Elon University and the School of Communications hosted the third annual North Carolina College Media Association conference Feb. 20 in McEwen. Students and advisers from student media organizations from across the state participated in the daylong event that focused primarily on interactive media and business practices.
More than 100 people from more than 15 universities and colleges in North Carolina made the trip to Elon and heard from several faculty and staff members and students. Elon presenters included:
- Dale Harrison (adjunct association professor of Communications), “Policing the Campus Police: What FERPA and State Law Really Say about Your Right to Know”
- Harlen Makemson (associate professor of Communications), “Flair and Structure: Designing Feature Pages and Magazine Spreads”
- Janna Anderson (associate professor of Communications), with students Ashley Barnas and Alex Trice, “You’ll Flip for Web 2.0: Multimedia J Meets Social Media”
- Colin Donohue (coordinator of student media), J. McMerty (coordinator of video projects) and advisers from other schools, “Adviser’s Roundtable: Recruiting Freshmen and Advising Seniors”
- Randy Piland (lecturer in Communications), “Action. Reaction. Interaction: Photography Should Evoke Emotion”
- Hunter Bacot (associate professor of political science and director of the Elon Poll), “Missing the Bushes and Hitting the Porch: Reporting Poll Results Accurately,”
- J. McMerty, “How to Spice up Video Interviews”
- Ken Calhoun (assistant professor of Communications), “Interactive Storytelling: Going Beyond Multimedia”
- Alex Kreitman (2006 alumnus and current Interactive Media student), “Interactive Newsroom: Changing Faster than Your Facebook Status”
- Nagatha Tonkins (director of internships for Communications), Ross Wade (assistant director of Career Services for Communications) and Rene Jackson (career adviser) critiqued resumes for students.
- Colin Donohue presented with an adviser from another university in a bonus session focused on what judges looked for while evaluating awards submissions. and Dr. House gave a brief welcome to kick off the conference.
- Provost Steven House also gave a brief welcome to the students to kick off the day’s event.
The NCCMA, which started in 2007, offered its first awards competition at this year’s conference, and The Pendulum, Phi Psi Cli and “Colonnades” all performed well. Below is a list of Elon winners only. Hundreds of entries from more than 40 media outlets submitted materials for consideration.
NEWSPAPER—SMALL SCHOOLS
Best in Show—Newspaper
1. The Pendulum
Best in Show—Online News
1. The Pendulum
Photography
1. David Wells—“Dance in the Landscape”
2. David Wells—“They’re Back”
Design
1. Caroline Matthews—“Focused and Fierce”
2. Caroline Matthews—“Teams Anticipate Multiple Successes This Season”
News Writing
1. Andie Diemer & Alexa Milan—“Royster case raises questions on confidentiality of sexual abuse victims”
2. Alexa Milan—“Mynhardt lawsuit moves forward in Alamance County”
3. Margeaux Corby—“Report challenges Alamance sheriff”
Feature Writing
1. Emily Silva—“Sexual Violence: No Excuses”
3. Ashley Barnas—“Tail Whip! Power Stop! 360!”
Honorable Mention: Rachel Cieri—“Fresh Starts, Hopeful Futures”
Sports Writing
1. Sam Calvert—“Riley relishes role with Phoenix”
2. Conor O’Neill—“Irvine rebounds from injury-ridden 2008 to game form”
3. Pam Richter—“Davidson’s Matheny hired as new men’s basketball coach”
Opinion Writing
1. Morgan Little—“Biting a Helpful Hand”
3. Morgan Little—“The hole in Mynhardt’s case: Precedent relieves university”
HM: Morgan Little—“Bashing from afar: Anonymity on the Internet”
LITERARY MAGAZINE
Best of Show
1. Colonnades
Poetry
1. Chanda Grubbs—“Clock”
2. Whitney Waters—“Letter from Venice”
Nonfiction
2. Kyle Wiggins-Rowan—“Very Much Difference”
Fiction
1. Ashley Lyons—“Overcome by Events”
3. Chandra Grubbs—“Packing Up to Move Out”
Photography/Art
HM: Meredith Robinson—“Ophelia”
YEARBOOK
Best of Show
2. Phi Psi Cli
Student Life Copy
HM: Lesley Cowie—“Homecoming”
Photography
HM: Preston Stanley—“Anderson Cooper”
Inside Spread Design
2. Erin Harbaugh—“Arts Divider”
The NCCMA held its last two conferences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University before coming to Elon this year.