PipelineIssue 2, Fall 2013

Department of Communication Magazine

PLUS:

1940s Radio Revamp

KSU Athletics Communications

2013 Colloquium

International Student Experience

50Years

KSU Celebrates

A look back with one of the first graduates

KSU’s Secret to a Half Century of Success

Check out the communication

timeline. It’ll feed throughout

the magazine and features all

kinds of fun tidbits!

Jennifer

Taylor Zach

Connor

Belinda

Logan

MichaelKaitlin Nikki

Prof. Gray Prof. Johnson

Becca

Alex

Jessica

Caley

the

staff

T h e d e f i n i t i o n o f a P I P E L I N E i s a c h a n n e l o r m e d i u m o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n ,

h e n c e o u r m a g a z i n e ’ s t i t l e .

P I P E L I N E is an electronic magazine designed and written by Kennesaw State University Communication students. The purpose of our magazine is to

offer a high-quality, multi-platform publication that informs, educates and connects readers to communication-related topics in the classroom and beyond. We hope you enjoy reading our recent edition. @KSUPipeline

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Welcome from Interim Chair Dr. Gainey150 Possible Jobs for Communication Majors3-4

50years

KSU Student Media: For theStudents, By the StudentsFrom Telephone to Twitter

7-10

13-16

11-12

The Secret to 50: A look back with one of the first KSU graduates

Harry Strange Radio Drama: A talk with the creator and designer of Harry Strange radio show and comics

Communication Colloquium 2013Highlights from this year’s communication colloquium

Student Organization Spotlight: A Trio of OpportunityInternshipaphobia: Overcoming the Anxiety

Networking: Rebecca BurnsYour Portfolio: Selling Yourself in a Digital World

33-34Faculty NewsNew GPA RequirementsExpanding Horizons: Exploring Minors within Communication

5-6

35

contents

The first push-button phone is sold to the public

KSU’s newspaper, The Sentinel, publishes its first issue

Videocassettes of movies are developed for the VCR

‘63 ‘67‘66

29-30

31-32 In Loving Memory: Kim Kilgore

features23-26Alumni Spotlight: A look into the lives and careers of KSU Alumni: Haley Kilpatrick, Ben Poplin and Billy Berger

19-20International Student Spotlight: Ecuadorian Student Raissa Bahamonde.

21-22Numbers Game: Commnication opportunities in athletics.

17-18 Online Identity Crisis: Examining social media’s practical evolution.

27-28Learning Outside the Textbooks Concentration courses that offer real-world experience.

#COVER STORIES

WELCOME A LETTER FROM DR. BARBARA GAINEY

#50thAnniversary p. 7 #Colloquium2013 p. 11 #HarryStrange p. 13 #NumbersGame p. 21#InternationalSpotlight p. 19

3

‘73 ‘76‘71The first e-mail is sent

The first mobile cellular phone is made, weighing 2.4 lbs The Apple 1 computer is invented

Welcome to the newest issue of Pipeline! As you enjoy Kennesaw State University’s 50th Anniversary activities this year, keep in mind that a milestone for the Department of Communication is around the corner.

In 2015, the department will be celebrating its 25th anniversary. Created in 1990, the Department of Communication has seen tremendous change in student enrollment, programs and classes offered, and in opportunities for networking with working professionals and engaging with community organizations. While it is important to have a historical perspective, I want to use this column as a way of recognizing where we are now and what is likely to come about in the next quarter-century.

At the beginning of 2013, the Department of Communication welcomed more than 1,300 students to undergraduate and graduate programs.

The Journalism and Citizen Media program is our newest undergraduate program, added to the department in 2008. The program now offers a certificate in Multiplatform News Reporting and a certificate in Political Communication.

A new graduate program was added in 2010. The Integrated Global Communication program offers a unique focus on international perspectives, with students studying and working in countries all over the world. A new graduate certificate in Digital and Social Media will be offered beginning in the second half of the spring semester.

The Public Relations and Journalism programs are in the curriculum works for two new majors. Media Studies has long-term plans for a major, and Organizational Communication is making plans for a totally online program. The department is also home to a new multidisciplinary minor in Crisis Preparedness and a new minor in Public Relations.

The department is increasing its offerings of hybrid courses (50 percent of instruction is online) and totally online courses. The years to come should include a mix of face-to-face classes, hybrid and online courses, with many more hybrid and online class options.

Our first-ever National Advisory Board Communication Colloquium this fall was a huge success, with nearly 300 attending. Sixteen guest speakers from major corporations and agencies as well as small firms and public- sector organizations participated. National Advisory Board members are already planning a second Colloquium for next September.

With an eye to the future, we are considering a future School of Communication that will more effectively meet student needs with multiple majors, minors, certificates and graduate programs and additional class offerings. We hope to add additional faculty members who will contribute to our mission with a diversity of ideas, expertise and research interests. We will continue to address local and global issues of significance for Communication. We have the essential elements to create a nationally recognized Communication program. I hope each of you will take full advantage of the curricular and extracurricular opportunities available to you through our department. There is, indeed, power in effective communication—don’t hesitate to get plugged in!

Dr. Barbara Gainey, Interim Chair

Community relations directorPublications editor

Communication trainerEditor

PublicistQuality inspector

Radio news directorRadio talk show host

WebmasterActivities director (retirement center)

Wedding consultantCamp director

Career and training advisorRecreational coordinator and supervisor

Residential housing directorSalesperson

Accreditation specialistAdvertising executiveAlumni coordinatorArts administrator

Sales representativeScript writer

Newspaper publisherSpecial events coordinatorSecondary school speech

teacherSpeech writer

Sports announcerSports marketer

Public affairs directorTraining specialist

JournalistNews anchor

ParalegalStudent activities director

Student services directorHuman rights officerInstructional designer

Tour guideLinguist

Travel/conference managerHuman resources specialist

Department administratorLeasing consultant

Film directorLegislative assistant

Legislative correspondentSymphony orchestra media relations

Health services managerTelecommunications specialist

Telemarketing managerTelevision producerTelevision reporter

FundraiserEnvironmental Lobbyist

Hotel managerHuman resources manger

Child welfare workerLegal communications consultant

ForensicsCollege admissions counselor

International students coordinator

Claims adjusterDebate director

Private investigatorProduction assistant

Promotional specialistMotivational speaker

Multicultural specialistPatient rights advocate

Graduate dean

Maintenance supervisor managerMarket researcher

Media account executiveMedia buyerMedia critic

Mediation specialistAccount manager

Information analystCollege dean

College recruiterGovernment relations officer

Public opinion researcherGovernmental press secretary

Sports Publicist

Communication consultantCommunication statisticianProperty managerAdministrative aideLobbyistAssistant to the president (college)Broadcasting floor managerPublic information officerPublic relations coordinatorCommunication researcherCommunity affairs liaisonProofreader

Business managerInstructional development consultant

Arena directorPersonnel development specialist

Conference leaderCommunity outreach director

Theater managerCompany spokesperson

Consulting analystCopywriterCounselorUniversity administratorTechnical recruiterVolunteer coordinatorCrisis managerDatabase analystParliamentarianDevelopmental officerChild language specialistPolitical activistDisc jockeyMental health professional

LawyerFashion merchandiser

Political analystCampaign director

Film marketingCollege admissions counselor

Director of admissions (college)Director of corporate communication

Diversity consultantEducational media specialist

Systems administratorBroadcasting production supervisor

Customer service representativeEmployment interviewerNational fraternity chapter consultantNational sorority chapter consultantEvent plannerExecutive administrative assistantInternational program coordinatorIntercultural communication consultantDebate couch associate producerNon-profit organization directorUniversity information specialistUniversity communication professorGallery manager/ownerGovernment lobbyistGovernmental press secretaryMarketing communication manager

Law fi rm recruiter

Labor relations consultantCompany spokesperson

Language arts teacher

In 1981, KSU owned only one microcomputer. Some consider

this the starting point of our communication degree. For current communication students, it is probably hard

to imagine a time with limited communication technology, especially now, living in a time of online registration, owlcards

and virtual classrooms.

These technological advances bring a host of opportunities for communication graduates. Whether one chooses to focus on Media

Studies, Public Relations, Journalism and Citizen Media or Organizational Communication, the career possibilities after graduation are

potentially endless. Job titles range from paralegals to television producers and college deans to disc jockeys. Check out

the list of 150 possible communication professions. Who knows, you might just find your

next career path!

COMMUNICATION150 JOB OPPORTUNITIES WITH A DEGREE IN

By Caley Chastain

‘80

4

‘81The first online newspaper, The Columbus Dispatch, is produced Music Television makes its debut, MTV

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‘82 ‘83The Compact Disc (CD) is introduced as a solution to music storage and play-back

The first mobile cell phone is sold following the

launch of the first phone network in the U.S.‘91

The World Wide Web is introduced, connecting users over the Internet via their computers

KSU STUDENT MEDIABY the STUDENTSFOR the STUDENTS

WHAT IS

STUDENT MEDIA?

The combination of four

student-produced media

outlets.1. By the stu

dents, for the

students2. Paid positio

ns available

3. Internship credit availab

le

SHARE literar

y

magazineEditors:

Collect submissions (art, philosophy, poetry

)

Copy-editors:

Work with collaborators editing conte

nt

Designers:

Responsible for the layout &

design

“The biggest change I’ve seen with KSU Student Media has been the culture. Previously, students didn’t take it seriously; it wasn’t important. Now it’s the most important thing to them.” Ed Bonza Student Media Adviser

Four Unique Media

Outlets

Design concept ideas, create/edit stories

Edit the content of the stories

Write compelling features

Add visuals to the stories

Create layout and graphics

EDITORS

Copy-EDITORS

WRITERS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

DESIGNERS

TALON magazineEDITORSEdit stories for each sectionCOPY EDITORSEdit stories submitted by writersWRITERSStudent journalists who report the newsPHOTOGRAPHERS

Take pictures of each storyDesignersPlan the layout and production

OWL RADIO

SENTINEL Newspaper

System Operators run sound boards and work technical equipmentManagers Oversee staff of directors and DJ’s, run the station and schedule programming. Directors Oversee staff/interns; promotion and operations.DJ’s Host shows, schedule playlists, schedule guests, etc.

“It provided

me with an avenue to fine-tune my skills as a photographer.

Today I still work as a photographer when I’m not at my 8 to 5 job. If I did not get involved with student

media I honestly don’t think I would have pursued

photography as a source of income.”

Greg Ranallo Class of 2010

“Student media challenged me to

be fearless and take risks and showed me

the surprising beauty and rewards of being vulnerable

and ‘out there’. These characteristics followed me after graduation and helped

me get in the front door of an ever-changing, fast-paced and cut-throat industry in marketing. I couldn’t have

conquered this without student media.”

Sydney Graham Class of 2012

Shortly after KSU began in 1963,

folk singer Bob Dylan released a hit

recording with a song called “The

Times They Are a Changin’” that

eventually made it near the top of the

pop charts. While Dylan’s song wasn’t

about communication technology, it is

certainly a fitting description of what

the future would hold.

In the 1960s, some of the more

standard means of communication

included telephone, AM Radio,

typewriters and telex. Recognizing

the many changes that have occurred

since then is mind boggling, even

from my vantage point, which began

in the late ‘90s. I remember sitting in

the kitchen on the family computer

instant messaging my friends about

pressing 13-year-old issues that my

parents weren’t supposed to see. The

dial up connection we had moved

at an excruciatingly slow pace and

consumed half of my childhood. This

scene was, for most, a staple of my

generation’s younger years.

As Kennesaw State University

celebrates its 50th anniversary,

thoughts of days past are at the

forefront of our minds. The last 50

years have been exciting; technology

is growing faster than we can keep

up with and innovations, previously

reserved for science-fiction novels

and films, are now realities. As

Communication majors, we study

the art of interacting with others and

crafting messages in near perfect

ways. One would be hard pressed to

find an area of technology that has

grown and changed more than the

ways in which we communicate with

one another.

Humans are social beings, so

enhancing the ways we communicate

is something that is, and always has

been, a subject of great innovation.

Social media was virtually non-existent

50 years ago. If you wanted

to get in touch with

someone your

options were to

show up at their

house, pick up the

phone or send a

letter via snail mail.

Many will argue that

these ways of yesteryear gave

the community a better sense of social

connection and that we have grown

further apart as human beings. Now,

if you are re-tweeting posts made

on your friend’s Twitter page while

they are sitting in the same room,

then yes, there is an obvious gap in

human engagement. Most of the

time, however, these outlets provide

us with a more effective means of

communication, and they allow us

to speak with others from across the

globe within a matter of seconds.

“Geography is no longer an obstacle

in communicating with each other,”

said Dr. Amber Hutchins, assistant

professor of communication and

public relations program director at

KSU. Dr. Hutchins went on to say that

social media has allowed us to create

closer communities even though we

may not live in close proximity to one

another.

In just the past 10 years, social media

has greatly changed the world we live

in. Our awareness of what is going on

has been impacted. We have constant

access to news from around the world.

There is so much information

available on our Twitter

feeds alone that

keeping up with it

all is seemingly

impossible. We

are now able to

take videos of our

daily lives and post

them on sites such as

Vine or Instagram. Our lives

are being documented on these sites

and with that, we are publicizing our

ideas. These outlets have given us a

greater voice to be heard in ways that

were not possible 10 years ago.

If the past 50 years is any indication

of what the next 50 will hold, we are in

for some exciting times. Who knows

if Twitter or Facebook will even still be

around?

“The platforms may and probably

will change,” said Dr. Hutchins. “But I

am excited for the future.”

Inevitably these technologies will

evolve into something new but these

advances will bring with them more

opportunities, more convenient ways

to communicate and more innovations

that will help us unite in ways

inconceivable now.

FROM

TELEPHONE TWITTERTO

...enhancing the ways we communicate is something that is, and always has been,

a subject of great innovation

6The World Wide Web is introduced, connecting

users over the Internet via their computers‘95

Microsoft releases Internet Explorer I‘92

Text messaging takes off with Neil Papworth sending the first SMS

Sydney Graham Class of 2010

By Zach Sanders

“It provided

me with an avenue to fine-tune my skills as a photographer.

Today I still work as a photographer when I’m not at my 8 to 5 job. If I did not get involved with student

media I honestly don’t think I would have pursued

photography as a source of income.”

Greg Ranallo Class of 2010

“Student media

challenged me to be fearless and take risks and showed me

the surprising beauty and rewards of being vulnerable

and ‘out there’. These characteristics followed me after graduation and helped

me get in the front door of an ever-changing, fast-paced and cut-throat industry in marketing. I couldn’t have

conquered this without student media.”

Sydney Graham Class of 2012

The success Kennesaw State University has achieved isn’t necessarily in the number 50. In the eyes of older institutions, KSU is still just a rookie school. Rather, the success is in the story of how it got there. The story is how a new junior college, with an inaugural graduation of only five students, transformed into a university system offering more than 90 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees to thousands of students. A lot has changed since it started as Kennesaw Junior College, but the original allure of close student-teacher relationships remains. This is what makes KSU remarkable. This is what makes it worthy of celebrating its 50-year milestone. While buildings, teachers and deans change, the stories are what endure. Fifty years later, the story of Steve Hanges, one of those original five students to graduate from Kennesaw Junior College, is relevant and parallel to the school’s greatness.

THE SECRET TO

50By: Logan PetersenPictures courtesty of the KSU Department of Museums, Archives and Rare Books

7

Video Link

Click here to see a video on KSU’s

history!

Hanges, now in his late 60s, recalls his journey at KJC; however, Kennesaw was not where his story began. The Buckhead native began his schooling at Emory University where he studied medicine. Pharmaceuticals was his intended career path, but well into his degree, he began to question the decision. He began to hate his science classes. Emory’s classrooms were the size of theaters, packed with 200 to 300 students and only one professor teaching it. “I never considered it as an effective way of instructing,” Hanges said.

He also could not afford the growing tuition at Emory. He reached a crossroads. He had no money, no job and no career goal, but the only thing more difficult than staying at Emory was leaving. “Back then, you either went to college or you were drafted,” Hanges said. It was the time of the Vietnam War, and the draft was a looming reality for Hanges and the rest of America’s youth. It was not until a friend of Hanges told him about a new junior college that he felt hopeful.

He decided to look at attending the school. Getting to the KJC campus was a 20-minute car ride from Buckhead. The only way to reach campus was through the dirt back roads and empty spaces of Marietta and Kennesaw.

The campus, still blanketed with unearthed Georgia clay, spanned across 152 acres and had only eight buildings. Hanges walked through the Administration building where a man, who looked to be in his early 30s, greeted him. His name was Cecil Jackson, director of admissions. A casual conversation with Jackson revealed what was lacking at Emory. Jackson explained how the teachers were close with the students and truly cared about their goals. Faculty would often talk and have lunch with students in the cafeteria. Hanges decided Kennesaw was affordable and a second chance for him to figure things out.

In 1966, tuition for one quarter at KJC was pretty standard and only cost $70. Hanges immersed himself in the 16-credit hours of English, physics, physical education and a foreign language. He finally explored potential areas of interest and retook classes he hadn’t absorbed at Emory.

“Kennesaw was relatively informal then,” Hanges said. “It gave me breathing space and the time to switch gears.”

He recalled his teachers and how he became close with them. Jackson, who originally convinced Hanges to attend KJC, became one of his best friends. He regularly visited Jackson at his office and talked to him in the same relaxed manner that he did other professors.

THE BEGINNING

KENNESAW JUNIOR COLLEGE

“KENNESAW WAS RELATIVELY INFORMAL THEN. IT GAVE ME BREATHING SPACE AND THE TIME TO SWITCH GEARS.”

8

He felt they cared about the students’ interests and helped those who were struggling to develop solid career plans. “The environment was different, for me anyway, because it was welcoming and informal,” Hanges said. “I enjoyed my time there.”

From September 1966 to June 1967, he studied at KJC. A May issue of “The Sentinel” published an article announcing the first commencement ceremony that would be honoring the first five graduates of KJC, including Hanges. The ceremony was held at one of the buildings on campus. It was nothing spectacular and lasted less than 20 minutes. Hanges said the most exciting part was the reception at the end when they served drinks and appetizers. For him, graduating was just a stepping-stone to what was to come.

GRADUATION

Over the next 50 years, both KJC and Hanges changed to become the success stories they are. In the ‘70s, Kennesaw became a four-year institution and Hanges went to Georgia State for English and eventually was accepted into a fellowship program at the University of Toronto for Medieval Studies. In the ‘80s, Dr. Betty Seigel became the first female president of Kennesaw College while Hanges did public relations work for various technology corporations. In the ‘90s, the school became Kennesaw State University and Hanges became the marketing manager of Datacard Group. In the 2000s, the campus evolved into what it is today and Hanges, after being a marketing vice president for 11 years, retired. He currently resides in Minnesota. Looking back, he sees that KJC’s environment was part of what inspired him to pursue his career. “A lot of people had very clear goals for what they were gonna do and when they were gonna do them,” he said. “Back in the day at Kennesaw, fewer people had the intensity and focus that allowed them to build a schedule toward that. I think we were more open to taking chances, and I ended up doing things I really enjoyed,” Hanges said.

FIFTY YEARS

9

Steve Hanges stands on the far left at the first graduation.

NOW Fifty years is nothing, unless there is meaning to it. For KSU’s 50th anniversary, the meaning is in its story. Since graduating, Hanges has not been back to Kennesaw. When he learned how much the school has grown since he attended 50 years ago, he was in complete shock. “I had no idea it had become that big,” Hanges said. “It seems like someone was smart enough to see a college was needed in that direction.” The thing he was most happy about that had not changed over the years is the student-teacher relationships. With an average of 30 students per classroom, students are not just numbers at Kennesaw. Their teachers are their mentors as well as their friends. Perhaps that is the secret to this success story, and the secret to 50 years.

AND FOCUS THAT ALLOWED THEM TO BUILD A SCHEDULE TOWARD

THAT. I THINK WE WERE MORE OPEN TO TAKING CHANCES, AND I

ENDED UP DOING THINGS I REALLY ENJOYED.”

“BACK IN THE DAY AT KENNESAW, FEWER PEOPLE HAD THE INTENSITY

10

11

which were about 45-minutes long. Attendees were able to attend

two of the four sessions. The topics consisted of coverage of the First Amendment: Impact of the Internet and social media on media law and citizen journalis, corporate social responsibility, internal communication, and

communication careers. Each session was led by a moderator

and had one-to-four speakers, who also took audience questions.

At the end of the second session, attendees and speakers came together for an opportunity for informal networking, evaluations and adjournment.

Kymberlee Estis reflected on her experience at the colloquium, “I was thrilled

to see the students as excited as we were and especially pleased with the turnout of students and professionals for this event. I hope we can make it a signature event for the Department with the NAB’s support.”

On Sept. 26, the National Advisory Board (NAB) held a Communication Colloquium focusing on crisis communication. The event kicked off with a welcoming speech from the Interim Chair of the Department of Communication, Dr. Barbara Gainey. Joining her was the Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. Robin Dorff, and President of the NAB, Tanjuria Willis. Kymberlee Estis, chair of the colloquium planning committee, was also alongside as they greeted the attendees and prefaced the agenda for the evening.

Dr. Gainey led a crisis communication keynote panel consisting of four communication experts who spoke and took audience questions regarding crisis communication techniques and protocol in the work place. After the panel, attendees were treated with refreshments provided by Chick-fil-A.

The attendees then split up into concurrent breakout sessions,

Dr. B

arbara Gainey, Interim Chair, Departm

ent of C

omm

uni

catio

n

Your Career Panel

Gina McKenzie, Monica Glass-Thornton, Juliet Hall, Stephen Brown

Communication Colloquium 2013By: Caley Chastain

Tanjuria Willis Chair of the NAB Publisher, CONNECT MagazineKymberlee F. Estis Chair of Colloquium Committee ConsultantElenora Andrews News Anchor/ReporterJay Dillon Director of Communications, Cobb County School DistrictJuliet Hall Sponsorships and Event Marketing, Chick-fil-ATimothy Henschel Public Relations Manager, NCR CorporationMart Martin Director of Brand Strategy, Jackson SpaldingAshlie Wilson Pendley Student/ConsultantCorey Sherman Managing Partner, TotalComp Communication, LLCNatalie Springfield President, INfluencePREric Turner Associate Director, IMPACT 360Alan Ulman Director, Issues and Corporate Communications Fiserv, Inc.Lynn Waymer Director of Domestic Distribution, HBONeal Wells VP Southeast Region, Business Wire

MEET YOUR NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD

12

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD The Department of Communication National Advisory Board (NAB) was founded at Kennesaw State University in 2006. Dr. Charles Mayo formed the board with the help of other KSU faculty members. Its purpose is to provide a link between professionals and KSU faculty so that students gain first-hand knowledge about the communication field upon graduation. The NAB is made up

of 16 professionals who are considered experts in their field. Although serving on the board is completely voluntary, the members put many hours

into working with professors at the

university. The NAB’s biggest project with KSU was the Communication Colloquium. Dr. Mayo stressed the importance of the NAB and its members’ input regarding the colloquium. “This will be an almost once in a lifetime opportunity for students to meet with people with such caliber,” Mayo said.

All photos courtesy of Cait Barron

Michael Peters of brand | apart networking with stu

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Networking

Communication Colloquium 2013

Illus

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HARRYDramaRadio

STRANGEBY MIKE FOSTER

KSU StUdent BringS 1940S BacK to Life with new technoLogy

“We had a flood in our basement, and the team that came over to do the restoration said that their office manager was a huge fan of Harry Strange, and she wanted my autograph, which was bizarre,” Sarrecchia said.

The success of the Harry Strange

Radio Drama is still catching up with its producer and visionary, Tony Sarrecchia.

He’s getting noticed—even by his plumbers. “We had a flood in our basement, and the team that came over to do the restoration said that their office manager was a huge fan of Harry Strange, and she wanted my autograph,

which was bizarre,” Sarrecchia said. No, Sarrecchia isn’t a premier celebrity by any stretch of the imagination, but the 52-year-old Communication major found his niche audience and used tools he gained as a student to efficiently and frugally compose a masterpiece. The Harry Strange Radio Drama, which aired for the first time in 2011 on Kennesaw State University’s Owl Radio, is a 1940s-’50s detective-style drama based on a contemporary setting with a twist—the incorporation

of vampires, witches, werewolves and more. “It’s kind of based on those old detective stories, except ours takes place in the current time frame and it’s

more of a supernatural thriller, urban fantasy type story,” Sarrecchia said. The show already reeled in a heap of awards, including last year’s first-place slot for Best Regularly Scheduled Program by College Broadcasters, Inc. (CBI). It was the third CBI award received, alongside the 2012 Best of Fest Award given out by the Broadcast Education Association, which is the education arm of the National Association of Broadcasting.

“The BEA one was huge,” Sarrecchia said. “We actually got to go out to Vegas and accept the award and a cash prize, so that was pretty cool.” Sarrecchia had to become a handyman in his own right to make his show happen. He admitted that the concept of his show isn’t quite tailored to American radio listeners. He initially made some attempts at getting the production in the hands of a studio, to no avail. “I talked to a couple of local stations and I got a ‘thanks, but no thanks,’” he said. “The

United States hasn’t really jumped into radio drama. Canadian radio is much more friendly with radio drama than America.” “We actually air on a station in Alberta, Canada. I think season three just debuted up there on Sept. 21, and we started here on Sept. 8,” he said. The show’s listening base comes from hundreds of miles to the north, as well as pockets of listeners in the metro-Atlanta area and other

parts of the country. Sarrecchia thanks new-age technology, such as podcasts and RSS feeds, for the avenue created to get his show out to the specific audience. That, after all, was Sarrecchia’s initial problem. For years, he had his story, but

was frustrated with a way to produce it. Originally, the Harry Strange drama was in a traditional story format. “I was writing a project that I had started in novel format and a different format and kind of put it off,” he said. “As I went through different iterations of the story, it kind of evolved, and that was about the time I discovered podcasts and Internet radio.” All Sarrecchia needed was some talking heads, some post-production software and relatively cheap equipment, and the Harry Strange

STRANGE

14

“A couple of the actors told me that voice over work in Atlanta is very difficult to get, unless you’ve been in a full feature film or a television show, so this was really a good avenue for them to get into the game,” Sarrecchia said.

Sarrecchia’s low-budget production has earned national attention and awards.

Radio Drama began to take form. “All you need is a couple of grand for a good set of gears, and you’re in business,” he said. Sarrecchia was even able to recruit trained voice actors, which helped the production quality. Despite only being able to supply doughnuts and Red Bull as pay, plenty were willing to jump on board. “Essentially how I got actors was I put audition notices out,” he said. “Other than just simply recruiting some folks from KSU radio and KSU media, I basically went out to local casting agencies and said ‘here’s what I need, it doesn’t pay and it’s not a union; if anyone is interested, send them my way.” The crew wasn’t shabby. Sarrecchia said his cast includes actors who have been in the “Walking Dead” and “Hunger Games”.

“I was actually inundated with auditions. A couple of the actors told me that voice over work in Atlanta is very difficult to get, unless you’ve been in a full feature film or a television show, so this was really a good avenue for them to get into the game.” Numerous KSU students, many who have met Sarrecchia through KSU media and the Department of Communication, have had contributing roles in the story. Former student Joe Roesch is a recurring character, and even KSU’s Student Media Adviser, Ed Bonza, made an appearance. “Ed took a bullet in one episode,” Sarrecchia said. Sarrecchia attributed the evolving media platforms for the opportunity to finally

bring his fantasy world to life. “With the technology, the barrier to entry is so low,” he said. “Really, if you listen to any kind of podcast, there’s people who are just doing it with a single RCA plug mic. Getting it out to the

masses, there’s where the problem always is. The U.S. isn’t really open to radio dramas, so Internet radio was great. We started on KSU radio, and from there we were able to put it out, relatively inexpensively, on HarryStrange.com where people can download it. With RSS feeds and everything we are on iTunes, Podcast Pickle, even an Amazon feed. It’s out there, and once it’s out there, it’s there forever.”

15

Sarrecchia’s low-budget production has earned national attention and awards.

Red Bull, Doughnuts, sodaSix Channel MixerMicrophones (6)Website hostingXLR cables (12)Season partiesSFX hostingTalent

$35/week$180$600

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What would the budget of your home-grown radio production consist of? This is the cost for Harry to solve the mysterious and fantastic cases.

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AVOIDING AN ONLINEIDENTITY CRISISIDENTITY CRISIS

As social media continues to

evolve, expand and integrate into society’s daily routine, its resulting legitimacy has prompted users to be more cautious and attentive about their online identity and how it relates to their physical identity. We may not have noticed it when Myspace was such a novelty—back when we logged on each day to live in a social world removed from the judgment and government of our parents and superiors—but our Myspace profiles were essentially more aesthetically pleasing resumes. That functionality of online profiles has blossomed into a standard of living and we, as users, need to

make sure that our presence on social media is the same presence we would boast on hard-copy resumes. Dr. Farooq Kperogi, an assistant professor of Journalism and Citizen Media, has been teaching these very concepts. “If you don’t have a Facebook account, you don’t belong in this world,” Kperogi said. “It’s good to have a nice resume and cover letter and things like that, but that’s now becoming secondary to online presence.” Some might argue that they still want their social media to serve as a forum of private living (even though nothing on social media is truly private, thanks to information sharing that goes on behind the scenes),

keeping their personal conversations, opinions and photos to their own liking, organization and quality. There are, however, many benefits of having an open, presentable, up-front and interactive online presence. It starts with having an optimally friendly, inviting and professional identity on Facebook, Twitter, personal blogs, etc. “When I taught at Georgia State University, I taught a media management course and one of the requirements was that everyone had a LinkedIn account. Three people got employment offers,” Professor Kperogi said. Facebook and Twitter have evolved into powerful marketing tools—businesses

have fully accepted this truth and use social media to their advantage. In fact, young, social media-savvy professionals are in high demand in the hiring world. “There are new positions called social media editors,” Dr. Kperogi said. “Non media companies have social media managers, which are very well paid positions. Companies find that the traffic they get from Facebook, Twitter and Search Engine Optimization really adds to the bottom line, so that’s an area with a lot of investment.” Individuals can benefit from the same type of marketing to literally market themselves and help themselves become more desirable for jobs

By: Mike Foster

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IDENTITY CRISISIDENTITY CRISISand networking. Kperogi thinks that students need to fully embrace the utility of social media as a tool for self-branding on a professional level. This not only includes cleaning up the content on Facebook and Twitter profiles, but also merging these pieces into an identity. “Have your own web address,” Professor Kperogi said. “If you’re not tech savy, just get a Wordpress or Blogspot account.” Users can link their individual social media profiles to a center hub, which will help create an individual identity that stands out. “People should manage their own online presence,” Dr. Kperogi said. “Forget about privacy; it’s a thing of the past.”

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POptimizing Your Socialization

Don’t let hiring managers assume you have something to hide. Make your Facebook profiles public! #SharingIsCaring

Know a good photographer? It wouldn’t hurt to have some professional photos of yourself.

If you’re holding a beer in all of your photos, you might want to give them a sweep. #asap

Grammar isn’t just for school. Make sure others can read what you post.

We really wish you would stop posting passive aggressive statuses. #SaveTheDramaForYourMama

What did you read today? The more you share, the more it appears you care! #MediaJunkiesUnite

There’s no better way to have a bigger voice than by starting a blog.

Connect to the world in a professional way. Make a LinkedIn! #JobHunting101

Identity consolidation is key! Link your profiles to a main hub or blog.

Wait, is this you too? (Hint: Keep a consistent profile picture)

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Image of the Kennesaw State University Social Science Building and Spaceship Earth (Photographer: TheJerm)

With 2,393 miles between school and home, Communication student Raissa Bahamonde certainly has the longest commute. Her accent captures attention, but her English is well spoken and helps her blend in with other students. Bahamonde, an Ecuadorian native, is working on her Master of Arts in International Global Communication. She is a veteran to KSU; she was here studying English six months ago in the school’s Intensive Program (IP). How she chose Kennesaw, out of all other places in the world, is a story all its own. When Bahamonde was back in Ecuador finishing her bachelor’s degree in business and marketing, she met a U.S. Marine at the American Embassy in Ecuador who just so happened to be studying at KSU. He was an International Affairs major and highly recommended that Bahamonde complete a study abroad program. When she applied and was accepted into the IP program, she quickly began preparing for her next move out of undergrad and into a master’s degree at KSU. She knew the hardest feat to overcome would be the language barrier. She applied for the IP program in English prior to applying for a master’s in the Department of Communication at KSU. After earning her bachelor’s degree and completing further research, she found that KSU had the best program in public relations with a feasible price as well. “It had all the things I wanted,” said Bahamonde.

Another factor that encouraged her to study abroad was that the communication in her home country is very similar because of the integration of different cultures. She admits that, on the flip side, the education programs between both countries are very different. If she stayed in Ecuador to complete her master’s degree, she would have had an education that was simply based on tests and memorizing skills. At KSU she feels like she has a more hands-on experience, learning the material based on in-the-field criteria rather than exams.

INTERNAT IONALS T U D E N T SS P O T L I G H TBY: JESSICA BUSICK

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Four years after an initial faculty meeting in 2007, Kennesaw State University was approved to offer a Master of Arts in Integrated Global Communication. This accomplishment marked KSU as the first university in the Southeast with a M.A. in this academic area. Kennesaw’s program is directed toward communication professionals who have an interest in interconnectedness, both economically and socially, in the world. A highlight of the program is the summer international experience where students study and are immersed in foreign cultures. “What makes our program unique to others is that other programs give an option of a study

abroad opportunity, but we built it into the curriculum,” said program founder Dr. Buddy Mayo. The program is growing as it approaches its third anniversary and its third cohort of graduates. In the next three years KSU is anticipating, “a higher profile in the professional community in the greater Atlanta area; we’re getting there right now,” said Dr. Mayo.

Bahamonde is planning to graduate in December 2014 and will return to Ecuador in hopes of sharing what she has learned with those in her country. She anticipates having a career, working indirectly with the President of Ecuador on foreign relations and public relations. If she cannot find a job that she feels meets her financial needs, she will return to the U.S. to further a career in the field of PR. Returning to her home country is her first choice. She feels that once she graduates from KSU, she will be in a position to offer foreign affairs expertise to the people of Ecuador.

ABOUT THE M.A. IN INTEGRATED GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONINTERNAT IONAL

S T U D E N T SS P O T L I G H T

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By: Mike Foster

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With football coming, KSU’s sports information director offers insight into evolving sports media

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If you have ever stepped foot

into Kennesaw State University’s Department of Communication office, you might have noticed a sign hanging on the wall that lists dozens of jobs in the communication field. It’s a pitch for the broad spectrum of professions that are attainable through a communication degree, and rightfully so. One of the benefits of having a communication degree is having more flexibility to choose a job that’s related to a field that interests you. For those who are big sports fans, that’s good news. Communication jobs in sports aren’t

limited to newspaper reporting and exclusive staff positions at big networks like ESPN, CBS and the like. Just ask KSU’s Director of Athletics Communications, Al Barba. “Communications departments are kind of becoming their own media,” Barba said. Barba has been rubbing elbows with ESPN lately, as the network’s live-stream channel, ESPN3, has partnered with the Atlantic Sun Conference to broadcast sporting events in the conference, including volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball. Because ESPN can’t send its entire staff to all of these events,

which aren’t limited to the A-Sun, but rather expand to many different conferences and sports, local staff are being trained to help produce the game broadcasts. What the network has learned through this model is that a lot of on-campus crews are capable of the work. “Some schools, for example Georgia Tech, do a really good job of producing a lot of their stuff on campus,” Barba said. “I was talking to a guy from ESPN and he said last year for the baseball regionals for the on-air broadcasts, which went to television and things of that nature, they didn’t

send their production crews because some of the crews have gotten so good that they’ve relied on students and institutions themselves.” Now KSU is getting in on the action. “We were fortunate this year with the A-Sun and ESPN3 because the conference has grants that give money to the schools to go out and purchase the equipment that’s needed to produce the broadcast system and the institution is responsible to hire people to work the cameras and work in the production room, finding the announcers and stuff like that.” This work has been done byKSU’s Audio and Visual

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Technologies team for live stream events. Tanna Balke, a junior communication major, is in her first year with the team. “I enjoy very much the work at AV and consider it an honor to be a part of the team,” Balke said. “I get to invest in my own passions more and more and serve KSU every time I pick up the equipment. It’s a good foundation for a future career in the media.” This phenomenon of media integration is just one example of many communication-related responsibilities that exist with sports information and athletic communication jobs. Barba found alternatives to conventional newspaper work back when newsprint was more primary. Barba worked as the sports editor at a junior college newspaper and did freelance writing with local newspapers before transferring to Pepperdine University where he earned a journalism degree. His first job after graduation was as a sports information assistant with the University of San Francisco. While there, he worked for the San Francisco 49ers, helping hand out

statistics in the press box on gameday. “I did my internship in the morning and then, in the late afternoon, I’d go down to the 49ers’ facility and help them.” Barba earned a permanent spot with the 49ers on the sports information staff where he worked for five years. He also had a public relations job with the San Jose Sabercats of the Arena Football League and then worked for Pepperdine’s sports information department for nine years before coming to KSU. With football coming to KSU in 2015, Barba will be in charge of organizing all of the communication tasks that come into play when producing games. He says it will be a lot of work—much more than what’s usually done. “We’ve already had meetings in regards to what football gameday is going to be about, and that’s going to be entirely different than the other sports just because of the magnitude and the amount of people it’s going to take on gameday,” Barba said. “What we do every week when we have home events, we have

game operations meetings that consists of communications, marketing, development and gameday operations. We go over everything from who’s singing the national anthem, what youth groups will be at the game, how tickets will be distributed, who’s in the suites, who’s doing statistics, whether the game is going to be video streamed and who the announcers are,” Barba said. “That’s where communication is important. Everyone has

to be on the same page as far as gamedays will go.” No, a journalism degree won’t limit you to the cubicle of a news room. With athletic communication jobs on the rise at hundreds of colleges and universities across the U.S., there’s a plethora of opportunities for communication graduates to get involved in sports communication—from the inside, out.

22Al Barba, Director of Athletics Communications

Haley Kilpatrick

GIRL TALKALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

BY ALYSSA ALBERT

irl Talk, Inc. is commemorating its 10th anniversary this

month by celebrating its national success over the years. The non-profit organization helps middle school girls by partnering them with high school aged, female mentors. Haley Kilpatrick, an alumna of Kennesaw State University and Girl Talk’s director and founder, knew the troubles of middle school girls all too well. Kilpatrick began her education in an inner-city elementary school with not much to her name. She grew up in Albany, Ga, which is located in the Southwest part of the state. Many of the kids in her school did not have lunch money or many clean clothes. In 6th grade, Kilpatrick’s parents sent her to a private school nearby to help her prepare for college. When she arrived, it was completely different from everything she had known. All the girls had pretty cotton dresses, monogrammed backpacks and neatly trimmed hair; she left her first day feeling excluded and discouraged. Those feelings lasted all of middle school as Kilpatrick was continually picked on and made fun of by her classmates. The summer before Kilpatrick

began high school, she joined the dance team and an older girl on the team offered to give her rides to and from practice. During these rides, Kilpatrick’s friend gave her high school advice and helped her feel confident about her new stage in life. For the first time she really felt accepted. “It was this bizarre silence. Everyone faced bullying and peer pressure, but no one talked about it,” Kilpatrick said. After her freshman year of high school, Kilpatrick’s younger sister was beginning her first year of middle school. Instead of letting all the hard things Kilpatrick had gone through get to her, she decided to stand up and make a difference. That one decision to start talking instead of shying away is where Girl Talk began. Kilpatrick felt that if she started a weekly get-together for middle school girls to just talk with high school girls it could help inspire a difference. “Hearing you’re not alone is what makes all the difference,” she said,

and this became a main theme for Girl Talk. Kilpatrick talked to her headmaster about the plan, and in the fall of 2002, she was sure only five or six girls would show up at her first meeting. At the first Girl Talk meeting 80 percent of the middle school girls attended. Kilpatrick was shocked, but knew this was what she was supposed to be

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Through her organization and book, Girl Talk, Inc. Founder Haley Kilpatrick has helped teens throughout the U.S. build self-esteem.

doing. Girl Talk became such a need that more schools throughout the state of Georgia began inquiring about the program. After high school, Kilpatrick attended Kennesaw State University. She pursued a degree in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. She also received her nonprofit management certificate. This was all accomplished in just over three years. Going to school in a larger city was helpful for Kilpatrick to really get Girl Talk going. She took night classes and worked all day on building Girl Talk. “I was so grateful to go to

Kennesaw and learn from professors who really walk the walk. My professors were a huge support and really helped shape what Girl Talk is today,” said Kilpatrick. Today, Girl Talk helps young teenagers build self-esteem, develop leadership skills and recognize the importance of community service. Their mentoring program and camps started in Atlanta, but are now offered throughout the U.S. “Girl Talk is an amazing club,” 11-year-old Lily Moss, a Girl Talk member, said. “I like Girl Talk because it helps me with life and being confident. We talk about boys, drama, cliques, bullying and self-respect.

Girl Talk means a lot to me because everything about it is important.” In 2012, Kilpatrick wrote a book about her own experience called “The Drama Years”. It focuses on the struggles of middle school and includes stories of surviving the bullying, brands and body image. Kilpatrick has made a huge difference nationwide in young girls’ lives and continues to leave her footprints wherever she goes. She is a great example of how one decision can not only affect you, but also others around you.

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Top Left:Two Girl Talk chapter members wearing special shirts at their school during national bullying prevention month in Oc-tober. Bottom Left: Girl Talk National Teen Advisory Board Member Brittany Davis holding up Girl Talk’s “Thanksgiving” Thank You card for friends and supporters at Girl Talk offices. Right: Girl Talk camp counselors holding up a welcome sign at the entrance to the annual Girl Talk “Project Inside Out” camp. All photos courtesy of Girl Talk, Inc.

Many lives are impacted when one inf luences a woman,

especial ly a young woman.

Poplin also got to meet major league players as they rehabbed to prepare to return to the majors. Brian McCann (who started his career with the Rome Braves), Brandon Beachy and Paul Maholm all played games for the Rome Braves in the 2013 season and, of course, were interviewed by Poplin. Poplin also called a game against a New York Yankees farm team that featured Alex Rodriguez, as he tried to return to the majors. He also got the opportunity to meet former Atlanta Braves Manager Bobby Cox at the ‘Futures vs. Braves’ game announement that took place in Rome. Ben Poplin has used every opportunity to get closer to his goal of becoming a Major League Baseball announcer. He has shown that students can combine experiences offered at Kennesaw State University with the ‘hands-on’ approach of most Communication classes that present real-world scenarios to propel their careers to their desired potential.

offered. With Kennesaw State hosting 16 Division-1 sports that all broadcast through different media, as well as radio stations, newspapers and magazines, KSU offers numerous ways to gain experience in Journalism and Citizen Media. Poplin got involved with KSU’s radio station, newspaper and magazine. He also did broadcasting for women’s basketball, volleyball, softball, soccer, men’s basketball, baseball and lacrosse. “I was not able to work on the school newspaper at my previous school because of my freshman status, which really made me focus on getting my hands on everything at KSU,” said Poplin.

Now, Poplin has just wrapped up his first year of broadcasting for the Rome Braves, which

produced a wealth of experience. He called about two innings of a game with Bob Costas. As Poplin tried to keep his composure in the presence of such a prominent name in the industry, he was able to ‘pick’ Costas’ brain about his journey to his successes as well as just talk baseball. “I got so nervous around [Bob Costas] that I forgot to get anything signed by him,” said Poplin. “Although, two innings of broadcasting baseball with him is better than memorabilia any day!”

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Moments in sports are created by the athletes. Memories in sports are created by the announcers. Kennesaw State University graduate Ben Poplin is creating these memories in his dream job for his dream organization. He is the voice of the Rome Braves, the Class - A minor league affiliate for the Atlanta Braves, on WLAQ 1410. Poplin completed his degree in Communication with a focus in Journalism and Citizen Media in the summer of 2012. “I knew from a young age that broadcasting was my passion,” said Poplin. “I would mute videogames as a kid and do the play-by-play myself.” Poplin attributes his success to the resources and experience he gained at Kennesaw State. Two classes stood out as most profound. A sports broadcasting class with Professor David Brody helped Poplin understand the opportunities of the industry along with the challenges he will overcome. The interviewing class with Professor Thomas Gray is where he gained a skill used daily in broadcast journalism. Poplin is thankful that he learned there is an art to knowing the right questions to ask so that you get a great story. Outside of the classroom, Poplin took advantage of everyopportunity the university

I KNEW FROM A YOUNG AGE THAT BROADCASTING WAS MY PASSION. I WOULD

MUTE VIDEOGAMES AS A KID AND DO THE PLAY-BY-PLAY

MYSELF.“

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Ben Poplin

GOING, GOING, GONEBY ALEX CORNETT

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Ben Poplin announcing a Berry College football game in 2013.

Billy BergerCATCHING UP WITH

Pipeline last interviewed Billy Berger in fall 2012 after his appearance on Discovery Channel’s “I, Caveman”. We caught up with Berger again to see what new projects he has been working on.

Big Screen KSU Alumnus Billy Berger puts his Communication degree to a few unconventional uses. Berger, who graduated in 2006, has appeared on Discovery Channel’s survival shows “I, Caveman” and “Naked and Afraid”. He also worked as an extra in a few television shows and movies, including the upcoming “Hunger Games” films. He released a primitive bow hunting DVD that is shipped worldwide. Now Berger is trying to get into more mainstream acting.

Videos Berger has a passion for videography that can easily be seen from his YouTube channel primitivepathways, where he posts videos about crafting and using primitive stone tools. Berger said that during his time at KSU, he took advantage of the free video editing software to learn and practice shooting and editing. “I had a natural ability to write that allowed me to visualize a story that translated well over to video,” said Berger. “I’m able to blend modern videography with ancient survival skills.” (The skills he learned can be seen in his YouTube videos.) In one of his videos, Berger uses a primitive

BY CONNOR WOODWORTH

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FOCUS ON WHAT YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR AND WHAT YOU ENJOY. GET INTO IT, LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT IT AND PRACTICE. IT ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY, BUT IF YOU HAVE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND ENOUGH PASSION TO REFINE YOUR SKILLS, YOU CAN

FIND YOUR NICHE.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

hunting bow and arrows to hunt dragonflies, as well as a variety of camera angles and cutting techniques.

K ennesaw State University’s Department of Communication has a number of courses that push

scholars outside of their comfort zone and more into the real world. Professors teaching these courses strive to place their students in situations that would mimic those they would encounter in their careers by framing their curriculum around this idea. Professor Joshua Azriel shares how the Journalism and Citizen Media concentration mirrors the journalism profession with its capstone course, Multi-media Visions of Community. “The capstone course requires each student to write and produce a story using different media, including photography, audio and video.” Dr. Azriel shared an inside scoop of another course the JCM concentration will offer in May 2014. “We will be offering a Journalism Study Tour class where JCM students will be meeting local news reporters and editors at various newspapers and television stations to learn how they cover local news. The objective of the course is to gain an insider’s perspective of how professional news operates in Atlanta,” he said. He then confided to us that in 2015 they are hoping to offer this same course, but on an international level, and send students to London to study British news media. The focus for the JCM concentration is to give students the opportunity to expand their knowledge internationally and starting in spring 2015, JCM

students can study at the University of Brighton in Great Britain and hopefully Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Dr. Erin Ryan shared how a Media Studies concentration stands out from the others. “We are critically engaged with the productions, creative analysis and research into both traditional and emerging media,” Professor Ryan stated.The Media Studies concentration courses focus on preparing students to learn and use social media. For example, students are assigned to create a Word Press account and blog on a regular basis and are highly encouraged to intern in the Atlanta media industry so they can, “learn by doing.” Dr. Ryan draws attention to the fact that she doesn’t build her curriculum on a foundation of lectures and exams. She explained that the course builds on in-person or Skype guest speakers from various media professions and writing assignments to increase and measure the learning progress of her students. “Our goal is to expose students to media theory, production, and analysis so they have a well-rounded understanding of the media industry -- then they can either work in it or study it,” Dr. Ryan said. Dr. Amber Hutchins teaches the Social Media Public Relations course and talks about how her curriculum layout gets her students involved in assignments such as socal media monitoring reports. “We focus on trying to keep our students as up to date as possible with the trends and issues in the professional

field of public relations while teaching them to apply foundations, theories and techniques to some of the newer things happening in the area,” she said. In the Social Media PR course, the curriculum offers Google+ hangouts where students can chat live with practitioners and get a personal and inside look into the PR field. The PR study tour offered during Maymester gives students the chance to tour the top PR firms in either Atlanta or New York City for a week. “Many students feel like it is a PR boot camp, and they learn a lot about the hands-on world of PR that is not necessarily accessible in the classroom,” Dr. Hutchins said. Dr. Deanna Womack, organizational communication coordinator, shares some light on the concentration of Organizational Communication and how it provides a curriculum that offers hands-on learning. “Some instructors use case analyses to have students confront and develop solutions to actual Organizational Communication problems,” Dr. Womack said. “In the Training and Development class, students create and present training modules appropriate for an actual organization.”

By Jessica Busick

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LEARNING OUTSIDE CONCENTRATION COURSES THAT TAKE

As graduation nears, students can expect to finally bring together all they have learned in their studies, and apply it in one course. The communication capstone courses allow students a valuable hands-on experience by working with real clients and developing professional materials such as communication plans and audits. The Public Relations capstone is one particular class that gives students this applied, pre-graduation, career-level experience As the Public Relations concentration prepares undergraduates for careers in non-profit, corporate and government public relations, students learn the valuable strategies and skills needed to inform and persuade an organization’s publics. PR students learn to create news releases, fact sheets, brochures and public service announcements for real organizations. When taking the capstone course, Public Relations Campaigns, students apply these skills as they work in teams to develop a communication campaign proposal for a client. “The capstone class requires PR students to bring together and apply the varied skills and knowledge gained in their other communication courses,” said Dr. Pauline Howes. Dr. Howes is an assistant professor of communication who teaches courses in the PR concentration and is currently teaching the undergraduate section of PR Campaigns. She provided a glimpse into PR Campaigns and what students can anticipate from taking the course. In PR Campaigns, students can expect a real hands-on approach similar to a job in the public relations field. “PR Campaigns gives students a chance to gain real-world experience by developing a public relations program for an actual client. The students meet with clients to discuss their PR needs and then work in small groups to develop a comprehensive plan to address them,” she explained Dr. Howes offered a look into what her classes this semester are doing. “This semester, one class is creating plans to promote the new football team to the KSU community for the Athletics Communications Department. The other class is preparing plans to celebrate the opening of the Zuckerman Museum of Art for the university’s Department of Museums, Archives and Rare Books.”

NOT ALL CLASSES ARE CREATED EQUAL

field of public relations while teaching them to apply foundations, theories and techniques to some of the newer things happening in the area,” she said. In the Social Media PR course, the curriculum offers Google+ hangouts where students can chat live with practitioners and get a personal and inside look into the PR field. The PR study tour offered during Maymester gives students the chance to tour the top PR firms in either Atlanta or New York City for a week. “Many students feel like it is a PR boot camp, and they learn a lot about the hands-on world of PR that is not necessarily accessible in the classroom,” Dr. Hutchins said. Dr. Deanna Womack, organizational communication coordinator, shares some light on the concentration of Organizational Communication and how it provides a curriculum that offers hands-on learning. “Some instructors use case analyses to have students confront and develop solutions to actual Organizational Communication problems,” Dr. Womack said. “In the Training and Development class, students create and present training modules appropriate for an actual organization.”

The capstone course for Organizational Communication also gives students an experience that mimics what they would do in their career after college. “It requires students to work in a group to audit a real organization and use a variety of research methods to study the communication strengths and weaknesses of the organization, make recommendations for improvement and present oral and written reports to organizational representatives as well as to their classmates,” she said. Dr. Womack stated that the audit reports that students create during the course has opened doors for employment opportunities because it exemplified the practical and analytical skills students learned.

By Kaitlin Montgomery

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OUTSIDE TEXTBOOKSThe

Students pose ouside Edelman, the world’s largest public relations firm, as part of the PR study tour in NYC.

PUBLIC RELATIONS STUDENT SOCIETY OF AMERICA

SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS

LAMBDA PI ETA HONORS SOCIETY

Listen up, PR majors! The best way for you to ease into the world of Public Relations before you earn your degree is to get involved with the Public Relations Student Society of America. The PRSSA Chapter at KSU is very active in the public relations community and regularly attends networking conferences in the Atlanta area, among other rare opportunities for aspiring PR professionals. Get involved by applying for membership today through the Department of Communication’s website.

A practical option for the well-rounded Communication major, Lambda Pi Eta is a Communication Honor Society that promotes and encourages professional development among Communication majors. The society is associated with the National Communication Association, which offers even greater opportunity to network and become involved in career-oriented organizations. Visit the Department of Communication’s website for more information about applying for Lambda Pi Eta.

Are you more of a writer? A Journalism major, perhaps? The Kennesaw State Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists is one of the greatest resources for future journalist. The organization aims to protect a journalist’s First Amendment rights so that the American people receive accurate and timely news. Find more information about joining SPJ on their website.

‘97AOL Instant Messenger is launched‘95 Amazon.com is the first web site to

introduce online shopping29

a trio of opportunitySTUDENT ORGANIZATIONSSTUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

INTERNSHIPAPHOBIADo you ever lie awake

at night pondering your future? So easily the mind wanders from one thought to the next and suddenly, its racing, overwhelmed with the uncertainty of it all. You think back to your dusty resumé and notice that perhaps it’s a little short. Maybe you should have joined that club freshman year. That summer internship you saw yourself having got pushed off again by the temptation of sitting by the pool and going to baseball games. It feels as if every opportunity you have to make yourself stand out is slipping through your fingers, right? Relax. It’s natural to feel worried about your future. In fact, you should feel proud of yourself for caring that much. That is already setting you apart, but it means nothing if you don’t take action. Looking for an internship is easier than it may seem. Though the whole process can come off as intimidating, there are plenty of resources that many communication majors don’t take advantage of.

You could try your luck with Google results, but that method may not be the most credible or helpful when making an important decision such as this. The KSU Department of Communcation offers valuable assistance to students who are seeking internships for class credit. Don’t let the word ‘qualify’ scare you off. If you have made it to your junior year as a communication major, chances are that you already meet the minimum requirements (2.5 GPA and 60 hours earned). It is never too late to look into doing an internship, and it increases your chances substantially of getting a job after graduation. The resources are here for you; don’t let the chance pass you by. For more information, get in touch with the Department of Communication’s Internship Coordinator, Tom Gray, at tgray17@kennesaw.edu or visit the department’s website for more information on finding the right internship.

Overcoming the Anxiety

By: Becca Morrow

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‘98Google opens as a major search engine and index

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‘04 What would become the largest social networking site, Facebook is established‘03 Apple launches the iTunes Music Store

and sells one million songs in its first week

PORTFOLIOYour

Catherine Koonce graduated from Kennesaw State University in spring 2013 with a bachelor’s degree

in Communication in the Public Relations concentration. She held three internships: Terrapin Beer Company, Weaver Stephens and, most notably, Cohn & Wolfe. She has also worked in PR for

Jailhouse Brewing Company along with her current position at BRAVE

Public Relations.

Dr. Kristen Heflin is a professor at Kennesaw State teaching Communication classes in the Public Relations concentration. She completed

her bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina and

then finished her M.A. and Ph.D. in Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. She has a wealth of professional PR experience in entertainment, non-profit, corporate, government and healthcare. Together they helped comprise a list of things you will need to be able to sell yourself to potential employers in the most efficient and effective way.

Hard CopyInvest in a nice binder to present your materials. Keep it simple and classy so that the materials you are presenting are what stand out; not the weird unicorn on the cover of the binder. You can find these at any office supply store around

Portfolios are sometimes a misunderstood part of the application process. Most graduates and near-graduates have been coached in creating the ideal resume and how to handle the interview process but what about those pesky portfolios?

1 Set up your portfolio

Selling Yourself In A DIGITAL WORLDBy Alex Cornett

NETWORKING TIPSREBECCA BURNSFROM

2INTRODUCE YOURSELF. A good idea is to come up after the class and introduce yourself. Ask for a business card. If you have a card, give one to the speaker. All students should have business cards by the time they are juniors. It makes a good, professional impression and is useful when interviewing for internships or graduate school. If you’re moving around a lot in school, just include your cell and an email address.1

ASK QUESTIONS! Often I come to classes and only a handful of students have any questions. This is a chance to hear real-life advice and experience. It also makes a good impression if you ask questions; it indicates what kind of reporter you might be. (On the other hand, if you zone out or check Facebook while a guest is speaking, it makes a pretty bad impression!)

By Logan Petersen

BY THE NUMBERSCAREER GUIDE

Rebecca Burns Deputy Editor and Digital Strategist

“Atlanta Magazine”

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‘06Citizen journalists record events on

cellular cameras and technology ‘05 Youtube, the video sharing

site is launched, to later become a leading video communication outlet for entertainment and news

$10 for nice ones or $30 - $50 for the ones that are leather bound. “When I was hiring people for PR I liked it when people would leave something (portfolios) nice and professional behind that gave me time to analyze their work,” said Dr. Heflin.

OnlineOnline portfolios have taken off in the digital age as a quick-and-easy way for companies to glance at your experience. Websites such as Adobe Behance, Weebly.com, Squarespace.com, and Carbonmade.com offer a free or inexpensive personal website so that you can easily plug in your resume, portfolios, and other materials without writing code for hours. Most sites offer

the URL to be (yourname).com to add a little SEO (Search Engine Optimization for all you non-PR majors) to your personal brand as well.

Heflin and Koonce both agreed that students need to hang on to all the materials they turn in to their professors, especially the classes you are taking in your junior and senior years. Pieces students design in class are almost identical to what will be expected at work. “Students need to realize that papers and projects that showcase your relative skills are the best way to start a portfolio,” said Koonce. “That is what I had to use when applying for my first couple of internships.”

Your ‘elevator speech’ is considered the quick interview that may happen when you least expect it; in an elevator, in the parking lot, etc. A great way to improve your elevator speech is to leave the potential contact a business card. It should be simple and professional and include as much contact information you feel comfortable providing. This would be a great time to add your new online portfolio website as well!

For more information on how to prepare yourself for the career field, feel free to visit

the KSU Career Services website:www.careerctr.kennesaw.edu

3Raise Your Elevator Speech

2What goes in my portfolio?

On days when guest speakers come to class, there is a common thought that goes through students’ heads. They think it is a break from the everyday lessons and a chance to relax. Many, however, do

not realize the opportunity they have to move further in their future careers. It is a chance to network and talk to a professional. Rebecca Burns, one such guest speaker, is the Deputy Editor and Digital Strategist of “Atlanta Magazine,” as well as an established author. She also teaches at Emory University and the University of Georgia. Burns came to Kennesaw State University in September as a guest lecturer in the electronic magazine communication class. So rather than falling into that comfortable haze, pay attention and use the tips she offered to make the most out of a classroom visit.

5BE OPEN. Most people love their work and love to talk about it. If a guest lecturer comes to visit your class then it’s likely they will be open to talking with you about what they do. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of. Be sure to make connections with people, especially guest speakers, in order to learn even more.3

SEND A THANK YOU. Another good thing is to send a thank-you email to the speaker after the class. Students have done this when I speak, and I am always impressed and pleased. I also teach (at UGA and Emory) and I know that some of my students have done this, and the speakers were really happy to get the emails. You can also follow the speaker on Twitter after the class, and maybe send a tweet referencing the speaker. (For example: “I was inspired hearing @SpeakerName talk about the importance of reporting when she visited our class today. #journalism”).

2INTRODUCE YOURSELF. A good idea is to come up after the class and introduce yourself. Ask for a business card. If you have a card, give one to the speaker. All students should have business cards by the time they are juniors. It makes a good, professional impression and is useful when interviewing for internships or graduate school. If you’re moving around a lot in school, just include your cell and an email address. 4

DON’T BE OVERLY CHATTY & FAMILIAR.Don’t, for instance, address someone by a nickname or even a first name the first time you speak to them. Don’t text. Don’t send copies of school assignments and ask the person to look them over for you. Don’t try to friend the speaker on Facebook unless the speaker specifically gives a Facebook address or has a professional Facebook page. I, for instance, have an author Facebook page for my books and book events.

“Jobs and internships are usually found through networking and word of mouth. The bigger your network is, the better your chances of hearing about opportunities. It also gives you practice meeting and talking with professionals, which will make you a better reporter and interviewer.” -Rebecca Burns

Why is it so important for students to NETWORK?

Faculty News

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Dr. Chuck Aust recently published a book titled “Positive Communication in Health and Wellness”. One of the chapters is called “Communication in Self-Help Support Groups: Positive Communication and the Al-Anon Experience.” Dr. Aust says, “It details examples of the use of concepts from the positive psychology movement in the literature of this particular self-help group, Al-Anon, which is for those who have an alcoholic in their lives.”

New GPA Requirement

‘06Messages are sent faster than ever via the micro blogging site, Twitter.

‘07Apple Inc. releases the 1st generation iPhone;

more than 1 million iphones are sold in the first 74 days

Beginning fall semester 2014 all Communication majors must meet the Department of Communication Sophomore GPA Requirement and achieve a satisfactory score on the Department of Communication Writing Test before applying for admission into the Bachelor of Science Degree Program in the Department of Communication. In addition, all communication majors must earn a grade of “C” or better in all communication courses counted toward their degree.

Before applying for admission into the Bachelor of Science Degree Program in the Department of Communication, students must meet the Department of Communication Sophomore GPA Requirement. This Sophomore GPA requirement consists of combined adjusted 2.5 GPA in the following five courses: COM 2020 COM 2033 COM 2129 COM 2135 COM 2205 or COM 2230

Additionally, before applying for admission into the Bachelor of Science Degree Program in the Department of Communication, students must achieve a satisfactory score on the Department of Communication Writing test. Once admitted into the Communication program, all communication majors must earn a grade of “C” or better in all communication courses counted toward their degree.

Dr. Carolyn Carlson traveled to Washington, D.C., in August 2013 to speak about the practices of federal public affairs officers and the implications for press freedom. Dr. Carlson is not only a former reporter and editor for The Associated Press, but she is also the first Kennesaw State University professor to speak at a National Press Club event. As the adviser for KSU’s Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Dr. Carlson helps students gain first-hand journalism experience. To learn more about SPJ, visit their site at http://www.spj.org/

Dr. May Gao has been named one of the 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia for 2013 by the “Georgia Asian Times.” She has organized the Symposium Asia-USA Partnership Opportunities conferences the past three years. She also led a nine-member delegation from Atlanta to the White House in May. The nine delegation members were business leaders and scholars from Atlanta who participated in a “Doing Business in Asia” forum.

Dr. Jake McNeill is currently hosting and producing a syndicated radio program called, “The New World Order.” The two-hour show counts down the 20 most popular songs in the world, while introducing new music across the globe. You can listen to the show on owlradio.com every Thursday from 2-4 p.m. EST or cilfm.com on Saturday from 1-3 a.m. CST. You can also follow the development on Facebook for the latest updates and information: www.facebook.com/ordermusic

KSU Communication faculty are heavily involved in research and creative activity in their field of study. Faculty members are presenting research studies and publishing manuscripts on such topics as journalism law, online technology and instruction, international Communication, health Communication and crisis Communication.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION hosts the very FIRST COMMUNICATION COLLOQUIUM.

‘13 HERE’S T

O THE NEXT 50 YEARS!

The Department of Communication at Kennesaw State University

strives to bring the best and most exciting opportunities to students. The course work becomes more diverse and specialized as the offerings increase. As the university expands, the options for students continues to keep pace with the growth of the school. The opportunities for students to broaden their education will be offered in the new certificate and minor classes. The new offerings allow students more options to expand their knowledge base. All KSU students are eligible to enroll in the new programs. One certificate is an online graduate certificate that can be completed in two semesters. Dr. Joshua Azriel is the Journalism and Citizen Media director at KSU. Azriel’s interest focuses on First Amendment Issues related to the Internet and social media. “Beginning in January, we will be offering a graduate certificate

New Program offeriNgsGraduate Certificate in Digital and Social Media

ExpandinghorizonsExploring Minors in Communicationby taylor griffing

in digital and social media. The courses will be all online,” Azriel said. “Any student can enroll.” The certificate covers four classes in two semesters, spring and summer. Dr. Philip Aust, associate professor of Communication, prescribes the benefits of the new options of the Department of Communication. Aust said individuals interested in these areas of Communication should give heavy consideration to the new programs. “These programs represent the latest expertise in communication, technology, and Internet development in the areas of Journalism and Public Relations,” Aust said. “Anyone with an interest in these areas or career aspirations along these lines would do well to seriously consider these programs as part of their KSU degree.” The expansion of the Department of Communication further moves KSU into contention for upper echelon regional and national

universities. Future workplace demands for highly educated individuals will be met through KSU. To learn more about the graduate certificate in digital and social media, please contact Dr. Amber Hutchins. To learn about the M.A. in Integrated Global Communication, please contact Dr. Charles Mayo, director of the Communication graduate program.

CurreNt offeriNgsMinors in Crisis Preparedness and Public Relations.

Certificate in Multiplatform News Reporting

Tricia Grindel, M.A. Lecturer of Communication and Coordinator of Writing for Public Communication “What I remember most about Kim is that she was always late, but I say that with kindness and humor. She and her best friend, Shannon, took an 8 a.m. class with me last spring. They sat in the front row, so their tardiness was quite obvious. I’d be in front of the class lecturing and I’d look toward the door to see them running down the hall toward class, looking sheepish. I think we probably all celebrated on the two or three days that they managed to arrive to class on time. But they were good eggs and fun to be around. I can’t think of a time I saw Kim that she wasn’t smiling. She seemed to have a genuine zest for life and a positive outlook. She was always attentive and respectful and eager to learn. She worked hard in my class and, I believe, wanted to work for Turner Broadcasting. She had a bright future ahead of her. Her passing has extinguished a light that brightened the many lives she touched.”

Judith L. Glick-Smith, Ph.D.Part-time Assistant Professor “I had Kim in my COM 3435 Communication Research Methods class. Kim was an active participant in class activities. Her friends obviously loved her. She had a wonderfully sweet demeanor and was respectful and pleasant to everyone she encountered. The class and I miss her presence in the classroom.”

KIND WORDS FROM KIM’S PROFESSORS

As communicators, we learn from our first class that our words can impact the world around us. Whether we are informing the general public about a new up and coming business, writing a feature on a hometown hero or even giving our opinions about a politial issue—our job goes beyond informing. Deep down at the heart of communication, our job is to inspire. We use our words and our voices to inspire our audience. But what happens when we no longer have those words or that voice? What happens when that is taken away? How do we inspire people then? Kim Kilgore was a 21-year-old junior at Kennesaw State University. She was a Communication major with a

inspire with our lives; by being dedicated to our goals, diligent in our work and passionate about our fields. Our actions as a communicator can inspire people just as much, if not more, than our words can. Kim Kilgore will be missed by many, but her eagerness, her demeanor and her spirit will not be forgotten.

Kim’s impact reached beyond her peers and into the lives of her professors.

BY NIKKI HOPEIn Loving Memory

concentration in PR. In the early morning hours of October 11, her life was taken tragically. This rocked the campus community as her close family and friends were in shock. Kim was a communicator with a bright future. She had goals, dreams and aspirations. She inspired people with her words and her voice. But more than that, Kim inspired people with her life. She left a mark on this campus and set a standard for others to look up to. Her involvement with KSU Greek Life and her sorority’s philanthropy made her a leader on campus. Her actions, not just her words, allowed her to have such an impact on campus. So how do we inspire people once our voice is taken? We can

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Kim Kilgore1992-2013

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{ {THE ART OF COMMUNICATION IS AN EVER BROADENING HORIZON. IT HAS EVOLVED

IMMENSELY OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND DEVELOP. WE, AS

COMMUNICATION MAJORS, HAVE MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THIS EXCITING FIELD OF STUDY.

-Belinda Baker, senior communication student

Images. Top-Communication Colloquium (Photographer: Cait Barron); Below-Kennesaw State University Social Science Building and Spaceship Earth (Photographer: TheJerm); Left-Social Science Stairwell (Photographer: Brett Fielder).

Interested writers and designers are encouraged to apply for acceptance into COM 4490, Electronic Magazine Communication, for fall semester 2014. Applications will be available during early spring 2014 in the Department of Communication (Social Sciences Building, Suite 5106). For more information, please call 770-423-6298.

Be a part of the Pipeline team!

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ! C l i ck here to comp le te a br ief survey about our fa l l 20 1 3 i ssue

College of Humanities and Social SciencesDepartment of Communication 1000 Chastain RoadMD 2207, Bldg 22 SO, Ste. 5106 Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591

On the Front Cover: [Top Left and Top Right] Photograph of Sentinel staff, Montage, 1968, KSU/51/02 Yearbooks, 1968-1995, Kennesaw State University Archives. [Bottom Left and Bottom Right] Photos courtesy of University Relations at Kennesaw State University.

PipelineIssue 2, Fall 2013

Department of Communication Magazine

PLUS:

1940s Radio Revamp

KSU Athletics Communications

2013 Colloquium

International Student Experience

50Years

KSU Celebrates

A look back with one of the first graduates

KSU’s Secret to a Half Century of Success