School of Communications

What does it take to make it in show business? A new internship program at Elon brings students to Los Angeles for a summer course that includes meetings with industry executives, lessons on marketing ideas – and a presentation to Hollywood executives of their own group proposal for a TV or movie production.

As the educational arm of the N.C. Open Government Coalition, Elon’s Sunshine Center is spreading across the state over the airwaves and through presentations to key constituencies.

The former spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, fired after an investigative newspaper series on the privatization of mental health services in the state, called this week for officials to comply with the law by keeping archives of all emails sent in the course of their work. Her remarks at Elon University came during the annual "Sunshine Week," which promotes open access to government records.

The N.C. Open Government Coalition will celebrate Sunshine Day on March 20 at Elon University. Former public affairs director for the state Department of Health and Human Services, Debbie Crane, has agreed to be the luncheon speaker at the event. Crane was fired this month after an investigative series on the privatization of mental health services in the state was featured in Raleigh’s The News & Observer.

Professors Vic Costello, Anthony Hatcher and Lee Bush presented a panel called “Service-Learning, Civic Engagement, and Communications: Utilizing Media to Build Awareness of Community-Based Organizations and Issues.”

School of Communications instructor Dan Trigoboff gave two workshops on ethics to the Emerging Leadership Program and delivered a talk on media relations to PRSSA this week.

Three broadcast students place in SPJ and Hearst award competitions. Details ...

Michael Skube, associate professor of communications, wrote a review of a new book, "Righteous Warrior: Jesse Helms and the Rise of Modern Conservatism," for the March 9 edition of the Washington Post.