UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

FALL 2009 VilasVoice For Alumni and Friends of The Department of Communication Arts

The Path Taken Neil Willenson and His Journey of Hope A chance encounter with a suffer- lenson observes, “After spending a full-time camp being estab- opportunity to travel to schools ing boy and a passing promise set more than a year with Nile and lished in Duluth, Minnesota. In and communities to raise aware- Neil Willenson’s (BA ’92) life on an his family, I realized that Nile’s addition, Willenson started an ness about the stigma of AIDS. unexpected course that took him pain did not come from the AIDS awareness tour called the The camp and the tour have from his long-standing plans of physical manifestations of HIV “Journey of Hope,” which gives gained national attention with becoming a movie director onto and AIDS, rather, came from children who attend the camp an continued on page 3 an incredible journey of hope. The the isolation and cruelty he expe- young boy, Nile Sandeen, who rienced. Although he was living was living in Willenson’s home- with AIDS, Nile was healthy and town of Mequon, Wisconsin, was experienced very few medical infected with AIDS, and when issues. Yet, he suffered everyday Willenson, who was finishing his from the discrimination that degree in Communication Arts often surrounds this disease.” In at UW–Madison, became aware response, Willenson developed of the discrimination Nile was a plan to provide an opportunity experiencing at school, he was for children suffering with AIDS compelled to act. Willenson spent to have fun, meaningful camp the next year trying to overcome experiences, while allowing the often cruel prejudice that them to come to terms with the Nile was experiencing, mostly to discrimination they experienced. no avail. Among other things, “The main purpose for our the stigma and fear surrounding founding Camp Heartland was Nile’s condition prevented him to provide thousands of chil- from participating in many school dren affected by HIV/AIDS with programs that most kids take for unconditional love, acceptance granted. So, Willenson decided to and the opportunity — often for establish a summer camp where the first time — to openly discuss Nile and other children living with HIV/AIDS.” The first camp, held AIDS and experiencing similar in 1993, started with 72 kids, alienation could have a place of and since then has grown into a refuge from the stigma they were more substantial program that experiencing. This was the begin- has provided camp experiences ning of a whole new direction for to over 5,000 children from all Willenson’s life. over the U.S. All of these camp In explaining his motivation experiences were funded by for setting up the camp, Wil- generous donors, culminating in Neil Willenson

2 Chair’s Voice 7 Author’s/Artist’s Voice Inside 3 Vital Statistics 7 Award Recipients Vilas 5 Emeriti/ae News 9 Student Profile 6 Faculty Profile 11 In the Classroom his 34 years on the faculty, he in need of contributions to the Chair’sVoice taught countless numbers of Communication Arts Fund, students in courses large and a flexible fund that supports Securing Our Tradition of Excellence small. We wish him a happy and teaching, faculty and staff healthy retirement. retention, equipment updating, was honored with a Kellett Mid- In order to extend our recog- outreach and other efforts. Career Award. This prestigious nized tradition of excellence, de- On behalf of my colleagues prize given by the UW–Madison partment faculty, staff, alumni, and our students, I wish to Graduate School and funded by and students are engaged in express the Department’s the Wisconsin Alumni Research a strategic planning exercise. gratitude to our donors who Foundation provides Jacobs with Over Halloween weekend, CAPs have generously supported $60,000 to support her current (Communication Arts Partners), Communication Arts through research project, which chroni- a new advisory group composed the general fund, facilities cles changes in film style during of alumni and friends of the improvement, internships, and the transition to sound. Department, met to brainstorm scholarships. Your contributions Congratulations are also ideas about how to mobilize re- are crucial to sustaining our in order for Sabine Gruffat, sources to best meet the needs tradition of excellence. the Hamel Family Professor of of students studying to become On Wisconsin! Communication Arts, who this excellent communicators in the Professor Susan Zaeske with Susan Zaeske Jon Sorenson fall captured two top prizes at twenty-first century. The input Professor and Chair major film and video production from CAPs builds upon ideas (BA ’89, MA ’92, PhD ’97) Our faculty’s tradition of excel- competitions. Most recently she generated by faculty and staff lence in teaching, research, and won the 2009 Best Experimen- who this August participated artistic production is one of the tal Film Award at the Chicago in a strategic planning retreat. many reasons that Communica- Underground Film Festival for Strategic planning discussions al- VilasVoice tion Arts ranks as one of the “Jaws.” Earlier this fall, Gruffat ready have proved invaluable as is the alumni newsletter of the most highly-desirable under- won the 2009 University Film & Department of Communication Arts we seek to benefit from the re- at the University of Wisconsin– graduate majors on campus. Video Association Best Faculty sources afforded by the Madison Madison, 821 University Avenue, This tradition has been strength- Jury Award in the experimental Initiative for Undergraduates by Madison, Wisconsin 53706. ened over the past year with the film category for “Head Lines: demonstrating the extraordinary Email: [email protected] garnering of several prestigious Hybrid Film Trilogy.” student demand for communi- Web site: http://commarts.wisc.edu/ national awards. Stephen E. In this spirit of excellence, we cation courses and envisioning Lucas, who is best known to welcome to our faculty Jonathan Chair of the Department innovative curricula to address of Communication Arts alums as the eloquent profes- Gray, whose recent book Televi- those demands. Professor Susan Zaeske sor of Comm Arts 372, Rhetoric sion Entertainment was selected Crystallizing our mission also (BA ’89, MA ’92, PhD ‘97) of Campaigns and Revolutions, by Choice magazine as a Top enables department advocates Newsletter Editor has been named a Distinguished Academic Title of the Year for such as Jon Sorenson of the UW Mary Rossa (BS ’86, MA’90) Scholar by the National Commu- 2008. A highly prolific scholar, Foundation and me to clearly nication Association. This award Gray’s teaching and research Contributing Writer convey the goals and needs Ryan Solomon honors a lifetime of scholarly explore new media and how of Communication Arts. I am achievement in the study of hu- they converge with television delighted that Jon has joined Donor Contact man communication. and film. Jon Sorenson the Comm Arts development 608–262–7211 Last spring Professor Lea We also congratulate David team and enjoyed working with [email protected] Jacobs, a respected leader in Mortensen, who retired at the him on a recent event to honor the field of film history and the end of last year and was award- Online Giving . Likewise, I am http://commarts.wisc.edu/giving/ Director of UW Cinematheque, ed professor emeritus status. In thankful to Toni Drake, also of the UW Foundation, for all of Design, Earl J. Madden Production Editor, her work on our behalf. Jennifer Klaila (BA ’00) Communication Arts Priority Needs Discussions with faculty, University Communications staff, students, and alums have Greatest need of the department is the This newsletter was printed helped us clarify our needs as “Communication Arts Fund” through gift funds administered we struggle to maintain excel- by the UW Foundation. Fellowships for graduate students lence in teaching and research Front page banner photos: All by Endowed chairs to retain and attract excellent faculty at a time of budgetary duress iStock Photo, except third from left Funds to update facilities and equipment for the State of Wisconsin and by University Communications. the University. We are always

2 FALL 2009 continued from page 1 sad and lonely lives, often as a purpose,” he says. Willenson be- Willenson appearing on Oprah result of the cruelty and ignorance lieves such conviction and passion Vital and The Early Show. Also, Wil- of others. But just as significant reflect the UW–Madison education lenson has published a book about has been the realization that hope experience, and he continues to be Camp Heartland entitled A Jour- can come out of such tragedy. He grateful for all the support he has Statistics ney of Hope: Inspiring Stories of has seen that hope manifested in received from the UW–Madison For Communication Arts Courage and Unconditional Love. the way the children’s lives have community, including the educa- as of Fall 2009 And in recognition of his dedicated been transformed. Willenson tion he received as a student in the work, Willenson was awarded the continues to be enthusiastic about Communication Arts Department GQ Local Hero of the Year award the possibilities of education, and and the generous recognition of 1930 for 2008 and a 2009 Wisconsin he talks encouragingly about the the Wisconsin Alumni Association. Alumni Association Forward Under thousands of students, both high Willenson’s remarkable journey is Earliest degree 40 Award. school and college, who have giv- a reminder of the importance of year among living This career path has been an en time to the camp. They “have providing social support and that alumni educational experience for Willens- strong convictions, great compas- the privilege of education can pave on who notes that he has become sion and work for a number of the way to a journey of hope. very aware that some children lead causes with a tremendous sense of 264 Of our alumni COMMUNICATION IN ACTION live abroad Healthcare activist Robert Kraig pushes for reform 50 States where As President Obama’s new healthcare bill struggles to make its way through Comm Arts alums Washington’s political trenches, an reside unlikely healthcare activist, Robert Kraig (PhD ’99) of Citizen Action in Wisconsin, is burning the midnight oil 55% trying to rally support for much needed Of our alumni are healthcare reform, especially at the state level. What makes him an unlikely female activist? Well for one, Kraig has a PhD in Rhetoric from the Communication Arts Department, and his first academic 41 book, Woodrow Wilson and the Lost Average age of World of the Oratorical Statesman, was Comm Arts alumni ranked number one in books on presi- dential rhetoric in a recent Wall Street Journal feature. As such, you would expect to find Kraig working away in 3.2% the academic rather than the political of all UW alumni trenches. But Kraig has always had Robert Kraig a passion for activism, and when he found that his graduate work was curtailing his involvement in political activism, he faced a difficult choice — which of his two passions should he focus on. Activism won out. For the last 10 years, Kraig has been bringing his passion to bear in a range of projects. Most recently he has worked as the program director for Citizen Action, where his unflagging efforts on healthcare reform have been recognized with the 2009 Families USA Consumer Healthcare Advocate of the Year Award. When asked about the relationship between his scholarly work and his activism, Kraig highlighted the importance of rhetorical studies in his political work. As he observes, the problematic spin culture in politics has led to one-sided message campaigns that focus on inconsistent, short-term political gains that undermine the de- velopment of long-term political culture. However, a rhetorical sensibility, Kraig argues, leads to more prudent political communication that “can promote social values that at the same time make much greater achieve- ments possible in the long term.” Kraig’s activism would seem to exemplify such a sensibility.

VILAS VOICE 3 Investments Made with Pride Chris DuPre, UW Foundation “The world of media cer- In his role as associate vice tainly has changed since I was president for institutional ad- in school, but the basic tools vancement at William Paterson of how to ask the questions to University in Wayne, N.J., Stuart learn what you need to know, Goldstein knows the value of those skills never go away, and philanthropy in education. they have benefitted me greatly “This is an incredibly challeng- in my career,” he said. ing time for public higher educa- Since childhood, Goldstein tion,” said Goldstein, who earned wanted to be a sportswriter. He his BA in Communication Arts in got the chance just after gradu- 1980. “Individuals can do so much ation, working for a bureau to boost the institution, whether covering high school athletics that’s in the form of scholarships, for The Star-Ledger in Newark, research support or some other New Jersey. area, and it doesn’t necessarily “I learned how to be a good, take a lot of money to do it.” solid reporter,” he said. “There’s Goldstein has been a regular something invigorating about annual donor to the Department finishing a story on deadline, of Communication Arts for years. going home and waking up “It’s so important for me to the next morning to see your help to the greatest extent possi- byline in the paper. I loved every ble the university that has helped minute of it.” Stuart Goldstein me in my career and my life,” he Eventually, Goldstein decided said. “I’m a firm believer in public to build on his skills through his current position at William maintain connections with our universities, having graduated graduate school at Penn State Paterson University. He manages alums,” she said. “They are key from one and working for one University. “I hadn’t really marketing and public relations to maintaining an environment now. I think it’s incumbent upon considered public relations as a for the institution, one of the where internationally renowned us who have had some success career, but, working at the Public nine state colleges and universi- professors attract top-notch thanks to the school to help Information Office there, I got a ties in New Jersey. graduate students, creating a rich those who are just starting out taste of the field and realized it As a donor, Goldstein chooses educational experience for our on their own journeys and to re- had many great aspects.” to give his gifts unrestricted, letting undergraduates.” member how we got where we Exploring his options, Gold- the Department decide where his “Taken as a whole, gifts to are. I only wish I could do more.” stein landed a position with a investment can best be used. the discretionary fund promote Goldstein grew up in West- mid-sized, full-service New York “It’s crucial for the Depart- excellence in teaching and field, N.J., and he had an older City public relations agency, G.S. ment to have the flexibility to research by improving the places friend who was a University of Schwartz, where he spent six respond to financial matters as and supporting the people in the Wisconsin–Madison student. A years and rose to vice president. they arise,” he said. “I would Department of Communication visit to his pal sold him on the “I’ve been fortunate through- rather leave it to the educators in Arts,” she said. university’s charms. “I had a phe- out my career,” he said. “I’ve the Department to decide how Goldstein’s pride in the nomenal weekend,” he said. “I made job changes because new best to use those funds. They’re university is such that “I perk up could tell immediately that it was opportunities were presented to the experts. I think they can whenever I hear ‘the University of the type of place I wanted to be.” me, not because I was unhappy decide better than I can.” Wisconsin’ mentioned some- His major and work in the in any position.” Gifts such as Goldstein’s help where.” College of Letters and Science His next move was into the the Department in many ways, “I think so often of my years prepared him for work in media academic realm, when he joined said Susan Zaeske, chair of the at Wisconsin, and it’s much and, later, academia. “I’ve always the University of Medicine and Department. “Gifts to the dis- more than just personal history believed in the value of a liberal Dentistry of New Jersey. As cretionary fund, like Goldstein’s, or nostalgia that connects me,” arts education.” Goldstein said. director of the university’s news are absolutely crucial to the he said. “The experiences I had “I learned to look at the world service, he brought a corpo- Department’s ability to provide there, the things I learned there, critically; I learned ways to evalu- rate perspective to the job and the most up-to-date technol- continue to shape me and my ate information and the media; changed the way the unit went ogy possible for students in our life. The school helped make I learned to write, and I learned about its business. courses, to support research me the person I am, and I am how to react to the world. That prepared him well for by faculty and students, and to eternally grateful.”

4 FALL 2009 HONORS AND AWARDS voices and music of working Professor Stephen E. Lucas class Americans in a new form has been named a Distinguished Professor Lea Jacobs, a an interest in methods of film of audio documentary meant Scholar by the National Commu- respected leader in the field of analysis and how film analysis to democratize the airwaves. nication Association. The award film history and the Director of can be used in the context of Her project examines these new recognizes a lifetime of scholarly UW Cinematheque, was honored historical argumentation. techniques of “photography in achievements in the study of hu- with a Kellett Mid-Career Award. sound” as WWII brought them man communication. This prestigious award, given Professors Mary Beltrán to the fore and broadcasters in by the Graduate School and and Louise Mares (MA ’90, the U.S. and Great Britain used Professor Sabine Gruffat’s funded by the Wisconsin Alumni PhD ’94) received tenure this year them to strengthen social and film “Head Lines: Hybrid Film Tril- Research Foundation, recognizes and have been promoted to as- political ties in support of the ogy” won best experimental film faculty members who are five to sociate professor. war effort. at the University Film and Video 20 years past their first promo- Association con- tion to a tenured position. Recipi- Professor Michele Hilmes ference in New ents receive $60,000 to further received a travel grant from Orleans and her their research. Jacobs’s research the Rockefeller Archive Center film “Jaws” was areas include the institutional to further her research on the awarded 2009 history of the Hollywood film “photography in sound.” Of Best Experi- industry; silent film, concentrat- particular importance to her re- mental Film at ing on the relationship between search is the Library of Congress the Chicago film and popular theater; and Radio Project led by Archibald Underground American film genres, particu- MacLeish and Alan Lomax Film Festival. larly melodrama and so-called which used new sound record- Professor Stephen Lucas addresses the global im- “women’s” genres. She also has ing technologies to capture the portance of oral communication in Wuhan, China

EMERITI/AE NEWS

Professor Tino Balio Roger Ebert’s festival in Urbana, Illinois. We spent the first half of the At long last, I have completed my book manuscript on the postwar art summer in Europe, where I gave talks in Copenhagen; we attended film market from 1946 to 1973. The manuscript is now in the hands Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna; and I went on to do research in Brussels of the University of Wisconsin Press. This project is an outgrowth of an and lecturing in Bruges. Many of our activities are chronicled, more or Academy Film Scholar award I received from the Academy of Motion less, at http://www.davidbordwell.net. Picture Arts and Sciences in 2001. The UW Press surprised me this year by reprinting my two United Professor Joanne Cantor Artists histories, which originally were published in 1975 and 1987, The year has been filled with research projects and presentations. Dur- respectively. I wrote new introductions to the books and they came ing the spring semester, Riitta Martsola, a Finnish clinical psychologist out as a two-volume set. on a Fulbright Fellowship, came to work with me. Our main project I am completing my second year as president of the University has involved analyzing a data set Martsola collected from more than Club, which keeps me in touch with the campus. This year I have also 900 educators and school-based support staff on their perceptions served on the Town Center Planning Committee for the Wisconsin of the impact of the media on the emotional well-being and school Institutes for Discovery, an innovative research facility that’s going up performance of children in their care. In addition, I collaborated with on the west campus with special funding from private, state, and faculty members at Cornell, Ohio State, and UW–Madison’s School of university sources. Journalism on a study of television and children’s fears. The article will appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Children and Media. Professor David Bordwell This year I also became a member of the National Speaker As- Kristin Thompson (PhD ’77) and I went to the Vancouver Film Festival sociation and formed a company called Your Mind on Media, through in late September of last year, driving there by a weird western route which I book my presentations. My most popular speeches, “This is that took us through Elko, Nevada, where we stopped to shake hands Your Mind on Media” and “You’ve Got (too much) Mail” combine with Obama, who was campaigning there. After getting back from the findings of communication research, information-processing, and Vancouver, we buckled down to finishing the revisions on the third neuroscience to help people increase their productivity, boost their edition of Film History and to start the revisions on Film Art (ninth creativity, and reduce the stress in their lives. edition!). Film History came out in March, and Film Art is due to In addition, I gave invited lectures at two of my alma maters, be published in December. In the meantime, we went to the Palm Cornell and Indiana University. I was surprised and delighted to learn, Springs Film Festival in January, and I went to the Hong Kong Film as I was being introduced at Indiana, that the Department of Telecom- Festival in March, staying into April. After that we visited , munications was awarding me its first Distinguished Alumni Award.

VILAS VOICE 5 FACULTY PROFILE

Professor Jonathan Gray: ”The Simpsons Guy”

I spent all of my childhood moving (Canada, England, Aus- tralia, Singapore, Hong Kong), and so my fascination with popular culture and media is perhaps natural, as they always either formed the base language that my new schoolmates and I already had in common, or they were what I needed to learn in order to establish such a language. Thus, while watching and listening to many of the same things that kids around the world were watching and listening to — anything by Spielberg, The Cosby Show, Phil Collins, The A-Team, and always lots of Star Wars — I also learned to love The Littlest Hobo, Black Adder, Canto-pop, Neighbours (with a u), and any film with Chow Yun-Fat. I’ve always loved a good story, and loved diving into them to see how they work. But while doing my BA in English Literature (at UBC in Vancouver), I began to tire of looking only at aesthetics, when I also wanted to talk about politics and ideology, and about how people used these narratives in their daily lives. My first postgraduate degree was in postco- lonial literature (at Leeds in the UK), which allowed me to get Professor Jonathan Gray political, yet I still wasn’t allowed to talk about audiences, so it seemed. Frustrated, I left academia and returned to my other can have when it’s good, but the challenge is to see (and to teach) love, working with kids and teens. how, when, and why it’s good and how, when, and why it’s not. Geek that I am, though, I missed theory and I missed writing. A My first book,Watching with The Simpsons: Television, Parody, friend kept telling me to give media and cultural studies a chance. and Intertextuality, garnered me the title of “The Simpsons Guy,” When finally I broke under pressure, the second media book that I read since I used Homer, Lisa, and company to examine how parody works, was by Wisconsin’s John Fiske. Understanding Popular Culture was and how it complicates many models of media aesthetics, audiences, exciting — it was political, it was about audiences, it cared about how and effects. From there, I started to examine parody, satire, and com- popular culture was made, and it understood that popular culture can edy more generally, culminating in a recent co-edited collection, Satire be a versatile language, at times a remarkably slippery and devious one, TV: Politics and Comedy in the Post-Network Era. When watching yes, but also one that lets us do and say things of great importance. The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, The Simpsons, and South Park Four years later, I had a PhD in Communications from Goldsmiths becomes homework, one’s life is pretty good. College, University of London. I had also fallen in love with a Ken- I also became interested in how much a film or television pro- gram’s meaning is created by those things that surround it — trailers, “... the second media book that I read was DVD bonus materials, ad campaigns, fan creations, toys, reviews, li- censed videogames, etc. — and this interest led to my third single-au- by Wisconsin’s John Fiske. Understanding thored book, out soon, called Show Sold Separately: Promos, Spoilers, and Other Media Paratexts. Along the way, I’ve also written Television Popular Culture was exciting — it was polit- Entertainment, and co-edited Fandom: Identities and Communities in ical, it was about audiences, it cared about a Mediated World and an encyclopedia, Battleground: The Media. Looking to my future here at Madison, my loves for studying how popular culture was made, and it how television and film work and how they are merging with other understood that popular culture can be media remain, but I also hope to do more audience research. I’ve always taught global media, and am now focusing my research on a versatile language ... ” it more, having recently started a project in Malawi (not Maui, as a friend misheard!), examining how global media is consumed and tuckian, so I followed her back to the U. S., where I’ve been since. I circulated in a country with little official, legalized media trade, yet taught first at University of California, Berkeley, and most recently at plenty of Dolly Parton, 50 Cent, Sylvester Stallone, and local reggae Fordham University in New York City. All the while, I’ve tried to teach making the rounds. my students to examine the media with interdisciplinary eyes, as lit I have tremendous respect for Comm Arts’ history in the field, and scholars and anthropologists, philosophers and artists, historians and am humbled to be a part of its present. The program has produced sociologists, economists and, of course, as citizens. I still watch a lot many of the scholars whose work I most admire, and I look forward to and listen to a lot, loving The Wire, R.E.M., Akira Kurosawa, Lost, the challenge of helping to fashion future generations of the world’s Pixar films, the Food Network, Primeval, fun summer blockbusters, best media scholars . . . while enjoying some cheese, bratwurst, and and excellent trailers, and I recognize the incredible power the media Badger hockey games on the side.

6 FALL 2009 Author’s/Artist’s Voice

2009 Scholarship Recipients A special thanks to our generous donors who continue to support our students, both in and outside of the classroom.

Communications Helen K. Herman Award Industry Summer Emily Acosta Internship Award Andrea Comiskey Eric Wielochowski, Liz Ellcessor The Tonight Show with Heather Heckman Rob Asen Mary Beltrán Conan O’Brien Michelle Murray Invoking the Invisible Hand: Latina/o Stars in U.S. Eyes: John Powers Social Security and the The Making and Meanings CBS, Programming & Josh Shepperd Privatization Debate of Film and TV Stardom Planning Gayathri Sivakumar Jason Quist Ryan Solomon

Charline M. Wackman Departmental Awards Teaching Award Undergraduates David Resha Samantha Moodie Katherine Johnson Pearce Award Caitlin Scherer Lindsay Hogan-Garrison Kimberly Beauchaine Paul Hendrickson Jason Forbes Kelly Jakes Andrew Knuth Danny Kimball Amanda McQueen Graduate Students Wenjie Yan Michael Braun Elsa Gassert Risser Award Jonathan Gray Bill Brown and Nick Marx Pamela Conners Satire TV: Politics and Com- Sabine Gruffat Brad Schauer Kyurim Kyoung edy in the Post-Network Era Screening of “The Time Amy Tully Erin Copple Smith (edited with Jeffrey P. Jones Machine” at the Chicago and Ethan Thompson) Underground Film Festival Christopher Neal Wickhem Award Heinlein Memorial Josh Jackson Scholarship Allison Bernstein Frankenburger Award Jenna Schapiro Erik Hjälmeby

Telluride Film Festival Student Symposium Congratulations, Laura Daniels student award Beto McQuade winners! Dave Resha

Ben Singer Lyn Van Swol American Cinema of the “Extreme Members and 1910s: Themes and Variations Group Polarization,” Social (edited with Charlie Keil) Influence

VILAS VOICE 7 IN MEMORIUM success in oratory, extemporane- theories of persuasion, but also ous, and after-dinner speaking. it was used to teach students Winston L. Brembeck Under his leadership the speech methods of strategic communi- and debate team membership cation. Brembeck was a dedi- This past spring we lost a valued known as the Wisconsin Forensic grew rapidly, the budget ex- cated teacher, who believed that member of the Communication Union. During his first few years panded, and they won numerous students living in a democracy Arts community with the passing as director, Brembeck coached tournaments. In addition to his must see persuasion as a way of Professor Emeritus Winston the team to a Big Ten debate contribution to collegiate speech of life and that communication L. Brembeck. Brembeck, who championship and tremendous competition at UW, Brembeck courses should provide pragmatic served on the faculty from 1946

Courtesy of University of Wisconsin Archives was a founding member of the skills that prepared them to do until his retirement in 1984, American Forensic Association, a so. Along those lines to this day passed away peacefully on March national organization. Brembeck is quoted as saying: 7 at the age of 96. He is survived As a scholar, Brembeck “To know another’s language by his wife, Neva. helped to establish the field of and not his culture is a very good A WWII veteran, Brembeck social influence and was known way to make a fluent fool of earned his masters degree in for his work in rhetoric, debate, one’s self.” 1935 and doctorate in 1947 critical thinking, and speech as Up until just a few years at the University of Wisconsin– well. His book Persuasion: A ago Winston attended a faculty Madison, in what was then the Means of Social Influence,first meeting every year or two, visit- Department of Speech and what published in 1952, proved to ing with former colleagues and was by the time he retired the be a foundational text in the meeting new professors in order Department of Communication communication discipline. Not to stay connected with the Arts. For many years he directed only did this book, which went Department of Communication the speech team, which was Winston L. Brembeck into multiple editions, lay out Arts. He will be missed.

Public Enemies in Wisconsin

Michael Mann’s (BS ’65) decision to greet them. Daering also had chael Mann to put to film several scenes ofPub - his turn in front of the camera, together such lic Enemies in Wisconsin gave serving as an extra for a scene a great story Comm Arts majors an opportuni- shot in the state capital build- was inspiring,” ty to participate in many aspects ing. When asked to sum up his remarked Sta- of a big screen production. experience, Daering said, “For cey. The 10-day Illustration courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Justin Daering (BA ’08) took young filmmakers in Wisconsin, shoot translated on several roles during the having a production of this scale into seconds on production of Public Enemies. is an incredible opportunity and the screen, but As a location scout, he helped I hope that such opportuni- Stacey did make to evaluate possible locations ties will be available for future the final cut. around Wisconsin for particular Comm Arts majors.” When Tom scenes within the movie. He On a whim, Stacey Nuzbach Hopfensperger spent one day, for example, at went to the open call for extras went to work on the Mirror Lake State Park filming at Monona Terrace. Two months project, all the film sets test shots of armed gangsters later, she was on her way to had been dismantled. As running through the wooded Little Bohemia Lodge in northern an intern with Film Wiscon- trails. On set, Justin often served Wisconsin for a 10 day shoot. sin, Tom focused on creating press tour of historical locations as a production assistant locking Stacey played Marie Conforti, a statewide publicity effort for relevant to the gangster era and down traffic. Although keep- one of the few women seen Public Enemies. In collaboration the film shoot. Tom also worked ing spectators at a safe distance regularly with the with staff from Film Wisconsin, with the Department of Tourism from the set could be challeng- and said to have been the girl- the Department of Tourism, and to create “Gangster Tours,” a ing, Daering was rewarded with friend of , who Public Enemies, he helped to cre- travel destination package. In up close views of the explosive was played by Stephen Dorff ate a plan which included fund- the final phase of his internship, gunfights. Off set, he warmed in the film. “Watching Johnny raising events centered on the Tom produced a series of press up the crowd each evening Depp, Christian Bale, and all the opening of the film in Madison, releases announcing the premier before came out cast and crew work with Mi- Milwaukee, and Oshkosh and a dates for the film.

8 FALL 2009 DECISION RULE Professor Asen awarded grant to study school board deliberation A majority of Americans, includ- issue. Surprisingly, the crucial the specific tensions faced by to this project, and he believes ing President Obama, continue role of our school boards, who school boards as they attempt this will provide a much-needed to call for educational change. regularly deliberate and enact to understand, incorporate, and alternative perspective to educa- But the exact nature of that educational policy, has been weigh education research in light tional policy research. “Rhetorical change, especially in the wake overlooked in this debate. As a of the needs and interests of scholarship has important things of No Child Left Behind and an result, we lack an understanding diverse community stakeholders. to say about public policy, and emphasis on outcome based of how school boards deploy “No Child Left Behind,” he ob- this grant gives us a chance to learning, remains a contentious educational research, and more serves, “called for evidence-based say it. A rhetorical perspective importantly, how local com- decision-making in schools, and can show how policies are tied to munity members, especially placed a premium on testing and our beliefs about the world, our parents, participate in specific like measures of student ‘perfor- views of government, the market policy-making decisions. mance.’ With this in mind, it’s and society, and our understand- Professor Rob Asen together important to know what factors ings of our connections and with Deb Gurke (MA ‘04, PhD school boards consider in their de- commitments to each other.” ’08), governance consultant liberation and decision-making.” The significance of this proj- for the Wisconsin Association Asen is especially concerned ect goes well beyond the issue of School Boards, have been with understanding the role it will investigate. This sizeable awarded a prestigious two-year of school boards in sustaining grant, at a time of fiscal crisis for grant from the William T. Grant democratic practice, something the university, will certainly be Foundation to address these is- that is potentially under threat in important in continuing to raise sues. As Professor Asen explains, a changing educational environ- the profile of our extremely pro- the goal of this particular research ment. As such, Asen brings a ductive Department. Congratula- Professor Rob Asen project is to better understand uniquely rhetorical perspective tions, Professor Asen.

STUDENT PROFILE Samantha DeZur’s fashionable internship

“One premiere fashion maga- Samantha on the red carpet to share one bedroom!” Courtesy of The Style Network zine. Three coveted internships. among celebrities as she assist- Throughout the internship, Do you have what it takes?” ed with Marie Claire’s welcom- Samantha learned a great deal asked the email message sent to ing party for the new fashion about the fashion industry and Comm Arts majors and thou- director Nina Garcia during about herself. She remarked, sands of college students across NYC fashion week. Viewers also “The most important thing I the country. Samantha DeZur saw Samantha as she tackled learned from the whole experi- (BA ‘09) had it. The senior put another prized assignment, a ence was how important it was her studies aside for a semester, photo shoot in Mexico. to stick up for myself in the moved to New York City, and In addition to the accom- professional world. My ideas, became a reality star in Style plishments, the camera caught opinions, and personal character Network’s Running in Heels, and caused battles among the were challenged everyday and I a docu-series that followed interns. Samantha explained, was forced to defend myself.” three interns with Marie Claire “The pressure of the camera af- Although Samantha doubts magazine as they worked and fected our performance at work she will pursue a career with a lived together for five months. At and inevitably created drama fashion magazine in the future, the end of the internship, one of between me and the other two she admitted she would consider them was offered a position with girls, Talita Silva and Ashley another on-camera role. the magazine. Gosik. Not only did the tension DeZur completed her degree The constant eye of the rise between us on-camera at in May and is now a graduate camera documented Saman- work and at our apartment, but student at Georgetown studying tha’s achievements and chal- off-camera as well. We not only public relations and corporate lenges as an intern. It captured had to live together, but we had communications. Intern Samantha DeZur

VILAS VOICE 9 FROM CELLULOID TO PIXELS Film and Theater Center Digitizes Three New Collections

By Gwen Evans, And now, thanks to a special All three offerings are supple- designing film costumes. University Communications project, three new collections mented with short essays The Douglas and three new have been sifted, winnowed, dig- and background information digital collections were made Some 2,000 miles separate Madi- itized and posted to the WCFTR researched and written by UW– possible through contributions son and Hollywood’s star-making Web site (http://wcftr.commarts. Madison film and media studies from UW–Madison alumnus Ste- machine, and it’s a 1,000-mile wisc.edu/), joining a collection faculty and graduate students. phen P. Jarchow (BBA’74, MS’76, journey to New York’s Great from legendary Hollywood star Links to other key electronic JD’ 76). His support funded White Way. and producer that resources and published informa- four graduate students, Megan Yet Madison is home to more the center digitized and launched tion are also provided, adding Sapnar Ankerson, Liz Ellcessor, than 240 collections of film, the- as a pilot effort in fall 2007. extra context and understanding. Heather Heckman, and Josh ater, television and radio history These newly digitized collec- Those who delve into the Shepperd, as summer fellows to and memorabilia — a treasure tions include: three new online collections can develop the featured collections trove of cultural history held by take a fascinating journey. Head, for the Web. the Comm Arts Department’s • acclaimed costume for example, was nominated for So what comes next? Wisconsin Center for Film and designer Edith Head, 35 Academy Awards for costume “Eventually we’ll create an online Theater Research (WCFTR) at the • early radio pioneers in design; she took home the Oscar catalog of photos and visual University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, and eight times. Head worked on materials in all the collections,” in cooperation with the Wiscon- more than 1,000 films during says Professor Michele Hilmes, sin Historical Society. The WCFTR • nine slideshows taken her 44 years as head designer director of WCFTR. “But besides will celebrate its 50th anniversary from the center’s Stills at Paramount and 14 years at paper, we have film collec- in 2010, making it one of the and Flat Graphics Data- Universal, receiving 35 Acad- tions and video collections . . . oldest centers of popular culture base, which will soon be emy Award nominations along thousands of audio recordings . archival material in the country. searchable online. the way. The online collection . . [and] a wonderful set of col- features some of her personal lections around the Hollywood papers, but is largely watercolor, blacklist.” pencil, and pen-and-ink sketches This is an excerpt from an article that by Head and her teams of first appeared in the May 6 edition designers. It reveals the thought of Wisconsin Week. Please see the process and the business behind Comm Arts Web site for the full story. for Film and Theater Research Theater and Film for

Illustration and photo courtesy of Wisconsin Center Wisconsin of courtesy photo and Illustration

Edith Head designed a white gown for Grace Kelly to wear in Al- fred Hitchcock’s “To Catch a Thief” (1955). The photo from the film shows that the final version of the dress is nearly identical to her signed watercolor sketch.

10 FALL 2009 PROFESSOR DAVID MORTENSEN Pursuing Life’s Passions

Professor David Mortensen makes me excited about what I like most stained glass artists, his retired last December after more am learning.” pieces do not follow a pre-set than 38 years with the Depart- “He is caring, compassion- pattern. His work is an abstract ment. An expert in the field of ate, and very committed to his composition inspired by land- interpersonal communication, students.” scapes and geometric designs, Mortensen taught a variety of During his academic career, such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s courses throughout those years, Professor Mortensen furthered Fallingwater, or concepts, like including courses in commu- the study of interpersonal the fountain of youth. Each nication theory, psychology of communication, particularly in piece begins as a rough sketch communication, conflict resolu- the areas of communicative dif- which will be tinkered with for tion, and his signature course, ficulty, problematic interaction, a year until the artist falls in miscommunication. His students and conflict. His work cut across love. After drawing it to scale, found his teaching style insight- academic disciplines and pro- Mortensen begins to create his ful, engaging, and intellectually vided penetrating observations art, spontaneously changing the stimulating: about the many ways communi- arrangement, as he imagines the “He is very worldly and wise cation is at the core of one’s per- colors exploding in the brilliant and there’s a lot he can teach sonhood. Mortensen authored afternoon sun or cooling in the us. He’s one of the best profs several books, including Human gentle evening. Having complet- I’ve ever had because he’s totally Conflict (2005), Communication Professor David Mortensen ed several pieces, Mortensen has engaged in the subject matter.” Theory (2007) and Optimal Hu- begun showing his work to area “The best teacher I’ve ever man Relations: The Search for a he had reached a pinnacle and galleries and shops. Four of his had!!! Very knowledgeable Good Life (2008). he wanted to start a new, very pieces are currently available for about the material. He is excited When he finished his last different career. His new passion purchase at the Century House about what he is teaching. This book, Mortensen said he knew is creating stained glass art. Un- in Madison.

IN THE CLASSROOM

Go Big Read thought-provoking, controversial their own relationship to food perspective on American food and food production.” In Defense of Food: and the Western diet is being ex- Ryan Solomon also believes An Eater’s Manifesto plored and grappled with across this book is an excellent teach- by Michael Pollan was chosen campus, within the community, ing tool for CA 262, Theory and among hundreds of submissions and in the classroom. Comm Practice of Argumentation and for UW–Madison’s first, shared, Arts 181, the honors section of Debate. Solomon, who is the academically focused reading speech composition, and Comm lecturer for the course, notes, “It experience, Go Big Read. Pollan’s Arts 262, argumentation and de- is an interesting, controversial bate, for example, will examine example of public argument on the text throughout the semester. an extremely important issue; it The honors section of public unsettles boundaries between speaking is focusing on the public and private, science and themes of food and food politics culture, expertise and vernacular the inability to completely estab- this fall. Students are reading knowledge.” In Defense of Food lish the ’facts’ of any issue, and Pollan’s book, attending his lec- will be discussed throughout the that there will always be a place ture, and writing four speeches course as they study arguments, and a need for argument.” that deal with subjects such as consider what constitutes evi- We invite you to read the the social and political uses of dence, learn how evidence can book and join the discussion. food and the history of farm- be deployed, and generate top- Alumni can participate through ing. Instructor Tom Yoshikami’s ics for final class debates. At the the blog and other interactive objective this semester is “to end of the semester, Solomon technologies. Go to the Go Big give students an opportunity to hopes students will recognize Read Web Site (www.gobigread. Michael Pollan explore both our society’s and that “Pollan’s book represents wisc.edu) for additional details.

VILAS VOICE 11 Department of Communication Arts University of Wisconsin–Madison 821 University Avenue Madison, WI 53706

Honoring a Legend The Department of Communication Arts held a special event honoring Communication Arts Chair Susan Zaeske and Dean Gary Sandefur distinguished alumnus Walter Mirisch (BA ‘42). Over 100 guests from welcomed guests and thanked Mr. Mirisch for his support of the the Department and campus recognized and learned about Mirisch’s Department and the College. Professor Tino Balio then hosted a dis- many achievements. Chancellor Biddy Martin and Wisconsin Alumni cussion with Mirisch reviewing his remarkable career. Association Director Paula Bonner were among the campus leaders in After graduating from UW-Madison, Mirisch launched a bril- attendance. liant career as a film producer that eventually spanned 60 years. He produced such popular hits as , , and the films. As head of , he garnered three Academy Awards for best motion picture in the course of his career (, West Side Story, and In the Heat of the Night). Mirisch was awarded the University’s Honorary Doctor- ate in 1989. He recently published his autobiography with UW Press, I Thought We Were Making Movies. Mr. Mirisch has been a long-time friend and supporter of the Communication Arts and UW–Madison. His gifts to Communication Arts made possible the creation of the Mirisch Seminar Room (3155 Vilas Hall), a state-of-the-art teaching and conference room. He has also served for many years on the College of Letters & Science’s Board of Visitors and has been active in alumni outreach on the west coast. The reception provided the Department of Communication Arts with an enjoyable opportunity to convey a message of thanks. Professor Susan Zaeske, Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin, and alum Walter Mirisch at a Comm Arts event honoring Mirisch.