Volume 1, Issue 1

Spring 2009

In This Issue:Gradua� on Outlook ‘09:Panic Sweeps Students

WSWI Brings Home Awards

Master Degrees Pay

Phenomenal Women at USI & In the Community

Hight Honored Life� me Achievement Award

Alumni Highlights

Alumni Scholarship Award

Scholarships Make a Diff erence

Cathedrals Class Travels Abroad

Branding for a Be� er Tomorrow

State Recogni� on Awarded to Journalism Students

Warfront Recaptured in Airwaves

Do You Tweet?

Designing a Career

Upcoming Alumni Events

Eagle Call

The 2008-2009 school year was an eventful and busy year for the University of Southern Indiana’s Department of Communications, with a master’s program and reaccreditation.

The department of communications has been reaccredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, or ACEJMC. USI, along with Ball State and Indiana University, are the only colleges in Indiana that have ACEJMC accreditation. There are only 112 universities in the United States with ACEJMC accredited programs.

The department of communications master’s program is only a few steps away from approval. The master’s program is going to further the education of alumni, present students, and add new faculty. The Graduate Council, Academic Planning Council, and the board of trustees, are the three campus levels left for the masters program to be approved for the fall semester of 2010. Final approval rests with the State of Indiana.

The campus continues to grow with new programs and the addition of several new buildings. In July, we welcome a new president, Dr. Linda M. Bennett. I would encourage past alumni and prospective students to visit the campus, as well as our website, to learn more about the university and the programs we offer.

Message From the Chair

J. Wayne Rinks

The Department of Communications Offi cial Alumni Newsletter

J. Wayne Rinks, Ph. D.

The current economic state is putting a strain on many Americans. These economic conditions are really hitting home with future and recent college graduates. Competition for jobs is the toughest it has been in decades. According to ABCNews.com, 12.5 million people in the U.S. are currently looking for jobs. “The jobless rate for people with bachelor’s degrees or higher jumped to 4.1 percent…the highest in records dating to 1992 (T. Arbel, D. Thompson & D. Lovering, Associated Press. 2009).”

College graduates all over the country are concerned that the time, money and energy contributed toward earning a degree is a waste in the current job market. Statistics still show that people with a bachelor’s or master’s degree make more money and are less likely to be laid off than those who have no college degree.

Don’t Fret Yet The unfavorable economic circumstances have left many graduates searching for options and alternatives so that they do not become collateral damage to the current recession. One of the options college graduates and alumni are pursuing is graduate school.

Economic analysts agree that now is the best time for students and those already in the job force to seek more training and earn more qualifications. The University of Southern Indiana has implemented numerous tools for students and alumni to aid in the job search and application process. The university offers many graduate programs, including a proposed communications master’s program.

The communications department has developed a new course as of the fall semester 2009. The course is designed to teach students the importance of resume writing and format, networking and interviewing skills.

Look Long-TermThe important thing to remember is to stay positive and focused on long-term goals. The Career Services and Placement website posts job openings and internships available to students and alumni. Visit the Web site at www.usi.edu/careersv to view positions.

Graduation Outlook ‘09: Panic Sweeps Students By: Emily Shaw

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The Indiana Association of School Broadcasters announced USI as the winner of the "Radio School of the Year," in April 2009. USI’s competition included 15 schools. To be eligible for the awards, a school has to be in the State of Indiana and be a member of the IASB. USI placed in more categories than any other school and no other school had more first place winners. This was the first time USI won "Radio School of the Year." Mr. John Morris, Instructor of Radio and Television at USI and General Manager/Faculty Advisor of WSWI, said that "dedicated students taking pride in their work is what makes a great radio station." He added, "when you see students like that who don’t just ‘play’ radio, but ‘live’ radio, that’s what makes 820 The Edge what it is and that’s how we get these awards."

WSWI BRINGS HOME AWARDSBy: Brooke Buxton

2009 IASB College Radio ResultsRadio Spot Production

1st Place Ben Weber2nd Place Kellie Orsby

Radio Copywriting2nd Place Joe Barniak

3rd Place Kellie K. Orsby, Sr.Radio Newscast

3rd Place Monika WathenRadio Air Personality

1st Place Andrew Bolin & Kellie OrsbyRadio Imaging1st PlaceWSWI

Radio Spot Production1st Place Ben Weber

2nd Place Kellie Orsby

The University of Southern Indiana may soon be able to announce its newest addition to the list of graduate programs offered. A master’s degree can lead to an increased salary, better leverage in a competitive job market and will lead to overall flexibility in career opportunities.

A Master of Arts in Communication affords students the opportunity to hold any number of careers, including management level positions in advertising or public relations, communications directing in healthcare or business organizations, media management, directing of nonprofit organizations, or communication consulting.

The current economic situation has tightened the job market, but positions are available for well qualified applicants. In a survey of 200 regional employers conducted for the 2007 President’s Task Force on Workforce and Economic Development, 25 percent said that they would be interested in hiring someone with a graduate level degree in communications. Employment

in the advertising, public relations and sales management fields is expected to increase by 12 percent through 2016, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Slated to begin in the fall of 2010, the Master of Arts in Communication program is pending approval at institutional and state levels. If approved, a significant void would be filled because the program is unique to the area, according to Dr. J. Wayne Rinks, Chair of the department of communications. Planning for the program has been approved by the Academic Planning Council. The graduate program in communication awaits final approval of the Graduate Council, the Academic Planning Council, and the University of Southern Indiana board of trustees. Final approval will ultimately come from the state of Indiana.

Master’s Degrees PayBy: Ben Wills

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Many people can recite a long list of phenomenal women in their lives. Phenomenal women are diligently working behind the scenes and having extraordinary impacts on people’s lives for the better. A lot of phenomenal women don’t get the recognition they deserve. The University of Southern Indiana has created a way to recognize phenomenal women who promote diversity at USI and within the Evansville area.

On March 19, 2009, USI had its seventh annual Phenomenal Women of USI and the Community Recognition Ceremony. Dr. Karen Bonnell, professor of Communications at USI is on the planning committee, and says that this ceremony is beneficial because it, "it is important to be able to have a program to recognize women in all facets, not just business and education."

The ceremony recognizes women in six categories: community-at-large, USI undergraduate student, USI graduate student, USI faculty, USI administrative staff, and USI support staff. Women earn the nomination when someone fills out a nomination form available on the university’s website. To be nominated, the nominee must have made a contribution to diversity that has impacted a particular group, field, community, or humanity at large.

Dr. Bonnell emphasizes the importance of recognizing phenomenal women because, "it allows more opportunity for women to be recognized for excellence on multiple levels. These women might not

all be community leaders, but are very important to their organization or to students. It reaches women on all levels and it emphasizes the importance of diversity." This year’s honorees were Dr. Shelly Blunt, for USI faculty, Jeannie Kuebler, for USI support staff, Renee Rowland, for USI administrative staff, Amy Beard, for USI undergraduate student, Semise Harrison-Gary, for USI graduate student, and Regina Denu, Jane Kratochovil, and Sadia Ragland, all for community at large. This year’s ceremony had approximately ninety in

attendance and was held in Carter Hall in the University Center on campus. The event is always held during Women’s History Month.

All of the 2009 honorees for the Phenomenal Women of USI and the community.

Phenomenal Women at USI & in the CommunityBy: Brooke Buxton

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The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes people who have made outstanding contributions to advertising and have been active members of the advertising community.

Pam Hight, an adjunct instructor of nine years for the University of Southern Indiana, is the most recent recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Hight is a communications graduate of the University of Evansville and she earned her M.B.A. from USI.

Hight’s resume includes 30 years of experience in advertising and marketing in the Evansville area. She is proud founder and owner of Marketing and Media Services, a local public relations and advertising consulting firm. Hight enjoys teaching part-time at the

university and she is a volunteer for several nonprofit organizations in the community.

President of the AAF of Evansville, Jim Mattingly, presented Hight with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Addy Awards Night on February 19, 2009. Most AAF clubs believe presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award should be the highlight of the year because it is such a prestigious award.

Hight expressed her appreciation to all of her past and present co-workers. “We do not work in a vacuum, and you can only be as good as the people you work with,” Hight said.

Hight Honored Lifetime Achievement AwardBy: Whitney Benson

The University of Southern Indiana Department of Communications has graduated many successful students from its program. Mr. Robert Jeffers, instructor of advertising, is no stranger to this. Throughout his years at the university, Jeffers has seen many of his former students achieve prestigious job titles. He keeps in regular contact with them and loves to brag about their success.

“We offer a variety of useful classes and electives. We’re providing opportunity for them, and they’re taking it,” Jeffers said. Jeffers joined the USI faculty in 1993 after serving several years as an adjunct faculty member.

One alumnus Jeffers noted is 2004 graduate Andrew Aldenderfer, who served four seasons with the Evansville Otters Baseball Team as the Director of Promotions and Director of Ticket Sales. In 2006, Aldenderfer started working for a different team and is currently the Senior Ticket Sales Manager for Dayton Dragons Professional Baseball in Dayton, Ohio, owned by Mandalay Entertainment. In December 2008, he was also promoted to Creative Services Account Manager for Mandalay Baseball Properties. This position includes supervising creative projects for all seven baseball teams that Mandalay Entertainment owns and operates. In 2008, Aldenderfer brought in $1.2 million in ticket revenue for his team.

Aldenderfer credits much of his success to the real life work experience he gained at USI and gives the same advice to students. This not only includes maximizing the benefi ts of internships and job opportunities, but also the many helpful courses offered

by the university.

“I would suggest taking part in the campaigns courses. Those courses refl ect real life agency situations where you have to work on deadlines, budgets and with people from different backgrounds,” Aldenderfer said.

Kelli Frosch, a 2005 graduate, went on to work with some of the biggest names in music entertainment.

Frosch worked for RPM Management in Nashville, Tenn. from February 2006 through July 2007. RPM manages many musical artists, including country singer Tim McGraw. In November 2007, she became the Content Lead in Community Development for Echo, an online entertainment community dedicated to connecting fans with their favorite artists, teams, bands and each other. At Echo, she works with musical artists including Keith Urban, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, and Kelly Clarkson. She is a liaison between fans and artists, facilitates pre-ticket sales, meet and greets, and fan clubs.

“In this economy, convincing someone that they should pay $25 to join a fan club can be challenging. This is where my marketing and advertising background from USI comes into play. It’s our job to make sure

our messages are interesting and effective. With so much out there,

it’s tough to break through the noise,” Frosch said.

Let us hear your story. Contact Mary Beth Reese at mereese@usi.edu or (812) 461-5379 and let other alumni know how you are utilizing your degree to succeed.

Alumni HighlightsBy: Matthew Blikken

Frosch, upper right, with co-workers and Keith Urban, center

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Many students are looking to defray the costs of higher education. The communications department awards 19 scholarships per year to students throughout the five majors.

A notable scholarship to mention is the Mary Schroeder Scholarship. Mary Schroeder was the founding member of the communication studies department. This scholarship is awarded to one sophomore each year.

The communication studies program is growing. However, there are only three scholarships available for the program at the moment. Students needed more and this motivated a group of USI undergraduate students to obtain a fourth scholarship. The group of students working to obtain the alumni scholarship consists of Lyndsee Priest, Madeline Heine, Leslie Saunders and Brenton McDonald. Their professor, Dr. Leigh Anne Howard is overseeing the developmental process of this alumni funded scholarship.

The goal of this alumni scholarship is to be endowed. Donations from USI alumni students, current students, and businesses are going to be the primary means of funding.

Alumni members are encouraged to donate to this scholarship. Helping students who are currently

in the same program as alumni is a very rewarding experience.

The USI students that are hard at work creating the alumni scholarship are hosting a telethon during the fall semester of 2009. The date of this event is still being worked out. Alumni and students will be contacted through phone calls and direct letters to receive donations for the scholarship.

If the alumni scholarship gets endowed, it will be available for senior communication studies majors. Students must have at least a 3.0 grade point average and show community involvement. Students will be able to apply during their junior year to obtain the alumni scholarship for their senior year.

To find out how to donate, please contact Lyndsee Priest at lepriest@usieagles.org or Dr. Howard at lahoward@usi.edu. You may also call Dr. Howard during her office hours at 812-464-1731.

For a list of scholarships awarded to the communications department, please visit the Communications Department Webpage.

Alumni Scholarship AwardBy: Justin Olson

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In today’s economy, it is a real challenge for college graduates to find jobs without previous work experience or an internship, which provides work experience. The University of Southern Indiana has a department, called the Career Services and Placement, that helps students find internships and work with businesses in the development of internships.

The Career Services and Placement provides services to alumni. First, as alumni of the university, the Career Services and Placement offers job placement. They also host on-campus career fairs each spring and fall. Second, Career Services and Placement helps companies of alumni post jobs and internships online with the university, which students and alumni may view at www.usi.edu/careersv.

Pam Doerter, Coordinator and Liaison to the College of Liberal Arts, recommends that internships are

completed between a student’s junior and senior year of college. However, some seniors are taking advantage of internships after graduation in order to make themselves more marketable.

Over the period of a semester, interns work 150 hours in order to receive credit for the internship. The average student works between 10 to 12 hours per week. Strict guidelines must be followed by students, along with employers, in order to receive credit.

If you are an alumni interested in offering an internship opportunities to current students or in need of assistance, feel free to contact:

Contact Career Services and Placement:Pam Doerter, Liaison to the College Of Liberal ArtsMonday-Thursday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Office Number: 812-464-8600, ext. 1865

Internships Make a Difference

By: Amber Johnson

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For most college students, summer is a time to kick back, relax, take vacations and get away from school. But some students, much to their disappointment, must take courses during the summer in order to finish school in a timely fashion. What if

you were told that you would have to travel to Europe as part of a college course and that there is one class that has been doing so for the past five years?

Mr. Robert Jeffers LIBA 497 Cathedrals classes have toured overseas on a course-related

trip for five consecutive years. The class first

learns about the great cathedrals of Western Europe and then visits them, all while earning college credits in a course that counts as the CORE LIBA class they need to graduate.

Students in LIBA 497 have visited places that many only dream of seeing. They have traveled to London, Paris and Rome, and have seen some of the world’s greatest and most historic places including the British Museum, Notre Dame, La Louvre, the Roman Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican, which Jeffers notes, “…will take your breath away.”

This is not the trip to go on with only one roll of film or only a few batteries for your camera. Jeffers took so many pictures at the Roman Coliseum that when he finally arrived at the Vatican, his camera battery died after taking only one picture.

The Cathedrals course was not originally Jeffers’ idea. Interestingly enough, it was specifically

requested by its creator, Jay Fredrick, that when Fredrick retired, Jeffers would take over the course. The travel element of the class should be credited to Jeffers. He took this class on its first visit out of country in 2004. Summer 2009 will be his sixth year taking the trip. This summer, the Cathedrals class will be visiting London, Paris, Florence, Pisa, Assisi and Rome.

Upon completing the campus portion of the course, students fly out of Louisville to London. Then they take the Eurostar train to Paris, before traveling through the Alps to Florence, Pisa and Assisi. The class finally wraps up the trip in Rome. Students take these trips through Educational Tours, which provides a guide for the entire trip. Jeffers was very happy with last year’s tour guide, Jon Marco. He stated that Marco was, “a great guy who spoke very fluent English, French and Italian.”

“Kids that go on these trips are sharp, curious, and intelligent; most are near the top of their class,” Jeffers said. He noted that it’s wonderful his students get to go on such a trip after learning about what they will soon see and the significance of the great places they visit.

“It is the cultural experience of a lifetime, from primitive to magnificent; like black and white to color,” Jeffers said.

Cathedrals Class Travels AbroadBy: Meagan Homolla

Mr. Jeffers at Buckingham Palace in London

Sacre Couer

A gargoyle on the west side of Sacre Coure.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

This year, Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) members are applying lessons learned in the classroom to better USI’s chapter and make it an active participant on campus and in the community. PRSSA has been an organization at the University of Southern Indiana since 1996. Throughout the past 13 years, PRSSA has provided networking opportunities and aided in professional development.

The USI chapter of PRSSA is making major changes including branding themselves with the slogan “PRSSA: Publicly Exposed” and restructuring the organization in hopes to develop this recognizable presence.

The restructuring includes the addition of officers and changes to the original positions. This will allow more involvement among members and spread the workload so that PRSSA will be more efficient.

With the reorganization and branding of the chapter, current members will increase the activities that PRSSA is involved with. The organization currently hosts the communications department cookout in the fall, attends the national conference and invites guest speakers to campus to benefit members and enable them to learn more about the field of public relations.

“We have a strategic plan laid out for the next year and a half to move the chapter into a role of leadership among other PRSSA chapters and campus organizations,” said Brooks Cooper, president of USI’s

PRSSA chapter.

With these changes, members of PRSSA hope to benefit from achieving the goal of the organization, which is to develop and improve public relations skills and network with professionals in the field.

How Can You Help?At this time, the chapter is establishing a

database containing information about USI alumni who work in the public relations field or professionals who are members of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Creating this database will help students keep alumni informed about the organization’s activities and allow for more networking opportunities and guest speakers on campus.

If you are an alumnus in the field of public relations or a PRSA member in the community who has an interest in providing information for the database or volunteering to speak with students, please contact the faculty advisor, Gael Cooper, at gcooper@usi.edu or 812-465-7136 or PRSSA vice president of history and alumni, Koryn Heeke, at knheeke@usieagles.org or 812-639-0440.

Branding for a Better TomorrowPRSSA: Publicly Exposed

By: Koryn Heeke

PRSSA members attend “Half a Day With a Pro” in Indianapolis.

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Four University of Southern Indiana students have received awards for works published in The Shield, USI’s on-campus newspaper.

In December 2008, the Hoosier State Press Association held their annual Better Newspaper Contest in Indianapolis, Ind. Students put together a packet of their works to be judged and were allowed one entry per category. Andrew Foster and Seth Grundhoefer received awards at this event.

“I am really proud that they are being recognized for their hard work,” said Erin Gibson, advisor for The Shield, instructor of journalism and USI alumna.

Foster’s story, “Warm Welcome Defies Bitter Cold,” won second place in the Best Feature Story category. Foster is an English major, with a minor in journalism. This is his first year on The Shield, serving as the Opinion Editor. He is currently interning at the Evansville Courier & Press in the sports department.

Grundhoefer’s story, “‘Allergen’ Mold Cleaned from O’Bannon Hall,” received third place in the Best News Story category. Grundhoefer is a journalism major, with a radio and television minor. This is his second year with The Shield, serving as the Managing Editor. He was an intern at SABIC during the fall and is now an intern at the Evansville Courier & Press in the editorial department.

At a separate conference, Travis Snyder and Jon Webb received awards from the Indiana Collegiate Press Association. This event took place in March 2009 at Indiana University. Snyder and Gibson attended the

conference, which also included journalism training sessions.

Snyder’s story, “3.986 GPA = Magna Cum Not Enougha,” received second place in the Best Non-Deadline News Reporting category. Snyder is a journalism major. This is his first year with The Shield and is on staff as the Assistant News Editor. He is an intern at the Evansville Courier & Press in the editorial department.

Webb’s story, “You Gotta Get a Grip,” received first place in the Best News Feature category. Webb is an English major with a journalism minor. He serves as the Editor in Chief for The Shield.

“I love that four different students were able to win state awards,” Gibson said. “It shows the depth of our talent at The Shield this year.”

Along with individual students, The Shield as a whole won two awards as well. The Shield received third place for The Roach Edition (40th Anniversary) in the Best Special Issue category and third place for Best Staff Editorial for “Shield Endorsements.”

“The awards serve as recognition of the students work and dedication,” Gibson said. “My goal is for them to continue improving, and I want to see more students writing award winning type stories to fill the paper.”

State Recognition Awarded to Journalism StudentsBy: Melody Boots

Travis Snyder (left) and Jon Webb (right)Andrew Foster (left) and Seth Grundhoefer (right)

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John Morris, instructor of radio and television, is producing a series of radio dramas based on tri-state veterans’ experiences in World War II. The series combines interviews conducted by WNIN producer and director, Wayne Aldredge. The radio drama was previously aired on WNIN with radio drama performed by students with majors in radio and TV, theatre, and other majors.

“Radio drama is the telling a story only through the use of audio. It’s the compiling of dialogue, music and sound effects to tell a story. Because there are no pictures, we get what has been called theatre of the mind,” Morris said. With the use of actors, the dramas help the audience visualize the story being told.

Production of the series is still in early stages, with five episodes to be recorded this semester. After recording, post production, such as editing out excess noise and adding sound effects, will be completed by December. Morris predicts the dramas to debut Memorial Day 2010 on USI’s AM radio station, 820 the Edge. He also plans to make the dramas available to the families of the veterans interviewed, the Veterans History Project, USI’s Rice Library archives, and WNIN. The dramas will be available for download on www.820theEdge.com

Morris said he has always held an interest in World War II. He drew inspiration for this project from Ken Burns’ documentary, The War, and

WNIN’s TV interviews with tri-state veterans. The motivation behind the dramas is the Veterans History Project, an effort led by the Library of Congress that asks for American war veterans and civilians who supported them to volunteer their memories.

According to Morris, there are many things that set this war apart from others. Not only was the United States attacked “on our turf,” but there

were two war fronts at the same time. The media exposed the war to everyone by bringing it “into the living rooms.” American civilians also made many personal sacrifices and “our way of life was in danger.” Morris said the interviews tell the whole experience starting with the draft notice through the soldiers’ return home.

“Veterans of World War II have incredible stories to tell. They have been called the greatest generation because

of what they have faced. These guys were 18 to 20 years old when the war happened and that’s the age of the students I advise,” Morris said.

Morris received funding for the project through a grant from the College of Liberal Arts Faculty Development Award program.

Continued on Following Page

War Front Recaptured in Airwaves By: Christie Clark

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Professor and producer John Morris, directs student and actor Mick Joest through the script during recording.

The following is an excerpt of the tentative script for the first episode. It was developed from the experiences of Guy Stephens, a private in the 423 Army unit. It takes place at the Battle of the Bulge in the European Theatre. Stephens was found and captured in the Battle of the Bulge. He spent about five months in the prisoner-of-war camps. This is part of his story:

They just kept killing and capturing. We got broken up into our own outfits. I managed to, thank God, stay out of their clutches until the evening of the 19th. Four days of nothing to eat, and cold and boots full of mud and water where’d you try to cross the rivers and things. They’d see a group of you there and they’d fire the 88’s. They were on tanks and they shot them like a rifle and they’d hit a tree. And them tree bursts were the worst. It throws the shrapnel like that. If it hits the ground first it goes up like this. Anyway, on the 19th during one of the bursts a piece of shrapnel went through my leg. It didn’t hit no bones, but cut a big gash through the fleshy meat.

(SFX gun fire, shelling continues) Ed Guy, how’s your leg? Guy It’s alright. I’ll be fine. What’s worse, I’m out of food. Ed Four days on the run now. This is getting bad. Guy I wonder if we’ll ever get any air support so we can make it out of here. Staff sergeant Not unless those clouds break. Otherwise, we’re on our own.

Ed Guy, I’ve got one can of c-rations. You want some? Guy Yeah, but then what? Ed After this, I’m out. I’m about out of ammo, I’ve got just a few bullets in my

clip. Staff sergeant Guys, we’ve been here four days…and it’s time. We haven’t heard from

HQ…we’re out of food, out of ammo and it’s too damn cold to try to survive here. We’re surrendering.

Guy Morrison, you sure? Staff sergeant It’s our only chance. Anybody got something for a white flag? Soldier Here, take my t-shirt. Staff sergeant Alright. Everyone stay here. If I don’t come back, you’ll need to decide what

to do next. Guy Good luck. Ed Man, I don’t like this. Surrendering to the Nazis. Guy Not much choice…look, he’s about to step into the clearing.

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Many students are familiar with social media, such as Facebook and YouTube, as a source of entertainment and networking. The communications department at the University of Southern Indiana is incorporating these familiar mediums into the classroom.

Faculty members from the communications department have been utilizing YouTube to show video clips as a reference for lectures. Several are embracing this new medium and relishing in all it has to offer.

Dr. Chad Tew has been employing the benefits of several social media in the classroom. He is particularly proud to be using Twitter, a development in social media that is rapidly growing in popularity. This particular medium is text message and web based and allows its users to send and receive status updates, called “tweets,” from a computer or cell phone.

Dr. Tew has recently begun to use Twitter in his online journalism class. He asks each of his students to create an account on Twitter to track 14 WFIE, one of Evansville’s news stations, and follow the reporters via the medium as they piece together the day’s newscast.

“By using various mediums, such as Twitter, in the classroom, students learn to adapt their writing for each specific medium,” Dr. Tew says. “This is going to be important knowledge when moving into a career in the world of media.”

Social media is not only utilized in the classroom, but the university has created a Twitter account, as well as USI blogs for students, faculty, and alumni. The university blogs allow their users to personalize their pages with a large selection of backgrounds. These blogs can be found online at http://student.myusi.org and http://falculty.myusi.org.

The on-campus radio station, 820 The Edge, and television newscast, Access USI, have also begun to use social media to market their productions.

“Social media gives us more popularity and more outlets to market our work,” Kyle Rupert, director of promotions at 820 The Edge said. “When we began using Facebook and YouTube as media, the hits on our official web page jumped.”

You can find the campus radio station on YouTube at www.youtube.com/820theedge.

Access USI has also seen a rise in numbers, as many students become more familiar with the show. Some people may find themselves in Access USI’s video

footage that not only goes on the air live on Thursdays, but can be viewed at any time via the news station’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/accessusi.

What used to be limited to campus is now beginning to go international in the form of social media. While campus-wide media helps spread the word to the immediate area, the Facebook and YouTube pages of both campus media and communications have been viewed by several different countries.

“The cast and crew are thrilled to be able to push their productions and get their ideas on a platform that is not only on campus, but is internationally available,” Dr. David

Black, advisor to Access USI said.

Do You Tweet?By Lori Cotton

Dr. Chad Tew speaks to his class about media communications.

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Kristy Miles’ passion to work in the field of fashion and and her degree in public relations drew her to design her own career. Miles then went on to Chicago and earned a bachelor’s degree in fashion marketing & management from the Institute of Art-Chicago. Miles is now in Louisville, Ky. with Banana Republic working on their event planning, styling and networking with the community. Besides working for Banana Republic, she freelances for Retro Louisville magazine as a Fashion Coordinator. Retro Louisville magazine is a high-end entertainment magazine for Louisville, Ky. It covers national concerts, local events, travel, restaurants and fashion. Miles is also in the process of creating her own web site to become a wardrobe therapist and personal shopper. Miles will go to a client’s home and get rid of outdated fashions in their closet. Afterwards, she will go shopping with them to show better fashion choices.

During the Kentucky Derby 2009, Miles was on the red carpet for the Derby Spectacular party hosted by Kim Kardashian. She interviewed celebrities going to the party and asked them their input on fashion. She would ask what designers they are wearing, what current trends they like and what trends they think will be ‘in’ this summer.

While in Chicago, she worked for three high-end designers, helping them with their public relations and networking. She found ways to connect the designers with high-end boutiques in the Chicago area through networking. She worked with Christopher Augmon, a handbag designer, Lisa Rosen, a jewelry designer, and Anna Fong, who designs ready to wear fashions and outfitted Kimora Lee Simmons on her reality TV show, “Life in the Fab Lane.”

Miles was president of University of Southern Indiana chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America her senior year of college. She credits her experience with this organization in helping her know how to interact with people while networking and event planning. Miles said that the public relations writing classes at USI were also crucial in helping her in the real word, especially now that she is writing for a magazine.

“Without the foundation of going to USI and the knowledge of public relations from Dr. Wandel and Dr. Cooper, I wouldn’t have had the focus of what to do with my life and I’m forever grateful for the opportunities provided to me at USI,” Miles said.

Designing a CareerBy: Brooke Buxton

Photographer, Steven Cohen--Retro Louisville MagazineKristy Miles interviews reality TV star Kim Kardashian at the Derby Spectacular party, while working for Retro Louisville magazine.

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Saturday, May 09, 2009Graduation Celebration Reception & Dinner6:00 PMFor more information, contact Nancy Johnson

Sunday, June 07, 2009Alumni Family Picnic4:00 PMFor more information, contact Nancy Johnson

Sunday, June 14, 2009Saint Louis Alumni Family Picnic6:00 PMFor more information, contact Nancy Johnson

Thursday, June 18, 2009Indianapolis USI Alumni After-Hours6:00 PMFor more information, contact Nancy Johnson

Saturday, June 20, 2009USI Day at Churchill Downs11:30 AMFor more information, contact Nancy Johnson

Saturday, July 25, 2009USI Night with the Evansville Otters6:00 PMFor more information, contact Nancy Johnson

Saturday, August 08, 2009USI Alumni & Entering Student Picnic at the Indianapolis Indians Baseball Game5:30 PMFor more information, contact Nancy Johnson

Friday, August 21, 2009Indianapolis USI Scholarship Golf Scramble1:00 AMFor more information, contact Nancy Johnson

Saturday, August 29, 2009USI Day at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari9:30 AMFor more information, contact Nancy Johnson

Friday, September 18, 2009Alumni Fun Golf Scramble11:30 AMFor more information, contact Nancy Johnson

Friday, November 13, 2009High School Media DayFor more information, contact Dr. Gale L .Cooper

Monday, December 07, 2009Lighting A Tradition7:00 PMFor more information, contact Lisa Schaefer

Upcoming Alumni EventsFor reservations, call 812/464-1924.

The University’s Alumni Association is only as strong as the alumni community it serves. As USI continues to grow we remain committed to cultivating and serving

that community. We’re sure your time on campus was special and we’re here to help maintain your connection to the university, your fellow classmates, and professors.

Please visit our Web site and update your information.

EditorsBrooke BuxtonLauren TraceySarah Karsten

DesignersAaron Carnal Amber JohnsonBen Wills

University of Southern Indiana8600 University BoulevardEvansville IN, 47712-3596

Phone 812/464-1855Fax 812/4657152Advisor

Mary Beth Reese