Alumnus credits BG News for making him a better journalist

Bob Moser, ’06

Bob Moser, ’06

by Lindsey Gump
Public Relations Student

A quick decision freshman year led alumnus Bob Moser to an illustrious journalism career in São Paulo, Brazil, and Orlando, Florida.

Moser did not dream of becoming a journalist growing up.  In fact, he almost became a sports management major instead.

“I kind of just flipped a coin and it landed on journalism.  I chose that knowing I could change it later freshman year if I wanted to,” he said.

Moser decided to stick with journalism about midway through his first year, when he became interested in a series of stories by the Toledo Blade called “Tiger Force.”  The Pulitzer Prize-winning series detailed the atrocities of an elite US army platoon during the Vietnam War.

“I thought it was an example of how reporters could solve decades-old mysteries and crimes and make a difference,” he said.

Nancy Brendlinger, associate professor at BGSU, described Moser as bright and determined.

“He was just a hard worker.  Sometimes I wondered if he slept,” she said.

Moser said he learned the most from working at the BG News.  He was editor-in-chief of the paper his senior year.

“At the BG News, I made some mistakes, but I had a lot of good breakthrough moments and made a lot of friends.  That’s where I got the experience of writing good stories and having kids in class recognize them,” he said.

Brendlinger remembered Moser as a good editor, who spent most of his time working on the paper.

“He was very committed to the BG News, and when he was the editor, he worked really hard with the younger students.  He tried really hard to be a good mentor,” she said.

After college, Moser’s first job was a working as business reporter in Lafayette, Louisiana.  In 2007, he won the World Affairs Journalism Fellowship by the International Center for Journalists, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C.

With the fellowship, Moser went to Brazil for two weeks to write a 14-story series on sugarcane ethanol, which later won an Associated Press Media Editors Award.

“Before those two weeks ended, I decided I was going to move there,” Moser said.

Moser met his future wife while writing the story, and he moved to São Paulo, Brazil, in 2008.  He worked as a business reporter for several US and British news outlets.

He moved back to the United States in March 2015, settling in Orlando, Florida.  Since Florida is the closest state to Brazil, it has a large population of Brazilian tourists and residents.  Thus, Moser’s ability to speak Portuguese is more valuable there.  It also makes visiting Brazil a lot easier.

In Orlando, Moser works at GrowthSpotter, a new business news product from the Orlando Sentinel Media Group.  It focuses on early-stage property acquisition and development in the Orlando area.

“I put puzzles together every day.  The level at which we write stories is, we write them at such an early stage that the buyers, the sellers, they don’t want the news public, usually.  We don’t work off press releases.  Everything we do is exclusive,” Moser said.

His competitive nature helps in his job, because he has to be the first one to report the news, or it is no longer exclusive.

“He’s really dedicated to his job.  He really thinks what he’s doing is very important and he is still quite competitive in that sense.  He really works hard to be the first person to get that news out,” Brendlinger said.

BGSU senior Hannah Benson went with Brendlinger to Orlando for the Society of Professional Journalists Excellence in Journalism Conference in September 2015.

One night, they had a dinner with Moser.  Benson described him as soft-spoken and intelligent.

“He was very quiet, but if you asked him a question, he had no problem talking about it,” she said.

Benson said se she was feeling a bit discouraged at the conference, but seeing Moser’s passion for his job helped ease her worry about finding a job after graduating.

“Just talking with him and seeing that if you put in the effort and are willing to strive for your passion, it will go somewhere.  It might take a while, but something will come of it.  It just requires hard work thinking outside the box,” she said.

Similarly, Moser’s advice for BGSU journalism students is to work hard and often.

“Whatever you want to do in journalism, there’s a couple 100,000 kids the same age in the same classes across the country that want the same thing,” he said. “You need to separate yourself from the pack, and the only way to do that is to not just turn off your Xbox One or PS4, but to get it out of your life and go live at the BG News or live at BG24.”

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BG News Alumni Society Officer Profiles

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Bill Estep, ’77

PRESIDENT: Bill Estep
by Jen Reiss
Reporting Student

He was there in the beginning when the BG News Alumni Society formed in 2002 and now he is back.

Bill Estep, ’77, is bringing new life to the group as the new president.

He is at the front of the partnership between past and current students and plans on involving alumni in student engagement more than ever in the organization’s 15-year history.

Holding the organization accountable with strong goals and continuous involvement is Estep’s mindset for his time as president.

The society had been inactive for the last several years so in September 2016 co-founder and current BG News Society treasurer, Bob Bortel, ’77, felt that it was time to reorganize the society, and Estep was just the man to lead the movement.

“Bill has a passion for the university and has a special place in his heart for The BG News and what it meant to him as a student and tries to give back to the students by enriching their experience,” Bortel said.

One place Estep has worked hard is in honoring the memory of an alumnus and friend, Terry Goodman, who died of cancer at age 40. Goodman was a sports reporter and writer for The BG News and continued with a career in print journalism after graduating in 1978.

The society introduced the Terry Goodman Scholarship in 2011 for both a current BGSU student who is staffed on The BG News along with a high school senior who plans on attending Bowling Green and working for the student-run paper. The scholarship, however, had yet to be fully funded. That changed with Estep at the helm.

“That personal connection really just resonated when Bill took the president position,” said Jared Wadley, ’89, who serves as the current vice president of the

organization. “All the presidents who have been a part of the society have done a good job. One of the factors this time around was a greater effort that Bill wanted to get this scholarship program off the ground.”

Estep began working for the BG News as a sophomore, working his way up through the system by his senior year.

“I became the sports editor my junior year and they didn’t know what to do with me by my senior year so they made me the executive sports editor,” he said. “We had a really good staff. The 1970s was the height of the interest in journalism. It was right after Watergate and investigative journalism was hot back then.”

Estep did an internship at the Dayton Journal Harold in the summer of 1975 and The Blade in the summer of 1976. He also worked part time during his senior year at The Sentinel Tribune when he wrote about high school sports.

After graduating in 1977, Estep had a successful 10-year print journalism career that took him to Fort Wayne, Columbus and Toledo.

He also worked at Ohio University as an editor/writer of the campus paper and The Ohio State University as the advertising manager of their campus paper as well.

Most recently, he decided that it was time to put his knowledge of writing, editing and advertising all under one umbrella, thus Estep Media Solutions was born.

“Print is kind of a dying breed,” Estep said. “I wanted to keep doing something related and I always wanted to learn how to design websites.”

Estep Media Solutions creates logos and websites for local businesses in the Columbus area.

“I learned some of the basics and mechanics of web design from wix.com,” he said. “I was also the photo editor at Ohio University and supervised the photographers.”

While Estep is trying his best to move with the times and keep updated with technology, he does not want to lose touch with his love for print and BGSU.

“I had a great experience working for The BG News and I still keep touch with several individuals that I worked with in the 70s, and I think that the feeling is mutual,” Estep said. “I got a great education, which laid a great foundation for the rest of my career, so I owe a lot to Bowling Green.”

Jared Wadley, ’89

Jared Wadley, ’89

VICE PRESIDENT: Jared Wadley
by Phillip Zulli
Reporting Student

Jared Wadley, the newly selected Vice President of the BG News Alumni Society, looks to give back to students who fill the shoes where he once stood.

“I just want to give back to the BG News, the Department of Journalism and Public Relations and the BGSU community for getting me to where I am today,” the 1989 graduate said.

The Toledo native began his journey at BGSU in 1985. As a journalism major, Wadley immersed himself in student publications, reporting for The BG News, serving as an editor for The Obsidian and writing for Miscellany magazine.

“He was one of those students who really had a focus on what he wanted to do,” Robert Bortel, director of student media, said.

Wadley’s heavy involvement in university journalism led him to an internship at the Flint Journal where he was eventually offered a full-time job as a business, retail and economic development reporter. He later accepted a similar position at The Press Enterprise, in Riverside, California.

Old contacts and family led Wadley back to Michigan in 2002 where he accepted a public relations representative position at the University of Michigan. He currently holds the title of Senior Public Relations Representative for the university and handles pitches and press releases for social science departments on campus. Additionally, Wadley assists the press with set up and operations before and during media events on campus.

Wadley’s position within the BG News Alumni Society allows him to interact with students and act as their mentor. The goal of the mentoring program is to help the journalism students discover which field or career they would like to pursue. Wadley currently works with two students, helping them to practice important professional skills such as interviewing and job searching. He also conducts resume workshops and provides feedback on their media packages.

“The encouragement, advice and possible job leads from those already in journalism, broadcast and public relations can make a huge difference in one’s future,” Wadley said.

Being a journalism mentor isn’t the only way Wadley gives back to the university. He frequently returns to speak about public relations in classrooms, including those of professor Terry Rentner.

“I knew him throughout the years just as an alum,” Rentner said. “He would always come back for alumni activities and we would have him in the classroom every once in a while. I liked for him to talk to our students about PR,” Rentner said.

Wadley also takes part in an NFL engagement program here on campus called the Sports Journalism and Communications Boot Camp. The goal of this professional workshop is to prepare current and past NFL players for jobs in journalism after their sports careers have ended.

Wadley initially volunteered his time as a speaker for the Crisis Management in Public Relations session. He now works as an adviser to players throughout the duration of the workshop.

Wadley finds time within his busy schedule for he and his dog Legend to visit children’s and VA hospitals to provide patients with social, emotional and physical benefits through pet therapy. This weekly tradition has been maintained by the pair since 2010. Wadley, who has jokingly coined himself a, “dog whisperer,” said that even a small interaction with a dog can help patients destress while in the hospital.

He often sees patients before a surgery or procedure to help calm their nerves. Wadley and Legend also go to libraries and schools. Wadley encourages reading by having young students read to Legend.

“Sometimes interacting with a therapy dog is the right medicine to improve a person’s mental and physical health,” he said. “Just a few minutes with these well-trained, obedient dogs can lower one’s blood pressure and reduce anxiety and depression.”

Danae King, ’14

Danae King, ’14

SECRETARY: Danae King
by Hannah Reddington
Reporting Student

Journalism alumna Danae King said she is thrilled to be volunteering at the place where she got her start.

King, 2014, was recently selected secretary of the BG News Alumni Society.

Members of BG News Alumni Society decided to revitalize its 15-year-old program that had been on a hiatus the last couple years. The revamp is creating new opportunities for students to connect with graduates like King who are working in journalism.

Anyone who was a member of the BG News can be in the alumni society but only certain people get asked to be a member of the board.

As a member of the board, King has a female student that she is mentoring and helps the alumni society plan events.

“The idea is that we are there to help in anyway [the student] needs. I can read her stories, give her advice on her resume and give her an idea of what clips I think would be good,” King explained.

As the society makes more plans, King said she is optimistic to see what they can do in the future.

“I just really love the BG News. So I was really excited to get asked to do this and to be a part of the organization.”

King said her love for the BG News started her first day of college and her passion for writing developed early while growing up in the small town of Tipp City, Ohio.

“I was a really shy child, so I loved to read and that really translated into a love for writing,” she said. “I used to write all kinds of stories and I was on Power of the Pen.”

Through high school, King said she dreamed of becoming a novelist but thought a career in journalism seemed more practical.

Her junior year of high school she started working for The Tippecanoe Gazette and gained valuable reporting experience that prepared her for college.

When it came time to look at colleges, King considered BGSU. “First of all, my dad went there, I’m very sentimental.”

When she visited BG, she said fell in love.  “Jim Foust toured me around the journalism department and he showed me the BG News newsroom,” King said. “It was in West Hall then. It had ugly puke green walls and the diseased couch.  I teared up a little bit because it just felt like home.”

During her senior year at the BG News she served as editor-in-chief. King said she learned everything she knows through that experience.

“The BG News made me the journalist that I am today,” she said. “I was often there from like 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. working all the time. It was just kind of my life when I was in school.”

King also credits her mentors in college like Student Media Director, Bob Bortel, with her success.

“In some respects she was probably hard to work for because she had very high standards,” Bortel said. “She expected everyone else to be like she was and people aren’t like that. In the process though, it helped raise the level of quality overall.”

Associate Professor, Dr. Nancy Brendlinger, taught King in several classes, where she proved to be a great journalist and through independent study, they discovered they had a common interest in women’s issues. King loved the topic so much she made it her minor.

“By the time she graduated, we were friends. The thing that sets her apart from most other students was her inability to stay on the surface,” Brendlinger said.

Following graduation, King did an inaugural internship at the Baltimore Sun as their first Mary J. Corey intern, honoring the paper’s first female editor-in-chief.

“I was the only paid intern and I was given a lot of autonomy,” King said. “I reported on a lot of women’s issues, wrote on education issues and some business articles too. It was a really great experience.”

Currently, King holds the position of metro/general assignment reporter at The Columbus Dispatch, where she also interned in college.

King may do all kinds of stories now but she said her true passion is women’s and gender issues, which she hopes to write on full time someday.

She wrote on her personal website: “I want to make a difference in people’s lives and create change when necessary. I want my reporting, and the work of the publication I work for, to investigate issues and report facts that will help people live better.”

 

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PR students learn from alumnae in Columbus

A group of PRSSA members took a day-trip to Columbus on March 31 to network with two alumnae. The students met with past PRSSA President Anna Crabill, ’16, at her job at Adept Marketing, where she works as an Inbound Marketing Strategist. Crabill shared agency life details with the group. The students also met with Shirley O’Nan Blaine, ’13, to learn about her job with the Columbus Zoo.  Blaine took the students around the zoo and shared the ins and outs of social media for a non-profit. The group of 10 students was accompanied by PRSSA adviser Julie Hagenbuch.

prssa and crabill

Past PRSSA President Anna Crabill, ’16, with the group.

prssa and onan

Shirley O’Nan Blaine, ’13, with the group.

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New professor settling into job of teaching multimedia skills

By Haley Yuhas
Reporting Student

With the sequence change from print to multiplatform, the department had been looking for someone who could help take the program to the next level.  They have found that with new faculty member Saif Shahin.

“One of the things we were really looking for in the position was someone who knew the new technology, knew how to do it, and had actually used the new technology while they were reporters,” retired journalism professor Nancy Brendlinger said. Brendlinger chaired the search committee that hired Shahin.

Shahin, who is currently teaching multimedia reporting and online journalism, is settling into to the position. “The faculty is great,” Shain said. “Everyone has been very helpful.”

Students are also enjoying having Shahin in the classroom. “He’s very personable and makes sure every single student understands the content he’s teaching before he moves on,” sophomore journalism major Melissa Noel said. “He’s very helpful if I have to ask him a question outside of class or during office hours, which is great because I don’t have much experience with technology.”

Serving as one of four panelists on the  Toledo Press Club's forum on fake news, new assistant professor Saif Shahin shares a his perspective on  how journalists might establish their credibility.  The forum was held on Feb. 25 at the Toledo Public Library.

Serving as one of four panelists on the Toledo Press Club’s forum on fake news, new assistant professor Saif Shahin shares a his perspective on how journalists might establish their credibility. The forum was held on Feb. 25 at the Toledo Public Library.

Shahin said he plans to help journalism and public relations students increase their online presence in order to make themselves more marketable. “A lot of research shows journalists who have created a brand for themselves online are being preferred,” Shahin said.

Shahin’s journalism education started in India, where he earned a bachelor’s in journalism at the University of Delhi. He then traveled to the United Kingdom for his master’s. Currently, he is finishing his doctorate at The University of Texas-Austin while teaching here.

“In Omen and Qatar I wrote in English on regional politics,” he said. “In England, I had two internships with BBC and had some of my stories got published online.”

Shahin was competing with incredible talent, but he was a top candidate the whole time, Brendlinger said. Shahin had both research in technology and professional experience in the industry.

“He had the modern tools,” Brendlinger said.  “He had them all and he taught them. He had excellent teaching evaluations at Texas.”

Shahin liked that at BGSU the department is housed within the School of Media and Communication. They are two separate entities at the University of Texas-Austin. He said he was also impressed with the converging media and digitalization of its individual parts.

Due to the strong pool of candidates, Shahin went through a series of interviews before being offered the job. “It was a very long process,” he said.

Moving to a new country to study and teach is not without its challenges. “I miss my family a lot,” Shahin said.  “We stay in touch on the phone or Skype and that makes it easier. But, it’s obviously not the same thing.”

Being the new guy in Bowling Green has also left him missing his friends in Austin. “I used to live in graduate housing and it was fun to be around close friends, hanging out with them, ”  Shahin said.  “Austin also has a vibrant cultural life, a great live music scene and some excellent restaurants serving international cuisine – especially Indian. I enjoyed all of it and giving it up has been a big adjustment,”

Coming up on the end of his first year, Shahin said he beginning to make friends within the department. He said his favorite place in Bowling Green is the Kuhlin Center, the new home of the School of Media and Communication as of fall 2016. He said he has become friends with faculty and student and that is where they all are at.

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Broadcast alum is the face of Northwest Ohio sports

Jordan Strack, ’08

Jordan Strack, ’08

By Alex Schiavone
Reporting Student

From doing play-by-play in the stands at the Toledo Sports Arena during his youth, to being sports anchor for WTOL Toledo News 11, Jordan Strack has always had one dream: to be on television.

“Ever since third grade, all I wanted to do was be on television,” Strack said.

Sports was always a priority in the Strack house, especially hockey. Whether it was waking up before the sun rose for practice and games or playing in the living room with his younger brothers, Logan and Riley, hockey was always there.

“Looking back, we never had a ton of money as a family and hockey was expensive,” Strack said. “My parents worked their hardest and did whatever it took to make us happy.”

Strack was never the best athlete, so playing sports after high school wasn’t in the cards for him. He chose a career path where he knew he would excel. That path led him to study broadcast journalism.

He chose BGSU not only for the great journalism program, but for its proximity to home.

The Falcon alum said, “BGSU was far enough from home for me to have my college experience, but still be close enough to visit regularly.”

During his time at BGSU, Strack worked at Buckeye Cable Sports Network in Toledo. He worked the cameras, did replays and contributed anyway he could. That changed when his boss, Greg Franke, gave the then 20-year-old Strack a shot to cover an indoor soccer game.

“I was nervous and my suit was too big,” Strack said. “But, moments like those helped me get to where I am today.”

One faculty member who helped Strack was Kathy Bradshaw. “I looked at him and called him Shrek,” she recalled of one of their first encounters. This created a laughter among the two of them and the rest of the diversity class that day.

“She helped me so much,” Strack said.“She is so smart and she always knew what she was talking about.”

Nine years out of college, he stays connected with Bradshaw and regularly returns to campus to speak with her classes.

In 2008, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Strack started at WTOL News 11 Toledo immediately after his graduation as the weekend sports anchor.

“I love the people and environment here,” he said. “There aren’t days where I don’t enjoy going to work. The best part about it is that I get to talk about sports for a living. Its cliché but it is so true.”

Dan Cummins, sports director at WTOL News 11 Toledo, works closely with Strack.

“He’s a lot of fun,” Cummins said. “Over the years we’ve become great friends. I love having him in the newsroom, we joke around and have a lot of laughs. But, when it’s go time, he’s the best there is to work with and is very efficient getting stories done.”

Among Strack’s career highlights are the two World Series, the 2014 Ohio State National Championship in Dallas, the Stanley Cup Final, and the yearly coverage of the Ohio State vs. Michigan game.

His greatest memory, though, was the opportunity to interview legendary Detroit Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell.

“Ernie Harwell was the reason I got into broadcast,” Strack said. “When I was young and the Tigers had day games, I would turn on the radio, go into the backyard and play baseball while listening to him cover the game.”

Among his many feature stories one that stands out was his story on Brent Darah, the first transgendered athlete in Bowling Green State University history.

“Getting to know Brent and learning the intricacies of what he went through was incredible and eye-opening.”

When Strack isn’t on the television delivering the daily sports, he spends his time doing “dad stuff,” like picking up his daughter from kindergarten or taking her to dance class.

“She is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” he said. I am always busy and trying to keep up, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

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Student media director promotes Toledo Press Club event

Bob Bortel, director of student media, has been busy promoting a Toledo Press Club panel on fake news that will be held Feb. 25. Bortel, who was featured on WTOL-11 in Toledo on the morning show, will moderate the panel of local journalists, including BGSU assistant professor Saif Shahin.  The panel discussion is part of a series of Pressing Issues forums designed to discuss issues of relevance to regional media and public relations practitioners.Screen Shot 2017-02-23 at 6.03.47 PM

 

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Alum Taurence Armstrong impressed with new Kuhlin Center

2009 BGSU Broadcast Journalism graduate and current ABC News producer Taurence Armstrong recently visited the new home of Journalism and Public Relations. He came away very impressed, and hopes current students are as well. He also talked about his time at BGSU, and offered advice for current students seeking a career in journalism and public relations.

Armstrong is currently a producer for ABC’s What Would You Do? news magazine.

 

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Alumnus interviews Donald Trump during Hall of Fame stop

Jason Rentner interviws Donald Trump

Jason Rentner ’09, director of digital and social media for the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame, interviews Donald Trump, who visited the HOF Wednesday. Rentner incorporated the interview into a short video he created of Trump’s visit to the sports museum. Photo provided.

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Kuhlin Center Ribbon Cutting

Kuhlin Center

Kuhlin Center

Bowling Green State University invites BGSU Media and Communication alumni and friends to the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the opening of the Michael & Sara Kuhlin Center (formerly South Hall), new home of the BGSU School of Media & Communication.

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Get with the Program

This gallery contains 6 photos.

Almost 50 incoming students are joining BGSU’s Department of Journalism and Public Relations. “Get with the Program” gave students the chance to meet one another, see the new Kuhlin Center facilities and learn about student media and the Journalism and Public … Continue reading

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Broadcast professor gains knowledge about television news coverage abroad through German fellowship

Kathy Bradshaw

Kathy Bradshaw in Germany as part of the RIAS Berlin Kommission Fellow.

Kathy Bradshaw, associate professor, spent a small portion of her summer in Germany and Belgium as a RIAS Berlin Kommission Fellow learning about politics, economics and broadcast journalism in Germany and Europe. With 11 commercial and public, local and network, radio and television broadcast journalists from the United States, Bradshaw, was the only academic fellow.

The RIAS Fellows heard presentations from commercial and government-supported television stations about news coverage and constraints.

One of the biggest, on-going stories in Germany has been the more than 1 million refugees accepted into a country of 80 million citizens.

The 12 Fellows visited refugee centers and talked with refugees and people helping them through the process of becoming German citizens. The refugees said they were eager to learn the German language and become productive contributors. The head of a German think tank explained current approaches to integrating the mostly Moslem and mostly Middle Eastern refugees into German society.

“The extraordinary compassion that moved German Chancellor Angela Merkel to admit the refugees is all the more remarkable when you consider the cost, the backlash, and the possible political cost to her,” Bradshaw said.

The first step is teaching refugees a level of German language proficiency sufficient to go to work. That coincides with preparing sometimes entirely homogeneous communities to welcome the German-speaking refugees. Bradshaw explained that they are figuring out this process on the fly. It has become more practical and more effective as it has been fine-tuned and as the flow of refugees has slowed, she said.

The Fellows learned about the terrorist threat in Germany from Thomas Volk of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. He described the threat of terrorism in Germany and offered an agenda for countering that threat.

His research showed that more than 700 people have traveled to Islamic State-controlled territory. In Germany, the Islamic State recruits on the Internet, in some mosques, through sports organizations, and in prisons.

He suggested the need for a nationwide program to counter the recruiting. “A historical-critical exegesis of the Quran, an expansion of Islamic religious education in schools, increased use of German as the medium in which sermons are delivered in mosques, employment of more Muslim chaplains [in prisons], as well as websites aimed at young people that promote considered Islam can counter the alarming trend of increasing Islamist radicalization,” he wrote.

The RIAS fellows had off-the-record briefings from the U.S. ambassador to Germany, a German official with national security responsibilities, NATO experts, and European Union officials. “Those briefings gave me a visceral appreciation for the way in which the U.S. geographic isolation from military threat has formed public views and of the vital importance of the NATO alliance,” Bradshaw said.

About her two-week experience, Bradshaw said the RIAS fellow was incomparable. “I was fortunate to be invited to attend the RIAS Kommission Awards, and I am grateful to have shared the experiences with journalists from across the U.S.,” she said.

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School of Media and Communication seeking two Instructors

School of Media and Communication
Instructor, Social Media

The School of Media and Communication at Bowling Green State University invites applications for a full-time, renewable, non-tenure track faculty position. Primary teaching responsibilities at the undergraduate level with possibility of teaching selected courses in the graduate program. Teaching will be in the area of social media such as social media campaigns, interactive media and advertising, social media for journalism and public relations. The position may include supervision of student media groups as well as responsibility for the school’s social media presence.

Bowling Green State University is located in Northwest Ohio approximately 20 miles south of Toledo and the Michigan border. BGSU is just two hours from Cleveland and Columbus and one hour from Detroit. The university is strongly committed to teaching excellence, which extends to multiple sources of support for pedagogical growth, including optional faculty learning communities and opportunities for training in use of technology in teaching.

Minimum qualifications MA or MFA in Media and Communication or related fields (i.e., advertising, public relations, graphic design, and visual communication) is required. Expertise in teaching the creation, production, management and analysis of social media campaigns is required. Expertise and proficiency in current social media platforms and practices. Knowledge of advertising and publication theories or design principles or professional experience.

Preferred qualifications: Ph.D. Professional experience. The ability to teach other courses that align with the school’s needs.

Application:

A completed application must include a cover letter, current curriculum vitae, and at least three current and original signed letters of recommendation. The application cover letter and CV (including references names and contact information) must be received by June 17, 2016. Recommendation letters must be on paper and received June 17, 2016. Finalists must provide transcript evidence of highest degree. Paper applications and reference letters should be addressed to: Carman Kinney, School of Media and Communication, 302 West Hall, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403-0233. Inquiries can be made of Dr. Laura Stafford, Chair of the Search Committee, at llstaff@bgsu.edu.

Bowling Green State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Educator and Employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage applications from women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities regardless of age, gender identity, genetic information, religion, or sexual orientation.


 

School of Media and Communication
Instructor, Audio/Video Production

The School of Media and Communication invites applications for a full-time, renewable,
Non-tenure track faculty position to teach production courses for broadcast, interactive web and mobile environments. This will include a mix of classes in basic through advanced audio production as well as basic video production. Candidate will be responsible for training students in use of broadcast facilities and supporting Falcon Media production. Responsibilities also include developing collaborative media projects with other University units, local community and industry leaders.

Bowling Green State University is located in Northwest Ohio approximately 20 miles south of Toledo and the Michigan border. BGSU is just two hours from Cleveland and Columbus and one hour from Detroit. The university is strongly committed to teaching excellence, which extends to multiple sources of support for pedagogical growth, including optional faculty learning communities and opportunities for training in use of technology in teaching.

Minimum qualifications: MA, MM, or MFA in media production, recording technology or related field. Established record of successful teaching and a strong record of creative activity. Advanced practical skills are required; including tracking, mixing, mastering, and audio post production. Must be invested in mentoring students and enhancing the overall intellectual community through innovative interdisciplinary programming and collaborations.

Preferred qualifications: Experience with Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects and in music production, streaming, sound design or live events. Familiarity with music publishing and entertainment business/marketing and/or FCC regulations. The ability to teach other courses that align with the school’s needs.

Application:

A completed application must include a cover letter, current curriculum vitae, and at least three current and original signed letters of recommendation. The application cover letter and CV (including references names and contact information) must be received by June 17, 2016. Recommendation letters must be on paper and received June 17, 2016. Finalists must provide transcript evidence of highest degree and will be required to submit a portfolio of work. Paper applications and reference letters should be addressed to: Carman Kinney, School of Media and Communication, 302 West Hall, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403-0233. Inquiries can be made of Dr. Laura Stafford, Chair of the Search Committee, at llstaff@bgsu.edu.

Bowling Green State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Educator and Employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage applications from women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities regardless of age, gender identity, genetic information, religion, or sexual orientation.

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Nancy Brendlinger Retirement

Photos from Dr. Nancy Brendlinger’s retirement party, April 29, 2016. See story here.

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NFL players learn about journalism on campus at boot camp

NFL Boot Camp

NFL Boot Camp Participants

Thirteen NFL players participated in the BGSU NFL Journalism and Radio Boot Camp April 14-17. Faculty participants included Jim Foust, Terry Rentner and Kelly Taylor from the Department of Journalism and Public Relations; Lori Liggett and Stephen Merrill from the Department of Media Production and Studies; and Nancy Spencer from the Sport Management Department. The event is part of the NFL Player Engagement Program.

READ RELATED STORY by Bob Cunningham on the BGSU news site.

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Brendlinger to retire in May after 26 years at BGSU

Nancy Brendlinger

Nancy Brendlinger

By Tiffany Jackson
Reporting Student

During one of the student trips to Paris led by Associate Professors Catherine Cassara and Nancy Brendlinger a student mistakenly put a sharp letter opener that he had bought as a souvenir in his carry-on luggage instead of his checked luggage.

While most chaperones would have made the student throw the letter opener away, Brendlinger understood the importance of the souvenirs to the student. She walked all the way back to the beginning of the airport with the student so that he could put the swords in his checked luggage and have a memento of his trip.

This small incident is representative of her career here. Brendlinger always takes the extra step with students and brings a global aspect into her classrooms.

Brendlinger’s office, filled to the brim with books and artifacts from her travels, will soon be empty. After 26 years at Bowling Green State University she will retire in May.

“I’m trying really hard not to make a whole lot of plans,” she said about retiring. “I want to see how it will work out.”

She said when she retires she would like to read, knit and continue to travel.

Brendlinger started her career as a reporter in Muscatine, Iowa. After three years, she joined Peace Corps in order to travel. After, she returned for a master’s degree in environmental journalism, but switched to Third World development communication. When she went on for her doctorate, her assistantship had her teaching journalism skills courses and that is when she fell in love with teaching.

Brendlinger has taught undergraduate courses in journalism that range from reporting and feature writing to global journalism and diversity in journalism. Her graduate teaching has included courses on development communication research methods and mass communication theory. For the past 15 years, she has also been involved with undergraduate International Studies Program, teaching both their course and their senior capstone seminar, as well as advising.

Brendlinger made many contributions during her time here at the university. She was the first woman tenured in the Department of Journalism and Public Relations. She was also the first woman chair, a position that she held for nine years.

Brendlinger said one of her biggest contributions was advising students. Beginning in 2005 she was the adviser for all the pre BSJ students.

“One of my real joys was advising,” she said. “I just really like interacting with the students, I like being with the students over a period of years.”

Department Chair Katherine Bradshaw said, “Year after year students tell me that Nancy helped them make important life and career decisions.”

Her advising of students was a huge time commitment and contribution, Bradshaw said.

“In faculty meetings she can be counted on to bring up concerns about how our decisions affect a range of students,” Bradshaw said.

Brendlinger has received two Fulbright Scholar awards and to date has visited 40 countries.

She obtained her first Fulbright for her work at Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia, in 1992. There she taught three graduate and undergraduate courses concerning mass communication research and development communication.

While in Southeast Asia, Brendlinger also gave guest lectures, presented week-long workshops and consulted on development communication graduate programs in several other Indonesia cities, Thailand and Malaysia.

She was awarded her second Fulbright fellowship to work in Slovakia in 1998-99. Here she worked for the Center for Independent Journalism in Bratislava.

She taught journalism courses at Comenius University in Bratislava and the University of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. Brendlinger also helped run seminars and discussion groups with professional journalists at the center and worked with high school students.

Brendlinger said that because of her travels and living abroad she was able to bring on a global aspect to her teaching.

Abby Welsh, a 2014 alumna who took Brendlinger’s Public Affairs class her senior year, said that each year Brendlinger would pick a different topic for the senior class. Her senior year it was environmental science.

Welsh said Brendlinger would always bring in books and articles from different countries about issues concerning whatever they were doing in class. She would also bring in speakers that were really passionate about environmental science.

“She made sure she brought in stuff about her experiences that she did in the past,” Welsh said.

Welsh also recounted her experiences with Brendlinger as an adviser.

“She was always honest,” Welsh said, “One of the best advisers I ever had.”

Welsh said she would often go to Brendlinger just to talk and get advice. Brendlinger gave her advice on how to learn and how to grow, Welsh said.

Brendlinger’s experience with traveling and students also came into play when she assisted Cassara a few times overseas. They worked together on an environmental communication project in Tunisia and Algeria in 2008-2010 as well as for USAID in Croatia in 2004.

Brendlinger even helped Cassara in taking students to Paris for a study abroad opportunity every two years since 2004. Cassara really appreciated having Brendlinger’s traveling experience.

“I needed somebody that I could count on to help that wouldn’t go off on their own,” Cassara said.

Most of their trips involved working with students and Brendlinger understood that one person has to be the tail and one has to be the head when leading them, Cassara said.

Cassara said one of the things she will miss most is not having Brendlinger right down the hall after working together for 24 years

As Brendlinger’s time at the university comes to a close it becomes clear that she leaves behind a position that will be hard to fill.

“Dr. Brendlinger is the heartbeat of the Department of Journalism and Public Relations,” Bradshaw said. “It’s the combination of her kindness, her generosity and her knowledge that I will so desperately miss.”

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Hurrell wins Collins Scholarship

Collins scholarship winner, Leslie Hurrell, junior public relations major. Award presented by Richard A. Maxwell, 1970 graduate of the department, and retired director of broadcasting for the NFL.

Maxwell-winner

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German broadcaster shares his perspective on the refugee crisis in Europe

German broadcast journalist Christian Schlegel gave a presentation about “Refugee crisis in Europe with a focus on the situation in Germany” to journalism students on the afternoon of April 5.

German broadcast journalist Christian Schlegel gave a presentation about "Refugee crisis in Europe with a focus on the situation in Germany" to students.

German broadcast journalist Christian Schlegel is introduced to students before his talk on the refugee crisis in Europe. Photo by Jessica Snyder.

He briefly reviewed the development of the story before answering questions.

Students from Advanced Broadcast News, Public Affairs Reporting, and Visual Editing had a wide range of questions for the RIAS Commission fellow.

Students, faculty, and community members were interested in the ways in which German citizens were responding to the rapid introduction of one-million people. Schlegel said most Germans wanted to help the refugees and the government was working to provide housing, however, 10 to 20 percent of the people objected to taking in the refugees.

Schlegel works as an editor and producer for the TV station Phoenix in Bonn. It’s a news- and documentary channel run by the two main public German TV channels, ARD and ZDF.

He is a duty editor responsible for covering news and live events. The focus is on national and international news and political events.

He also works as a duty editor for the political talk show “Phoenix Runde” at the same TV station. The show is aired three times a week in the evening.

Additionally, he has worked as a radio presenter for radio stations.

He earned his doctorate in political science and has published articles in several professional journals.

Schlegel spent a week in Washington, D.C., before coming to Toledo and Bowling Green. He will spend the rest of the week at WTOL-TV in Toledo and next week in New York City.

There he will join the delegation of German broadcast journalist to visit the United Nations, other government offices, and many broadcast journalism organizations.

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Alumnus chronicles history of Buckeye CableSystem in book

by Lariel Turner
Reporting Student

Imagine your entire career becomes the story for a book.  That is the case for Tom Dawson, ’66. Well, sort of.  Dawson is the author of “Building Blocks,” which chronicles the history of Buckeye CableSystem in Toledo, a place where he had a decades-long career.

dawson book cover from pubIn 2012 Allan Block, chairman of Block Communications, Inc., asked Dawson if he would be interested in writing a book on the history of Buckeye CableSystem, which would celebrate its 50th year in business in 2015.

“My biggest challenge after boldly saying I would do it was wondering if, indeed, I really could do it,” Dawson said.

“The next challenge was getting my arms around 50 years of history,” Dawson said. “Very little was written down and few of those who were involved in the early years were still around to talk to.”

Dawson said the book began to come together as sources became available and new information in one area lent itself to something he was writing in another area.

Dawson sought out University Press of America, in Lanham, Maryland, to publish what would be a 232-page book.

“The next thing I received from them was a contract accepting the book at their entire publication and marketing cost and a royalty to be paid on all sales,” he said.

University Press of America treated “Building Blocks” as a business textbook and according to Dawson it helped his ego that a professional publishing house felt his book was worth taking a chance on.

From there the book began its journey to publication, but Dawson is no stranger to publication.

Getting some of his first experiences as a journalist at the Dayton Daily News as a high school student, he became a writer and photo editor for the BGNews when he came to college.

During his sophomore year, Dawson took his first full-time job working as a reporter for the Findlay Courier.

“I have worked every day since, weekends and vacations notwithstanding,” Dawson said.

Dawson’s strong work ethic continued to open doors for him.

The Blade became the next stop in his writing career, and in 1986, he moved to the cable side of the company.

“When I got into news I just wanted to have the most impact for the most amount of people,” he said.

He continued to work at the company for over 25 years, retiring in 2009 from full-time work, but signing back on as a consultant.

Bob Bortel, director of student media, has known Dawson for over 30 years.

When the two first met Dawson was a member of the Student Media Advisory Board and Bortel was the newly hired Director of Student Publications

“He was well into his career and I was just starting out,” Bortel said. “He was someone who I respected and looked up to. He had a certain level of expertise that makes you think ‘oh I want to be like that guy.’”

Bortel admires Dawson passion toward serving BGSU. “He was passionate about connecting, serving and giving back to Bowling Green,” Bortel said.

Bortel said Dawson always took opportunities when they were presented to him. “He saw an opportunity [with “Building Blocks”], and it may have been out of his comfort zone, but he took it,” Bortel said.

Bortel said Dawson’s decision to write the book was an act of discipline. “Good writing can’t be undersold,” he said.

Now retired, Dawson continues to work as a freelance writer.

He hopes to undertake a coast-to-coast motorcycle trip and invest in flying lessons, but more importantly, he said, he hopes to say “I had fun” at the end of his career.

To receive a 30% discount, use Dawson_book_order form.

 

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2016 Journalism and Public Relations Awards

The Department of Journalism and Public Relations held its annual awards ceremony April 8, 2016, in the Bowen Thompson Student Union. It was an opportunity to honor outstanding current students as well as successful alumni.

A crowd of awardees, friends and family was on hand.

Awardees, as well as family, friends, faculty and donors were in attendance.

Betsy Kling, a 1997 Broadcast Journalism graduate, was inducted into the Journalism and Public Relations Kappa Tau Alpha Hall of Fame. Betsy is chief meteorologist at WKYC-TV in Cleveland.

Betsy Kling, a 1997 Broadcast Journalism graduate, was inducted into the Journalism and Public Relations Kappa Tau Alpha Hall of Fame. Betsy is chief meteorologist at WKYC-TV in Cleveland.

Lily Bartell, Hannah Benson and Gary Malveaux were inducted into the Kappa Tau Alpha honor society. Jeanette Benson (not pictured) was also inducted.

Lily Bartell, Hannah Benson and Gary Malveaux were inducted into the Kappa Tau Alpha national journalism honor society. Jeanette Benson (not pictured) was also inducted.

2015-2016 officers of the Public Relations Student Society of America were recognized. From left: Julie Hagenbuch, PRSSA adviser; Hannah Tempel, vice president; Anna Crabill, president; Emily Johnson, social media coordinator; and Kristen Tomins, treasurer.

2015-2016 officers of the Public Relations Student Society of America were recognized. From left: Julie Hagenbuch, PRSSA adviser; Hannah Tempel, vice president; Anna Crabill, president; Emily Johnson, social media coordinator; and Kristen Tomins, treasurer.

Jessica Dill, a 2008 Broadcast Journalism graduate, was given the Currier Young Professional Award. Jessica is morning show reporter for WJW-TV in Cleveland.

Jessica Dill, a 2008 Broadcast Journalism graduate, was given the Currier Young Professional Award. Jessica is morning show reporter for WJW-TV in Cleveland.

Dr. Nancy Brendlinger, who is retiring at the end of spring semester, handed out the awards. Travis Thornton won the F. Dennis Hale Memorial Scholarship.

Dr. Nancy Brendlinger, who is retiring at the end of spring semester, handed out the awards. Travis Thornton won the F. Dennis Hale Memorial Scholarship.

The Alumni Advisory Board scholarship was given to Audra Delaney.

The Alumni Advisory Board scholarship was given to Audra Delaney.

Leslie Hurrell received the Robert F. Collins Scholarship.

Leslie Hurrell received the Robert F. Collins Scholarship.

John H. Walker scholarships were awarded to Cherise Thomas and Alexandrya Pearson.

John H. Walker scholarships were awarded to Cherise Thomas and Alexandrya Pearson.

Cherise Thomas also received the Harold and Elaine Fisher Scholarship.

Cherise Thomas also received the Harold and Elaine Fisher Scholarship.

Holly Shively won the Gerald D. Murray and Bev Murray Scholarships.

Holly Shively won the Gerald D. Murray and Bev Murray Scholarships.

Rebecca Erwin, who received the Larry and Fran Weiss Journalism Scholarship, poses with Larry and Fran Weiss.

Rebecca Erwin, who received the Larry and Fran Weiss Journalism Scholarship, poses with Larry and Fran Weiss.

The Florence and Jesse Currier Scholarships were awarded to Annie Furia (senior) and Amy Steigerwald (junior).

The Florence and Jesse Currier Scholarships were awarded to Annie Furia (senior) and Amy Steigerwald (junior).

Gary Malveaux, shown with department chair Dr. Kathy Bradshaw, received the Broadcast Sequence Award.

Gary Malveaux, shown with department chair Dr. Kathy Bradshaw, received the Broadcast Sequence Award.

Lily Bartell, shown with multiplatform sequence head Dr. Nancy Brendlinger, won the Multiplatform Sequence Award.

Lily Bartell, shown with multiplatform sequence head Dr. Nancy Brendlinger, won the Multiplatform Sequence Award.

Anna Crabill won the Public Relations Sequence Award.

Anna Crabill won the Public Relations Sequence Award. She is congratulated by Julie Hagenbuch.

The Waugh Award was presented to two outstanding seniors: Terry Lash (Broadcast Sequence) . . .

The Waugh Award was presented to two outstanding seniors: Terry Lash (Broadcast Sequence) . . .

and Kristen Tomins (Public Relations sequence). Kristin is seen here with PR sequence head DR. Terry Rentner.

and Kristen Tomins (Public Relations sequence). Kristin is seen here with PR sequence head DR. Terry Rentner.

Also receiving awards but unable to attend were Paul Garbarino (School of Media and Communication Fund for Excellence Scholarship) and Terrin Bates (Spencer Canary Scholarship).

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Journalism and PR students hear from New York City publicist

Jeffrey Bradford and Norah Lawlor

Jeffrey Bradford and Norah Lawlor
of Lawlor Media Group, a public relations firm in New York City. Lawlor was the 2016 Currier lecturer. Both she and Bradford talked earlier in the day with public relations students in the PR case studies class. Their visit was organized by instructor Julie Hagenbuch. Photo by Kelly Taylor.

by Kayla Shadler
Reporting Student

Networking and working connections are key to good public relations, Norah Lawlor, a New York City public relations practitioner, told a mostly student audience on April 4 during her talk in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union theater.

Lawlor, who studied journalism at Carlton University in Canada where she also had her first job doing PR for fashion shows, was the 2016 Currier lecturer. The Currier lecture is made possible through the Florence and Jesse Currier Foundation in the department of journalism and public relations.

Lawlor said Canada was cliquey, which made her want to branch out, so she moved to New York despite not knowing anyone in the city. She eventually started her own public relations company, Lawlor Media Group.

Lawlor said she has the personality and the drive to seek out contacts and this has lead to her success.“You’re either great and you stand out or you’re just a publicist who no one remembers the next day,” she said.

Networking is what got her a short-term job as Michael Jackson’s publicist and her way into the Oscars.

Lawlor provided many real world stories and examples throughout the lecture and said she pushes to get what she wants.

“You’re constantly growing in this industry,” she said. “And, I really don’t take no for an answer.”

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