find out interesting information as well as supporting your classmates.
For the full program you can find it at our Facebook event page.

SCOM Alumni Day

The day is finally here! This Friday will be the ‘Springboard Into the Future’ Alumni event!

(click image for Facebook event page)

Five Alumni Panel Presentations in Harrison 0102:

– Panel 1: (9:05-9:55) Entering into the Fast Paced World of For-Profit Organization’s: What to Expect!

– Panel 2: (10:10-11:00) “I graduated with a degree in Communication Studies… Now what?!”

– Panel 3: (11:15-12:05) Branding and Planning the Career of Your Dreams

– Panel 4: (12:20-1:10) Networking Like an All Star: The Ins and Outs of Building Professional Relationships

– Panel 5: (1:25-2:15) Inside the World of Public Relations: From the Day to Day to the Big Picture

Student-Alumni Lunch in Harrison 1290 from 11:30-2pm

Afterwards come out to the Alumni Awards Picnic in the courtyard behind Harrison and Ashby at 3pm!!

Enjoy a sunny Friday mingling with your classmates, faculty members and alumni! This will be a great opportunity to network as well as get to know others in SCOM!

We will be updating our Facebook and Twitter page during these events so please stay tuned through these outlets as well!

Please let us know if you have any news to share with us. You can contact Dr. Isaac Woo (woocw@jmu.edu), Karen Kim (kim2yj@dukes.jmu.edu) or Colby Boone (booneck@dukes.jmu.edu) for a blog story idea.f

March 28, 2014woocw No Comments

Exciting month ahead for SCOM

April will be an eventful month for SCOM faculty and students. There are a lot of exciting events coming up!

SCOM Alumni Day
(Springboard into the Future)

There are only 2 weeks left until the big day! There will be panels in the morning, a lunch, and then a picnic with food, games, and an awards ceremony for SCOM students.

Weekly update: End of March, Start to Spring

SCOM students and faculty welcomes the new season with a couple of exciting news:

Alumni Day Event

January 31, 2014woocw No Comments

End of January Weekly Update

Harrison Connect resumes its effort to connect people around Harrison Hall at JMU.

The School of Communication Studies has kicked off its Spring 2014 semester and it is already the end of January.

We are delighted to begin our SCOM weekly updates.

Here we go.

Harrison Connect: New Student with a directed project.

Karen Kim, senior student concentrating in PR, is now managing Harrison Connect as well as the JMUSCOM Twitter account. Please follow her posts during this semester. Please email her at: kim2jy@dukes.jmu.edu if you would like to share anything through our Twitter account as well as the Harrison Connect blog.

Undergraduate Research: Papers are accepted!!

Eight students will present at the Eastern Communication Association conference. Please click here for more information.

Alumni Award 2014: Please nominate outstanding alumni for this award.

The winner will receive up to $1,000 for travel and accommodations in order to receive their award on our annual alumni day, which will be held in 2014 (Time and date T.B.A)

Nomination packets must include: a cover letter, two letters of support, and a resume or curriculum vitae. All materials should be submitted to the Assistant Director of Communication Studies at the following address:

Alumni Award c/o Dr. Toni Whitfield, SCOM Assistant Director

54 Bluestone Drive, MSC 2106 Harrisonburg, VA 22807

OR submit the package electronically to: whitfits@jmu.edu

Speech Team: Off to a Good Start

The JMU Speech team traveled to Alexandria, VA to the campus of Northern Virginia Community College to compete in the Richard J. Ernst Speech Tournament. The tournament featured teams from across the Commonwealth as well as teams from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The individual results are as follows:

Day One:

Shelby Akins–7th Prose Interpretation
Jessie Bur–6th Poetry Interpretation, 4th Communication Analysis
Magdalene Dada–4th Poetry Interpretation
Tom Giordano–6th Extemporaneous Speaking
Armin Haracic–1st After Dinner Speaking
Zach Healy–1st Communication Analysis, 1st Duo Interpretation
Katie Lese–1st Duo Interpretation
Katrina Miles–4th Prose Interpretation
Nathan Selove–4th Persuasive Speaking, 5th Dramatic Interpretation

3rd Overall Team.

Day Two:

Shelby Akins–2nd After Dinner Speaking (now qualified for the American Forensic Association-National Individual Events Tournament to be held in April at Arizona State University)
Jessie Bur–5th Informative Speaking, 6th Communication Analysis
Magdalene Dada–4th Poetry Interpretation
Abby Fiege–6th After Dinner Speaking
Armin Haracic–5th After Dinner Speaking
Zach Healy–1st Communication Analysis, 4th Duo Interpretation
Katie Lese–4th Duo Interpretation, 2nd Persuasive Speaking
Katrina Miles–2nd Poetry Interpretation
Nathan Selove–1st Persuasive Speaking

Third Overall Team Sweeps

Every member on the JMU Speech team advanced to a final round this weekend; a well deserved honor for the hard working members. After a much needed weekend off, the team coached by Lee Mayfield and Alyssa Reid, will host the ‘Virginia is for Lovers’ Speech Tournament on our campus the weekend of February 8-9.

Debate Team: Madison Cup is coming SOON

This year’s Madison Cup is now set for the 14th annual “James Madison Commemorative Debate and Citizens Forum” on Thursday, April 17th, 2014.

The James Madison Commemorative Debate and Citizens Forum is a unique inter-collegiate debate competition, combining the excitement and challenge of a tournament competition with the participation and empowerment of a public audience.

The funding is supported by the Rupe Foundation, which will provide competition prize money for: the top ten teams and the top twelve debaters. Three teams will qualify for travel stipends.

2014 Topic: This house believes that warrantless electronic surveillance by the U.S. Government has done more harm than good.

Other cool and unique features include:

*$30,000.00 in prize money
*Debating and competing in front of a public audience
*No entry fees
*Continental breakfast, snacks and lunch provided
*Video web-cast of the final round
*Great PR for your debate program
*Madison Cup traveling trophy

Public Relations Student Society of America: Packed House

PRSSA JMU Chapter had its first meeting and an outstanding 102 students attended.

Their New York City agency visits are coming up in February.

The chapter will also elect its new leadership team members on Monday.

November 22, 2013woocw No Comments

Thanksgiving Break

Alright, we finally have a thanksgiving break!! But, before that, we need to share some news about SCOM for last two weeks.

Faculty Award

Dr. Corey Hickerson was named the recipient of the 2014-2015 JMU College of Arts and Letters Carl Harter Distinguished Teacher Award.

Congratulations!!

IABC

IABC recently elected their new officers for the 2013-2014 school year! Congratulations to the following: Read more Thanksgiving Break

November 21, 2013woocw No Comments

We know SCOM has Wonderful Alumni!!

And, the School of Communication Studies wants to recognize our finest alumnus for 2014.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is given every spring to an alumnus who demonstrates outstanding contributions to the discipline or profession and demonstrates outstanding service to the School of Communication Studies, James Madison University, their community, region or nation.

The School of Communication Studies Community Committee is requesting your nominations and self-nominations for this award by Feb. 15, 2014. The winner will receive up to $1,000 for travel and accommodations in order to receive their award on our annual alumni day to be held in April 11, 2014.

Nomination packets must include a cover letter, two letters of support, and a resume or curriculum vitae. All materials should be submitted to the Assistant Director of Communication Studies at the following address:

Alumni Award

c/o Dr. Toni Whitfield, SCOM Assistant Director

54 Bluestone Drive, MSC 2106

Harrisonburg, VA 22807

OR submit the package electronically to whitfits@jmu.edu

October 25, 2013woocw No Comments

The End of October

It has been quite the busy two weeks here in Harrison. Read on to see what has been going on. If you have anything else to add please comment below.

Speech Team

The JMU Speech Team continued their impressive competitive season this past weekend in Allentown, PA on the campus of Cedar Crest College. The team, including 4 first year competitors, finished in third place for the weekend against schools including; Cedar Crest College, Cornell University, Lafayette College, Liberty University, George Mason University, Saint Joseph’s University, Seton Hall University, West Chester University, and Wilkes University.

Individual results are as follows.

Day One

Shelby Akins, SR SCOM, 5th Informative Speaking, 5th After Dinner Speaking
Virginia Bonds, FR SCOM, 6th Program Oral Interpretation
Jessie Bur, Soph SMAD, 6th Poetry Interpretation
Abby Fiege, FR MATH, 4th After Dinner Speaking
Katie Lese, SR SCOM, 4th Dramatic Interpretation, 2nd Communication Analysis

Day Two

Shelby Akins, SR SCOM, 5th After Dinner Speaking
Virginia Bonds, FR SCOM, 5th Program Oral Interpretation, 2nd Novice Prose Interpretation
Jessie Bur, Soph SMAD, 1st Extemporaneous, 6th Impromptu Speaking
Abby Fiege, FR MATH, 3rd After Dinner Speaking
Katie Lese, SR SCOM, 2nd Dramatic Interpretation, 2nd Communication Analysis
Nathan Selove, FR THEA, 1st Prose Interpretation.

The team, coached by Lee Mayfield and Alyssa Reid, will have a weekend off before facing their largest competition of the semester in Peoria, IL on the campus of Bradley University.

IABC Meeting

Last week on Thursday, October 17th IABC held another meeting before their elections. If you have any questions please contact Dr. Janell Bauer (bauerjc@jmu.edu) or Dr. Heather Carmack (carmachj@jmu.edu) for more information.

We are all very excited to see what our newest organization accomplishes in their first year!

PRSSA

On Thursday, Oct. 10, @JMUPRSSA accepted an annual grant awarded by the Blue Ridge PRSA chapter.

On Friday, Oct. 11, @JMUPRSSA visited 8 PR firms and organizations to learn more about best practices, industry trends and future opportunities. They took a bus up Friday morning with more than 30 members, toured different agencies, then wrapped the day up with an alumni networking event.This was the first agency visit of the semester and PRSSA is planning for more agency trips in the Spring.

PRSSA 10 — PRSSA students with professionals at the Adfero and fleishman-Hillard.

SCOM professors were recognized

Dr. Corey Hickerson received a teaching and technology award and Dr. Brian Kaylor was nominated he State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s prestigious Outstanding Faculty Awards with seven other JMU professors.

Congratulations!!

“El Pintor” with Dr. Carlos Aleman

The Latin Ballet of Virginia performed “El Pintor” (The Painter) at Harrisonburg High School
this past Wednesday, October 23rd. The event was co-sponsored by Dr. Carlos Alemán of the JMU Professors in Residence.

Upcoming

Homecoming Week

Next week officially starts Homecoming Week here at JMU. Students are excited for the Bleed Purple day next Monday. While, we are excited to see our SCOM Alumni! Check out the Homecoming Week Twitter or Facebook for updates. Also, keep checking with JMU SCOM, we may have something exciting planned for our alumni!

Alumni Award Nomination

The deadline to apply for the Alumni Award is February 15th, for all you amazing alumni you will not want to miss this deadline!

The award is given annually to an alum who manifests the following criteria:

a. Outstanding contributions to the discipline/profession

b. Outstanding service to the department, university, community, region, nation

c. SCOM major, minor, co-curricular and extracurricular programs alumni are eligible

You can nominate yourself, too!!

The award is presented at the year-end SCOM Celebration event in the Spring semester. More information on the award and the procedure/deadlines for submitting a nomination packet can be found by clicking on this link.

Don’t forget, our poll for the new SCOM Blog name is still going on! Vote on your favorite or make a suggestion!

September 27, 2013woocw No Comments

Winning SCOM Teams and Returning Alumni

This week, people in SCOM hosted and participated in many events. Here is the week in review:

SCOM Speech Team

The senior members of the JMU Speech Team traveled to San Marcos, TX to compete in the Hill Country Swing hosted by The University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University. Both days of competition found the team competing against 13 teams from across 5 states including; Rice University, Texas A&M, Doane College, Colorado College, LSU, among others. With only ten events in the tournament the first day’s competition found 7 of the 10 events from JMU in the final rounds of competition and 6 events in finals the second day of competition. The individual results are as follows:

Day 1 (September 21)

Shelby Akins (Sr, SCOM) 6th place Informative Speaking, 4th place Communication Analysis
Zach Healy (Sr, SCOM/SMAD) 3rd place Informative Speaking, 3rd place Poetry Interpretation
Katie Lese (Sr, SCOM) 2nd place Informative Speaking, Champion Prose Interpretation, 4th place Dramatic Interpretation, 2nd Overall Top Speaker

The team finished 2nd Overall Top Team to UT-Austin (a team of 33 members)

Day 2 (September 22)

Shelby Akins Champion Communication Analysis
Zach Healy Champion Prose Interpretation, 3rd place Duo Interpretation
Katie Lese 2nd place Informative Speaking, 3rd place Duo Interpretation, 3rd Dramatic Interpretation

The team finished 4th overall on day two

For the weekend, JMU was recognized as the 2nd Top Team and Katie Lese was recognized as the 2nd Overall Top Speaker, Zach Healy was recognized as the 3rd Top Speaker, and Shelby Akins was recognized as the 10th Top Speaker out of over 130 competitors. If you have any of these amazing students in your classes please thank them for the job they have done representing our program and JMU.

The team next travels to Lynchburg University this weekend to compete in the Liberty University/SNAFU Swing Tournament.

Alumni Visit to Campus

Brian Hrubick ('11, Fleishman-Hillard) and Kara Frank ('12. Adfero Group) speaks at PRSSA meeting on Monday. — Brian Hrubick (’11, Fleishman-Hillard) and Kara Frank (’12. Adfero Group) speaks at PRSSA meeting on Monday.

Brian Hrubik (’11, Fleishman-Hillard) and Kara Frank (’12, Adfero Group) visited the campus on Monday. They had a guest lecture at the SCOM 261, PR Technique I: Written class of Dr. Janell Bauer and spoke with members of PRSSA JMU Chapter at their weekly meeting.

After teaching digital strategies in PR writing at Dr. Bauer’s class, Brian and Kara gave job advice and shared their work experiences as young public relations professionals at the PRSSA meeting.

We always appreciate our alumni coming back to the campus and support SCOM students. Thank you, Brian and Kara!!

Debate Team Contributes for I-Week.

On Tuesday September 24, 2013 the Office of International Programs and Madison Debate Society sponsored a public debate on the topic: Resolved: U.S. warrantless wiretapping has done more harm than good for society.

Please visit the JMU Debate team blog to read more detail and check the video here.

JMU official twitter also recognized this event.

If you have any events or activities of SCOM to share, please send information to Dr. Isaac Woo (woocw@jmu.edu) or Chelsea Legendre (legendcj@dukes.jmu.edu) or Tweet us @JMUSCOM.