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Cable-Whitworth retires after 43 years2012-05-01 18:05:12 admin

Diana Cable-Whitworth with her cat Dusty.

After 43 years of service, Diana Cable-Whitworth is retiring from the Brian Lamb School ofCommunication.

Cable-Whitworth, whose last day will be June 29, began working for Purdue’s communication departmentin 1969 after high school graduation and has served in a variety of positions, including graduate secretary,secretary to the department head, administrative assistant to the department head, administrativeassistant to the faculty and, most recently, schedule deputy.

“I’ve done everything but be department head!” Cable-Whitworth said. “I was fortunate enough to move up.I wouldn’t have liked working at any other place.”

Professor Ralph Webb hired Cable-Whitworth originally to be the graduate secretary when he wasdirector of graduate studies.

“Diana was and is a very sensitive person,” Webb said. “She does not toot her own horn much. She ishonest, forthright, eager, polite, kind, willing; all of those things are important to me. She was realistic andmore likely to cooperate with me to get the job done.”

Webb said the director of graduate studies position was very time-consuming in the late 1960s becausethey processed at least 300 applications each year by hand, including reading application inquiries, writingpersonal letters to applicants, creating files, and responding to applicant questions.

“You had to stay ahead of the information exchange,” he said. “That’s when I knew I made a good decisionhiring Diana. She was careful and made very few errors. We got along well.”

Webb said he received letters from applicants saying Purdue was the only school that responded with apersonal letter, something he said Cable-Whitworth was instrumental in accomplishing.

“Diana was awfully good,” Webb said of her time as graduate secretary. “I would hire her again.”

Webb said Cable-Whitworth was always willing to help graduate students get the correct forms, get theirteaching schedules, and do whatever else they needed to be successful. He said he is in contact withhundreds of former students and they often ask how Cable-Whitworth is doing.

“I get more inquiries about ‘how is Diana?’ than anyone else in the department,” he said. “I show herpictures of former students’ kids when I get them.”

Cable-Whitworth said she enjoyed the graduate secretary position because it allowed her to get

acquainted with the graduate students.

Diana during her early days in thecommunication department.

“We were all young then and we had a ball,” she said. “We just did a lot of stuff together. We were justone big happy family.”

Webb said their relationship has continued through the years and Cable-Whitworth is always willing tohelp him with projects if he asks, even though her responsibilities don’t directly involve him anymore.

“She will certainly be missed by me more than anyone else in the department,” Webb said. “I will miss herpresence — she is a positive influence in the department and that will be missed. It’s not the work, it’s thepresence.”

After working with Webb, Cable-Whitworth was promoted to secretary to the department head underDave Berg, a position she maintained through three department heads, including Charles Stewart, whopromoted her to administrative assistant to the department head.

“We’ve had a great relationship with Diana,” Stewart said of himself and his wife, Jane. “She was aperson that if you wanted something done you asked Diana to take it over.”

Stewart said Cable-Whitworth knew everything that was going on the department including promotions,budgets and salaries because he trusted her with the information.

“I knew with absolute certainty that nothing would leave that office,” he said. “She was someone you couldtalk to about things and let off steam.”

In addition, Stewart said Cable-Whitworth was always pleasant to work with and was always willing totake on additional tasks when needed. He said staff, faculty members and graduate students often cameto Cable-Whitworth if they needed someone to talk to.

“She has been a mother to generations of graduate students,” Stewart said, adding that when Cable-Whitworth attends academic conferences long-time faculty members from other schools will look her upto see how she is doing and to reminisce about their days at Purdue.

“Diana was worked with generations of faculty and has built very close relationships,” he said. “I can’timagine the department without her.”

During Stewart’s tenure as department head, the communication department moved from crampedconditions in Heavilon Hall to the new Beering Hall in the early 1990s. The move involved around 135people, Cable-Whitworth said, and was a big project.

“Professor Stewart and I were so stressed we argued, but we got it done,” she said. “Moving in here wethought this place was so big, but now we don’t have enough room!”

Even after Stewart moved on from the department head position, he and Cable-Whitworth continued tomeet every week for lunch.

“When he heard I was retiring he said, ‘Where are we going to eat lunch?'” she said, adding that they will

continue to meet for lunch occasionally, whether in West Lafayette or Delphi.

Dr. Charles Stewart (left) with Diana Cable-Whitworth when she received a DistinguishedService Award in the late 1990s.

In addition to being the administrative assistant to the department, Cable-Whitworth has also served thedepartment as administrative assistant to the faculty, a position which involves maintaining personnelfolders, handling committee selection and faculty voting, assigning offices, dealing with promotiondocuments, maintaining listservs, and handling visitor parking passes.

Most recently, Cable-Whitworth has served as schedule deputy for the department, putting together theentire course schedule while trying to fulfill as many of the faculty and graduate students’ schedulerequests as possible.

“I do enjoy the schedule because it is like a big puzzle,” she said. “You think it isn’t going to work, but thenall of a sudden it comes together. I’m always glad when it finally prints online.”

Cable-Whitworth said part of the reason she has enjoyed the move to schedule deputy is because of hersupervisor, Professor Glenn Sparks.

“If I didn’t have the boss I have I wouldn’t enjoy it as much,” she said. “He is wonderful to work for.”

Sparks said Cable-Whitworth had been helping with scheduling and made a natural transition into theschedule deputy role, a process overseen by department head Howard Sypher.

“It was something she wanted to do,” he said. “She had done every job in the department.”

Sparks said the Cable-Whitworth’s ability to handle scheduling is just another example of her capacity todo whatever the department requires.

“The extraordinary thing about Diana is that at the end of the day she just really cares about what happenshere,” Sparks said. “With that motivation she is willing to learn anything.”

Sparks said Cable-Whitworth has done an excellent job with the schedule and always manages to make itfit together each semester. He said scheduling can get stressful, but Cable-Whitworth has a greatpersonality to deal with the pressure.

“Every semester she finishes a schedule that exceeds many small colleges,” he said. “She has reallydone a superb job with it.”

Sparks said he believes her retirement will be a shocking event for the department in some ways, as it willrequire restructuring and new personnel.

“The school would not be what it is without Diana being here as long as she has,” Sparks said. “It hasbeen really fun working with her in this capacity.

“But Diana being who she is, I think she will continue to care about this place,” he said.

Cable-Whitworth said she has a wealth of good memories from her time in the communicationdepartment. Some of these include singing Christmas carols around a piano at the department’sChristmas party, watching faculty and graduate students limp into the department (one actually usingcrutches!) on the Monday after what was supposed to be a “touch” football game, the clerical staffcelebrating each others’ birthdays by decorating their desks, and attending student events andgraduations.

“I was lucky to get a good department,” she said. “The com department is more personable. I wasfortunate to get in here right away because everybody is “normal people” and they can relate to you.”

Cable-Whitworth said the faculty and other staff members have been wonderful to her, as several of themcame to support her when her mother died, babysat her cats, helped her and her father move, and hosteda wedding shower for her.

“If something happens to anyone in the department they are there to help,” she said. “It’s a personabledepartment.”

Part of Cable-Whitworth’s desire to retire now is that she would like to spend more time with her husband,Mike Whitworth, whom she describes as “the most wonderful guy in the whole wide world.”

“That’s what I tell him every day,” she said. “We are excited about being retired together.”

Cable-Whitworth, who married Whitworth in 2009, said she had given up on getting married, but now shecan’t imagine her life any other way. The two had known each other for several years through Whitworth’sfirst wife, Liz, who also worked in the communication department. Liz and Cable-Whitworth were closefriends, spending time together even after the Whitworths moved away from West Lafayette. When Lizwas diagnosed with cancer, Cable-Whitworth went to stay with the couple, and later after Liz died, shewent again to help Whitworth sort through his wife’s things. At that point the two began thinking about thepossibility of being a couple and from there things moved quickly. Cable-Whitworth said one of thestrengths of their relationship is that they both loved Liz and enjoyed talking about their memories of her,which led them to realize how much they had in common.

“We haven’t stopped talking,” she said. “We are so compatible.”

Cable-Whitworth said her retirement plans include gardening and planting fruit trees on their property inDelphi, Ind. She said she grew up on a farm and has always lived in the country, but her husband is justgetting used to rural life and likes the idea of making their home a mini-farm.

“He likes the country,” she said. “We keep talking about the vegetables we are going to grow.”

Cable-Whitworth said they will probably also take some short trips now that they have more free time, butsaid they don’t want to leave their animals too long (they have two cats, Happy and Dusty, and a dog,Bear).

“We just want to be at home and enjoy life,” she said. “We are excited about being retired together. Thenice thing about retirement is you get to be together and do the things you want to do, but can’t becauseyou are working.”

Cable-Whitworth said she will miss the faculty, staff and students, but not getting up at 4 a.m. to make itto work on time.

“I won’t miss working,” she said. “But I will miss the people.”

Written by Erin DossGraduate student, Rhetoric

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Professor Emeritus begins scholarship fund2012-05-04 04:05:03 admin

Charles Stewart

Almost 48 years ago Dr. Charles Stewart came to Purdue after accepting an instructorship in thedepartment of communication. Even after he retired in 2009, Stewart continues to give back to theuniversity.

At the prompting of Howard Sypher, head of the Brian Lamb School of Communication, Stewart hasagreed to help start a scholarship fund in his honor.

With a goal of $25,000 to create an endowment, the Stewart Scholarship would support communicationgraduate students who have completed their preliminary exams. The scholarship would provide studentswith monetary support to collect data and do groundbreaking research.Dr. Stacey Connaughton, associate professor and director of graduate studies, said the scholarshipwould provide aid at a crucial time in a student’s research.

“The Charles Stewart Scholarship would be instrumental in enabling doctoral students to conduct theirdissertation research,” she said. “The scholarship would be awarded at a critical phase of the student’sdoctoral program, when they are getting ready to collect their dissertation data.”

During his time in communication Stewart taught interviewing principles, rhetoric, and conspiracy, as wellas presentational speaking.

However, one class Stewart said he became particularly fond of teaching was persuasion. He taught thecourse for 25 years, teaching approximately 900 students per year.

Stewart said he enjoyed teaching at the collegiate level because he had freedom in his classroom setting.He loved experimenting with his teaching styles, and creating a wide variety of lecture topics to discuss.

Stewart described his time at Purdue as exciting, fun and an overall privilege.

Throughout the years, Stewart became close with many of his students. He said some of his fondestmemories come from the connections he made with his students, and the relationships he built withthem. Stewart has been so influential that his former students, now Purdue alumni, will recognize hisvoice miles across the country.

“Charlie’s a legend here,” said Howard Sypher, head of the Brian Lamb School of Communication.

A gift to The Charles Stewart Scholarship would honor Stewart’s legacy at Purdue and support graduatestudent scholarships in the Brian Lamb School of Communication. If interested in giving contact theCollege of Liberal Arts Development Office staff Lori Sparger lsparger@purdue.edu (765) 494-3914 or

Jodi Silotto at (765) 496-2649 or jsilotto@purdue.edu.

Written by Kasey ForesterJunior, Mass Communication

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Slate’s Political Gabfest visits Purdue2012-04-27 04:04:45 admin

Emily Bazelon (left), David Plotz (center), andJohn Dickerson record their Political Gabfestpodcast live at University Church. (Photo byAmerica Zahn)

Slate’s Political Gabfest visited Purdue to record their live podcast on Wednesday, April 18, in UniversityChurch.

The Gabfest, led by David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson, came to campus to discuss theupcoming election, the growing concern over the Israel and Iran conflict, and their opinions on HBO’snewest political comedy, Veep.

Plotz, Slate Editor, introduced Gabfest, describing it to be a discussion-based podcast focused on politicaltopics.

The first topic discussed between Plotz, Bazelon, and Dickerson was the results of a recent presidentialpoll from CBS. All commentators agreed the polls proved the expected 50/50 split between Mitt Romneyand President Obama.

Dickerson, Slate’s chief political correspondent, claimed Obama’s current presidential status as aweakness.

“He will always be the better campaigner, but he has the problem of the fact that by a 50 to 40 margin,people disapprove of the way he has handled the economy,” he said. “You can’t sell hope, wonder, andthese magnificent things that are going to happen, because they didn’t.”

Bazelon, a senior editor at Slate, agreed with Dickenson that the Republican Party is strong, but mainlybecause of the party’s outlook.

“Electability is the product of everything, and the Republicans have enthusiasm on their side,” she said.

The team continued with a discussion on the conflict between Iran and Israel, in which Plotz claimed to beeven more pressing than the current state of the presidential election.

“It is something where, unlike some of the silly season fights of the presidential campaign, makes a hugedifference to the health of the world,” he said.

On to a lighter topic, the Gabfest hosts critiqued HBO’s newest political comedy, Veep. The show followsSelina Meyer, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, as she braves her new position as Vice President of theUnited States.

Bazelon described the show to be very satirical, and she attributed the comedy to Meyer’s narcissism.

Dickerson claimed the show to be too far-fetched from a political office.

“There’s always something blowing up in this office, which doesn’t feel like real life,” he said. “As a pieceof art, it’s badly done.”

Plotz compared Veep to past, and more serious, political shows, such as NBC’s The West Wing, thatbased on the country’s paranoia of political conflicts. He deduced Veep to be more focused on politicians’obsession with their media appearances.

“This one is a very accurate portrayal of the political mood of today,” he said. “It’s an incredibly cynical andvery funny show about people who can get nothing done.”

The show then moved on to Gabfest’s next segment, fondly known as “Cocktail Chatter” by the hosts.During “Cocktail Chatter” each commentator brings up one topic they have recently found interesting.

Bazelon discussed an interview with baseball player Steve Blass, while Dickerson commented in a recentdiscovery of an interesting Mona Lisa copy. Plotz finished up the chatter with a discussion of Purdue’sMay 1960 mock political convention, in which students predicted John F. Kennedy’s presidentialnomination.

The Political Gabfest concluded with a question-and-answer invitation for the audience.

Slate is an online political magazine, with daily articles that focus on current affairs, culture, art, andsports.

TIAA-CREF, a leading financial services firm and provider of Purdue employees’ retirement plans,sponsored this week’s podcast.

Written by Rebecca CourtneyJunior, Public Relations

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Grad students participate in satellite seminar2012-04-27 03:04:27 admin

Jen Bernat responds to research presented byLaura Vanderbosch via video conference fromBelgium. (Photo by Cassie Folck)

On April 20 two Purdue graduate students were given the chance to present their work and respond toothers’ work with students in Belgium.

Kari Wilson presented her work about identification with celebrities after Jen Bernat responded to thesimilar work of a Belgium student.

Laura Vanderbosch presented her topic of media exposure and girls’ internalization of beauty, ideals andself-objection and body surveillance to the full conference room of Beering Hall. Through technology,Purdue students and faculty were able to view Vanderbosch presenting her work, as well as herPowerPoint presentation. In turn, the classroom in Belgium could see the Purdue room via videoconferencing.

After Vanderbosch explained her work, Bernat responded to the three main points of the study. She askedquestions and gave suggestions.

“I was flattered to be selected to give feedback,” Bernat said. “It helps build relationships with others whilegiving me an academic exercise. The video conferencing was both great and awkward. It’s ideal for thelocation differences, but awkward speaking about such intricate topics not face-to-face.”

After Bernat was finished with her response, Wilson stepped forward to present her research. Her topicwas identification with media celebrities and involved a self-discrepancy theory-based examination ofactual ideals.

Her dissertation was based on the ideals that each person has and how a person, particularly a female,identifies herself with celebrities. The study used three celebrities (Jennifer Anniston, Jessica Alba andMegan Fox) in a survey given to college women.

When Wilson was finished with her presentation, she took questions and comments from students andinstructors from the other side of the video conference.

Afterward, Wilson felt the experience was useful for her future work.

“Feedback from the other students was very useful. It was nice to get an outside perspective,” Wilsonsaid. “Overall, I though the responses for both papers went well. I’m glad the topics tied in well, even if itwasn’t on purpose.”

Written by Cassie FolckSenior, Public Relations & Rhetorical Advocacy

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Plaque honors Lamb; welcomes visitors to BLSC2012-04-25 20:04:12 admin

This plaque honoring Brian Lamb hangs in thelobby of the new Brian Lamb School ofCommunication. (Photo by AmandaFlexsenhar)

A new plaque on the wall in the communication lobby announces that visitors are entering the new BrianLamb School of Communication at Purdue University.

The plaque is dedicated to Purdue Alumni and C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb. This bronze plated plaqueincludes a detailed picture of Lamb’s face.

In July 2011, Lamb was honored with the plaque for his dedication to the advancement of transparency ingovernment affairs and his commitment to Purdue.

The plaque was designed and sculpted by renowned artist Chas Fegan.

A graduate of Yale University, Fegan has gained received commissions for innovative portraits, paintings,and sculptures. Throughout his career, Fegan has worked many times with C-SPAN, he said.

“Brian Lamb played a huge role in my career,” Fegan said. “The first sculpture I ever did was of BrianLamb. So I jumped at this opportunity once I was asked.”

C-SPAN and the role Lamb has played in history inspired Fegan while crafting this sculpture.

“I was privileged after the first sculpture I did of Brian Lamb,” Fegan said. “The experience wasenjoyable.”

Fegan used a bronze casting method to create the plaque. Fegan said the process comes easy to himand only takes a few days.

Jessalynn Haas, a Purdue senior studying communication and art, is familiar with this process. She saidshe admires the work done by Fegan.

“With emphasis to detail, Fegan is brilliant,” Haas said. “Being a communication major, this plaque givesme a lot of joy for what is in the future for communication students at Purdue.”

Fegan’s work reminds Purdue communicators that the Brian Lamb School of Communication will seek toprovide openness in communication and public affairs.

Written by Amanda FlexsenharSenior, Public Relations/Advertising

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Communication alums named CLA Distinguished Alumni2012-05-04 15:05:43 admin

Two Purdue communication alumni were named 2012 Distinguished Alumni by the College ofLiberal Arts.

Thomas Christopoul and Cheryl Pearson-McNeil were honored at the CLA awards banquet on April 13and met with liberal arts students for a Q&A in the liberal arts influentials course, GS 300, a course whichfeatures CLA/HSSE alumni who return to the classroom to share their expertise and advice with currentliberal arts students.

Thomas Christopoul

Christopoul, operating partner of Falconhead Capital and chief executive officer at GPSI Holdings,achieved his masters degree in organizational communication from Purdue in 1988. Pearson-McNeil,senior vice president of public affairs and government relations at Nielsen, finished her bachelors degreein public relations at Purdue in 1984.

In 2009, Christopoul joined Falconhead Capital, a leading investment firm focused on operationally-intensive control investments in small to lower middle-market companies. Christopoul founded SomersetShore Associates, Inc., in 2005 and serves as its president. Christopoul said he continues to be inspiredby memories of one of his first graduate professors at Purdue.

“He is a challenging teacher,” Christopoul said. “If he sees potential in you, he will expect a high standardperformance from you. He gave me an invitation to hold myself to a standard that other people may nothold me to.”

As a native of Fort Wayne, Ind., Pearson-McNeil joined Neilson in 2004 and was promoted to the seniorvice president of public affairs and government relations in 2009. She earned her MBA in Keller GraduateSchool of Management. McNeil advised students that one has to love what he or she does at least six toeight hours a day, and there is a difference between a “job” one can get and a “job” one has dreamedabout getting.

“I thought I could be a copywriter in the advertising field,” McNeil said. “Then I saw how major thecompetition was out there. I took my first job

Cheryl Pearson-McNeil

and I thought it would help me, but I didn’t love it. When my boss made an announcement saying I got the

highest review in the entire company, I called my mom and asked to move back home. From that momentI realized that if I can do something I don’t have passion for, what my possibilities are when I am doingsomething I am passionate about.”

While McNeil had never expected to love working with statistics, Christopoul said students need to get asmuch exposure as possible to figure out what they like or don’t like to do.

“Life for most part is accidental,” Christopoul said. “When you are not knowing, just keep an open mindand be intellectually open to any opportunities.”

Christopoul also discussed his view about people getting fired.

“It is not always about you or them but a combination,” Christopoul said. “It is about the right person in theright place doing the right thing. Fit is all it is about. Don’t blame the circumstance or you will get delayed inthe next process.”

Distinguished alumni The Honorable Jon D.Holstine, international relations, (left) and CherylPearson-McNeil, communication, talk withstudents in GS 300 about their careerexperiences. (Photo by Irene Wang)

McNeil emphasized maintaining a sense of self and integrity at all costs in workforce.

“You have to trust your gut,” McNeil said. “You don’t want to lose that in the work environment for money.”

Liberal arts students who enrolled in the class said this was a great networking opportunities for them tolook out for opportunities after graduation.

Harrison Alch, a senior in political science, said this is his second semester taking GS 300.

“I want to hear people’s opinion and perspectives on employment,” Alch said. “There is something new tobe learned about everyday. Speakers are different in every style. I want to learn from their mistakes andsuccess.”

Katy Adams, a senior in corporate communication and law and society, thinks the course is a goodnetworking opportunity as well as provides her an outlook on what to expect after graduation.

2012 CLA Distinguished Alumni MarjorieRandolph, political science, (left) and ThomasChristopoul, communication, (right) participatein the GS 300 class. (Photo by Irene Wang)

“What stuck out to me was just how they seemed to promote having fun and not taking yourself tooseriously,” Adams said. “I would have expected the opposite. It’s simple, but great advice.”

“I have actually gotten e-mails and business cards from out visiting speakers,” Adams said. “It gives achance to network with them or just ask questions.”

Written by Irene WangJunior, Mass Communication

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Scheele chosen as Honorary Old Master2012-05-04 15:05:33 admin

Hank Scheele and his wife, Jessamine, standnext to the display introducing Scheele as anHonorary Old Master.

Hank Scheele, Professor Emeritus of the Brian Lamb School of Communication, was chosen asPurdue’s Honorary Old Master for 2011.

Each year 10 Old Masters and one Honorary Old Master visit Purdue’s campus to participate in activitiessuch as classroom discussions, receptions, and social dinners with student organizations. Old Mastersare chosen for their significant contributions to their various fields. The Old Masters Program encouragesthe Old Masters to connect with students, act as mentors, and share stories about their professional andpersonal life successes. They are brought to campus to inspire Purdue students to become the leaders ofthe future.

The Old Masters Program is a 61-year Purdue tradition, and has included an Honorary Old Master since1970. Previous Honorary Old Masters have included former Purdue University presidents Frederick L.Hovde, Steven C. Beering and Martin Jischke, former Purdue men’s basketball coach Gene Keady, andIndiana State Rep. Sheila Klinker.

Scheele recently retired from the Brian Lamb School of Communication after teaching at Purdue for 55years. Among other positions, he served as associate professor for more than 30 years and is recognizedfor his contributions to the department.

Scheele is originally from Sheboygan, Wis., and received his undergraduate degree from Lake ForestCollege, where he was the varsity baseball pitcher for four years, served as president of Kappa SigmaFraternity, and was involved in varsity debate and several other organizations. Upon graduation Scheeleearned his master’s degree in communication and Ph.D. in history from Purdue University. During histime as a graduate student Scheele became the first president of the Purdue Graduate StudentAssociation.

Beyond his achievements in academia, Scheele has been active in a number of civic and charitableorganizations, including Covenant Church, Elks Club, and the United Way. He has also served as theWest Lafayette baseball manager and coach for the Babe Ruth League in Little League Baseball.

In his free time Scheele enjoys watching Purdue sports, including baseball, football, and both men’s andwomen’s basketball, as well as St. Louis Cardinals baseball. He currently resides in West Lafayette, Ind.,with his wife, Jessamine.

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Brian Lamb visits Purdue; attends forum, reception2012-05-04 15:05:33 admin

Brian Lamb visited Purdue’s campus again this semester, participating in several events,including a master class Project IMPACT event and a reception for communication faculty, students andstaff.

Project IMPACT

Ambassador Carolyn Curiel and Brian Lamblisten to a student's comments during themaster class forum Feb. 28. (Photo bySamantha Scott)

Ambassador Carolyn Curiel brought C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb to speak to her master class as part ofProject IMPACT on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Curiel’s students from three classes about media, politics and the presidential election, Purdue students,and members of the community gathered to hear Lamb’s ideas on social media, the presidential electionand the future of C-SPAN.

Curiel introduced Lamb by discussing his achievements and explaining that he is the man who broughtopenness in government into our living rooms via cable.

The discussion began with an invitation from Lamb for attendees to voice their opinions and askquestions.

“Don’t be shy, or we’ll kill you,” Lamb said.

The conversation continually returned to social media today, specifically Twitter.

“Is Twitter dumbing down America?” Lamb asked.

The discussion turned to the idea of breaking news on Twitter, the accuracy of it, and how politicians areusing the technology.

Lamb is not on Twitter himself.

“I do not follow Twitter, our company follows Twitter,” Lamb said. “I get my news the old fashioned way – Ilove picking up [a newspaper], although its getting lighter and lighter.”

A student in the audience told Lamb and Curiel that they use Twitter because it allows users to see howcandidates are when they aren’t in the face of a camera.

“I think social media is incredibly important and a fantastic opportunity for people to be involved,” Lambsaid.

The discussion then turned to how C-SPAN’s coverage is changing.

Lamb said there are still some candidates who won’t allow microphones on them and said the protectionsurrounding these individuals change the dynamic of filming.

“What you really want to do is catch a candidate being him or herself,” Lamb said.

According to Lamb, this is difficult to do now because it is hard to get close to a candidate in a non-scripted environment.

“Almost none of the candidates will take calls because they don’t want the spontaneity of it,” Lamb said.

Lamb also said it is important to be informed about what is going on in the world and make sure thatreaders are assessing the validity of information sources.

“Listen to it all and watch it all, look at who is doing the studies,” Lamb said.

After the event, attendees had a chance to socialize and meet with Lamb and Curiel on a more personalbasis.

“I thought it was an engaging presentation that allowed students to interact with Lamb on pertinent politicaland policy issues,” said Theon Hill, graduate student in the Brian Lamb School of Communication.

Ambassador Curiel had similar feelings about the forum.

“We are so lucky,” Curiel said. “[We had a] great turnout and people were engaged and a lot of importanttopics came up. People get to know why he’s so significant.”

Written by Samantha ScottSenior, Public Relations/Advertising

Lamb Reception

Communication and political science faculty, staff and students attended a reception Feb. 27 to talk withBrian Lamb and continue to celebrate his impact on political communication and Purdue’s communicationschool.

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Project IMPACT brings speakers to campus; promotes studentengagement2012-05-04 04:05:25 admin

Ambassador Carolyn Curiel talks with theexecutive editor of Bloomberg View, DavidShipley, and Mark Van Fleet, executive director,Purdue Global Business Engagement.

This year Purdue University’s Project IMPACT hosted seven events on Purdue’s campus this school yearthat allow students and community members to interact with policymakers, journalists, entrepreneurs andmore.

Project IMPACT was the “brainchild” of Ambassador Carolyn Curiel that grew out of her fall 2009 class,Women in the White House.

Curiel wanted a way to involve students directly in civic engagement and high level networking andencourage discussion of national issues. She engaged the help of undergraduate and graduate studentsto coordinate events that brought world class guests to Purdue to participate in forums and interact withstudents on a personal level.

The group’s first effort was the Women in the White House series which featured three women who hadserved in executive positions. The first session in this series consisted of Purdue alum and founder andCEO of C-SPAN Brian Lamb interviewing Curiel, a presidential speechwriter during the Clintonadministration. The series also brought in Ambassador Carmen Lomellin, the current U.S. Ambassadorof the Organization of American States, and Dr. Connie Mariano, a White House physician to threepresidents and author of “White House Doctor.”

Project IMPACT has since expanded from hosting forums to include a Maymester class that bringsundergraduate and graduate students to Washington D.C. for the chance to go to the decision makersand work closely in the heart of it all.

“It is two weeks long and a unique experience for Purdue students,” Curiel said. “We stay a few blocksfrom the White House and have a partnership with C-SPAN.”

Throughout this year, Project IMPACT hosted seven events that brought guests from all over the countryto involve members of the community and Purdue students in discussions on matters of nationalimportance. Forum topics included social media and a Bloomberg forum about the economy.

Theon Hill, a graduate assistant for the project, said he has learned a lot from working with theorganization.

“It’s been great to work with Ambassador Curiel,” Hill said. “We meet every week and exchange emails. I’ve had to balance multiple roles and pay attention to details in the planning of events.”

Graduate student Lincoln McKinley also worked closely with Project IMPACT this year and feels that it is agreat opportunity for those involved with the organization, as well as those who attend the events.

“It gives them the opportunity to engage with influential from all over that they would not otherwise be ableto engage in a one-on-one setting,” McKinley said. “For the student body at large, it gives them theopportunity to just watch the speakers in person and ask questions.”

McKinley says his favorite guest this year has been Lamb because he feels a connection with him.

“I love to teach and love students, and Brian Lamb is the same way,” McKinley said. “He loves to engagethe students, and is one of the most important alumni, including all of the astronauts.”

After a successful year of events, those most involved with coordinating the events seem relieved for abreak until next fall. While neither of the graduate assistants for the project will be returning, they bothagree that they will definitely attend future events.

As for what’s next, Curiel said everyone should be aware of Project IMPACT and watch for the events thatthey sponsor.

“Stay tuned – we’re only limited by our imagination and the appetite that Purdue students have for theseevents,” Curiel said.

Written by Samantha ScottSenior, Public Relations/Advertising

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Purdue alum helps students cultivate a personal identity2012-05-01 18:05:15 admin

Jeff Bodzewski

Loud music, crowded tables, and dim lights are not the most common environments to inspire a group ofstudents about their futures.

However, Jeff Bodzewski, Purdue alum and current director of social marking at Aspen MarketingServices, saw the nighttime scene at Harry’s Chocolate Shop as a way to connect students’ currentsocial lives to their future careers.

Speaking to students in Purdue’s liberal arts influentials course, Bodzewski personalized the speech tohis audience with his “Lessons from a Fishbowl” presentation, the “fishbowl” referring to a nickname forPurdue’s most popular bar.

Abby Breeden, a Purdue communication major, appreciated Bodzewski’s attention to Purdue’s studentculture.

“I think it helps students cultivate a part of their personal identity or brand,” she said. “He made me thinkabout what role I fulfill while I am at Harry’s.”

Bodzewski’s lessons from a fishbowl included the importance of

Bodzewski speaks to liberal artsstudents about career choices and

living their brand. (Photo by RebeccaCourtney)

choosing your company, seeking opportunities, and living your brand.

Following his own advice with his creative presentation, Bodzewski emphasized the importance

of creating a genuine brand while developing a career.

“What do you want to stand for?” he asked. “Find a way to differentiate yourself.”

Referring to the adventure seekers found at Harry’s, Bodzewski named taking risks as one vital aspect offinding a dream job.

“Don’t look back with regrets and make it happen,” he said. “That’s the fun part of life.”

Irwin Weiser, dean of Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts, agreed that it was critical to realize that theoutcomes of risks taken now may not be immediate, but they will prove to be beneficial in the future.

“It’s important to understand that accomplishments carry beyond where you are working,” he said.

Jeff Bodzewski graduated Purdue University with a degree in communication and a minor in politicalscience. He stays active at Purdue, speaking at student societies, such as PRSSA, and variouscommunication classes.

Written by Rebecca CourtneyJunior, Public Relations

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New professor balances teaching, environmental documentaries2012-05-01 18:05:34 admin

Doug Osman

The Brian Lamb School of Communication has a new clinical professor who sees the world through hisvideo camera.

Doug Osman, a first-year Purdue professor, has brought his 25 years of experience as a narrative anddocumentary filmmaker to Purdue through the classroom as well as his current documentary productionprojects.

Currently, Osman is working on a series of documentaries about North Carolina’s Green Swamp, aunique ecosystem in Brunswick County that is the home of many exotic species such as the Venusflytrap. This county is also home to Wilmington, N.C., which is experiencing some of the area’s largestgrowth.

While this growth has been an economic benefit to the area, Osman’s films depict how the Green Swamphas suffered ecologically as a result of the development.

Companies such as International Paper, one of the world’s largest paper producers, have been loggingthe swamp’s plant life and draining its waters , diminishing the Green Swamp to only 10 percent of what itonce was, according to Osman.

“There are laws on the books [to protect the Green Swamp], but there is really no way to enforce them,”Osman said as he discussed one of the reasons for making this film.

Osman believes the Green Swamp is an example for other places around the world to see that if we don’tsave our ecosystems, they will be lost.

“My goal is that the documentary is strong enough to circulate around the country,” Osman said.

With this goal, Osman hopes the film is seen by as many people as possible to spread the great concernfor the Green Swamp around the country and possibly internationally through film festivals and televisionnetworks such as Home Box Office (HBO).

While Osman notes that one of the biggest challenges for documentary filmmakers is finding their ownfunding for projects, this project displaying the Green Swamp in North Carolina is largely supported byNature Conservancy, an organization that owns the heart of the Green Swamp.

The documentary series will be comprised of several short films for schools around the country to showstudents releases

The Venus Flytrap, one of the endangeredplants Osman is working to protect in the GreenSwamp.

this fall and a longer, more “in-your-face” kind of documentary that Osman hopes to complete within thenext two years.

Osman’s interest in this project comes from his roots in biology and environmentalism as a child growingup in rural Troy, Mich. His also believes his time as a Boy Scout also adds to his interest in the field nowas a filmmaker.

Osman’s childhood interests in environmentalism, however, could not prepare him for the uncomfortablesituations nature produced while filming his documentaries in the Green Swamp that includes speciesranging from alligators and snakes to ticks and other exotic insects.

“I have met a few alligators but no snakes yet,” Osman said.

Beyond Osman’s “Green Swamp” films and several other documentary projects that he has in the works,Osman says the other half of his life is spent teaching.

Prior to coming to Purdue this year, Osman taught in North Carolina in addition to his documentary work.

Now, Osman spends much of his time teaching four communication courses on campus, includingtelevision production, video journalism, and the television documentary. Osman also plans to teach aMaymester course focusing on producing documentary films surrounding Lafayette’s Celery Bog in 2012and a Maymester course along with Professor Tom Turpin of Purdue’s entomology department inIndonesia exploring environmental issues in 2013.

Osman also finds time to promote environmental causes beyond his documentary films and classes. Hesold Venus flytraps and other species seedlings during Purdue’s annual Spring Fest to raise money forthe local Lilly Nature Center that supports the Celery Bog.

Although Osman already brings much to Purdue’s campus as a professor and filmmaker, he says thatPurdue and the university’s reputation is what brought him to campus.

“The place you work as a documentary filmmaker gives you much more visibility of your work,” Osmansaid. He also said he is already seeing how a Purdue background improves the visibility of his filmsthrough “Green Swamp.” Both Osman and the Nature Conservancy are excited to see what impact thefilms will have toward saving the Green Swamp.

Written by Jackie GrossSenior, Mass Communication

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Alum shares experiences with online publishing2012-05-01 18:05:41 admin

Lorene Yue speaks to communication studentsabout online journalism. (Photo by NikkiCullison)

A Purdue alum returned to campus this semester to deliver a presentation about the growth of onlinejournalism.

Lorene Yue, from Pennsylvania, described how her Purdue education has led to her six years as an onlinereporter for Crain’s Chicago Business.

“I always wanted to be a writer,” Yue said. “While I was at Purdue, I decided that I really wanted to stickwith print.”

Yue worked at Purdue’s student newspaper, The Exponent, while in college as a reporter covering Greeklife and campus crimes. After graduation Yue started as a business reporter.

She networked her way into Crain’s online business journalism after working for print newspapers like theKansas City Star and the Chicago Tribune.

Yue said it was the “death of the newspaper industry” that influenced her decision to switch from print toonline journalism.

“To me, online just seemed to be the place to be,” Yue said.

Yue became very animated and gestured with her hands as she explained how she manages the onlinenews content. She said she enjoys the versatility of the newsroom because of the fast-paced, constantrevisions.

“It’s immediate,” Yue said. “You want to be the first one to get (the news) out there.”

Yue meets with communication faculty andstudents during her visit to campus. (Photo byNikki Cullison)

Pat Kuhnle, publisher and general manager of The Exponent, agreed that print media is declining, but hestill encouraged online newspaper subscribers to double-check sources.

“Anyone can put news on Facebook and Twitter, but it’s not necessarily true,” Kuhnle said.

Kelly Rogers, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts, enjoyed Yue’s discussion.

“I liked (Yue’s) insight on print to online media,” Rogers said.

Yue was pleased with her decision to switch from print to online media. She described her 10 a.m – 6p.m. schedule as a “good tradeoff” and was delighted in the speed of online news.

“The beauty of the web is, you know exactly how successful your story is,” Yue said.

As the presentation drew to a close, Yue concluded by offering advice to the Purdue students.

She recommended that students make both a “personal and professional Facebook page” for prospectiveemployers to view.

While Yue handed out business cards, she offered her assistance with internship searches and resumereviews for any student who asked. She strongly encouraged everyone to take advantage of networkingopportunities.

“It’s that personal connection that helps you get your foot in the door,” Yue said.

Written by Emily ScottSophomore, double major in English and Communication

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Alumnus authors book about finding humor in mishaps2012-05-01 18:05:09 admin

Sally Coffman reads a chapter of her new book,"The Misadventures of a Single Woman."

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.-Actor, communication major, Purdue graduate, teacher, storyteller, and authorSara Jane “Sally” Coffman recently published “The Misadventures of a Single Woman,” a witty andcomedic book about turning her mishaps into humor.

“The Misadventures of a Single Woman” compiles several disaster stories from Coffman’s life, which sheturns into descriptive, hilarious recollections. Many stories are about her dating tribulations, from computerdating to blind dates, but Coffman also writes about humorous student stories and the trials of being anolder woman.

“The theme of my book is ‘laughing your way through your misadventures,’” Coffman said. “You need tohave a sense of humor and be with people that have one.”

Coffman said her inspiration to write the book came from her mother, who always taught her to look onthe bright side of things.

“[My mother] could see things in light way,” Coffman said. “She could turn things that could be a disasterinto something funny. Every year we would go on three-week camping trips and we would be dying in theback of the hot car and she still made things fun.”

Although Coffman said she is not a writer, her love for writing began in high school when she wrote lettersto her uncle to cheer him up after his wife died. After she discovered how much he loved her work, shenever stopped writing and published her first article on computer dating while in college.

Though Coffman enjoys writing, she began as a theater major at Purdue before moving to radio and television. Her true calling, however, came after graduation, when she decided to return to Purdue for amaster’s degree in communication and began to teach. She is currently an instructional developer for theCenter for Instructional Excellence where she works to improve faculty’s teaching.

“Teaching is like being on stage,” Coffman said. “I get to prepare, dress up, put on my make up, interactwith the audience and watch them grow. But I get to learn about people so it’s even better than the stage.”

Coffman believes being a communication major got her where she is today. She said with acommunication degree, graduates can go into almost any field.

Coffman combined her interests to offer advice for teachers. She said the best lectures have stories,examples and descriptions. The first minutes of any class, just like the first pages of any book, are themost important, she said.

“Professors, like writers, should hook you in within the first five minutes,” Coffman said. “Start out withyour best stuff.”

Coffman said the best advice she gives, that she herself follows, is that there is no such thing is the worstday of your life.

“No matter how bad of a day you are having, you will have much worse,” Coffman said. “Don’t takeeverything so seriously; lighten up. It will help you react to bad days much more easily.”

Written by Jennifer PayneJunior, double major in Advertising/Public Relations and Psychology

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Alum gives advice about career plans, achieving results2012-05-01 18:05:41 admin

Kevin Mayer

Chevrolet’s Director for Global Advertising, Kevin Mayer, visited Purdue’s Liberal Arts Influentials class thissemester to discuss the importance of having a career plan, connecting with people, and showing results.

Mayer, a 1991 Purdue graduate, acknowledged that many students are uncertain about their futures butrecommended that each person map out a career plan regardless.

“Set a plan,” Mayer said. “Even if you are unsure of exactly what you want to do. A plan gives yousomething to work towards.”

Mayer’s career plan was to experience all areas of the advertising business to gain the best possibleperspective, become an expert in one specialization, and invest in the people and the learning experienceat each position.

His plan has taken him from small firms to medium firms to where he is now: managing one of the largestadvertising budgets in the country at Chevrolet.

Although Mayer has done a lot of moving around within the industry, he said this has not had a negativeeffect on his reputation.

At every company, Mayer said he worked hard to achieve positive change and results.

He helped Hyundai and Subaru achieve massive sales increases of 400 percent and 90 percent,respectively.

Most recently, Mayer has overseen Chevy’s return to the top of American automobile production.

If he had jumped around from company to company without showing any real results, Mayer said hewould not have been successful. He left each job with a record of increased sales and made a positiveimpact on every brand he has managed.

When he moved on from one company to another, his results were not the only thing he took with him.

Mayer stressed the importance of building a solid reputation among peers, making friendships withcoworkers, and staying connected.

He urged students to “do what others won’t do, be the go-to guy for management, earn trust throughtransparency, and bring solutions.” All of these traits, said Mayer, made him a reliable asset to hiscoworkers and supervisors.

Mayer made valuable connections at each company and gained marketable knowledge from everyexperience.

“Every opportunity has come from someone recommending me,” Mayer said. After 21 years in theindustry, he has come to the conclusion that making good, lasting connections with people is invaluable.

Mayer has changed direction many times during his career in advertising, but he has gained friends andexperience and produced results at every turn.

“Every move was critical,” Mayer said. “Be good to people. Be respectful. Be aggressive. And showresults.”

As a Purdue alum, Mayer’s career plan and success provided a real-world example for the soon-to-begraduates in the classroom.

Communication student Dan Milnes said Mayer’s talk was entertaining and insightful.

“Mayer gave a great presentation,” Milnes said. “It was inspiring to anyone in the communication industrybecause he is an example of how hard work pays off.”

Written by Jordan HebbeSenior, Public Relations and Rhetorical Advocacy

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George Stevens remembered2012-05-01 18:05:54 admin

GeorgeStevens

Professor George Stevens died of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on April 5, 2012, afteraccomplishing much, contributing much, loving much and graciously sharing himself and his family withcolleagues and friends in so many ways.

He will be fondly remembered as a fine man, a loving and devoted husband and father, as a greatpersonality and as a powerful presence during his time at Purdue.

Stevens was hired in 1969 to teach journalism in the Department of English at Purdue. Soon thereafter,as Stevens was fond of saying, he was “traded” to the Department of Communication for a desk andthree chairs when journalism as an area of study was shifted from English to communication. He oftenquipped that “English got the better of the deal” when he introduced himself at communication departmentfunctions. But, of course, Stevens was wrong.

Stevens emerged as one of the most prolific scholars of journalism in the country and enhanced Purdue’sreputation in communication by receiving Certificates of Merit from the American Business LawAssociation for the best articles published in volumes 12 and 16 of the American Business Law Journal;by being ranked fourth in mass communication research article productivity, 1980-85, in JournalismQuarterly, summer 1988; by being ranked in the top three percent of active researchers incommunication, in the Index in Communication Studies Through 1990 conducted at the University ofMiami in 1993; and by being ranked 69th among active researchers in communication (that is, in the topone percent of the discipline), 1915-95, in Communication Monographs, June 1999. He wrote over 70articles published in a wide array of quality academic journals.

He coauthored one book with his colleague John Webster titled “Law and the Student Press,” and anothersingle-authored book titled “The Student Journalist and Public Opinion Polling.” Both books were called byvarious reviewers “essential for journalism advisers, publication boards, and school administrators at alllevels,” “indispensable” and “vital.”

Stevens’ major teaching and scholarly interest areas were communication law and magazine journalism. He regularly taught both lower and upper division courses in Journalistic Writing, Mass CommunicationLaw, Magazine Journalism, Freedom of Speech and Press, History of Mass Media, and Legal Dimensionsof Communication.

He served as chairperson of the department’s Committee on Instruction in Journalism and supervised therevision of the journalism concentration. Later he coordinated successful proposals for a specialtyjournalism concentration and the public relations area program, which, then, led to the creation of a masscommunication curriculum and revision of course offerings in journalism.

Professor Stevens was born on July 12, 1936, in Vancouver, Wash., part of the Portland, Ore.,metropolitan area, received his bachelor’s degree from Pacific University in 1958, and spent two yearswith a weekly newspaper in Ellensburg, Wash., covering local news. He earned both his M.A. and Ph.D.degrees from the University of Minnesota in 1962 and 1968 and was a professor at the University ofCincinnati before coming to Purdue. He served as Assistant Department Head and as Schedules andSpace Deputy for Communication from 1988 until his retirement in 2001.

His colleagues have fond memories of Stevens as an avid tennis player, who later in life even tried to playwhile wearing an oxygen tank as his health declined, as a baseball fan, especially of little league baseball,and as an avid reader. Stevens could and did talk about books and contemporary authors with greatvigor, insight and passion.

He married Laura J. Stoner in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Dec. 20, 1969. She is now a research associate in theDepartment of Nutrition Science at Purdue. John H. “Jack” and Jeffrey G. are their two sons.

Written by Professor Ralph Webb

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Grad student studies corporate financial decision making2012-05-01 18:05:49 admin

Steve Swope

What started as a simple interest in poker betting decisions has now turned into a national researchproject looking into reasons behind corporate financial decision making for Steve Swope, a Ph.D. studentin the Brian Lamb School of Communication.

Swope’s current research project looks at why an organizational decision maker makes financialdecisions that are not based upon the Net Present Value (NPV) analysis. Swope’s research showsthat leading MBA programs overwhelmingly recommend NPV over alternative methods.

Given a prediction of future cash flows, NPV is a means of converting a future value to a present value,enabling meaningful comparisons between competing investments which may have cash flows that occurat different times. Citing a Duke University study, Swope says the NPV method is being used regularly byonly three-fourths of financial managers.

Swope reasons that the NPV method is the best because it focuses on actual dollar amounts. Otherformulas (e.g., Internal Rate of Return, or IRR) may focus on percentages, which Swope says maymislead corporations.

Swope says the people a manager associates with can influence what method they use. If many of theirpeers use a different method, they will likely use that one too. Corporate incentives also affect themanager’s decision, possibly leading to decisions which benefit the manager but are detrimental to thecorporation.

His current research project is looking at these reasons, which he calls the “dark side” of reasoning.Through the use of surveys and corporate ethnographies, he hopes to better understand how amanager’s social networks and corporate incentives affect their decisions.

“If a manager is acting irrationally from the corporation’s perspective, the answer may be to change thecorporation’s incentives,” Swope said. “While the incentive may be financially rewarding for the manager,it may not be beneficial for the corporation.”

Swope hopes his research will allow him to show corporations why their incentives may not be benefittingtheir organization. He is also attempting to better understand the mechanics of social networks and theireffects on a manager’s decisions.

Swope says he chose Purdue for his research because of its strong program in organizationalcommunication. He anticipates completing his research by the end of the year and earning his doctoratein May 2013.

Written by Aurie SwartzSenior, Public Relations

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BLSC hires new faculty in public relations; interpersonalcommunication2012-05-01 18:05:25 admin

Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Brian Smith, and Maria Venetis were hired this semester to join theBrian Lamb School of Communication and are ready and eager to teach beginning in the fall of 2012.

KrishamurthySriramesh

Sriramesh shares a soft spot in his heart for Purdue since he had began his tertiary teachings at theuniversity and expresses fond memories from those days.

Though Sriramesh is leaving his current position in Wellington, New Zealand, the land of Lord of theRings; he is enthused to teach a broad range of courses within the public relations specialty. His recentresearch focuses on global public relations and the use of public relations for partnership building bydevelopment-oriented organizations.

Sriramesh said he is eager to begin working at Purdue and to blend his research and teaching this fall.

For Smith, the decision to join was a “no-brainer.”

“Purdue, as one of the top schools in the nation and with such a storied history, was on the top of

Brian Smith

my list when I was considering schools,” Smith said. “For me, the opportunity to work with such anamazing faculty and students, coupled with the research and teaching opportunities, really fit my careergoals.”

Smith will focus on strategic public relations, iComm (integrated communication), advertising and globalstrategic communication. He is interested in teaching classes on communication in digital online andsocial media, and global communication.

Maria Venetis

Venetis said Purdue won her over because of the known reputation for high-caliber research anddedicated instruction. She is excited to begin teaching interpersonal communication.

“I am thrilled to be joining such a prestigious program and faculty,” Venetis said.

Venetis’ research area is physician-patient interactions. She will continue examining how specificcommunication behaviors of patients, companions and health-care providers are associated withindicators of patient well-being.

Professor Steven Wilson served as head of the search committee that hired Venetis, while ProfessorPatrice Buzzanell served as head of the committee that found Sriramesh and Smith.

Buzzanell is pleased with the new hires for the Lamb School of Communication.

“Our school is absolutely delighted to have been able to hirethese new faculty members,” Buzzanell saidof Sriramesh and Smith. “They will help improve and extend our public relations department.”

Buzzanell said these three new professors will integrate well within the Purdue community.

Written by Victoria WaldenSenior, Advertising/Public Relations

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Faculty Notes2012-05-01 18:05:16 admin

Buzzanell was honored during the YWCA'sSalute to Women. Pictured here are (back)Susan Carr, Sylvia Anderson, Dr. PatriceBuzzanell, Judge Susan Orr Henderson (Front)Betty Reed, Angela Tamer, Dr. Marge Taber.

Patrice Buzzanell was honored as a Woman of Distinction by the YWCA as part of its Salute to Women. Buzzanell also received a faculty grant from the CLA Center for Research on Diversity and Inclusion, waschosen to receive the Teresa Award for the Advancement of Feminist Scholarship from the InternationalCommunication Association, was a scholar-in-residence at the National Communication Association’sInstitute for Family Development, conducted a Gender Transformation Workshop for Women in Scienceand Engineering at Michigan Tech University, taught an advanced communication skills workshop for theLafayette chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals, and gave the inauguralkeynote address for the Ingersoll Rand Women’s Network. She received a top two paper award from theOrganizational and Professional Communication Division of the Central States CommunicationAssociation (CSCA) for a paper co-authored with Rahul Mitra, and a top 3 paper award from the samedivision of CSCA for a paper co-authored with Suzy D’Enbeau. Buzzanell was also co-PI with Mitra on aproject receiving the CSCA’s Federation Prize, a grant for $3,000 toward a project titled “Performances ofmeaningful work by sustainability professionals.” In addition, Buzzanell published co-authored articles inCommunication Monographs and China Media Research.

Robin Clair published articles related to the anti-sweatshop movement in Cultural Studies óCriticalMethodologies and the KB Journal. She also published a piece about reflexivity and rhetorical ethnographyin Cultural Studies óCritical Methodologies and an article offering a rhetorical perspective on the division oflabor in the Journal of Family Communication.

Lorraine Kisselburgh received a fellowship from the Center for Education and Research in InformationAssurance and Security (CERIAS) at Purdue University. Kisselburgh also received a top four paper awardfrom the International Communication Association for a piece she co-authored with Preeti Rao of CERIAStitled “Privacy meanings: A semantic network analysis of discourses of young adults.”

Seungyoon Lee received a top four paper award (with Cheolhan Lee, Dongguk University, Korea) fromthe Organizational Communication Division of the International Communication Association Conferencefor a paper titled “Creative interaction in organizations: The dynamics of network multiplexity.”

Marifran Mattson presented a colloquium titled “Considering social marketing from a communicationperspective: From health campaigns to health pedagogy to health advocacy…essentially by accident!” forthe Department of Health & Kinesiology on January 25. Mattson also co-authored a book titled “Charting acourse for service learning: From curriculum considerations to advocacy, A faculty developmentworkbook.” This publication is the outcome of a year-long collaborative project by the 2010-2011 IndianaCampus Compact Faculty Fellows.

Samuel McCormick recently published an essay on the political and historical thought of Walter

Benjamin in a special issue of Philosophy & Rhetoric. His book, “Letters to power: Public advocacywithout public intellectuals,” was also published in the series on Rhetoric and Democratic Deliberation atthe Pennsylvania State University Press. He won the Everett Lee Hunt Award for his book from theEastern Communication Association. In other news, McCormick has articles forthcoming in the SørenKierkegaard Newsletter and La Mirada Kierkegaardiana. He recently won several awards, including theKenneth T. Kofmehl Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award from the College of Liberal Arts, theOutstanding Graduate Faculty Member Award from the Brian Lamb School of Communication, and the W.Charles Redding Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Brian Lamb School of Communication. Inaddition he was nominated for the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award fromthe College of Liberal Arts and the Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award from the College of Liberal Arts.

Sorin Matei was selected as a Fulbright Specialists Candidate, which allows Matei to go into a pool of“specialists” who are often called on to do six-week stints at selected institutions abroad.

Steve Wilson was selected as the Ann and Charles Redding Faculty Fellow for 2012-2014. The awardprovides summer support to a professor in the Brian Lamb School of Communication in recognition ofsignificant professional achievements. Wilson is also serving as associate chair of the Purdue IRB, wherehe reviews most of the exempt and expedited protocols for social-science research going on acrosscampus. Wilson recently published articles in the Journal of Applied Communication Research,Communication Currents and Communication Research. He also co-authored a book chapter in a booktitled, “The positive side of interpersonal communication.”

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Graduate Student Notes2012-05-01 18:05:02 admin

Erin Doss received the CETA Excellence in Teaching Award from the Office of the Provost andthe Committee for the Education of Teaching Assistants.

Patricia Gettings will receive the outstanding thesis award from the International CommunicationAssociation’s Interpersonal Communication division in May. Her thesis explored relational commitmentand maintenance strategies in adult mentor-youth mentee relationships. Steve Wilson advised the thesisproject.

Emily Haas spoke at the 2012 Midwest National Graduate Association of Professional Graduate Studentsmeeting at The Ohio State University in April. Haas was invited to discuss the Graduate Quality of Lifesurvey that was implemented as a collaborative effort between the Student Wellness Office and PurdueGraduate Student Government in 2010. Haas focused on how the survey was created and distributed, theresults of the survey, how those results were released on campus, and finally how the data has beenused to leverage change on Purdue’s campus to improve graduate students’ quality of life. Haasrepresented the Purdue Graduate Student Government at the conference. In addition, Haas co-authoredan article in Cases in Public Health and Communication Marketing, co-authored a presentation at the 2011National Outreach Scholarship Conference titled, “Health communication campaigns as engagedpedagogy,” and assisted in a short course seminar at the 2011 National Communication Associationconference titled, “Teaching health communication as engagement.”

Rebecca Ivic received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Office of the Provost and theCommittee for the Education of Teaching Assistants. Ivic was also named an Alan Monroe GraduateScholar by the Brian Lamb School of Communication.

Soojin Kim co-authored papers published in the International Journal of Strategic Communication andPRism. Kim will also present two co-authored two papers at the International Communication Associationconference. One of these papers was written with Dr. Jeong-Nam Kim and Arunima Krishna and the otherwith Dr. Jeong-Nam Kim.

Abigail Selzer King received a Bilsland Strategic Initiatives Fellowship and the Bilsland DissertationFellowship.

Roxana Maiorescu was awarded the Puskas Fellowship for strategic planning. She will be creating awebsite for liberal arts where graduate students and faculty can collaborate on interdisciplinary research.The website will be available for corporations that want to invest in research. Maiorescu was also namedan Alan Monroe Graduate Scholar by the Brian Lamb School of Communication and she is publishing apiece in the Business Research Yearbook that was inspired by work in Dr. Sorin Matei’s online interactioncourse.

Rahul Mitra was elected to a two-year term as a student board member of the InternationalCommunication Association (ICA). He received a top student paper award from ICA’s Ethnicity and RaceDivision, a top five paper award from the Central States Communication Association’s (CSCA)Organizational and Professional Communication Division, a top 4 paper and the David Zarefsky Award fortop student paper from CSCA’s Rhetorical Theory and Criticism Division, and a top 5 paper award fromCSCA’s Performance Studies and Theater Division. Mitra and co-PI Patrice Buzzanell also received theCSCA’s Federation Prize, a grant for $3,000 toward a project titled, “Performances of meaningful work bysustainability professionals.” In addition, Mitra published an article in the Journal of Business Ethics and achapter in a book titled, “Case studies in organizational communication: Ethical perspectives andpractices.”

Soumitro Sen received a Bilsland Strategic Initiatives Fellowship.

Shavonne Shorter received a Bilsland Strategic Initiatives Fellowship.

Dorothy Snyder earned the Graduate Teaching Certificate from the Center for Instructional Excellence atPurdue University.

Steve Swope recently accepted a tenure-track position in the media studies department of the University

of Wisconsin-Platteville. Swope is also one of three nominees to be the at-large student representative tothe Organizational Communication and Information Systems (OCIS) division of the Academy ofManagement. Voting for this position will continue through mid-May. In addition, he presented three papersat the Eastern Communication Association Conference in April.

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Alumni Notes2012-05-01 18:05:57 admin

1977Dr. Sheryl A. Friedley retired from George Mason University as Professor Emerita of Communication onJune 1, 2011, after 34 years of service. Friedley was able to sell her home and has now returned to FortWayne, Ind., to be close to family.

1983Karen (Paonessa) Cameron opened a new advertising agency in January to help small businessesafford good marketing. Cameron created Action Advertising Agency (www.ActionAdvertisingAgency.com)to assist small business owners who don’t have the time or background to do their own marketing, nor thefunds to hire a big agency.

1983/1985Steve May received the outstanding book award from the Communication Ethics Division of the NationalCommunication Association for “The handbook of communication ethics” (with George Cheney andDebashish Munshi). May also received the outstanding book award from the Public Relations Division ofthe National Communication Association for “The handbook of communication and corporate socialresponsibility” (with Oyvind Ihlen and Jennifer Bartlett).

1986Denise Buhrmester is now the director of communications for the College of Health and HumanSciences at Purdue University.

Mary Murcko has been named President of Sales for Gannett Co., Inc. Murcko will be responsible forgrowing national advertising revenue across Gannett’s publishing and digital businesses. Specifically,Murcko will oversee sales for USA TODAY, Gannett Digital and U.S. Community Publishing’s nationalefforts. Most recently Murcko was executive vice president and group publisher of Rodale, Inc., withresponsibility across all Rodale magazines and their digital properties, including Men’s Health, Women’sHealth, Prevention and Runner’s World.

1989Amy Haag is working as an independent consultant in the Daviess County, Ind., area on local andinternational economic development projects. She is currently representing the Daviess County EconomicDevelopment Foundation in assisting businesses who wish to explore exporting to China as well as manyother economic development projects.

1991Dean Bootcheck left a job in corporate America to start his own business, called The Next 43, based outof Indianapolis. Its purpose is to show people they can walk away from a cubicle jungle and createsomething remarkable with unlimited potential. Bootcheck started with a Facebook page atfacebook.com/techdadme, and then added a website at www.techdad.me; both are sources of consumertech and DIY information. The business is new and technology-based, offering remote computer tune-upsas well as document scanning and cloud uploading. Bootcheck is also currently writing the first of fourplanned eBooks, called “The Copperfield Kid,” which tells stories of his time working for illusionist DavidCopperfield in the mid-1990s.

1996Katie McCaskey’s article, “My brilliant second career: We never thought we’d be grocers” was recently

featured at Salon.com (http://cl.ly/CPrY). The article describes the journey she and her husband madefrom their careers in New York City to opening a neighborhood grocery/cafe (George Bowers Grocery) inStaunton, Virginia (pop. 24,000). The student debt she refers to in the story was accrued during hermaster’s degree at NYU. McCaskey’s forthcoming book, “Urban escapee: How to ditch the commute,start a business, and revitalize main street” will be published in 2012. It is a business book for those whofind themselves accidental entrepreneurs and/or have an interest in revitalizing walkable downtowns viabusiness building in small cities.

Michael Smith was recognized for his commitment to public relations education by the Philadelphiachapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) with its Anthony Fulginiti Award. The awardhonors a person who excels in education, either through their mentoring/teaching, their efforts to helpshape the careers of future PR professionals, or their contributions to the Public Relations StudentSociety of America (PRSSA). Smith is an associate professor at La Salle University in Philadelphia andthe PRSSA chapter’s faculty advisor.

1998Frederic A. Beck has accepted a new position as marketing and business development manager forCrossroads Industrial Services in Indianapolis, Ind.

1999Eric Fife won the Carl Harter Distinguished Teacher Award from the College of Arts and Letters at JamesMadison University. Fife is an associate professor in the School of Communication Studies at JMU.

2000Brian Remsberg has joined Michelin North America as a public relations manager in Greenville, S.C.

2003Lindsay Roberts was recently named associate director of extended student services for PurdueExtended Campus in June 2011. She is currently working to increase online course capacity andavailability to Purdue undergraduates.

2004Amy O’Connor was recently named director of graduate studies for the Department of Communication atNorth Dakota State University (NDSU). The department offers masters and doctoral degrees with anapplied communication focus in the areas of organizational and interpersonal communication.

2005Brian Edge is now working in Medical Devices Sales – Endoscopy for Boston Scientific.

2006Emily Hambidge James was promoted to associate director of development at Illinois State University inDecember. James is responsible for major gift fundraising for the College of Education and the UniversityLaboratory Schools.

2007Melissa J. Bridgewater was appointed in fall 2011 to be head of the Department of Human ResourceManagement Program at the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies, a college in her nativeTrinidad and Tobago.

Ashley Eiler graduated with highest honors from The George Washington University Law School in May2011, where she received the Anne Wells Branscomb Award for the highest cumulative grade pointaverage in the part-time evening division. Eiler joined Wiley Rein LLP in Washington, D.C., as anassociate in October 2011.

Val Niehaus is currently working as the director of strategy at Levelwing in Charleston, S.C. Levelwing isa full service digital marketing firm (located in NYC and CHS) that helps organizations make data-drivendecisions regarding their advertising and business objectives.

2009Abby Troyer recently began working in corporate affairs and global communications for Elanco AnimalHealth, a division of Eli Lilly and Company. She is responsible primarily for internal communication anddigital strategy. Previously, Troyer worked in Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels’ Office as the communicationdirector for INShape Indiana, a statewide health and fitness initiative.

2010Brenda L. Berkelaar recently started a position as assistant professor at The University of Texas atAustin.

2011Chelsea Hayes has joined GE Capital’s Chicago HR team as a Human Resource Specialist. She willsupport Chicago site initiatives and execute core HR processes. Hayes recently completed an internshipin corporate diversity for GE where she focused on the recruitment of diverse students, assisted increating social media opportunities and wrote executive briefings and articles. She is also in the processof obtaining a master’s degree in corporate communication at Northwestern University.

Elizabeth Williams received the International Communication Association Organizational CommunicationDivision’s Redding Dissertation Award. Stacey Connaughton advised Williams’ dissertation.

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