JLinks Fall 2005

+ AP leader speaks at Editors Day+ Career Center offers new job-listing service+ Prof. Chuck Marsh wins two teaching awards+ Blog is a four-letter word+ J-Links Asks: What is the future of journalism in a tech-savvy environment?+ William Allen White Day: Gordon Parks+ Student-run credibility roundtable+ Alumni News & Notes+ Alumni reunion events recap+ John Frazee: CBS newsman remembers J-School fondly+ John Kaiser: Ottawa native establishes journalism scholarship

What’s Inside...

Winter2005-06

(Dean’s Letter – continued on page 2)

News coverage from the eye of the storm

Along with the rest of the world, we at the School of Journalism closely followed news coverage of the destruction caused by the recent hurricanes. There are few times when journalistsare more appreciated than during an emergency or a disaster wheninformation dissemination can mean the difference between life anddeath. We salute the dedicated journalists who continued to coverthe storms even as their own homes were submerged by hurricanewaters and in many cases, destroyed.

Several J-School graduates were affected by the storms. Following is just one storyof a recent alumna’s quest to get out the news in the midst of a catastrophe.

Meagan Kelleher, May 2005, was among the people who kept KPLC-TV in LakeCharles, La., on-air and online throughout Hurricane Rita. Kelleher, Internet directorfor the station, was among the personnel providing blogs with maps and chartsthroughout the storm.

“We had three back-up plans tocontinue providing news coverage,all based on how powerful the stormgot,” Kelleher said. “Our station’sbuilding is located directly under-neath two tall towers and we didn’tthink it would be safe enough to staydirectly beneath them with 100 mphwinds. We evacuated to Christus St.Patrick Hospital because we deter-mined it would be the safest place forus in case we were flooded out.”

H appy New Year from all of us at the J-School! As we look back at 2005, we are proud of the accomplishments of our students, faculty and staff. As you read this issue of J-Links, you’ll learn about some of those successes.

It’s been an eventful year for journalism. As wewatched reports about the hurricanes, our hearts wentout to all those affected. We were proud of the workjournalists did in such terrible conditions. Many of thosejournalists were our alumni, like Meagan Kelleher, whocovered the storms from Lake Charles, La. We alsobrought to campus Kathleen Carroll from the AP totalk about how her staff reported on the storms. I agreewith her comments that, “Most days I’m very proud ofthis profession. During this last stretch, I’ve beenprouder than ever.”

(Eye of the storm – continued on page 2)

Journalism students at work. Letter from the Dean E

arl R

ichar

dson

Ann M. Brill

Meagan Kelleher

The KPLC-TV news team huddles around a makeshift anchordesk at the Christus St. Patrick Hospital in Lake Charles.

(Eye of the storm – continued from page 1)(Dean’s Letter – continued from page 1)

2 J-Links Winter 2005-06

Banner photos from Editors Day 2005.

The team stayed in St. Patrick Hospital Sept. 23-25. Hurricane Rita hitin the early morning hours of the 24th. Kelleher and other station memberslived in the hospital during the storm and later camped out at KPLC forseveral days because of the danger.

Kelleher and her team members improvised to keep KPLC on-air andonline. At the hospital they had limited equipment, including a cameraand tripod, a switcher, a laptop video editor and a TV with bunny earsand foil. They pointed a microwave link out the windows toward thestation’s tower to keep the signal up. The anchors clustered around a tablereading e-mails on-air and passing a single microphone among them. Theyused cellphones to communicate and they showed updates of Rita’s coordi-nates by holding a white board and having a camera zoom in on it.

“One of the coolest things we did during the storm was broadcast liveon our Web site,” Kelleher said. “We started wall-to-wall coverage liveon-air and online on the 23rd. Since there was a mandatory evacuation,this allowed residents from the area to keep in touch with what was happen-ing in their hometowns. This allowed people from around the countryand the world to see firsthand what was happening with Rita. Except for afew blips, we were streaming continuously throughout the storm.”

Kelleher continually updated the Web page and responded to e-mailfrom a special account that received more than 1,000 messages. She alsoanchored and, along with two meteorologists, was among the first to video-tape South Lake Charles shortly after Rita hit. The area was badly damaged.

“I am so incredibly proud of everything that KPLC has done for thepeople of southwest Louisiana. I am glad I got to be a part of it. It was themost challenging, scary, depressing and rewarding experience I have everhad,” Kelleher said.

KPLC-TV‘s on-air and online coverage provided factual information,real-time reports from residents in their homes, boats and businesses,official weather reports and live interviews with emergency officials.Station weather professionals updated residents on what was happeningand what to expect next.

Hurricane Katrina, which hit the Gulf Coast a few weeks beforeHurricane Rita struck, helped prepared Kelleher. “I knew exactly whatworked and didn’t work for other Web sites. Other people are starting tosee the importance of an updated Web site as a source for information inaddition to television, not just as an afterthought,” Kelleher said.

Tim Bush, a KU atmospheric science graduate who was a KUJH-TVweathercaster last year, also works for KPLC and covered the storm.

On behalf of the School of Journalism, we applaud Meagan and all ofthe other brave professional and citizen journalists who worked tirelesslyto get out the news, even in the eye of the storm. If you have a story to tellabout your experiences, please e-mail us at [email protected]. We will publishyour stories on our Web site at www.journalism.ku.edu.

We have many reasons to be proud at theJ-School. Prof. Chuck Marsh recently receivedtwo major KU teaching awards – the KemperAward for Excellence in Teaching and theH.O.P.E. Award (Honor for an OutstandingProgressive Educator). Chuck is a talented anddedicated teacher. He also would be eager tosay that he feels fortunate to be here at the J-School, where we value excellence in teaching— and that’s reflected in all our classrooms.

We also value innovation and you’ll readin this issue about changes in classroomtechnology. While the basic skills of journalism– excellence in research and writing – will notchange, the tools we use continue to change.It’s our responsibility to ensure that we teachour students ALL the skills they need tosucceed, including how to adapt in a rapidlyevolving media environment.

With the New Year comes more challengesand opportunities for achievement for the J-School. As you read this, we are on semesterbreak and busy refurbishing some classroomsand offices. We also are in the midst of facultysearches that we hope to conclude by spring.Stay tuned for more information on our hiresin future J-Links.

We also are in the midst of preparationsfor William Allen White Day. This year, thecitation goes to Gordon Parks, an extra-ordinary individual from Fort Scott, Kan. I hadthe honor of presenting the medal to Mr. Parks,who at the age of 93 limits his travel. Ouralumni and friends at CBS News in New Yorkarranged an interview with Mr. Parks that wewill show at KU in lieu of the presentation.Listening to Mr. Parks talk about his life withCBS correspondent Byron Pitts was anotherone of those moments when I was proud ofthis profession. I hope you will join us Feb. 10as we honor Gordon Parks as “An AmericanJournalist Who Exemplifies William AllenWhite Ideals In Service To His Profession AndHis Community.”

As we think about the year ahead, it’s goodto recall William Allen White’s view of thefuture: “I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I haveseen yesterday and I love today!”

Best wishes,

“It was the most challenging, scary, depressingand rewarding experience I have ever had.”

– Meagan Kelleher

J-Links Winter 2005-06 3

Banner photos from Editors Day 2005.

Associated Press leader sharesKatrina lessons at Editors DayBy Jennifer Byrd, graduate student

A fter a week full of news, journalists, editors, students and faculty were treated to a speech by one of the most powerful people in the business on Sept. 10.

Kathleen Carroll, executive editor and senior vicepresident of The Associated Press, was the keynote speaker thisyear for Editors Day, an annual event, sponsored by the Schoolof Journalism.

During the previous week Hurricane Katrina hit the GulfCoast and Chief Justice William Rehnquist died.

Dolph Simons Jr., chairman of the World Company,invited Carroll to speak at the event, but said he would haveunderstood if she needed to “take a rain check given all thatwas happening in the world.”

Fortunately, Carroll still made the trip to Lawrence andshared her thoughts on the Hurricane coverage and the futureof journalism.

“Most days I’m very proud of this profession,” Carrollsaid. “During this last stretch, I’ve been prouder than ever.”

Carroll, who started as a reporter at The Dallas MorningNews and joined the AP in 1978, said the last 10 days hadrenewed her faith in the profession.

Carroll told the crowd about an AP sportswriter, MaryFoster, who reported from the Superdome about the tragedy.Since she knew the stadium well, she could get around easily.

“She had to sleep in her truck, it smelled so bad,” Carrollsaid.

The AP journalists in New Orleans were not parachutingin to cover a random story, Carroll said. Instead, they werecovering a place they knew and loved.

One journalist told Carroll that New Orleans was the citywhere she wanted to die.

“Well, the city died before her,” Carroll said.Carroll said that citizen journalism played an important

role in Katrina coverage, but professional journalists wouldalways be needed.

Carroll said journalists should listen to bloggers who havesomething to say, but be careful of “bloggers who have onlyopinions and no facts.”

In the question-and-answer session, Carroll said shethought the New Orleans story would remain at the top of thebudget for quite a while.

She ended by telling students that journalism is “the mostexciting profession you could have.”

Before Carroll’s speech, KU Chancellor Robert Hemenwayfielded questions from the crowd and Lew Ferguson, a formerAP writer who covered the Kansas Statehouse, was honored.Ferguson recently stepped down from the Kansas Board ofRegents.

Paul Stevens, AP regional vice president and J-Schoolalumnus, gave Prof. Susanne Shaw a baseball bat signed byall the members of the dean search committee and thankedher for all her work.

Shaw, program director for Editors Day, said 94 journalistsand faculty members signed up to attend the event.Participants also attended a buffet at the chancellor’s houseand went to the KU-Appalachian State football game.

Editors Day traditionally rotated each year between KUand Kansas State. KU has been host to the event the past twoyears, with AP political writer Walter Mears the keynotespeaker last fall.

“Most days I’m very proud of this profession. During this last stretch, I’vebeen prouder than ever,” Carroll told the audience at Editors Day.

Professor Rick Musser talks with Caroline Trowbridge, editor and publisher ofthe Tonganoxie Mirror, and Kathleen Carroll after the Editors Day program.


Banner photos of Marsh receiving the Kemper Award. At left, student Staci Diamond asks for an “autograph.”

Marsh wins top teaching award. And then does it again.

T his year has been an especiallyrewarding one for Charles “Chuck”

Marsh, associate professor of jour-nalism. On Aug. 18, the KU “Surprise Patrol”presented Marsh the prestigious KemperAward for Excellence in Teaching. He washonored again during the Nov. 5 KU vs.Nebraska football game with the 2005H.O.P.E. Award — Honor for an OutstandingProgressive Educator.

Marsh is known as the type of professorwho teaches his students more than what isin the books. He prepares them for what theywill face in the real world and has been doingso for 17 years at KU. Marsh does whateverhe can to help his students succeed — fromworking with students outside the classroomto helping numerous graduating students gettheir feet in the door at their first post-collegejobs.

Marsh teaches classes in message development, public relations, media and societyand media ethics. He joined the J-School in 1989. His doctoral, master’s and bachelor’sdegrees are from KU.

H.O.P.E. AWARDEstablished by the Class of 1959, the H.O.P.E. Award recognizes outstanding teaching

and concern for students. It is the only honor for teaching excellence given exclusivelyby seniors on the Lawrence campus through a ballot-and-interview process.

Marsh was among eight finalists nominated and selected by KU seniors by e-mailballot. A committee of the senior class officers and representatives of the Board of ClassOfficers selected the winner on the basis of interviews with the finalists. This was thesecond consecutive year that students had selected Marsh as a finalist.

H.O.P.E. Award winners receive a monetary award and recognition on a permanentplaque displayed in the Kansas Union. Kerry Benson, journalism lecturer, was a finalistfor the award; and Carol Holstead, associate professor in journalism, was a semi-finalist.

KEMPER AWARDThe W.T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence recognize outstanding

teachers and advisers at KU as determined by a seven-member selection committee.Now in the 10th year, the awards are financed by a $500,000 fund from the William T.Kemper Foundation-Commerce Bank, Trustee, and $500,000 in matching funds fromthe KU Endowment Association. The William T. Kemper Foundation was establishedin 1989 after Kemper’s death. It supports Midwest communities and concentrates oninitiatives in education, health and human services, civic improvements and the arts.

The KU “Surprise Patrol” was led by KU Chancellor Robert E. Hemenway,Congressman Dennis Moore and Mark Heider, Commerce Bank president for Lawrence,and representatives of the KU Endowment Association.

Kemper Award winners received $5,000 each. Twenty professors are honored eachyear. (Information courtesy of the University of Kansas Office of University Relations.)

Career Center offersnew service forfinding your next job

T he School of Journalism’s Career Center has started anew service for alumni. Inaddition to offering an onlinedatabase of jobs and intern-ships for current students,we now provide informationabout journalism jobs thatrequire at least two years ofexperience.

We will post the jobs tothe School of Journalism’sWeb site, available atwww.journalism.ku.edu,and send them to subscribersthrough a biweekly e-mailmessage. This is a service webelieve will help both alumniand employers.

This new service will befor jobs that require 2-4, 3-5,5-7 and 10 or more years ofexperience. The School andfaculty members hear aboutsuch positions on a regularbasis. We will let employersknow we now have a way toreach out to those who aremore experienced journalists.

If you are interested infinding out about these jobsand want to be added to oure-mail listserv, please sendan e-mail message [email protected].

If you registered with theJournalism Career Center asa student, no additional feeis required. New registrationcosts $40.

The job listings arecurrently posted on theJ-School’s Web site atwww.journalism.ku.edu, under “Alumni & Friends.”


Banner photos from the Stan and Madeline Stauffer Multimedia Newsroom.

DEC. 19, 2005

Blog is a four-letter wordIt’s amazing the kind of reaction you can get from journalism professorswith the mere mention of the word “blog.” It sends shivers down theirspines; you can just tell. But what is it about blogs and blogging thatmakes journalism professors recoil? Is it the free-wheeling whimsicalstyle? The use of slang and informal writing?

Here at the KU School of Journalism in the Stan and Madeline StaufferMultimedia Newsroom, we’ve been using blogs to manage multimediareporting projects since fall 2004. Blogs are fairly harmless when youcall them – and use them as – content management systems. However,Multimedia Newsroom Director Rick Musser and I also felt that givingonline producers the opportunity to blog – for real and in all itsopinionated glory – would give them valuable experience in writingand communicating online.

The online producers are required to blog after every news shift. Theirposts provide us with valuable insight into the day-to-day triumphsand tribulations in the multimedia newsroom. Blogging also givesstudents a chance to celebrate and vent. But there is also a moreserious side to class blogging. Each week, the online producers mustwrite essays to post on the class blog (http://ehub.journalism.ku.edu)as well as their own personal blogs. These blog postings explore someof the current trends in the media and, in particular, online journalism.

Through these assignments, online producers learn what makes a goodblog entry: a strong point of view, timeliness, humor, still images,video and links. Lots and lots of links. This semester, the class spenttime discussing how it could bring more eyeballs to its blogs. Nextsemester, we are considering requiring the online producers to notonly read other blogs but actually subscribe to their feeds and postcomments. One of the most important lessons these students can learnfrom blogging is how to drive traffic and build an audience. They maynot be considered A-List bloggers yet, but these budding journalistsare learning what it takes to get noticed online.

author: Staci Wolfe | time: 8:15 am | comments (0)

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AboutThe Stan and Madeline Stauffer MultimediaNewsroom is a state-of-the-art facility wherejournalism students, faculty and staff shareinformation and ideas about broadcast, printand online media. The newsroom is part of theWilliam Allen White School of Journalism andMass Communications at KU.

Students explore trends in online journalismon this weblog as part of the Online Writing,Editing and Production class.

Newsroom Webcam:http://ehub.journalism.ku.edu/webcam.mov

The J-School BlogrollA blogroll is a list of links to other weblogs.The best of the online producer essays, as wellas commentary on life in the newsroom, areposted on eHub. Individual online producerblogs can be found linked from the main eHubpage. At any one time, the J-School has morethan 70 students blogging. Many of these blogsare linked directly from the eHub main page.

eHub: http://ehub.journalism.ku.eduThe Multimedia Newsroom blog.

Multimedia Reporting: http://reporting.journalism.ku.edu/fall05/musser415 RickMusser’s and Eric Adler’s fall 2005multimedia reporting class blog.

Multimedia Reporting: http://reporting.journalism.ku.edu/fall05/utsler415 MaxUtsler’s and Christy Bradford’s fall 2005multimedia reporting class blog.

Multimedia Reporting: http://reporting.journalism.ku.edu/fall05/utsler445 MaxUtsler’s fall 2005 graduate multimediareporting class blog.

Credible Press: www.crediblepress.orgPeggy Kuhr’s graduate seminar class blogabout community, journalism and credibility.

Intern Blog: http://ehub.journalism.ku.edu/interns A glimpse of what the internshipexperience is like through the eyes of KUstudents.

Input/Output: http://ehub.journalism.ku.edu/input A technical blog for all thingsHTML, as well as some step-by-stepdirections for Final Cut and Photoshop.

eHub BlogThe Stauffer Multimedia Newsroom

6 J-Links Winter 2005-06 (J-Links Asks – continued on page 7)

Banner photos of J-School students at work.

F orty years ago, the clicking and ticking of typewritersfilled nearly every newsroom in the country. Camerasactually had film. Smoke permeated the air. Reporters

on deadline fought with ribbons, paper and correction tape –not to mention their editors. It was the quintessential newsroomin cinematic proportions – loud, busy and chaotic.

These days, newsrooms are still loud, busy and chaotic,but the ticking and clicking of typewriters have been replacedby the soft taps of computer keyboards. Cameras are digital,and memory cards have replaced film. Layouts and mock-upscome from computer programs.

And now, the delivery of news, advertisements, pressreleases, photographs and even the daily crossword puzzlesdon’t even require paper. With all of the advances, what is thefuture of journalism in a tech-savvy environment?

Advancing technology has revolutionized and energizedjournalism and mass communications. In the past five yearsalone, the Internet has given news companies and independentjournalists an almost limitless outlet to publish and disseminateinformation to the public – instantaneously.

Ann Brill, dean of the School of Journalism, recalled theold newsroom with a bit of fondness.

“Our old technology was huge, with some hardware beingproprietary,” Brill said. “Today, with miniaturization and port-ability, newsgathering is more accessible. Now, even a six-year-old can ‘publish’ news.”

Without the need for FCC licenses and expensiveequipment, almost anyone can publish. A computer, a digitalcamera, a camcorder and a broadband connection – nowpotentially wireless – are the accessible and portable essentialsof independent news gathering and even advertising.

INTEGRATION AND CONVERGENCEStaci Wolfe, multimedia

coordinator for the School ofJournalism, believes mediaintegration and convergenceoffer journalists a new,different way of thinking.Resources are plentiful and themedium no longer limits ordictates the story.

"It's no longer a question ofshould we converge... it's howwe converge? The technologyhas pushed us to think about allmedia for every story."

Integration of content with

advertising, however, raises other issues for Wolfe, who saidthat new media had created new problems because of theconvergence.

“We have to stop and ask ourselves how far is too far togo. Blending advertising with news content can potentially beproblematic. Traditionally, the media have always been verycareful about differentiating between ads and news, buttechnology has provided new ways to target customers andintegrate advertising messages. It raises a lot of ethical issues. "

News and marketing companies have realized thepotential in new, integrated media, but experts say techno-logical advances in that integration will further drivecompetition in the growing markets.

KU Business School graduateJustin Ramsey is a manager withthe global consulting companyCapgemini and specializes in globalcommunications positioning. Hethinks continued convergence andintegration of technologies, coupledwith an embrace and use of new andemerging technologies, will beimportant factors in future mediasuccess.

“Today’s competitive com-munications landscape requirescompanies to depend on highlystructured information management systems to navigatecomplexities in delivering top-tier products through a host ofdelivery channels,” Ramsey said. “In today’s lean andcompetitive markets, a company’s technology must adopt alean, highly integrated technology system to provide real-timedata, news, advertising and other communications to itsaudiences.”

Ramsey also said continued convergence in news sourcesin print, broadcast, online and broadband wireless deliverywould affect marketing strategy.

“New media will drive market strategy and message inthe future, forcing companies to more highly target audienceswith almost customized advertising,” Ramsey said. “Withoutintegration in technology for these marketing and newscommunications, dissemination would be expensive andnearly impossible.”

BROADBAND, WIRELESS AND ONLINECorante.com, a blog media company, reported that blogger

Bob Cauthorn, an online technology guru, sees the future ofmedia coming from broadband wireless connections. Cauthorn

J-Links Asks: What is the future of journalism in a tech-savvy environment?By Dan Billingsley, Lawrence, Kan., senior

Staci Wolfe

Justin Ramsey


Banner photos of J-School students at work.

believes broadband wireless’s “astonishing” new technologies,beamed straight to cellphones, BlackBerries and computers,will change the way people get information. He also warnsthat traditional media will suffer once companies like Googledevelop and distribute the technology.

“Affordable broadband wireless is coming – bank on it,”he said. “Magazines, radio, television and newspapers will seean exodus of advertisers in this direction once it is widelydeployed. Almost anyone can play and prosper here if theyare smart.”

Vin Crosbie, another prominent technology and mediablogger, also warned that a myth of online and print userequivalency determining viewership for advertising dollarswas a common theme with some news organizations. Hecautioned that online users should be approached with carebecause “an eyeball doesn’t always equal an eyeball.”

“The myth states that each online user is of equal value toa user of print or broadcast,” Crosbie said. “Isn’t a user a user,no matter whether he uses print, online or over-the-air? Onlyif you flunked junior high school math …”

Crosbie also warned that online journalism professionalsshould be careful not to bring old, problematic constructs intothe new medium, or else it will be doomed to repeat the failuresof the old journalism packaging.

TECHNOLOGY AT ONE PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCYMike Swenson, president of

Barkley Evergreen and PartnersPublic Relations in Kansas City,Mo., said technology hadcompletely changed the way hisfirm worked. Research, com-munications, data collection andinformation distribution have allprospered from technologicaladvances. He said today’sresearch was more streamlinedbecause of the Internet.

“Obviously, doing researchis so easy with the Web,”

Swenson said. “There are so many sources. It’s very helpful. Itmakes everything faster and more current.”

Swenson also said communication strategies hadimproved thanks to technology. Barkley Evergreen ably tracksthird-party communication with media and clients withdatabase management so that conversations are alwaysavailable and current. In addition, technological advances havehelped employees communicate more effectively.

“We give all our employees BlackBerries,” he said. “Theytravel a lot and we’d like them to have access to e-mail andvoice communications at all times. It helps them work smarter.”

Swenson said Barkley Evergreen will continue to innovatein the coming years to be on the cutting edge of technology.

“The sky is the limit compared to 20 years ago,” Swensonsaid. “We’ve gone 180 degrees at least three or four times over.As new things come along, we’re going to try them. We wantto be an innovative company.”

HOW THE J-SCHOOL PREPARES STUDENTSThe School of Journalism integrates technology training

into its curriculum, withstudents working on projectsin design, video editing,online content developmentand research training.

Bob Basow, associateprofessor in strategic com-munications, chairs the J-School’s technology com-mittee. As a professionalmarketer and professor for thelast 40 years, Basow has seenfundamental changes intechnology, especially in theareas of research, datacollection and use. He saidthat students in the strategic communications track graduatingfrom KU need essential basic understanding of technology,but that those students should further their technologyunderstanding independently.

“Journalists are generalists,” Basow said. “They developskills in gathering, organizing and communicating informationthat apply to all areas. Being able to use technological toolsfrom software to computers, cameras and other high-techequipment empowers students to apply their skills ininnovative ways.”

“Students in the program who embrace newer technologieshave an understanding that journalism professionals in anyfield can utilize. Through their resourcefulness, students candeliver news and information more rapidly and accurately topeople who can benefit from it by making good decisions,”Basow said.

Wolfe agrees that these skills are necessary for the successof all students graduating from the J-School, especially thosein the news and information track.

“There has been a cry to return to the basics of journa-lism – good reporting and good writing,” Wolfe said.“However, we have to include the technological aspects instudents’ training. Students also must take responsibility tolearn new technologies while here. In the future, technologywill change and our graduates must be flexible.”

Bob Basow

(J-Links Asks– continued from page 6)

Mike Swenson


Banner photos from Prof. Kuhr’s student-run credibility roundtable on story comments at www.ljworld.com.

W illiam Allen White Day is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2006. Gordon Parks, noted photo-journalist, author and filmmaker, will behonored as the recipient of the WilliamAllen White Award.

Parks, a Fort Scott native who is now93, will be unable to attend the ceremony.However, earlier this month, John Frazee,senior vice president of CBS News, analumnus and trustee of the White Founda-tion, arranged for Byron Pitts, an award-winning correspondent, to interview Mr.Parks. CBS will prepare a video includingthe interview and footage from “SundayMorning” shows about Mr. Parks.

In addition to the video, the WilliamAllen White Day program will include apanel of speakers and displays of Mr.Parks’ work in KU’s Spencer Museum ofArt and in Stauffer-Flint Hall.

The public is invited to attend theWilliam Allen White Day ceremony at 1:30p.m. in Woodruff Auditorium at theKansas Union.

A panel of William Allen WhiteFoundation trustees selects the citationrecipients. It has been presented annuallysince 1950 to journalists who exemplify theideals of William Allen White (1868-1944),a nationally influential Kansas editor,publisher and namesake of the J-School.Jerry Seib and Marlin Fitzwater are themost recent award recipients.

Check out the next spring J-Links forcoverage of William Allen White Day.

Students conduct credibility roundtableby Heidi Fedak, edited by Lisa Coble-Krings, both graduate students

Agroup of Lawrence Journal-World Web site readers tucked away its keyboards and traded sentiments face-to-face Dec. 1 during a student- sponsored roundtable at the Lawrence Public Library.

The roundtable examined posting of reader comments on The LawrenceJournal-World’s Web site, www.ljworld.com, and whether those comments affectthe credibility of stories, the site and the organization as a whole.

Ten readers participated in the two-hour event, a capstone exercise forstudents taking Professor Peggy Kuhr’s seminar, “Journalism, Community andCredibility.”

The students learned that the comments are an important resource forreaders, who see them as supplemental to the story.

“They can illuminate parts of the story, but you’re there to read the story,”said Tom King, who regularly comments on www.ljworld.com.

Almost all of the participants said they read the story comments forentertainment, and to see what people thought about an issue.

“These comments are all a bunch of mini-editorials,” said Marion Lynn,who comments frequently and was a roundtable participant. “The populationnow has a format in which they can freely express themselves.”

Participants said that the fact the Journal-World carried story comments gavethe news organization more credibility, even if some of the comments themselveswere not credible.

Roundtable participants recognized that people could add new, factualinformation to a story, or give it some context. The credibility of those commentsdepends on who posted them and whether the person posting had directexperience with the issue.

Most story comments are meaningful, participants said, but a few areobscene, disparaging or inappropriate. The forum is mostly self-moderated,though sometimes www.ljworld.com staff members will delete a post. Thepotential benefits of the comments outweigh any concerns of harm.

“It’s a good gauge for an editor to see what the public is thinking and whatthe public will or won’t tolerate,” King said.

Robert Rodriguez, another roundtable participant, agreed.“It’s an unlimited space,” he said. “It allows more people … to express their

thoughts on a particular issue.”The roundtable was

part of a national effortto promote communica-tion between the publicand the press. The Dec.1 session was one ofnearly 200 AssociatedPress Managing EditorsNational CredibilityRoundtables conductedaround the country sincethe initiative began in2001. Prof. Peggy Kuhr’s students run the Dec. 1 credibility roundtable

for the World Online operation.

Gordon Parks selected as2006 William Allen Whitenational citation winner


ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES Where are they now?

2005Shaunte Abernathy is acampaign associate for theUnited Way in Kansas City.

Stacey Archambault is aproduction assistant at ESPN inBristol, Conn. She works on anew show, “Quite Frankly,”with Stephen A. Smith.

Ellyn Angelotti is the onlinesports editor for The NaplesDaily News in Naples, Fla. Shewas previously with TheLawrence Journal-World.

Quinn Bogdan is attending theMiami Ad School inMinneapolis, Minn.

Laura Clark is an assistantmedia buyer with Bernstein-Rein. She received the agency’sinternship/scholarship the pasttwo years.

Lauren Cooke is an accountmanager with MAI-GlobalCompetitive Intelligence inChicago.

Amy Cox is the communica-tions director for the OverlandPark (Kan.) Chamber ofCommerce.

Leah Cummings is a graduatestudent in the politicalmanagement program atGeorge Washington University.She also holds a direct mailposition at the university.

Erin M. Droste works as afreelance photojournalist. Shelives in Paola, Kan.

Rupal Gor is the promotionsmanager at Clear ChannelEntertainment in Aurora, Ill., aChicago suburb.

Courtney Grams has joined theCollege of Liberal Arts andSciences staff as anadministrative assistant.

(News & Notes – continued on page 10)

J-School faculty at work: Peggy Kuhr, Bob Basow, Sharon Bass, Kristie Swain and Chuck Marsh.

Anne Grantski is a junior artdirector at Nicholson Kovac, theKansas City advertising agencywhere she interned in summer.

Courtney Grimwood is themembership coordinator for theRobstan Group, an associationmanagement company. Shelives in Kansas City, Mo.

Lynn Hamilton is editorialassistant with Family PracticeManagement magazine,published by the AmericanAcademy of Family Physiciansin Leawood. She copy edits themonthly magazine, compilesthe letters department andforwards manuscripts to panelsof doctors for review.

Amanda “Mandy” Hendrix is anew beauty assistant at Ladies’Home Journal in New York.

Meagan Kelleher is Web editorfor KPLC-TV, Lake Charles, La.

Elizabeth “Beth” Kimberlyworks in San Jose, Calif., as anAmeriCorps member. She helpshigh school students withhomework and leads them inservice projects and workshops.She does administrative work atthe San Jose Conservation CorpsAcademy, a charter school foradults who are now completinghigh school diplomas.

Kevin MacDonald is a reporterat WIBW-TV.

Zachary Mendenhall is anassistant account executive atBernstein-Rein Advertising inKansas City, Mo.

Katherine “Kate” HosackSandquist is assistant to thedirector of Aid to Women inCedar Rapids, Iowa. Shedesigns brochures, arranges fairdisplays, writes news releasesand helps develop some of thenon-profit center’s programs.

Jay Senter, MSJ, has been hiredby Common Sense Media in SanFrancisco, an organization thatruns a Web site with family-friendly reviews of mediacontent, advocates laws toimprove the media environmentfor children and is planning aconference examining howchildren use and react to thenews media.

Erin Shipps is an editorialassistant for farm publicationsat Ogden Publications inTopeka, Kan.

Amy Sullivan is an eventscoordinator for the ChicagoHistorical Society.

Andrew Vaupel works forMakovsky and Company inNew York as marketing coor-dinator. He assists the vice pres-ident for branding and visualcommunications by solicitingbusiness, building and main-taining client relationships, andhelping to oversee projects. Thecompany is an independentglobal public relations andinvestor relations consultancy.Vaupel, who also earned adegree in business, plans to dofreelance writing as well.

Kathleen “Kathy” Vitale is aproducer at KLTV, Tyler, Texas.

Erica Wells is a public relationsspecialist at Cerner Corp. inKansas City.

Shannon Williams is anassistant media buyer withZenith Media in Chicago.

Paige Worthy is a copy editorand page designer with TheDispatch Tribune newspapergroup in Gladstone, Mo.

Laci Wright is an associateproducer at KMBC-TV.

2004Ashley Arnold is an assistantaccount manager on the Blue

Bunny account at BarkleyEvergreen and Partners. Shehad been with Weyforth-Haas.

Nicole Chaikin works for AllenPress, Inc., in Lawrence, as amarketing manager. Shedevelops marketing plans forscientific journals in order toincrease subscriptions.

Kimberly Elsham works inpress relations for the FrenchTechnology Press Office inChicago, the North Americanoffice for Paris-basedUBIFRANCE.

Barbara Kullbom moved to theOmaha office of BaileyLauerman as account coordina-tor. She supports traffic andproject management needs,writes stories for Union Pacific’sInside Track and ITV, andprovides support for publicrelations clients. She was withthe National Arbor DayFoundation previously. She alsowas president of the KU PublicRelations Student Society.

Andy Marso is a sports reporterand columnist for The BasehorSentinel weekly newspaper inBasehor, Kan. To read Marso’scolumn in the last J-Links, visitwww.journalism.ku.edu.

Mary Ann Porch has joinedBurson-Marsteller in New YorkCity as client executive on theHewlett-Packard account.

Tovah Simon has opened a LosAngeles production company,Creativision LA Inc. to producemovie, television, video andevent planning projects.

Danielle (Hillix) Stange is amanager analyst at DeMarcheAssociates in Overland Park,Kan. In May she married EvanStange, a 2005 graduate.

ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES Banner photos from the San Antonio alumni reunion event on Aug. 10.


Taylor Thode is an accountmanager for an independentlyowned advertising agency inChicago, Goble & Associates.Recently she worked as a mediaassociate at Starcom, Chicago.

Meghan Zorn is a leasingmanager for Macerich Corp. inSanta Monica, Calif.

2003Lauren Beatty is the new copy/calendar editor of The Oread,KU’s employee publication.Previously she was a copyeditor/page designer for theDecatur, Ill., Herald & Review.She was a Dow Jones News-paper Fund Editing intern at theLexington, Ky., Herald Leader.

Shannon Clayton doespromotional marketing forWTBS in Atlanta. She was in thefirst group of MulticulturalJournalism Scholars.

Sarah Coleman is an accountspecialist at Associated inWichita, Kan. Associated is amarketing, public relations andadvertising company.

Nathan Dayani is a policy andresearch analyst for Earth,Energy and Environment, acompany in Shawnee.

Amanda Denning is a publicrelations specialist with theAmerican Academy of FamilyPhysicians in Leawood. Sheworks with national media,with lobbyists and legislators inWashington, and represents theorganization at nationalmeetings. She had been a seniorpublic relations specialist withthe University of Missouri-Kansas City and accompanied aUMKC medical researcher toCameroon last year.

Joshua Dysart is a commun-ications manager with VML inKansas City, Mo. He waspreviously with GlynnDevins.

Melissa Lindsley, is marketingcoordinator for the AmericanGalvanizers Association inCentennial, Colo.

Wilson Miner received thegrand prize of the 2005 BattenAwards for Innovations inJournalism for the Web sitechicagocrime.org, an innovativeoverlay of the city’s reportedcrimes with Google’s onlinemapping technology. The BattenAwards are administered by J-Lab: the Institute for InteractiveJournalism at the University ofMaryland, and are funded bythe John S. and James L. KnightFoundation. They honorjournalists who involve thepublic in innovative ways. Theprize carries an award of$10,000, which he shared withAdrian Holovaty.

John Nowak, photographer forThe Ottawa Herald, received theEditor & Publisher Photo of theYear award for newspapers withcirculation under 25,000. Thewinning photo was of VictorOjeleye, an Ottawa High Schoolsoccer player and junior fromNigeria, practicing at sunset.

Dorit Scherman is an accountexec./sales rep. for PRWeekmagazine, a Haymarket Mediabusiness publication in NewYork. She began with a non-profit off-Broadway theater,Primary Stages, as a marketingassistant, then moved toLifestyle Media Inc. as a juniorregional sales manager.

Leah Shaffer is a reporter withThe Eden Prairie News, in EdenPrairie, Minn., a suburb ofMinneapolis. She covers theschool and police beats.

Melissa Shapiro is themarketing projects coordinator

for the Nebraska Furniture Martin Omaha, Neb.

Corey Smith is an Internetaccount executive for PlatFormAdvertising in Olathe, Kan.

Jessica Tims has been promotedto managing editor of ThePittsburg Morning Sun inPittsburg, Kan.

Kelley Weiss has joined thestaff of The Wednesday, apublication of the DispatchTribune Newspapers in KansasCity, North. Previously she wasproducer of the Walt BodineShow on KCUR-FM, publicradio in Kansas City.

Melissa Williams is a mark-eting specialist with MerrillLynch Capital in Chicago.

2002John A. Beck has a graphicdesign firm in Chicago,www.johnabeck.com.

Ashley Boyden is media rela-tions coordinator for ColoradoSki Country USA in Denver.

Emily (Thach) Galbreathstarted a new position at the KUEndowment Association as as-sistant director, Annual Giving,Mail Campaigns in June. Shelives in Lawrence.

Janice Keller is assistantdirector of Alumni Services forPennington & Company inLawrence.

Michelle Sherwood is a report-er and weekend morning an-chor for KYTV, Springfield, Mo.Before that she was a reporter atWWAY-TV in Wilmington, N.C.In 2004 she won a MissouriBroadcasters Award for hercoverage of a fatal plane crash.

2001Two photos by Thad Allenderappeared in a recent issue ofNational Geographic Traveler

magazine that featuredLawrence as one of four“dynamic” river cities. Nowfreelancing in New York, Thadwas a photographer for TheLawrence Journal World.

Aundria (Kersten) Ashkar is asenior national account man-ager for Super Floral RetailingMagazine in Topeka, Kan.

Erinn Barcomb is paginationeditor for The Ottawa Herald.

Jennifer Curry works for H.W.Wilson in New York. Sherecently edited “Women’sRights,” H.W. Wilson’s newvolume in its popular ReferenceShelf book series.

Mindie Paget, MSJ, arts editorof The Lawrence Journal-World,won the sweepstakes award inthe National Federation of PressWomen’s 2005 communicationscontest. She won four first-placeawards for special serieswriting, page design andediting of sections and pages;and two second places in designand headline writing.

Andrea Wohlers is assistantmanager of sales and marketingservices for Absolut Vodka, anaward-winning companyknown for its ads. Previouslyshe worked in Paris for a year.She lives in New York.

2000Sarah K. Starr works forBearingPoint Inc. in Alexandria,Va., as a consultant forBearingPoint’s Intelligencesector. Her client is the DefenseIntelligence Agency.

1999Danny Boresow is an accountexecutive for 98.1 KUDL/99.7KY, two Entercom radio stationsin Kansas City.

(News & Notes – continued from page 9)


ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES


Banner photos from the San Antonio alumni reunion event on Aug. 10.

CBS newsman remembersKU and J-School fondlyBy Dan Billingsley, Lawrence, Kan., senior

J ohn Frazee, J-School alumnus and CBS Senior Vice President of News Services, says his calling to journalism was a nat-ural fit. Years of debate, theater and workingfor the local radio station in his hometown ofCoffeyville, Kan., molded him into what hecalled a “decent writer” and eventually tookhim to the University of Kansas School ofJournalism.

“KU was a long time ago,” Frazee said.“It was the best school that I was personallyaware of. I had an uncle who went to KU, soit seemed a natural for me.”

Frazee was a working student, sometimescommuting to Kansas City to work for WDAFtelevision. However, it was his first newsexperiences at KU that he remembers fondly.

“I never worked for The Kansan,” he said.“I worked instead for the radio station KANU.It was typical radio reporting and announcingfolded into the newscast. The station had justgone through a major upgrading at the timeand it was a beautiful facility with greatpeople around. I got to work for Dick Wright,who was general manager of the station.”

Though Frazee looks back to his radiowork with a bit of reverence, he said his firstreporting assignments were anything butboring.

“My first story was to cover a speech bySecretary of the Interior Rogers C.B. Morton,”he said. “It was on a reservation near St.Marys. I remember it as being fairly hostile.There was a lot of dissatisfaction with theBureau of Indian Affairs.”

It was a speech by W. Clarke Wescoe thatcemented Frazee’s respect for KU.

“I believe it was a dedication of the Schoolof Pharmacy,” Frazee recalled. “I will neverforget what Dr. Wescoe said: ‘The greatestinvention of the mind of man is the idea of auniversity, and the greatest invention of thepeople of Kansas is the University of Kansas.’”

Other aspects of his work at KU have hadlasting effects on his career and personal life,including a love of jazz music.

“KANU was my first real exposure toserious jazz music,” he said. “Because of thatexposure, as I’ve grown older, my musictastes have broadened. I spent an enormousamount of time in New Orleans, and I had ahouse there until a year ago.”

Today, Frazee oversees a team ofcorrespondents for CBS News. He wasarchitect of CBS Newspath, the world’slargest satellite news service. He also wasinstrumental in the CBS conversion to digitaltechnology.

“I run the part of CBS News that sellsnews coverage around the world,” Frazeesaid. “This is a very successful business. I havehad 30 years of opportunities at CBS, and I’mvery happy. I love journalism. I believe injournalism.”

That belief in and love of journalismtranslated into his interest in giving back tohis alma mater. Professor Susanne Shaw saidFrazee helped tremendously with prep-arations for the December event in New YorkCity where writer Gordon Parks was honoredwith the prestigious William Allen WhiteAward. Shaw said his assistance with theevent and his support of the school had beeninvaluable.

“John Frazee has been very helpful to theschool,” Shaw said. “He is interested in givingback to the university and to education. It’sgreat when a professional maintains linkswith colleges and universities. He is amongour most distinguished alumni.”

Julie Crider is senior accountmanager for CompetitiveInsights strategic media analysisin Chicago.

Alex Runner, now senior writerfor Northwestern University,has an article on Poynter Onlinedescribing his job search and histhree years with SanitaryMaintenance magazine. Hewrites and edits editorial copyand features for print and Web-based publications, via theNorthwestern Office of AlumniRelations & Development.

1998Becky S. Bohannan is associatemedia director with StarcomWorldwide in Chicago.

Jaime Mann is an accountexecutive at The Chicago Tribune.

Kate Blatherwick Pickert, MSJ,produces the 5 p.m. newscast atKMBC-TV, Kansas City.

1997Tiffany Alaniz, anchor for the5, 6 and 10 p.m. news at KSN inJoplin, Mo., reported on theHurricane Katrina devastationfor KTAL in Shreveport.

Nicholas C. Charalambous,MSJ, was recently promoted toassistant city editor at TheAnderson Independent-Mail, S.C.

Correy Honza is the director ofInternet marketing at Quiznosin Denver.

Daniel Kopec was recentlypromoted to media director atStarcom Worldwide inChicago. Dan has worked atStarcom since graduation, afterspending a semester there as anintern. He often travels to KU



ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES


Banner photos from the Chicago alumni reunion event on Nov. 16.

T he J-School has a long history of sponsoring alumni reunion events across the country. This year we injected new life into the tradition with more events than ever.It is important to us to keep in contact with our alumni. Thatprofessional connection is crucial to the J-School’s continuedexcellence.

This spring we will host an event in Kansas City, and inthe coming year we hope to visit New York and Washington,D.C., among other cities. If you have suggestions for eventlocations, please send a note to [email protected].

Alumni events are coordinated jointly by the School ofJournalism and the KU Alumni Association (KUAA). Follow-ing is a recap of recent events.

CHICAGONearly 70 J-School alumni from the Chicago area gathered

at Kincade’s Bar and Grill on Nov. 16 for a Jayhawk Journalistreunion. Thirteen representatives from the J-School and theKUAA were present. Many attendees were recent graduates.Just a few of the alumni who attended were John A. Beck, 2002,who has a graphic design firm; Becky S. Bohannan, 1998,

J-School alumni reconnect at reunion events

Viva Las Vegas: An updatefrom Miss Kansas Adrienne Rosel

associate media director, Starcom Worldwide; Ed Cohen, 1995,whose firm is Interactive Endeavors; Julie Crider, 1999, senioraccount manager, Competitive Insights strategic media analysis;Jaime Mann, 1998, account executive, The Chicago Tribune; AmySullivan, 2005, events coordinator, Chicago Historical Society;Taylor Thode, 2004, account manager, Goble & Associateshealth-care communication; and Jaimee (Reggio) Lumm, 1998,account supervisor, Chandler Group integrated marketing.

DENVER“Where the Sunflower meets the Buffalo,” the

theme of the Oct. 21 reunion event in Denver,was inspired by the new Kansas quarter.Nearly 30 alumni gathered at Brauns Bar &Grill to network with one another and visitwith Dean Ann Brill, and Professors DavidGuth, Susanne Shaw and Rick Musser.Among the graduates who attended the eventwere Ashley Boyden, 2002, media relations coordinator,Colorado Ski Country USA in Denver; Christine Keehn, 1991,senior account manager, Hat Trick Creative marketingcommunications in Littleton, Colo.; and Rieley Scott, 1997,product manager, domestic money transfer, Western Unionin Englewood, Colo. While in Denver, Dean Brill and facultyalso met with Dorothy Hall, an alumna, and her husband John,who run the registered national historic site Everhardt/Herzman Ranch.

SAN ANTONIOThe Sunflower State collided with the Lone Star State on

Aug. 10 at Boudro’s Zinc Room in San Antonio, near the famousRiverwalk. Several alumni from the San Antonio and Austin,Texas, areas joined faculty and staff from the J-School andKUAA. Among the graduates who attended were Jay Senter,MSJ 2005, Common SenseMedia in San Francisco; EdLallo, 1973, Ed LalloPhotography; StephenHess, 1977, U.S. PostalService; and SennettRockers, 2003, sports re-porter, KWED-AM.

Adrienne Rosel, May 2005 graduate and

Miss Kansas 2005,will compete in the MissAmerica pageant in LasVegas this January. The finalcompetition will be broad-cast live at 8 p.m., Jan. 21, onthe Country Music Channel.

Rosel’s platform isfinancial literacy. Her dutiesthis year have included num-erous appearances and astatewide speaking tour,which has reached more than 20,000 students and adultsthroughout Kansas.

Rosel’s presentations focus on attitude and obstacles,as well as how to set and achieve goals. She also talks aboutthe importance of financial literacy, and the freedom con-nected with managing and understanding finances. Herpersonal motto, “Prepare for the future, but live fortoday,” ties together all of her presentations.





for recruiting trips on behalf ofStarcom. Dan and Holly NaifehKopec (also a KU alumna) havebeen married for 3.5 years andlive in Chicago.

Gina Thornburg Kutsch is acommunications specialist atMuscatine Power and Water inMuscatine, Iowa. MP&W is thelocal electric, water, cable andInternet provider.

Rieley Scott is a productmanager, domestic moneytransfer, for Western Union,Englewood, Colo.

Kristin (Zvirgzdins) Wills is adistrict sales manager forOdwalla in Sparks, Nev. Shecovers the Reno, Lake Tahoeand Truckee areas.

1996Jan-Eric Anderson has beenpromoted to vice president-media director at PublicisGroupe’s Starcom USA inChicago, from media director.

Molly Bukaty is employeecommunications manager atHallmark Cards in Kansas City,Mo. She earned an MBA fromKU in 2004.

Mary Beth Kurzak is thedirector of communications &marketing for the InternationalAssociation of Defense Counselin Chicago. She has been withthe IADC for three years.

Jennifer (Derryberry) Mannmoved to Minneapolis in Jan.2005 to work as managingeditor at Experience Life mag-azine (www.lifetimefitness.com/magazine), which is publishedby Life Time Fitness in EdenPrairie, Minn. She marriedScotty Gilbert Mann on April 2,2005, in Oklahoma City.

Stephen Martino is executivedirector of the Kansas Racingand Gaming Commission. Hewas Kansan editor for two sem-esters and graduated from LawSchool at Washburn University.

1995Richard S. Backus is editor-in-chief of Ogden Publications inTopeka, Kan. On Aug. 3, 2005,he officially launched MotorcycleClassics magazine. Hedeveloped the prototype forMotorcycle Classics whilestudying for his masters degreeat KU. He also oversees threeother titles.

Teresa “Traci” Carl, newseditor for the Associated Pressin Mexico and Central America,has been promoted to chief ofbureau. She is responsible forcoverage of Mexico, Guatemala,Belize, El Salvador, Honduras,Nicaragua, Costa Rica andPanama. She joined AP in 1995in Topeka and was transferredto Kansas City later that year.She was named correspondentfor Wichita in 1996 andtransferred to the internationaldesk in New York in 1998. Shemoved to Mexico City in 2000and became news editor therethree years later. She hasreported from Cuba, Venezuelaand Iraq. She is from Lawrence.

Ed Cohen has a firm, InteractiveEndeavors, in Chicago.

1994Melissa Lacey received amasters in communication fromWichita State University in May2005. She is a public relationscoordinator for Via ChristiWichita Health Network.

Cameron Meier is editor ofSunshine Artist magazine, thenation’s leading publication onart and craft shows. In addition,he is a freelance art, theater andmovie critic. In 2003 he

completed seven years with theWalt Disney Company.

Stephanie (Mayer) O’Farrell isthe sales director forARAMARK RefreshmentServices in Overland Park, Kan.

Adam Rhoades was promotedto managing partner for theNorthwestern Mutual FinancialNetwork. He has been an agentfor the company since hegraduated.

Kristine Strain, assistant newsdirector at KCNC-TV in Denver,has written an article for stationmanagers in Communicator on“Five Ways to Get More Out ofa Job Interview.” She discussesrole playing, determining anapplicant’s attitude, testingskills, reference checks, andmaking the most of theinterview visit.

1993Roger O. Burks, Jr. is managingeditor for Mercy Corps, a globalhumanitarian agency based inPortland. His recent careerhighlights include rapid res-ponse to the Indian Oceantsunami and a follow-up trip toIndia.

1992Shawna Rosen is a Mac Geniusfor Apple Computer at itsCountry Club Plaza store inKansas City.

1991Loretta Bass, associate professorof sociology at the University ofOklahoma, was profiled in arecent issue of Kansas Alumnimagazine. In 2004, shepublished “Child Labor in Sub-Saharan Africa,” in which shereported that nearly 30 percentof the workforce in that regionis children. Most work inagriculture, in craft trades or asmarket vendors. Her doctoraldissertation research was basedon two years in Senegal.

Christine Keehn is senioraccount manager for Hat TrickCreative marketing commun-ications in Littleton, Colo.

1990Matt Williams is CEO ofGlidepath LLC in Grand Prairie,Texas.

1988Dan Grainge is vice president ofFletcher Chicago, Inc., in thesports and entertainmentdivision, Chicago.

Craig Herrmann is a policeofficer with the Shawnee, Kan.,police department. He iscurrently assigned as a schoolresource officer and D.A.R.E.officer, working withelementary and middle-schoolchildren.

1987Michelle Buckley is author of anovel, “Bulletproof Soul,” abouta single young AfricanAmerican woman reportertriumphing over obstacles. Setin Kansas City, it was publishedby Urban Press. Buckley ownsPerfect Pitch Communications,a public relations firm in KansasCity. Formerly she worked inmarketing for a national youthorganization, and for HallmarkCards, and wrote freelancearticles for Black Enterprise. Herbook was featured at a July 17event sponsored by the KansasCity Public Library and theAmerican Jazz Museum at theGem Theater. It was recom-mended in a book list by newwriters in the Black Issues BookReview for July and August.

Helene Plein is director of busi-ness development for Bucher,Willis & Ratliff, engineers, plan-ners, architects, in Denver.

ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES

ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES(News & Notes – continued from page 13)




Ottawa Native EstablishesNew Journalism ScholarshipBy Jen Humphrey, Development EditorKU Endowment Association

Aretired journalist and marketing executive who grew up in Ottawa, Kan., has estab- lished a substantial scholarship fund forUniversity of Kansas journalism students.

The executive, John P. Kaiser, a 1951journalism alumnus who lives in Deerfield, Ill., hascreated the John P. Kaiser Journalism ScholarshipFund at KU Endowment. The fund will providerenewable financial support for all tuition, fees,books, supplies and university housing for oneincoming student. The fund also will support atleast three other journalism scholarships annuallyfor a minimum of half of tuition and fees. Allrecipients will be graduates of Kansas highschools, with a preference for students fromKaiser’s hometown of Ottawa, Kan.

“Scholarships are critical in our efforts toattract promising students to the William AllenWhite School of Journalism and MassCommunications,” said Ann Brill, journalismdean. “We will be proud to honor John Kaiser withthese scholarships.”

After one year at Ottawa University, Kaiserfollowed in the footsteps of his father and otherfamily members and attended KU. Aftergraduation, he served in the U.S. Coast Guardfrom 1951 until 1954 as a journalist first class.Kaiser, who married Mary K. Simpson ofFairmont, W.Va., in 1955, later worked as apromotion manager for Capper Publications inTopeka. He moved to Chicago and went on tobecome vice president for marketing for themagazine division of Dun & Bradstreet. He retiredin 1986.

“I’ve been pretty fortunate and I wanted togive back to KU,” Kaiser said. “I think this giftwill help the school by giving more Kansasstudents opportunities in journalism.”

KU Endowment is an independent, non-profitorganization serving as the official fund-raisingand fund-management organization for theUniversity of Kansas. Founded in 1891, KUEndowment is the first foundation of its kind at aU.S. public university and one of the largest.

1986Ken Curnes is director ofplanning and development forGlynnDevins Advertising andMarketing, Overland Park, Kan.

Christoph Fuhrmans joined TheAtlanta Journal-Constitution assports design team leader. Hemoved from The Detroit Free Press,where he was lead sports designerfor five years. He won a portfolioAward of Excellence for sportspage design from the Society ofNewspaper Design this year andalso was honored for “EuroThrash,” a page chronicling theU.S. Team’s disastrous first day ofthe Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills.His designs “have gracedcountless sports fronts, posters,collector cards and books” and“he has been at the forefront ofevery major undertaking in sportsincluding a Stanley Cup, an NBAchampionship, a WNBAchampionship, three Final Fours,the Ryder Cup, and Baseball’s All-Star Game,” according to SportsEditor Gene Myers, a journalismstudent in the 1980s.

Jennifer (Gardner) Love is seniordirector of marketing integrationat Sprint in Overland Park, Kan.

1984Cary de Wit is an assistantprofessor in the Department ofGeography at the Univ. of Alaska-Fairbanks. He notes his journalismtraining was invaluable in hisgraduate work and continuingresearch in cultural geography.

1983Amy Hoppenrath is VicePresident/Brand Group Directorfor Trozzolo CommunicationsGroup in Kansas City, Mo.

Peyton Robinson (J.D. 1998) iswith Ernst & Young, working in

offices on the West Coast ininternational tax. He waspreviously with L.L.M. Taxationat Georgetown University.

Jan Johnson Wisdom and herhusband, Keith Wisdom,welcomed their second child,Nathan Eric, in August 2004.

1982Kevin Mills will become CEO ofthe South Carolina Aquarium onJan. 9. He has been marketingdirector of the St. Louis Zoo since1996, and before that spent 10years in sales and marketing ofcruises for the Cunard Line.

1980Ken Davis has been a sportswriter for 25 years, the last 20with The Hartford Courant.

1979Mary A. Mitchell, MSJ, is acommunications consultant,editor and writer, based inRaleigh, N.C.

1978John Rinkenbaugh is newsdirector for the World Company-owned KTKA-TV, Topeka. He isleading the station’s re-entry intothe Topeka news market.

1977Larry S. Bonura is a technicalwriter at MultiGen-Paradigm Inc.in Plano, Texas.

1975Ann Gardner, editorial pageeditor of The Journal-World, washonored at the Seattle conferenceas recipient of the KansasCommunicator of Achievementaward given by KansasProfessional Communicators.

ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES



Let it snow...banner photos from around the KU campus.

1972Karen (Klinkenberg)Swearingen has been thedesign editor at USA TODAYsince December 2001. Beforethat she was the Page OneDesigner for The Seattle Timesfrom 1993-2001.

1971David R. Broyles is a retiredmajor in the Air Force Reserve.He currently resides in ruralHawaii.

1970Robert “Bob” Newton worksfor ESPN Regional as producer/engineer of the Jayhawk RadioNetwork. He is also technicaldirector for the Zimmer RadioGroup stations in Lawrence,and assists with technicaloperations for KU student radiostation KJHK. Bob is active withmany groups and organizationsin the Lawrence community.

1969Paul “Dino” Dinovitz willbecome vice president andwestern director of the HearstFoundations on June 27, 2006,succeeding Thomas Eastham.Dinovitz was general managerof KMBC-TV in Kansas City formany years. He moved toCalifornia in January 1999 asgeneral manager of KCRA-TVin Sacramento. Most recently hehas been president of KRON-TVin San Francisco. The HearstFoundations are composed ofthe William Randolph HearstFoundation and the HearstFoundation, both independentprivate philanthropiesoperating separately from theHearst Corporation. The HearstJournalism Awards for college-level journalism students areprovided by the W.R. HearstFoundation.

Sharon Woodson-Bryant, MSJ1975, is vice president and newsbureau manager with UnionBank of California. She is also aweekly columnist for the WAVENewspaper Group and isfrequently a contributor to TheL.A. Daily News opinion page.

1968Tom Bowser was electedchairman of the Board ofDirectors of the Greater KansasCity Chamber of Commerce onOct. 25. He is president andCEO of Blue Cross and BlueShield of Kansas City.

Willard B. Hardesty wasrecently elected secretary of theColorado Municipal JudgesAssociation. This is thebeginning of the progression tobecome president of the CMJAin three years. He serves as ajudge in the municipal courts inBroomfield, Thorntown, WheatRidge, Lakewood and Golden,all in the Denver area.

1965Karen J. Layland is vicepresident of marketing for theBible League in Chicago. Lastyear she took individuals from13 radio stations to Kenya to seethe group’s ministry in action.

1962Cynthia (Lackie) Dennis is afreelance writer, author, andscreen writer. She has been afeature and travel writer/columnist for The MilwaukeeJournal, has written for radio-TVand magazines, and has taughtjournalism at the University ofWisconsin-Milwaukee. Hersoon-to-be published book,“SEDUCED BY POWER: Losinga Father to Politics,” is based ona 1960s Kansas political scandal.It involved an abortion murder-ess, a parole bribe, a governor,

and other prominent politiciansincluding the author’s father. Asa result, unique behind-the-scene glimpses of life in apolitical family, and the impactof scandal on it, are woventhrough the story.

1960Donald A. Culp is a partner atBlackwell Sanders Peper MartinLLP in Kansas City, Mo., a firmof 280 attorneys. He hasspecialized in franchising anddistribution law for the past 26years. While at KU, he was theassistant sports editor for TheUniversity Daily Kansan andsports director for KUOK.

Douglas Yocom has written “AMatter of Chastity, the HighPlains Saga of A Woman’sRevenge,” the story of asensational murder trial inNorton County n 1894 thatinvolved his grandmother. Thebook is available [email protected] orAbebooks. He lives in Portland,Ore., and sells rare booksthrough his company, DustyCover Books.

1957Joan (George) Paine retired toSun City, Ariz., with herhusband George. She and herhusband are former journalismteachers at Caney Valley HighSchool in Caney, Kan.

1956Jerry W. Knudson’s third book,“Jefferson and the Press,” willbe published by the Universityof South Carolina Press inJanuary 2006. Knudson earnedan M.A. from Minnesota in 1958and a Ph.D. from Virginia in1962 before teaching bothjournalism and Latin Americanhistory mainly at TempleUniversity, where he is nowProfessor Emeritus. He also wasawarded a Freedom Forum cita-

tion by the Gannett Foundationfor his long-term coverage ofPinochet’s dictatorship in Chile.

1948Clarke M. Thomas is the authorof “Front Page Pittsburgh, TwoHundred Years of the Post-Gazette,” tracing the news-paper’s history from 1786 to2005. The first newspaperpublished west of the AlleghenyMountains, it is the last localsurvivor out of more than 50competitors. The PittsburghGazette supported the adoptionof the Constitution of the U.S. in1787 and published the full textof James Madison’s proposedBill of Rights in 1789. Thomas isretired, but retains the title ofsenior editor of the newspaper.He spent 43 years as anewspaperman in Kansas,Nebraska, Oklahoma andPennsylvania.

1945Dean S. Sims is founder andchairman of Public RelationsInternational, based in Tulsa,Houston, London and Madrid.While managing his firm, he haspublished three books includingHard Rock: Historical Fiction of aBoy Growing Up Amid Tragedy inthe World’s Largest Lead and ZincMining Field; All the PublicRelations You Need to Know toRun a Company Successfully; andSnapshots of Life: 100 Profiles ofPeople I Have Found Interesting inLife. He has won 72 professionalawards since receiving theKansan Citation for Excellencein Reporting in 1943. Alongwith his many contributions tocommunity and the publicrelations and journalismprofessions, he also is a trusteeof the William Allen WhiteFoundation.

J-Links is a publication for the alumni and friends of theUniversity of Kansas William Allen White School ofJournalism and Mass Communications.

EditorJennifer Kinnard, Communications Coordinator

PhotographySeveral images in the top banners were taken by journalismstudents or are courtesy of the University of Kansas Officeof University Relations.

Printed byAllen Press Inc., Lawrence, Kansas

Financial support provided byThe Ward Family Foundation Fund in JournalismThe School of Journalism acknowledges, with gratitude,the support provided by the Ward family.

For More Information200 Stauffer-Flint Hall, 1435 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS66045-7575 • [email protected] • 785-864-4755www.journalism.ku.edu

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JLinks Fall 2005

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Transcript of JLinks Fall 2005