The year 2008 is all about change, or so the presidential candidates now tell us.

By the end of the year the nation will have a new president-elect. Our university may have a new president, following Dr. Andrew Sorensen's retirement. Our School of Journalism and Mass Communications should have a new director, succeeding Dr. Shirley Staples Carter who has announced her plans to become a senior member of the faculty next year. Searches are under way in both of our schools for new faculty members and the first holder of the Augusta Baker Chair in Childhood Literacy.


There's some truth to the French saying that "the more things change, the more they stay the same." Bartlett's credits Alphonse Karr for that 19th century assertion. But Bartlett's also notes a 9th century observation that "the times change and we change with them." And Heraclitus, circa 500 B.C., ventured that “nothing endures but change." Thanks, Bartlett's.

 

None of them lived in the era of the Internet, global communication, and the perception, at least, of 24/7 urgency. Intriguingly, the vast Internet was less help in tracking down those quotes than the five-pound Bartlett's that's been sitting by my desk for decades.


Change is not intrinsically good or bad. In good measure, it is what we make of it.  We like to think of it as opportunity. 


A few changes and developments, mostly incremental, are noted below.  One is a lost colleague that saddens us, just as his presence heartened us.  We also hope you'll like this changed format.  And when things change with you, let us know.


Have a great '08!



Charles Bierbauer


College News

Convergence in the classroom

Employers increasingly are looking for graduates with cross media skills, journalists who can write and produce stories for multiple delivery platforms. They need look no further than the nine students who in the fall semester of 2007 completed the School of Journalism and Mass Communications convergence class. Read more


InterCom now a college publication

Our college's magazine for its alumni and friends, InterCom, should have hit your mailboxes last month. We hope you are enjoying it and we hope you like the new format. Please send your feedback to Shawn Rourk, publications coordinator. Read InterCom


College remembers Dr. John Olsgaard

Dr. John Olsgaard, associate professor in the School of Library and Information Science, passed away Friday, December 7, 2007. John was our friend and colleague for more than 20 years. His great wisdom, kindness and humor will be greatly missed. A memorial service was held at Rutledge Chapel on Wednesday, December 12. Memorials may be made to the USC Educational Foundation - the John and Jane Olsgaard Scholarship Fund, School of Library and Information Science. Read more and add your tribute

 

Recent research collaboration across campus

Visitors seeking health information from local television websites are likely to find health-related articles too difficult to read and understand, according to a first-of-its-kind study by University of South Carolina researchers. Dr. Andrea Tanner, assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, and Dr. Daniela B. Friedman, assistant professor in the Arnold School's Department of Health, Promotion, Education, and Behavior, evaluated a sampling of top health stories and stories within health sections on TV websites of 79 randomly selected U.S. media markets in 2006. Read more


College embraces Children's Book Week

Middle school students joined CMCIS students and faculty in a laugh-filled and highly animated — in every sense of the word — workshop led by Joe Summerhays, an award-winning designer of educational software for children, led a story-telling animation workshop November 13 and 14, 2007. Summerhays had visited the campus as a featured speaker during I-Comm Week of 2006. After hearing his presentation, visual communications professor Van Kornegay and library science professor Pat Feehan invited him back to conduct the workshop during Children's Book Week. Watch animations.


Scholastic journalism on the mind

Associate Professor Bruce Konkle had a refereed research paper, “Scholastic Journalism's Connection to Other High School Curricular Areas", accepted for the AEJMC Scholastic Journalism Division's mid-winter meeting. Dr. Konkle also had an article published in Quill & Scroll's bi-monthly news magazine. Konkle has also been a publication judge for several press associations. Read more.


Dr. Virginia Wallace represented the University in Taipei

SLIS Clinical Instructor Dr. Virginia Wallace traveled to Taipei , Taiwan, Republic of China, in July 2007 to represent the University of South Carolina at the 36th annual conference of the International Association of School Librarianship. Around 500 delegates from 31 countries arrived in Taipei to attend the conference. Dr. Wallace presented a paper and along with the other delegates, she enjoyed the variety of keynote speeches, paper and poster sessions and visits to local school libraries and cultural events.




Awards


SPJ Awards

Once again, the SJMC's chapter of SPJ was named Region 3's Outstanding Campus Chapter last year. At the national convention in October of last year, SJMC student Joy Howe was a Mark of Excellence national finalist in television general news reporting for her story USC Campus Cable.


Alumni News


There are 170 more of us!

The college welcomed more than 170 new graduates to its Alumni Society at graduation receptions immediately following commencement on Monday, December 17, 2007. See photos

Alumni Society's Mentor Program going strong

After its launch on September 17, 2007, the Alumni Society's Mentor Program continues to build momentum. The program currently has 54 matched participants and is planning for a second match event this semester. Visit blog

LINKS

UPCOMING EVENTS

  • Mentor Program Match Event
    February 4
    The CMCIS Alumni Society will have its spring match event for all alumni and students that are interested in the program.
  • Mentor Program Tea
    February 11
    • The CMCIS Alumni Society will host a tea for all current participants of the Alumni Mentor Program. Participants will share what this program has meant to them.
  • I-Comm Week '08: "Telling Our Story"
    March 31 - April 4
    • All alumni and friends are invited back to campus to help us tell our story as a college. We have a variety of events and speakers that will be featured during the week. Stay tuned for dates and times at www.sc.edu/cmcis.
  • Spring Reunion Weekend
    May 16 & 17

    • Come see how campus has changed! And not just on fall football weekends. As the trees and flowers are in full bloom and the warm weather returns, Carolina alumni will flock back to campus for a new tradition in the making. The university Alumni Association's Spring Reunion 2008 will be held May 16-17. In addition to the excitement of class reunions and visiting new and old familiar places on campus, the Spring Reunion Weekend includes more opportunities to reconnect with the University as well as individual schools and colleges. Read more

     




© 2008 College of Mass Communications and Information Studies | University of South Carolina.
This newsletter published once a month by the Alumni Society of the College of Mass Communications and Information Studies. If you wish to contribute a story or idea to this, please contact Elaine Taylor.

If you do not wish to receive this message in the future, please contact Elaine Taylor. The Alumni Society is comprised of graduates of the School of Library and Information Science and the School of Journalism and Mass Communications.