State News sets the "pace" and makes the J-School proud

The State News won a 2006 Pacemaker! That’s the college equivalent of a Pulitzer Prize for excellence. The State News was one of just 20 papers nationwide to win this prestigious award from the Associated Collegiate Press.

Congratulations to current editor Nick Mrozowksi and former editor Amy Bartner. Adviser Perry Parks also deserves credit along with the staff.

And in the individual categories, the staff racked up an impressive record of wins:

Story of the Year Awards:

News story — 2nd place, Josh Jarman

Editorial — Honorable mention, Vanessa Notman and Rebecca McNulty

Online package — 1st place, Jeana-Dee Alllen

Cartooning Awards:Editorial cartoon — 3rd place, Mike Ramsey

Photo Excellence Awards: News picture — 2nd place, Mike Itchue
Feature picture — 1st place, Travis Haughton
Sports picture — Honorable mention, Mike Itchue
Picture story — 2nd place, Dave Weatherwax

Though The State News is an independent corporation and is separate and distinct from the J-School, many on the staff are majors. We are very proud of them.

Crunch time in the J-School

What a crazy week it has been…again!

Next year’s full schedule (Summer and Fall 2007 and Spring 2008) are due in the College office on Friday, October 27. Thanks to the hard work of MaryAnne Bulemore, a temporary fill-in in the J-School office, we will make that deadline.

We have several new courses set including one on war reporting, three on information graphics (including a new interactive graphics class). Check them out in the spring when the Schedule of Classes is posted.

A large contingent from The State News headed off to St. Louis today for the CMA/ACP conference. The newspaper is a finalist for the Pacemaker Award and we have staff members as finalists in virtually every competition. Go Green!

The staff may also get a chance to see the Tigers play the Cards, if it ever stops raining in St Louis!!

On the good news front, alum Karen Brown Dunlap, president of The Poynter Institute, was one of just eight distinguished journalist to receive the University of Missouri’s Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism.

And last but not least, our visiting journalists from El Norte and Reforma newspapers have arrived on campus. We had a welcome lunch for Martha Trejo and René Sanchez today with the faculty. Both are business editors at their newspapers. Their visit is part of a continuing exchange with the Grupo Reforma chain of newspapers in Mexico and their publisher and CEO, Alejandro Junco. Senor Junco was a student of the late Dr. Mary Gardner, a legendary J-School faculty member.

This was the week that was

Wow! Did we have a busy week at the J-School, and it’s only Wednesday.

We got started with the big, big Tiger win Saturday night capturing the American League pennant. The final call, by faculty member Lori Anne Dickerson’s husband, Dan, the voice of the Detroit Tigers, is now the call heard round the world. In case you missed it, just click on the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0Iaj7Wzi_8&mode=related&search=

Monday high school students from all over the state took over the Lansing Center for our Michigan Interscholastic Press Association fall conference. J-School faculty member and MIPA Executive Director Cheryl Pell had an all star line-up of presenters in sessions ranging from design, information graphics, column writing, ethics, censorship. Then we got gassed…literally. Work crews outside the building sliced through a gas main. The final sessions in early afternoon were cut short when the police ordered an emergency evacuation of the building. But hey, this was a building full of budding journalists. They did what any self respecting journalists do—they covered the story.

Tuesday night students from ALANA hosted a Meet the Media night for students to listen to the pros (many alums from the J-School) about the best way to land internships and jobs and what students can expect in the changing media landscape. The message came through loud and clear: get as many experiences as you can, be flexible and ready for changes throughout your career and master hands on skills that include text, video, audio, visuals. Hard core tree huggers need to adapt. Broadcast: ditto.

Intern recruiters are coming weekly to campus. Last week was the Jackson Citizen-Patriot, next week is the Columbus Post-Dispatch. Interested, see L.A., though next week she’s going to be a little distracted as the Tigers go for the World Series win. Go Tigers!

Lots going on

Most weeks it is pretty crazy around the J-School. This week was no exception. It was likely worse because of my travels last week. Then there's been the weather. I really don't expect snow squalls in mid-October, but oh those Tigers are making the sunshine any way.

The faculty are meeting on Friday for the second day-long retreat on reinventing journalism education. Stay tuned. Some profound changes should be happening as a result.

On the good news front, senior Sara Beth O’Connor has won a Future Teacher Scholarship for $1,000 from the Journalism Education Association. She will be presented with the check at JEA’s annual meeting in November. Faculty member Cheryl Pell nominated her for the scholarship. I will receive a national Friend of Scholastic Journalism Award from the JEA at the same conference.

Our Editor-in Residence Bill McWhirter (Mac to his students) will be attending for the first ever Business Journalism Professor Seminar to be held January 7-12 at Arizona State University in Tempe. Bill’s son is currently enjoying an extended period of fame based on his video on Youtube. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6tlw-oPDBM) He appeared on Good Morning America and David Letterman this week!

And next Monday, the best scholastic press association in the country is hosting its annual journalism day. Cheryl Pell and her staff have created an event-filled day full of great sessions for newspaper and yearbook high school students and their advisers. The workshop for middle school and junior high students is set for Thursday, November 2 on the MSU campus. For more information, checkout http://mipa.jrn.msu.edu/ for more info.

Until next week, Go TIGERS!

Sunday musings

Just kicking back today enjoying probably the last warm and breezy weather after a busy week in D.C.

It was great to connect with alums and meet some others I did not know like Jennifer Carroll, Gannett vice president of new media content. She moderated a Saturday session at the Online News Association conference I attended.

I've made some great contacts and got some solid ideas on where the news media is heading in the digital world. My goal is to make sure you, our future graduates, are competitive and skilled to take advantage of the digital newsroom.

To be competitive, you'll need to sharpen or learn skills in video and audio if you are planning a career in what was once the print media. We're going to help you. Stay tuned.

And go Tigers! You've gotta know that L.A. is grinning from ear to ear after last night's trouncing of the Yankees.

Mojos, dojos & sojos, oh my!

Just finished day one of the Online News Association conference in D.C. Sessions included mojos,dojos and sojos, blogging, the future, where the industry is and where some of the top folks believe it is heading.

We talked about continuous news desks (and the return of the rewrite guy), citizen sites and even heard from the founder of Craig's List.

Most of the day was spent at Gannett's new headquarters in McLean, Virginia--all glass and marble and steel.

The irony of the day was the server at the hotel where the next two days of the conference will be held was down Thursday morning. It sure backed up my email!

Wednesday night had a terrific reunion meal with recent grads Ashley Bloom and Marc Rehmann, veteran alums Nancy Donnelly and Helen Kirkpatrick and DC interns Tina Reed and Lauren Phillips. What a truly impressive group of Spartans! We talked about the business, the changes and the future--and we all agreed not to talk about football!