Posted on No Comments on Get to meet Dr. Carlos Alemán

Get to meet Dr. Carlos Alemán

Dr. Carlos Alemán
Dr. Carlos Alemán

Dr. Carlos Alemán is an associate professor at the School of Communication Studies, and one of only eight professors in the university with an appointment as a JMU Professor in Residence (PIR) http://www.jmu.edu/pir/about.html.   The PIR program is sponsored by the Office of the Special Assistant to the President at JMU in order to promote educational attainment and college aspirations of Virginia high school students.

Through his PIR appointment at Thomas Harrison Middle School, Dr. Alemán is able to develop and support outreach programs and activities that focus on student populations that have historically lacked opportunities for attending colleges.  Once day, while stopping for a cup of coffee, he met a local high school teacher and a community organizer who were just getting started with a brand new outreach organization called the Shenandoah Valley Scholars Latino Initiative (in short: SV-SLI).  Three months later, Dr. Alemán was invited to the SV-SLI Board of Directors, and began serving as the SV-SLI University Coordinator of Mentoring and Academic Programs.

Read more Get to meet Dr. Carlos Alemán

Posted on No Comments on End of January Weekly Update

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.

 

Posted on 4 Comments on Eight SCOM students present at the Eastern Communication Association Confernece

Eight SCOM students present at the Eastern Communication Association Confernece

 

Even though we have had pretty cold weather in this semester so far, the weather did not bother School of Communication Studies at all. SCOM began the semester with a good news.

Eight students will present at the Eastern Communication Association, which will be held in Providence, R.I. from April 23 to April 27.

It is still early, but, please feel free to leave your messages of congratulations to the authors here.

Those papers are:

“Who are You? Developing and Managing Identity in Different Contexts of Student Life” 

Christine Anzur, Samantha Kempter, Caitlin Kennedy, and Katherine Leeds.

“Flirtation on Social Networking Sites: A Competitive Paper Presentation”

Stefanie Leshner, Elissa Smith, Kara Stucklen, and Neal Sweeney.

There are certainly more deadlines for conferences coming up. Please check SCOM website or HERE for more information.

Well, Congratulations, all SCOM students who are presenting at the ECA conference this year!!

Posted on No Comments on Thanksgiving Break

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

Corey

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 officers

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

Posted on No Comments on We know SCOM has Wonderful Alumni!!

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

Posted on No Comments on Life as a TA

Life as a TA

I had the opportunity to meet with two of the six Teaching Assistant’s for SCOM’s new grad program.  Jackie Carroll, from Massachusetts with her undergrad degree from The College of William & Mary, and Eric Dirth, from Iowa and graduated from Saint Leo University in Tampa, Florida.

Read on for more about the life of our first TA’s!

Eric & Jackie
Eric & Jackie

Read more Life as a TA

Posted on No Comments on The End of October

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

Speech team members at the Cedar Crest competition last week.
Speech team members at the Cedar Crest competition last week.

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.
Speech team members at the Cedar Crest competition last week.
Speech team members at the Cedar Crest competition last week.

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

Students at the IABC meeting
Students at the 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.

PRSSA President Ryan Thomas traveled to accept a grant awarded by the Blue Ridge PRSA President Heidi Ketler.
PRSSA President Ryan Thomas traveled to accept a grant awarded by the Blue Ridge PRSA President Heidi Ketler.

 

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!

Posted on No Comments on Taking off to New Horizons

Taking off to New Horizons

Communication Studies Alumni Conference

March 15, 2013

Join 35 JMU SCOM alumni for a unique networking and professional development opportunity.  

  • When: March 15, 9:05-34:45. Attend as many or few sessions as desired
  • Where: Harrison Hall
  • What: 13 panels, 8 workshops and 2 power lunches dedicated to learning more about current topics is the field of communication studies.

Please register for sessions in the SCOM office located at 1276 Harrison Hall, spots are going fast!  

Please click the links below to check the even schedule and the bios of Alumni participants.

Please contact becca.melnick@yahoo.com for more information and questions.