Sunday, April 29

MONDAY, APRIL 30: BC Capstone Presentations!!!

  • Monday, April 30, 2007
  • Mueller Theater inside the McKelvey Campus Center
  • Day Session Begins @ 11:45 Featuring Elizabeth Farry & Stevi Nelson
  • Evening Session Begins @ 6:00 with an Intermission and Light Refreshments at 6:45

The public is invited. Students will make presentations addressing their senior project, the liberal arts experience, their body of work as professionals and frame it with their career goals.

Elizabeth Farry
Presentation Title: Telling the Story of my Future
Description: My presentation will highlight the things I’ve done during my time at Westminster, both on campus and off, which have not only prepared me for a career in broadcasting, but have shaped who I am today. I’ll show some of my work and talk a bit about how that’s going to help me get where I’m going.


Stevi Nelson
Presentation Title: My So Called Life After Westminster
Description: I will present my capstone presentation be highlighting elements from my radio and television resume tapes. I will connect this to how my experience in broadcasting as well as my course work at Westminster inside and outside the major has helped prepare me for what lies ahead after commencement.


Mike Wolenski
Presentation Title: Famous Last Words
Description: San Francisco, California; Youngstown, Ohio; New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. A collision of cities shape the college experience for Michael Wolenski. This presentation is a review of my senior project, liberal arts experience, and body of work.


Aidan Mewha
Presentation Title: It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time...
Description: I will demonstrate how my strong skills in broadcasting have combined with rest of my liberal arts education to create a supernova of creative energy that was released in the form of my sitcom script and short film screenplay. I will also showcase some of my broadcasting highlights at Westminster and possibly perform an interpretive dance.


Amy Lavallee
Presentation Title: Our Own Little World & Beyond
Description: I plan on talking about my years at Westminster, what I did in broadcasting and how it worked for me, and finally...I will show my E-portfolio.


Leanne Veres
Presentation Title: Experience Is Major Stepping Stone
Description: I will explain how my liberal arts education and experience in broadcasting has opened doors for me in other fields, and also showcase my works with Titan Radio, The County Line, WKST (Forever Broadcasting), FSN Pittsburgh, and the Holcad.


D.J. Yokley
Presentation Title: Pursuit of Happiness
Description: I've been thinking of my time here at Westminster. Ive also been thinking about the people I want to be at my capstone presentation, and why? Obviously I want my mom there, I'd also like my girlfriend and her family...All of my friends, ESPN producer Denny Wolfe, and a few select teachers from my days as an East Palestine Bulldog. I want to share highlights of my senior project as well as touch on my work with sports broadcasting-- on Titan Radio, WCN and Titantown Sports. My goal is to someday work at ESPN and with hard work and determination I know I can get there.

Watch the TCL Vlog Tribute produced to the 2007 BC Capstone Students! Produced by Thomas Miller.


Saturday, April 28

"Education, therefore, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living." John Dewey






It's now time for BC Capstone students to focus on wrapping up projects for other classes as they also finish the last episodes of The County Line. I'm sure these folks will make trips down memory lane during DJ shifts and in the newsroom as they play out the final days of the semester. The countdown is underway for exams and graduation. Monday's capstone presentations gave this bunch one last chance to stand in front of the campus community and their families as the big dogs in the BC department-- one final chance to shine-- to show us what they've achieved as they move on to the next big thing.

This round of presentations were on target and showcased the e-portfolios, senior projects and the professional experience that will serve them well in the next phase of their lives.

Stevi Nelson's presentation was exceptionally memorable as she gave it an ending with a twist that no one will forget-- she revealed she had a job offer in sales at WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh. Congratulations, Stevi! I'm confident success will also find our other capstone students.


Mike's Wolenski's presentation focused on his achievements and growth over the past few years. He worked to showcase his efforts while entertaining the audience. While Mike didn't slip in any surprise ending, he also has a head start on his future. He currently directs the news on weekends at WYTV. However, I'm sure bigger and more challenging things are headed his way. Congratulations Mike!
Congratulations, Leanne!
Congratulations, Amy!
Congratulat
ions, Liz!
Congratulations, Aidan!
And, Mr. Yokley, good luck on things for this summer!
The learning and experience does not end now. It's continues.


Lessons learned from the presentations:
  • BRING YOUR E-PORTFOLIO. If all else fails (jump drives, portable hard drives, network drives and internet connections) you can access your work on the portfolio.
  • Shorter is better. Keeping presentations under 15 minutes is a big plus over previous years. Perhaps we should consider 10 minute presentations?
  • Chose a venue that will remain cool. While the Mueller Theater is a new facility, it was stuffy and hot. It's heavy usage on a class day added to the stale environment.


Saturday, April 21

First Time in Las Vegas & First TIme @ the BEA

I'm recovering from BEA fever as the Broadcast Education Association converged with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)/Radio-Television News Directiors Association (RTNDA) Conventions in Las Vegas this week. I served as BEA panel presenter on Saturday afternoon talking about "Convergent Projects for Student Media Groups."

My presentation was titled "Convergence as Part of the LIberal Arts Mission." My panel was nearly the last to present on the last day of the convention so the crowd was spread a bit thin. We had about 15 in the audience.

I did bump into one of my instructors from the University of Kansas. Max Utsler presented on "Turning Pracitcal Newsroom Experiences into Practical Pedagogy." Utsler spent a summer working as a reporter at an NBC affiliate in Peoria, Illinois, as a way to get back to his roots in teaching broadcast journalism. I also attended a number of other presentations and panels including one on the "VJs, One-Man-Bands and the Realities of 21st Century Television News" chaired by Greg Stuart Smith of Hofstra Univerisity.

Max Utsler introduced me to Greg Smith and here's the twist-- Utsler taught Smith while Smith was a grad student at Mizzou. The Mizzou-KU journalism connections have always seemed to follow me since I am married to a Mizzou graduate.

Thursday, April 12

BC Capstone Presentations 2007

BC Capstone students will make their senior presentations on Monday, April 30, 2007 in the Mueller Theater inside the McKelvey Campus Center.


Elizabeth Farry & Stevi Nelson will make lu
nchtime presentations beginning at 11:45.

Mike Wolenski, Leanne Veres, Amy Lavallee, Aidan Mewha and DJ Yokley will make evening presentations beginning at 6 p.m.


The public is invited. Students will make presentations addressing their senior project, the liberal arts experience, their body of work as professionals and frame it with their career goals.

Tuesday, April 3

Love the Blog! Be the Blog!

I wanted to offer these cartoons as a plea for Mr. Wolenski to keep on blogging after graduation.
How Many Licks Does it Take?
What is it Boy?
Your Last Post

Malcontent Blogger
If a Blog Falls

I Blog, Therefore I Am
Ergonomics for the Video Blogger

Sunday, April 1

More Fake News More Often

If you like The Onion and The Onion Radio News, then check out The Onion News Network. Fake TV news online!!! What better way to celebrate April Fools' Day than with a blog post about The Onion News Network.
In The Know: Our Troops In Iraq