UP Fall 2013 The alumni publication of the A.Q. Miller School of DATEJournalism and Mass Communications

K-State alumnus Rob Clark shares his fantasic photography. Learn more about him and his travels on page 24. Info on the Fred White Kelly Furnas and more Student internship Scholarship - Page 6 faculty features - Page 12 opportunities - Page 16 UpdateInside

A.Q. Miller School news

A message from the Director/On the Cover 1 Kedziepalooza 2 Arts and Science Fees 3 School Reaccreditation 4 Advisory Council Q&A 5 Fred White Scholarship 6 Great Plains Radio History Symposium 7 Huck Boyd Lecture 11 Faculty Birgit Wassmuth 8 Kimetris Baltrip 10 Kelly Furnas 12 Andy Nelson 14 Updates Student Internships 16 Alumni Updates 17 Alumni Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins 18 Alice Roper 20 Chris Masters 22 Rob Clark 24 From the director

Welcome! As the new director of the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Com- munications I would like to welcome you to this edition of Update magazine. It offers exciting highlights from the Fall 2013 semester. I came to K-State from Kennesaw State University near Atlanta, Ga., where I chaired the Department of Communication and managed its unbridled growth for seven and a half years. When I arrived at K-State in July my two top priorities were: to guide the faculty through the process of re-accreditation (a six-year cycle) and to submit a compelling proposal to keep the Journalism Education Association (JEA) at K-State. In late October, a four-member accreditation team of the Accrediting Council for Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) visited us for four days and, at the end of their visit, recommended us for re-accreditation. The recommendation will be reviewed, discussed, and voted on by the Accrediting Committee on March 22 in Chicago, and by the Accrediting Council on May 2 in Arlington, Va. At that point, the decision will be official. A review team from JEA visited us in late September to view our facilities and to discuss our proposal. In the final round, we lege. We are delighted to have them on board. students have to say. I had them fill out a brief were competing against heavy-hitters Vanderbilt In early November, I met with our Advisory survey to solicit input regarding various topics and Colorado State University. At the November Council for the first time. I shared with them my such as accreditation, curriculum, technology, meeting of JEA in Boston, the Board of Direc- vision for the School to become a “program of facilities, etc. I’ll be analyzing these data over tors voted unanimously to keep JEA at K-State distinction.” It seems that, together, we are ready the holiday break. The voice of our students is and housed in the A.Q. Miller School. President to “rock ‘n’ roll” and make things happen. important to us. Schulz, Provost Mason, Dean Dorhout, and I This academic year, we are celebrating the Our immediate next task is to conceptualize are delighted to continue and strengthen our 25th anniversary of the naming of the A.Q. Miller a solution for our space and facility needs. As you long-standing relationship with JEA. Together School. To recognize this important milestone know, we are bursting at the seams. Several excit- we will be developing a few academic programs we are planning to introduce a special fundrais- ing alternatives are being developed, and we want including a new master’s degree in Scholastic ing effort cslled the “25 Fund,” which will help your input. Please watch for a survey that will be Journalism Education and Management. establish a JMC Hall of Fame and an A.Q. Miller sent to you within the next few weeks. Once we At the beginning of the fall semester, we Lecture Series. know which direction to follow, we will start a welcomed two new colleagues to our faculty: Dr. Since the beginning of the fall semester, I Capital Campaign to make things happen. Tom Hallaq (Journalism and Digital Media), who have been visiting as many classes as I could fit It’s good to be here. Please keep in touch. I joined us from Idaho State University, and Dr. into my schedule. The purpose of these class visits am looking forward to hearing from you. Jinsoo Kim (Advertising) from Rhode Island Col- was to introduce myself and to listen to what the Birgit Wasssmuth

On the cover Special thanks to On our website

Rob Clark has made a career of tell- This semester’s Update magazine For more information about A.Q. ing the stories of exotic people in was produced by students in Maga- Miller School news,visit the website exotic places. In Cambodia he cap- zine and Feature Article Writing www.jmc.ksu.edu tured this striking picture of a monk class. Students used four Mac Book emerging from a temple overgrown Pro computers and InDesign 5.5 in by a tree. the Think Tank of Kedzie Hall. 5,500 copies were printed at Ag Press in His eye for the unusual has allowed Manhattan, Kan. Special thanks to: him to shoot 24 covers for National Geographic, capture the story of Andy Nelson high school football in Texas and Birgit Wassmuth bring to life the stories of thousands. Rob Clark Find a complete listing of alumni up- Hannah Hunsinger dates, stories and additional info on Emily DeShazer our website at updatejmc.com. Journalism School Celebrates 2nd Annual Kedziepalooza by Bria Dansby Kedziepalooza is always the second week of portunity to gain new more members. classes and our JMC ambassadors help out a lot “Being able to be a part of the group of fter the success of their event last year, with it, and I really didn’t get to meet with them people bringing it back and starting something Athe A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass until the week before classes started.” with new people and new ideas is always a great Communications decided to bring Kedziepal- Despite meeting the ambassadors last thing,” Iyo said. “I feel really proud and happy ooza back on Sept. 3. Although the organiz- minute, Robertson said the students were ready that I get to share about diversity and let people ers for the event changed, the new pre-major to work and helped promote the event to jour- also learn about different cultures.” adviser Jenny Robertson took control and nalism students. For some students, attending Kedziepal- planned the event. “They did a great job and when we met the ooza gave them the chance to learn about the first time they were ready to start on it,” Robert- school and meet fellow journalism students. “It wasn’t difficult this son said. “They showed up and they were really “It’s really cool; I didn’t know there were so year,” Robertson said. “Tom excited.” many clubs,” Renee Gragg, sophomore in public Roesler really had a great Kedziepalooza allowed members of jour- relations, said. “It’s pretty neat to see what’s go- nalism clubs to meet and discuss their group ing on since I’m a sophomore and I just got into plan already in place from and plans for the year with students. the major.” the previous year, I didn’t “I am the president of Diverse Mass Com- Although the next Kedziepalooza is a year diverge from that too much. municators which is a revived organization away, Robertson plans to use the time plan and I just stuck with what he did here at the school of journalism to promote improve the event. diversity in all forms and manners through “I think if I had more time to plan, it I and made sure everything the whole journalism department regardless of would maybe try to have a special guest be able was taken care of.” your color or sexual identity or anything of that to come or some kind of other fun activity go- Though she followed last year’s structure, sort,” Belema Iyo, senior in public relations and ing on while we’re doing the event, just to bring Robertson faced a challenge in planning the advertising said. in more students and get them more excited. event. For Iyo, having a booth for the Diverse But I’ll have to think about that for next year,” “One thing I think was really frantic is that Mass Communicators group gave them the op- Robertson said.

Kedzie by the Numbers

Instruction in printing began Number of students enrolled in at K-State in Advertising: 71 1874 Journalism Digital Media: 58 Print Media: 29 Public Relations: 143 Number of Pre-majors: Journalism School Alumni 290 The journalism program was 6,200 established in1910 2 | A.Q. Miller School Student Fees Improve College of Arts and Sciences by Bria Dansby

his year, students enrolled in the Kansas StateT University College of Arts and Sciences saw an additional fee on their tuition statement. Students within the college were charged an additional $8 per credit hour that would go to- ward funding supplies and programs through- out the school. “None of this fee money goes to paying faculty,” Ross Jensby, student fee commit- tee member said. “This fee money goes toward things that will impact the students’ learning environment.” The student fee committee had made it a point to communicate with officials about the funds the college had received for the fall semester. photo by Bria Dansby “The committee that I’m on meets with Furniture provided by donors for the Think Tank. The new fee struc- some of the faculty and administrators within ture will allow for purchase of equipment so donations can be used to the College of Arts and Sciences, since the provide additional enhancements. college instituted the new credit hour fee,” Jensby said. “It’s kind of a way of transparency The College of Arts and Sciences is not the become costly to some students, the current fee and communication between students and the first to implement a student fee on campus. is an improvement from the committee’s initial administration to make sure the students’ needs “[The colleges of] Business and Engineer- price. are met in an appropriate and responsible way.” ing have much higher student fees and have “We did decrease the initial proposal from The tuition strategies committee approved had them for several years,” Dr. Beth Monte- $10 per credit hour to $8 per credit hour,” Jen- the fee for students in the College of Arts and lone, Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences said. sby said. “The main reason for the decrease was Sciences last year to ensure the school has “A few years ago, a fee was imposed across all because people just wanted to be responsible enough money for supplies. colleges and is used to support instruction and with the students’ money. We wanted to make “One of the main reasons was because advising.” sure we were serving the students the best way of the funding,” Jensby said. “We had a lot of The fee money will go toward items we could.” dated equipment especially within the chemis- such as instructional equipment, laboratories, For students enrolled in the A.Q. Miller try department, but that’s just one example.” instruments and audio. Although the fees could School, the student fees mean progress for the college. “I think it’s a good idea because we are constantly needing to update equipment whether it’s cameras, equipment, for the Chan- nel 8 News studio or the computers in Kedzie,” Nicolette Sessin, senior in digital media said. “The money is well worth it, and I wish more of our tuition money was spent on the things we really need.” Jensby feels the college’s decision is benefi- cial to the students and their education. “I think in order to keep K-State competi- tive, it was something we needed to see, and there are other universities that have a program like this,” Jensby said. “Honestly, with state funding decreasing for public universities, you hate to see another fee for students, but you don’t want the students to be paying high photo by Bria Dansby tuition for an atmosphere where they’re not The Think Tank features photography from current journalism students. getting a decent education.” updatejmc.com | 3 School Recommended for Reaccreditation by Darrington Clark

hile most students pass through the halls of WKedzie Hall in four (or five) years, the faculty of the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications spent six years planning for a test of its own. The results were successful. The A.Q. Miller School is reviewed for reaccreditation every six years. In October of 2013, a team of professionals from the Accredit- ing Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, ACEJMC, reviewed the program’s academic and physical aspects and Photo of Jordan opportunities. The School was recommended for re-accreditation at the end of the review. The process began six years ago, including the preparation of a self-study and other reports and materials for the accreditation team. “There’s just a lot of details,” Wassmuth said. “We (put) together a ring binder together Photo by Darrington Clark full of flyers, brochures, and programs of any Senior Jordan Rogers checks the PRSSA sign up sheet. The new PRSSA board activities that we’ve sponsored for the last six was put up to conicide with the reaccreditation visit. years. It’s a lot of materials.” Steve Smethers, associate professor of jour- The A.Q. Miller School joined several “The process is where they bring people nalism and associate director for undergraduate other K-State departments with recent ac- in for three days, and they look at everything,” programs for the A.Q. Miller School, was in- creditations, or re-accreditations. The K-State Stark said. “Your syllabi, your spaces, every- strumental in preparing for the re-accreditation School of Music, Theatre and Dance recently thing, and compare it to their guidelines. My process. went through the process for the first time. They impression, though, is that they were always “It’s an arduous task, it really is,” Smethers were examined by the National Association of willing to work with the school. It’s not a kind of said. “You have to go back and look at so many Schools of Theatres, and were accredited. harsh, ‘You did or did not succeed’ thing. They things. You have to keep in mind that faculty Ben Stark, assistant professor of the offer suggestions and talk with the faculty.” have come and gone within the last six years, so Theatre school and technical director for the The preparation included extensive docu- imagine trying to track of all that.” program, explained that the accreditation team mentation of the program, Wassmuth said. is thorough in their assessments. “There are nine chapters and an intro- Accreditation Compliance Standards: A.Q. Miller School Passes

5. Scholarship: Research, 1. Mission, Governance and Creative and Professional Administration Activity 6. Student Services 2. Curriculum and Instruction 7. Resources, Facilities and Equipment 3. Diversity and Inclusiveness 8. Professional and Public Service

4. Full-Time and Part-Time Faculty 9. Assessment of Learning Outcomes

4 | A.Q. Miller School duction required. Two faculty members were and competencies” and “analyze internship tions. The accreditation team consisted of Cae- assigned a chapter each. There are appendixes supervisor responses by cohort and sequence.” sar Andrews, distinguished professor of ethics in the back as well with curriculum guides and Essentially, the site team felt that the A.Q. Miller and writing at the University of Nevada-Reno, diversity plans and guidelines and bylaws and School needed stronger assessment applied to its Pat Rose, executive director of the American those things,” Wassmuth said. required courses. Academy of Advertising in Pittsboro, NC, John Smethers said the faculty and students Wassmuth is no stranger to the accredita- Paluszek, senior counsel, Ketchum in New York, played integral roles in the process. tion process. She served as a member of accredi- NY and team leader Pam Luecke, head of the “The faculty has worked very hard,” tation teams for universities in the past. With department of journalism and mass communi- Smethers said. “They’ve been working together her experience, Wassmuth said, comes a better cations for Washington and Lee University in extensively. We’ve all contributed to funneling understanding of the process. Lexington, Ky. the information into a cohesive report.” “It’s not about being perfect. It’s about The accreditation team highlighted several The process also helps faculty check on meeting standards,” Wassmuth said. “Overall, if strengths in the program, including “engaged, their own progress, according to Smethers. you do well in each of the standards then you’ll motivated students,” “caring and well qualified “It’s a reminder to us about what our look really good.” faculty,” “strong student media outlets” and a standards are and a chance to assess ourselves in The draft of the accreditors’ review is just promising new director in Wassmuth. a variety of different standards,” Smethers said. that, a draft, and will not become final until May At the A.Q Miller School, the accredita- “It’s a diagnostic report on the excellence of our of 2014, when the accreditors will present their tion committee spent three days producing their program. I think that’s healthy, for any sort of reports to the accrediting council. This leaves official report. It was given to K-State President program.” time for Wasmuth and the A.Q. Miller school to Kirk Schulz on Oct. 30. The A.Q. Miller School passed eight of the contest any critiques if they so choose. “It’s a exciting exercise. It gives us an op- nine standards that ACEJMC examines in a site During the review on Oct. 27-30, the portunity to showcase what we do,” Wassmuth visit. The ninth standard, Assessment, was not team met with faculty and students, and toured said. “I think we look pretty good. I think we passed. A draft of the accreditors’ report states Kedzie Hall, McCain Auditorium, the K-State have an outstanding faculty. Everybody is com- that the school must “update its assessment plan Student Union, and Dole Halls. Aspects of the mitted to high quality standards, and I think it to incorporate ACEJMC’s 12 professional values JMC School are housed in each of these loca- shows.”

Q&A with Advisory Council Co-chairman Paul Arnhold by Sophie Eisenhauer Paul Arnhold shares his views of the JMC accomplish within the next year? be successful in the workforce today. Their input School Advisory Council which met on campus Anything that is a focus for the school is a allows the school’s curriculum, technology and in November. focus for the council. The advisory council wants facilities to be kept up to date with industry to be a resource that the school can always come standards so we can prepare students for success Q: What is the role of the Advi- to. Our goal is to have a more active presence after graduation. sory Council? within the school and to help keep alum updated Our goal is to have a good diversity of and connected. Q: What types of opportunities alums from all decades of graduation and in are there for alumni to take part in? from departments within the school (journalism, Q: How will the Council help with Helping to mentor current students in advertising, public relations and broadcast) sit Dr. Wassmuth’s vision? networking, job shadowing, helping to find on the council to ultimately provide guidance The closer we can keep alumni to the school, internships and just answering the questions back to the school. We currently have around 50 the closer they’ll be able to contribute to the about their profession would be a great way to get members and now meet twice a year instead of school, through whatever outlet that may be. We involved. Fundraising is another important goal just once. have always had the idea of an alumni-mentor- for the advisory council, and is also another great ing program, but it hasn’t been able to be used as opportunity for alumni to give back to the school. Q: What made the council decide much as we would have like. This year, our goal to meet twice a year instead of a usual is to set up a two-step mentoring program, where Q: Any other exiting opportuni- single meeting? upperclassman help advise incoming students on ties for the future that the council has We typically only met once in the spring classes and opportunities within the school and discussed? for a large meeting, but decided that just wasn’t our alum can help mentor the older students who We are hoping to continue to build our allowing us to communicate and plan together are getting ready to enter the workforce. We want relationship with the military school on campus, as much as we would like. We decided to meet to fill the gap between the alumni and the school, along with Ft. Riley. They are an ideal resource to again in the fall, for more of a working meeting, so they are able to take on a more active role. Our have within KSU’s backyard, and could be a great to touch base on our goals. This fall meeting was JMC alumni are wonderful assets, especially since way for students, who aren’t necessarily enlisted, especially important so the council could be intro- they are all so active in such diverse professions to learn military communication and the impor- duced to the new director, Dr. Wassmuth, and to throughout all the different JMC departments. tant role it plays within a military community. hear her vision for the school’s future. They are able to advise not only the students, The great thing about a degree from the JMC but also the school on what skills are needed to School is that the possibilities are endless. Q: What is the Council hoping to

update.jmc.com | 5 Gone, but Never Forgotten by Corbin McGuire

Steve Physioc, A.Q. Miller School gradu- ate and now Kansas City Royals broadcaster, recalls surprising conversations during the early stages of his career regarding how many phone calls Fred White, Voice of the K-State Wildcats during the 1960s and early 1970s, made on his behalf. “I had no idea until years later when somebody would say ‘well, Fred White called me up and said ‘you’ve got to listen to this young broadcaster from Kansas State Uni- versity,’ or, ‘you’ve got to listen to this young broadcaster from Hastings, Nebraska,’” Physioc said. “Fred White was a guy who helped everybody. He helped every single young broadcaster, took an interest, and he tried to spot somebody’s enthusiasm for the business, hoped they would have the talent and helped them move forward.” Photo courtesy of Kansas City Star When White passed away in May at the Fred White worked as the voice of the Wildcats and of the Kansas City Royals, but he age of 76, Physioc and Mitch Holthus, another is remembered for mentoring A.Q. Miller School Alumni who are now founding the A.Q. Miller School graduate and current voice scholarship in his honor. of the Kansas City Chiefs, wanted to preserve of “a celebration of life.” sports broadcaster—started this spring. the legacy of a man who positively affected Physioc and Holthus contacted David To do that, Spafford said supporters could countless sports broadcasters. Spafford, Associate Director of Development donate to an income account– via cash, check “Whenever I would say thank you to for the Kansas State University Foundation, to or credit card– to get the scholarship started Fred, he said ‘Steve, don’t thank me. When help put the idea into action. before the required two years. another young broadcaster comes along, help “I work with matching “So the goal is to have enough money in him. That’s the way that you can thank me,’” play to have an award for this spring,” Spafford Physioc said. “So one of the ways we can their passions of what they said, adding the first scholarship would be continue to allow that Fred White legacy to want to do and help find a between $500-$1000. “Then we’ll be able to grow is to develop a scholarship fund, and not way to recognize Fred. One start awarding it each year and at some point, necessarily find a student who has the highest of the avenues that we have depending on when that full $25,000 is in the GPA, but the student who has the passion for account, then the account itself will start gen- broadcasting.” is endowed scholarships,” said erating the revenue for the scholarship.” White was not a Kansas State graduate, Spafford, who added endowed scholarships The scholarship, which Spafford said but his love for the school was unquestioned. require a $25,000 minimum of pledges and could grow to more than $3,000 a year, will “Jack Hartman is one of the great- donations before an actual scholarship can be preserve White’s best-known trait— helping est coaches in the history of Kansas State given. “We’re very close, I think, in reaching others the way he did Physioc, Holthus, Greg basketball, and he was the best man at Fred’s that commitment of pledges up to $25,000.” Sharpe ­—Voice of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, wedding,” Physioc said. “Even when he turned Reaching the minimum shouldn’t be a Wyatt Thompson—currently the Voice of the the [“Voice of the Wildcats”] position over to problem considering the number of people Wildcats—and many others. me, and then later I turned it over to Mitch White helped, Spafford said, adding the ulti- “In this particular instance, we wanted to Holthus, Fred and [his wife] would go to mate fundraising goal is $100,000. do something that would recognize Fred from countless games. He loved the university and By policy, Spafford said, endowed schol- here to forever, and to recognize his willing- he always wanted to see it have success. That’s arships require two years after the minimum ness to always help,” Spafford said. “He always why Mitch and I kind of came up with this amount is met before actual scholarships can wanted to help a young person in their career game plan to move forward.” be handed out, but he still hopes to get the and help move them along that process and Talks of founding the Fred White Sports scholarship—given to one junior in the A.Q. utilize his knowledge and his connections to Broadcasting Scholarship began shortly before Miller School who’s shown a passion to be a help them get to where they want to go.” White’s funeral, which Physioc said was more 6 | Alumni The Good Old Days: 8th Annual Radio History Symposium by Darrington Clark Oct. 24 marked a special day Two panels of past and pres- answer questions. Other members and maintaining the site, and the on the calendar of the A.Q. ent local radio professionals of the KSAC panel included Eric organization now works on provid- Miller School. Not only encompassed most of the Atkinson, Ron Wilson and Deanna ing networking connections for a did the program host Symposium. The first Wright. Richard Baker, associate variety of clients. Jane P. Marshall panel, made up of professor in Communications and Smethers is one of the found- as the speaker for former and current Agricultural Education and direc- ers of the Great Plains Radio Sym- the Huck Boyd staff members of KSAC tor of the K-State Radio Network, posium, and his passion to spread Lecture on Community radio, discussed the sta- also moderated the panel. information about the history of Media, but also the eighth tion’s history and unique The second portion of the radio was exposed during his brief annual Great Plains Radio aspects of the station that event featured a panel of former time to introduce panelists and History Symposium, all helped stand modern ra- and current staff members of engage the audience. simultaneously with Kan- dio on its feet. The KSAC student radio station KSDB. The Birgit Wassmuth, director of sas State University’s radio towers, which still panelists, Lee Buller, Bob Fidler, Ed the A.Q. Miller School, and Lou sesquicentennial. stand on the south side and Brandon Klimek, Maura Wery Benjamin, former interim direc- The Symposium, a of K-State’s campus, are and Steve Physioc all took turns tor, were in attendance as well as four-hour event held in two of a small number of sharing their personal experiences several other journalism professors the Hemisphere Room remaining radio towers in with the K-State student radio and students. Visiting patrons got of Hale Library on the U.S., and they are the station. Throughout their panel to view items such as radio mi- Thursday, Oct. 24, served only ones in Kansas. presentation, audience members crophones, books, recordings and as a celebration of radio’s The KSAC panel witnessed the transformation of the photos from K-State’s radio station history in Kansas. The state of featured Ralph Titus, radio station into its current state. from as far back as the 1930s. The Kansas is home to a number of professor emeritus of extension Brandon Klimek presented community journalism feel that the radio’s beginning steps, but communications and former what may have been considered the symposium aimed to create was K-State’s role in the history KSAC program director and most promising and engaging piece rejuvenated and the audience gave of radio was the main topic manager, and his wife Mary of the Symposium—the future of the panelists and moderators the of discussion. The A.Q. Miller Ellen. Mary Ellen Titus does radio in online streaming. Klimek’s appreciation of a standing ovation. School’s own Steve Smethers, exclusive research on KSAC project, the Internet Radio Data- The eighth annual Sympo- associate professor in the JDM history, and has a bachelor’s, base, Inc., works as a personal in- sium was coordinated by Gloria Sequence, and Vern Wirka, master’s and doctorate from teractive radio station in streaming Freeland, Smethers and Wirka. It instructor in the JDM K-State. Ralph drew upon his and recording live audio. Klimek was sponsored by the Huck Boyd sequence, hosted and experiences working at said his K-State degree in computer National Center for Community moderated the local station science and specialization in web Media in the A.Q. Miller School the event. to present and technologies aided him in creating and the K-State Libraries.

Kansas radio history timeline by Melanie Thomas 1912 — The physics depart- 1926 — KSAC Oct. 2, 1961 — Nov. 24, 2002 ment of Kansas State Agricultural sought out time- Until this date, the — KKSU went off College obtains license of station sharing arrange- stations alternat- the air for the last 9YV and begins daily weather ments with KFAB, ed blocks of time time, following Lincoln, Neb. Nov. 8, 1929 — on weekdays and WIBW’s purchase broadcast in Morse code Topeka Broadcasting Feb. 11, 1924 — In cooperation Saturdays. After of KKSU’s airtime Association pro- this date, handoffs for $1,500,000. with KFKB, remote broadcasts over posed a time-share long-distance lines from Manhattan to became much agreement between less frequent. Milford began WIBW and KSAC.

1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 2010 Today 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

1922 — Physics department Oct. 30, 1928 — KSAC July 30, 1984 — hands over programming re- moved to 580 kHz, KSAC got the rights sponsibilities to KFKB in Milford sharing time with to the call letters University of Iowa KKSU, after a Marine Dec. 1, 1924 — KSAC station WSUI, following ship with the same began broadcasting. disagreements with call letters was KFAB. decommissioned, leaving the call letters available. update.jmc.com | 7 Program of Distinctionby Ariel Crockett Take one look at Birgit Wassmuth, the Other times she’ll sport a deeper hue of purple; Wassmuth cares and it clearly shows. She new director of the A.Q. Miller School, and her shade of purple this particular day? A lav- cares about the curriculum. She cares about your first thought might be, “This is one busy ender pantsuit with a purple K-State pin on her Kedzie Hall. She cares about the students and woman,” and you’d be right. That busy woman lapel, light purple eye shadow and her signature faculty. She cares about the A.Q. Miller School is making herself known throughout Kedzie. blonde asymmetrical bob. on a global scale. Literally. Her favorite color will always be purple. “Becoming a program of distinction is Since the start of the fall semester, German Every corner of her office shares the same something I mentioned in my interview,” she native Wassmuth blitzes through the halls from theme—her distractingly obvious sense of said, “and that is something that’s going to be a one class to the next making introductions and purple pride. collaborative effort of the whole faculty. All the familiarizing herself with students and faculty. Two purple chairs, purple coffee mugs things that we’re in right now like the reac- She goes straight to the horse’s mouth using a and memorabilia adorning a floor-to-ceiling creditation, are going to lead up to developing a two-birds-one-stone tactic, asking students and bookshelf cover the entire rear wall. program of distinction. faculty what is in need of improvement. Wassmuth is a walking theme of organization. “I don’t know exactly what that is yet, but The former Fulbright Scholar’s years of The whole look comes together and everything when the president of our university meets a experience working on both the Accrediting says something about her. She stands out. president of another university at a conference Council and accreditation teams benefit her Wassmuth’s demeanor lets you know she wants somewhere in the world, and they recognize with knowledge regarding the accreditation what she wants and she’ll get the job done. each other’s name tag, ‘Oh, the Miller School, process as defined by the Accrediting Council “That’s a door opener for me. I don’t take that’s where they do this,’ that’s a program of on Education in Journalism Mass Communica- no for an answer,” Wassmuth said. “When distinction—a top-of-mind awareness to people tions. somebody says ‘no’ that’s the beginning of a everywhere around the country and overseas. Taking a sip from her purple, lidless coffee conversation for me. So we hope to become the program of distinc- cup, Wassmuth wipes away a dab of whipped “I want to know why that person would tion in a few years. “ cream from the tip of her nose and motions say no to whatever the situation is. I’m curious Former interim director and Ross Beach toward the floor where three binders align the to know what their position is, and then I can Chair, Louise Benjamin thinks Wassmuth has wall. The three purple binders included the either respect that and say,” I disagree or I can the position under control. school’s self-assessment for the re-accreditation say ‘let’s talk about that—you know there’s “Oh definitely, she’s got the background process and looked to be double the size of an another way to look at that,’ Wassmuth said, her coming from Kennesaw State and before that encyclopedia. advertising psychology background showing. Drake University where she was the head of the The binders weren’t the only things purple Years of previous experience in administration departments, plus her own intellectual curios- in her office. Wassmuth’s daily wardrobe con- at other universities prepared her to jump into ity,“ Benjamin said. sists of various shades of purple. this position with no qualms or feelings of self- Benjamin isn’t the only faculty member Sometimes the shade is light lavender. doubt. who is convinced Wassmuth’s leadership style 8 | A.Q. Miller School Faculty will be successful. Associate Director for Un- come back to the first project, it’s like oh, I was small teaching jobs as an assistant. She liked dergraduate Studies, Steve Smethers met stuck here. Here is a solution,’ Wassmuth said. her U.S. experience in journalism graphics and Wassmuth for the first time when she inter- er passionH for education might indicate as she was completing her Ph.D., she had to viewed for the position last spring. With neigh- being an educator was her lifelong dream, but make a decision. boring offices, and traveling to an accreditation she never intended on becoming a univer- assmuthW had to choose between return - meeting in Chicago, the two have had the sity professor. Her career choice came from ing to Germany to work in advertising, or opportunity to get to know each other.. circumstance. While finishing her thesis for staying in the U.S. and work in academia. She hat doesW Smethers think of Wassmuth? her undergraduate degree in Germany, the ultimately chose the latter. A job offer from Well “[she’s] very friendly, very outgoing examining committee took interest in further Drake University held much of the weight in and very organized,” Smethers said smiling. exploring her thesis topic on how to teach her final decision. “[She’s] someone with a real vision—someone graphic design differently and more effectively. We’re “ so lucky to have Birgit, [we are] who is able to see the big picture, how every In fact, the committee offered her a job at her very fortunate she decided K-State was the little bitty facet of this department contributes final examination. best place for her in her career right now. I to the big picture and what we offer.” You’ve‘ done some innovative work here, really look forward to us doing good things,” methersS agreed Wassmuth’s administra - but it’s all theoretical at this point. We want you Smethers said. tive experience makes her an asset to the A.Q. to try it out and teach what you plan to do,’ said hat’s Wthe best advice she ever received? Miller School. Wassmuth, recalling the conversation with the If you“ have to swallow a frog, don’t look She’ s“ very accomplished and she’s very examining committee. at it too long. If you have to swallow two frogs, good at what she does. She’s really a manage- assmuthW got her first job teaching swallow the biggest one first,” Wassmuth said. ment specialist who understands how to run graphic design her way, for two consecutive This advice, closely resembling a Mark Twain the big organizations,” Smethers said. semesters. But her transition into education quote, has been her guiding principle as an ow doesH she do so much in just 24-hour didn’t end there. administrator. days? fter teachingA graphic design in Germany, If you“ feel like you have to do something assmuthW laughs, “No sleep.” she applied for a Fulbright Scholarship as a and you don’t really want to do it because it’s e self-proclaimedTh multitasker believes graduate student and came to the University ugly,” Wassmuth said, before finishing her in the power of doing many things at once. of Minnesota, Minneapolis. It was there she point in a whisper, “just do it.” “Working on two to three projects at a time worked with a faculty member as a graduate allows me to step away for a while, so when I student in visual communications. He gave her

Photos by Tara Cowley Dr. Birgit Wassmuth gets acquainted with JMC Ambassador, Jessica Conwell. The Ambassadors work closely with Wassmuth as they develop activities to promote the A.Q. Miller School. updatejmc.com | 9 The Art of Caring by Melanie Thomas/Photo by Tara Cowley Sunlight filters through the blinds and said something, and I really am having prob- nity to influence lives. reflects off the crisp white walls of the office, lems in that area.’” “Caring is hard work. It really is,” Baltrip leaving it bathed in the brightness of a Mid- Emily Wearing, senior in electronic jour- said, looking up from her work and resting her west fall day. Stacks of books and magazines nalism, took Computer Assisted Reporting from grading pen on the desk. overflow the bookshelves lining the walls with Baltrip in the fall of 2012. She said Baltrip was “When you see your career as a purpose the haphazard organization of those who read able to help her overcome some of her fears and as opposed to a position, it really makes a huge frequently. On the desk, stacks of paper—home- anxieties when it came to one of her projects. difference in how you approach everything and work assignments and essays—sit awaiting “I wasn’t confident about confronting how you process everything.” grading or return to the students who wrote someone about a story that could be considered While she said it’s important to put in a them. controversial or hard-hitting,” Wearing said. lot of work and learning each year for her stu- Leaning over the desk, Kimetris Baltrip “She taught me how to get over that fear to dents, Baltrip also said the true role of profes- looks at the first page of a stack of assignments, make a story great. There is probably someone sors is to guide students. deeply focused and flicking a green pen over out there that has experienced the same thing so “I don’t believe professors give students the student’s mistakes. It is her ninth year as an it is important to get that story out.” anything,”she said. “I think they help students assistant professor in the Miller School, and she Jena Sauber, senior in print journalism, discover what they already have, and to play a is fast becoming a veteran instructor. took Computer Assisted Reporting from Baltrip small role in that process is really a gift.” Baltrip has been from the world of aca- in the spring of 2013. She said Baltrip was an Helping students discover their talents demia, doing Master’s and doctoral study at the approachable and helpful professor. leads to what Baltrip said is the greatest part of University of Akron, to working in the journal- “She is really approachable,” Sauber said. being a professor—watching students grow in ism industry at the Houston Chronicle and The “It is clear that she loves helping students. She their abilities and succeed in their careers. New York Times, and back again. Teaching in puts forth the effort to be available, and help “What I like best about being a profes- higher education has become an important part students during class and outside of class.” sor is watching students bloom,” Baltrip said, of her life she says she doesn’t want to abandon. Beyond being simply available and a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I can’t imagine leaving higher education approachable, Sauber said, Baltrip also made “It’s really a blessing. They may come in shy, and finding as much fulfillment, unless I was an effort to make coursework interesting and or unsure of themselves. Maybe their writing doing some sort of ministry,” Baltrip said. “And applicable. isn’t very strong, maybe they kind of know interestingly enough, I think for me, being a “She made our topics very relatable, and what they want to do but they don’t have a real faculty member is a sort of ministry.” more than just sitting in a lecture,” Sauber said. sense of how to get there. And watching them For Baltrip, teaching isn’t just throwing “She was also really open to questions, and go through the process and mature over four information at students and hoping some of meeting us where we were in the class as far as or five years, or however long it takes them to it will stick. It’s about connecting with young experiences and knowledge.” graduate, and then hearing about their triumph, people and helping them. Even in the summers, when she isn’t their stories of accomplishment and achieve- “I want students to understand that I teaching, Baltrip said she works hard to prepare ment, you know, there’s nothing greater than know their struggles, I know their challenges, I herself and learn about the latest changes and that in the world.” Her smile spread to a full grin know their fears and their self-doubts,” Baltrip advances in journalism. of satisfied accomplishment as Baltrip consid- said. “So I like to try to be transparent as much “I think what most students don’t know ered the successes of several of her students. as I can about those same issues that I had when about some professors, and at least what they Baltrip said knowing she has been able I was their age, and I think doing that helps me don’t know about me, is that my standard is al- to influence students and have a part in helping to be more approachable to students.” ways higher than theirs, and I push myself every them become who they are gives purpose not Baltrip said she thinks it’s important that semester, and then I go into class and I push only to her job, but also to every other aspect of she is approachable, so she can help students my students,” Baltrip said. “Students are really her life. through issues related to journalism. just getting the residual of what I’ve already “The idea that there are a few hundred “I enjoy when I can look into a student’s put myself through. They probably feel like I’m students out there, people in the world, whose eyes and I see that I’ve connected with them,” putting them through a lot more rigidity, but it’s lives I’ve touched, especially if they’ve gone on Baltrip said, a glimmer of passion showing on not more than what I put myself through.” to do great things, it just makes you feel like her face. “And then the next thing you know, All that hard work goes toward a strong your life is significant—that you have a pur- they show up at my door with a question, or purpose. She said she doesn’t view her work as a pose,” Baltrip said. they show up at my door saying, ‘you know, you climb up the academic ladder, but an opportu- 10 | A.Q. Miller School Faculty A Community Cookbook: The 14th Annual Huck Boyd Lecture by Myranda Bower As part of the 14th annual and electric typewriters. Part of Huck Boyd Lecture in Com- community journalism is what munity Media, K-State professor we called reader appreciation. We Jane P. Marshall talked about asked readers for their opinion her new cookbook, “Teatime to and then we published them in Tailgates: 150 years at the K-State the paper,” Marshall said. Table.” Marshall told of one such “This morning, I am talking instance during her time as editor about Wildcats and journalism of the Houston Chronicle. graduates and others who went “At the Houston Chronicle, Jane Marshall out into the world and affected the we did a lot of these (reader discussed her way people cooked, ate and made participation). They were very their food choices. I’m going to trendy at the time. One of my findings of local talk about newspapers and the favorites was about pie. It wasn’t history in recipes to an spirit they evoke in a community an ordinary pie contest. People audience Oct. 24.Photos especially when they write about had to send in their pie recipes by Gloria Freeland. food,” Marshall said. and then a story that went with She went on to explain how their pie recipes. The stories and food and the stories behind them the pie were judged equally. We can have significant meanings. were shocked by the responses tennial project for the department eford, Nells Nichols, Jane Butell, “Food and the memo- and ended up devoting two weeks of Human Ecology and Marshall Kathleen Kelly and Micheal Bauer. ries associated with them touch of food section to the contest. just ran with it. “Standing in the middle people’s lives. Like food, news- The stories were funny and they “For months, I read of all the food commotion more papers also touch people’s lives were sad and they were uplifting,” books, newspapers and diaries. I times than not is a person with a in a way that nothing else can,” Marshall said. interviewed, I searched, I tested reporter’s notebook. These food Marshall said. “These stories were not recipes, I proofread, I tested more journalists guide, inform and She also spoke about com- about pie, they were about people recipes, did more proofreading. I entertain those of us who put the munity journalism and the way and people things. Like friend- asked faculty, staff, students and soup on the table and those of us it’s changed since she was in the ship, revenge, hope, Thanksgiving, alumni to share recipes and sto- who put the soup spoon to mouth. journalism field. war, peace, success, mishaps. But ries and they did. I asked dining A handful of these missionaries “Community journalism mostly they were stories about services to whittle their recipes have K-State roots,” Marshall said. had a whole different meaning l ov e .” that fed hundreds down to family At the end of it all, Marshall when I graduated from KSU in She equated the pie stories size, and they did. I asked the said she wanted her book to show days of hot type and Rolodexes from the Houston Chronicle to archivists at Hale library and the the history of both the state of the recipes and stories Riley County Historical Society Kansas and K-State. in “Tea Time to Tail- for help and they rescued me time “I wanted this book to gates”. and time again,” Marshall said. make people proud of their “This is what Through the recipes and university and this state. I wanted “Tea Time to Tailgates” stories she got from various K- the people to grasp the deep and is all about. It’s com- Staters, she gained a vivid history. lasting influence of the university. munity journalism and “Together the information And I wanted people to read a community that is small that I gathered formed a picture story and say, ‘I remember that and enormous. I call it of the rich food heritage of the na- …,’or ‘that reminds me…’ I wanted a history story recipe tion’s first land-grant institution, to preserve history or start a book. It’s also a thank a heritage that frankly stunned conversation and to make con- you book. It’s a salute me with its depth. Throughout its nections. to those on whose existence, K-State has helped set “Tea Time to Tailgates” has shoulders we stand. the table of the world with its re- 13 bread recipes, 31 meat recipes, Those men and women search with its hearty influence of 28 desserts and two green leafy who made community, its faculty and graduates who are vegetables. Kansas has a diverse raised families, estab- dieticians, chefs, teachers, writers, food heritage. The state’s contri- lished their businesses,” agronomists, farmers and much, bution to the country’s culinary much more,” Marshall said. tapestry is wonderful, it’s a strange Photo by Gloria Freeland Marshall said. “Tea Time to She talked about K-State and wonderful mix that I think Jane Marshall speaks at the Huck graduates who worked as food speaks of our past and our present Boyd lecture on Oct. 24. Tailgates” actually started as a sesquicen- writers like Clementine Paddl- and our future,” Marshall said.

updatejmc.com | 11 From Tragedy to Triumph: Reporting the Virginia Tech Shooting by Bria Dansby On a typical day, the Virginia Tech campus would be filled with students trekking to class with a calm ambience surrounding them. This normality, however, would be disrupted on the morning of April 16, 2007. Kelly Furnas, assistant professor in the A.Q. Miller School, Journalism Education Associa- tion executive director and assistant director of the Collegian Media Group, was caught in the middle of what turned out to be chaos. “There were two sets of shootings, one at a residence hall early in the morning. I wasn’t on campus when that one happened,” Furnas said. “By the time I got on campus, police were already investigating [the residence hall shoot- ing] and looking for the subject.” It was during Furnas’ third year at Vir- ginia Tech when images of the school’s campus were plastered on every U.S. news station for a devastating reason. “It was surreal,” Furnas said. “I didn’t have a lot of time to personally digest what had hap- pened until a day or a couple of days later.” When the second shooting occurred, Furnas was in his office located in the student union when school officials placed the building on lockdown. “It was so surreal and hectic that I’m not sure fear ever went through my mind,” Furnas said. “I think I was concerned about my students, and where are my students and what building was this happening in?” After grasping what had happened, Furnas focused on the newspaper and how they could cover the tragedy in a factual way. “My first call was to the editor of our student newspa- Photo by Bria Dansby per to see if she heard about Furnas shares the Collegiate Times paper featuring the Virginia Tech shooting. this and talk to her about students did an extraordinary job of inform- figure out who the victims were,” Furnas said. “I what our next steps were,” ing the community and the world of what was think it shows that their minds were in the right Furnas said. “She called the going on.” place of ‘we’re not covering this for the national reporters and photographers According to Furnas, the staff of the Col- landscape, we’re covering this for the Virginia and dispatched them to the legiate Times reacted to the tragedy in their Tech community.’ ” own way. Though it was difficult for Furnas and his different scenes to where we “In a situation like that, everyone reacts students to write about the shootings while heard it happened.” differently,” Furnas said. “We saw staff members coping with how it affected the community, Throughout his students’ coverage of the in that entire spectrum, some who were incred- Furnas felt the Collegiate Times produced a shooting, Furnas made sure they were okay. ibly involved and some who said they were great publication. “I think really [my attention] was focused going to take care of other things first instead of “In terms of the work for the publication, on trying to help the students do their jobs as working for the publication.” I think it was pretty remarkable work under much as possible and keeping a close watch on While the national media foused on the duress and under extraordinary circumstances their health and well being to make sure they shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, the Collegiate Times’ to write about their community and tell stories were coping and handling the incredibly stress- staff concentrated on who mattered most, the and always to keep the reader in mind,” Furnas ful and heartbreaking situation as best they victims. said. could,” Furnas said. “As a collective, I think the “The first instinct of the students was to Although a tragedy of the Virginia Tech 12 | Faculty magnitude hasn’t happened here, Furnas’ expe- rience drives home how challenging reporting it would be. For current K-State Collegian video editor Jena Sauber, covering a tragic event would be difficult. “That’s an intense situation,”Sauber said. “I think our immediate response would be to cover it as factually as possible. I think it would take a full-staff effort.” Three years after the shootings, Furnas re- located to Kansas and returned to Kedzie Hall. “I thought it was a great opportunity to come back to an accredited school of journal- ism and be able to teach great students here as well as work with the student media,” Furnas said. “Being able to work with the JEA, which is the association of journalism teachers, gave me the ability to not only shape the students lives I interact with, but also students lives around the country. Though his days are consumed with lead- A candlelight vigil held following the Virginia Tech shootings. ership roles, like his newspaper staff at Virginia Tech, he and the people surrounding him are a team. “I think part of it is having really, really good people around you,” Furnas said. “Having Virginia Tech: In Numbers incredible support from my faculty, colleagues in what I do with the journalism school, having a tremendous staff at the student media and having a tremendous core staff, members and volunteers from around the country at the JEA really does help even the work load. It’s an Days Cho prepared for interesting challenge.” 73 shooting

Hours 2 between the shootings

Minutes VTPD took to 3 respond to second shooting

Number of people Cho 32 killed before killing himself

Photo by Tara Cowley Connections per second Furnas discusses the importance of before the Collegiate Times ethics during his Web Techniques 168 server crashed class. Furnas’ responsibities in the School include advising, teaching and serving as executive director of JEA.

updatejmc.com | 13

A summer volunteer leads a group of tourists on a bird-watching hike. What a View Vacations, Views and Volunteering, a summer spent by Sophie Eisenhauer at the Rocky Mountain National Park Photos by Andy Nelson

Waking up at 3:30 a.m. to watch the moon set behind the mountain peaks and waiting pa- tiently for herds of elk to cross the roads was just another day for Andy Nelson, R.M. Seaton Profes- sional Journalism Chair and sequence head for journalism and digital media in the A.Q. Miller School. Nelson spent two weeks this past sum- mer working as an Artist-in-Residence at Rocky Mountain National Park. With more than 35 years of photography experience from all over the world under his belt, Nelson decided to apply for one of the six artist- in-residency positions. “I had seen the artist-in-residency posting many years ago on the Rocky Mountain National Park website, and thought it would be a very cool thing to do some day” Nelson said, “and then I saw the information again and knew that I had a couple of weeks open in the summer and decided to apply.” The application included a proposal of a photography concept that would relate to the Nelson woke up at 3:30 a.m. to capture this photo of the moon setting over park’s 100th anniversary in 2015. Long’s Peak. “I decided to focus on the park’s volun- 14 | A.Q Miller School Faculty A large number of volunteers are retired men and women who guide tourists, A volunteer gives a warm welcome at give lectures and, like the Road Hogs, work on the road crew. the park’s information center. teers and this came from a perspective that the photograph them as they were pursuing whatever Of the 2,500 photos he took, Nelson is people who were very influential in advocating activity they were doing. Sometimes it was people undecided about his favorite. for the park were often there on their own time. helping traffic control with elk herds, or heading “There are many that I like, but I haven’t They were volunteering their time to make Rocky out with research volunteers.” decided which one is ‘The One.’ I have a year until Mountain National Park happen, so now 100 years By 5 p.m. the volunteers had finished their I have to present the photo, so I still have some later there are still people donating their time to day, but Nelson still took advantage of the daylight time to decide.” continue to make the park an enjoyable place for to continue photographing the landscapes. Knowing how much work is involved, people to visit and for it to sustain its legacy. My “My days were long, but I love taking would he do the Artist in Residence program intention was to show through photography what pictures and had this wonderful opportunity to again? volunteers do and how they interact and help the shoot, so that kept me motivated.” “In a heartbeat,” he said. p ar k .” But it wasn’t all easy. When talking about Rocky Mountain Nelson obtained all the research he Once selected from more than 80 candi- National Park Nelson lights up as it holds a special could to get an idea of what the Rocky Mountain dates, Nelson spent two weeks in June staying in place in his heart from spending summers there as National Park volunteer program was about. The a cabin located in the heart of the park, photo- a child to the Artist -in-Residence program today. program has about 1,500 volunteers each summer graphing the volunteers. “Most of the volunteers “The park was an influential place for me and is the ninth largest volunteer program in were men and women over 70 years old who were that taught me a lot about myself and helped me national parks in the county. out there day after day hiking, herding, building gain an appreciation for the outdoors and other A typical day included waking up around 4 bridges and other new structures,” Nelson said. people,” he said. “It’s been an important place in to 5 a.m. to shoot the sunrise. “Because land- Other volunteers included boy scouts and my life, so any chance I get to go out there I do. It’s scapes weren’t my primary focus, around 8 or campers from Camp Cheley in Estes Park, a camp a very soothing place to me where I can take time 9 p.m. I was meeting with volunteers to then Nelson attended as a boy. and reset.” Passing On: Shirley Smith

Shirley Smith, a model, actress Alpha Delta Pi, she was crowned Miss and Harper’s, she appeared in three of Between acting jobs, she took and artist in both the Big Apple and the Manhattan in 1949 and an American the first 10 national magazine ads for up painting. and studied at the Art Little Apple, died Oct. 10 in New York City Royal Princess in Kansas City. Maidenform. Those advertisements Students League with Helen Franken- at the age of 84. Graduating in 1951, she earned a place at the Smithsonian as thaller and at an art colony in Provinc- Shirley Ann Smith was born moved to Kansas City where she “Classic Americana”. etown, . As part of a new movement in 1929 in Whitewater, a small town worked at KCMO Radio. Walking With the money she made called “Lyrical Abstraction,” Shirley near Wichita. The daughter of the on the Country Club Plaza she was from modeling, she took acting had two paintings on exhibition at the local undertaker, she was involved in spotted by a photographer, and ap- classes. Among her unknown class- Whitney Museum of American Art in community and school theatrical pro- peared on billboards and newspaper mates were Paul Newman and Joanne New York City. ductions, and these skills, combined advertisements for Helzberg’s, Kansas Woodward. Shirley was chosen for the In her later years, she also em- with her auburn hair and appealing City’s major jewelry store. Shirley also part of a Kansas girl in a new Broad- braced video and digital art. In 1991, freshness earned her the title of Miss appeared in independent films by way show, “Picnic” by native Kansan she was honored by The American Butler County in 1947. an aspiring local film maker, Robert William Inge. She was in other Broad- Academy of Arts and Letters. She majored in radio at Altman. way shows, one with Robert Redford In 1999, Shirley had a major Kansas State University, was in several After a year she moved to New and one with Talulah Bankhead. She exhibit at the Beach Museum of Art. productions of the K-State Players and York City where she was signed by the appeared in a film with Peter Falk and In accordance with her wishes, much was involved with the campus radio Huntington Hartford Modeling Agen- had the lead in an Alfred Hitchcock of her work will become part of the station. Representing her sorority, cy. Featured in Vogue, Mademoiselle TV show. permanent collection at the Museum. updatejmc.com | 15

Miller School Students Spread Far and Wide for Summer Internships by Melanie Thomas It’s no secret getting an internship see other people’s names, and there was an the run. before graduation is a wise choice. In fact, automatic respect associated with their title, “[The suspects] were driving on their for students at the A.Q. Miller School it’s so I learned a lot about that…and how much rims on the shoulder, going 80 miles an a requirement for graduation. It’s up to work it took to look professional.” hour,” DeShazer said. “They stopped, and the students, though, to figure out exactly Leibham said every college student two guys took off, and then a lady took off, where that internship will be, and for several should go somewhere unknown and learn too. And they caught the two guys, but they students, that internship led them far from what it’s like to work in a real-world environ- didn’t catch the woman.” Kansas for the summer, while others stayed ment before leaving college. This all happened at around 5 a.m., close to home to gain valuable skills in a real “I recommend people get out of their DeShazer said, and when she arrived in the workplace environment. comfort zone,” Leibham said. “Go other office at 9 a.m., she was told to go out and Summer internships took more than 65 places. Don’t stay in Kansas. Because you’re catch the story. A.Q. Miller School students from Kansas to going to learn how the real world works.” “At nine o’clock, they were like, ‘yeah, all parts of the country to you need to go out and look gain skills in a workplace for the police officers look- environment. ing for this lady,’” DeShazer Katie Leibham, Em- said. ily DeShazer and Chloe DeShazer said they Salmon had different types caught up with the police, of internships in different but weren’t able to stay areas of the country, but all long enough to watch them three agreed the internship catch the runaway suspect. experience gave them an In spite of the excite- extra dimension to their ment of that day, DeShazer education. said her favorite part of the internship was a two-week West stent in which she was the Katie Leibham, senior sole photographer for the in journalism and digital newspaper, as her boss was media, spent her summer out of town. in Sunnyvale, Calif., intern- “I got a real-world ing for Cepheid as an audio taste for how it’s going to and video editor. Cepheid, work, doing the 12-hour a molecular diagnostics days,” DeShazer said. company, works to improve “Some days you’ll have like molecular systems and four events in one day, and tests, and share information the next not so much. But about prevalent diseases then they’re really relying with the general public. on you to find some wild Leibham said her Emily DeShazer signs in for a day of interning at art [interesting pictures main responsibilities as an the Salina Journal. from around town]. It was intern included daily office a really good experience to tasks, editing the audio of be able to say that I was the sole photogra- webinars hosted by staff members and help- Central pher for a real newspaper.” ing produce animated informational videos Not all students traveled half way across DeShazer said internships are a vital on chlamydia and gonorrhea. the country to encounter new experiences. part of learning journalism and photography. Typically, the webinars Leibham edited Emily DeShazer, junior in journalism and “School can only teach you so much,” involved medical doctors from all over the digital media, headed just down the road DeShazer said. “Internships are really what world. Leibham said most of the people who from Manhattan to Salina, interning as a is going to tell you if this is what you want to listened to the webinars were students who photographer for The Salina Journal. She do or not, and really, the earlier you do it, the often got credit for listening in. said that just because she stayed in Kansas better, because it helps you know what to pay Working on the informational videos, for her internship didn’t mean she didn’t attention to in class.” Leibham said, was her favorite part of the learn a lot from her mentors or encounter It was an inspirational experience, De- internship because she worked with Fat Box any adventures. Shazer said, to work with someone who has Films and experienced what it is like to pro- DeShazer described a day in which she experience in and is excellent the job. duce videos in a real business environment. and her fellow interns spent the morning “I think you really have to think about “It was very much your title that got and part of the afternoon following Salina who you intern with, because you want to you things,” Leibham said. “People would police as they chased suspects who were on be with somebody that you can really learn

16 | Updates from and will challenge you,” DeShazer said. but during the second half, she participated and have fun in a way they don’t usually get in a program called Summer Design Studio, to do,” Salmon said. “We got to just basically East held on the Pratt Institute campus in Brook- play dress up for an hour. I live Tweeted that Chloe Salmon, senior in public relations lyn. She split her time between being at the and posted a lot of it to Facebook…and they and anthropology, headed east to New York Pratt Institute and helping paint a commu- let us keep all the clothes at the end of it.” City for her internship, and worked as the nity center with the kids who were partici- Salmon said it’s vital to get an intern- social media intern for Publicolor, a non- pating in Publicolor’s programs. ship in order to get ahead in this field. profit company that works to help disadvan- Her favorite part of the internship took “It’s a really competitive job market,” taged kids succeed academically. place when she took a group of kids to see Salmon said. “If you have experience already, “I was in charge of all of Publicolor’s the PUNK: Chaos to Couture display at it gives you an edge over people who maybe social media channels,” Salmon said. “They The Met, followed by taking part in Glam don’t have experience, and you just kind of had Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, 4 Good, a charity run by fashion designer feel like everyone’s getting internships nowa- Tumblr and LinkedIn.” Mary Alice Stephenson. days, so you don’t want to be the one person During the first half of her internship, “This charity takes underprivileged kids who’s applying for a job who’s never had an Salmon said her sole job was social media, and she styles them and lets them dress up internship.” ALUMNI UPDATES For a complete listing of Alumni Updates go to updatejmc.com 1940s County on their new recycling law, achieving yahoo.com Alice Roper, Industrial Journalism ‘47, their goal of diminishing 30 percent of waste Amy Fischbach, Print ‘97, of Overland of Bushton, Kan., has four children, three stream in three years. Arnott moved onto Park, is the contributing editor of Penton of whom graduated from K-State as well. Sacramento and then to Georgia, still spread- Media and national president of ASBPE. In She belonged to the Domestic Science club ing the word of the benefits of recycling. addition, she writes for trade magazines, in- and YWCA, writing secretary notes for each Gary McIntyre, Master of Arts — cluding Transmission and Distribution World. organization. While at K-State, Roper was a Mass Communication ‘86, of Mansfield, While studying print journalism and PR, part of the Royal Purple staff from 1945-47, Penn., worked in broadcast radio and as an Fischbach worked at the Collegian. She can and received two gold K-Keys. See story page instructor. In radio, he worked at KMAN be reached at [email protected] 20. Manhattan before going to direct and man- age stations in Jamestown, N.Y. and Evans- 2000s 1970s ville, Ind. He worked as Operations Director Krista Suozzo, PR and Print ‘04, of Lan- at Platinum Broadcasting Radio Group in Bob Burgdorfer, Print ‘74, of Downers sing, Kan., spent four years as the marketing Manhattan, Kan. from 2001-2004, and is Grove, Ill., has worked the last 25 years with coordinator at Kansas City Life Insurance currently a consultant for Media One Radio Reuters, now a business and financial report- Company before taking a job as the market- Group in Jamestown, N.Y. As an instructor, ing website, where his is currently a desk ing manager of the Overland Park Conven- he taught broadcasting at East Carolina Uni- editor. While at K-State, Burgdorfer wrote for tion Center. Next, she found her way to versity, Buena Vista College, and Jamestown the Royal Purple and worked as a reporter creative marketing, where she spent the next Community College. He currently is an as- for the Collegian. seven years as the digital marketing manager. sistant professor of mass communication and Eric Deffenbaugh, Broadcast ‘76, Suozzo recently became the owner of Kansas electronic media at Mansfield University. worked for a radio station after graduating City-based Enso Marketing Solutions. While Judd Annis, Print ‘89, worked for Gar- and was an ordained minister for 15 years. at K-State, she was lead journalism ambas- min International as an editor and website For his doctorate of ministry degree, Def- sador and part of PRSSA. content administrator. Now a resident of De fenbaugh used his education in journalism to Meredith Hinman, Advertising ‘05, Soto, Kan., Annis is the president of Limerick write a thesis on multimedia in sermons. Af- of Overland Park, started her career in the Lawn and Landscape. ter nine years of being a stay-at-home father, media department of Platform Advertising in Deffenbaugh now works as a DJ for complete Olathe. She then moved to Colorado, open- music and is a fitness trainer for his business, 1990s ing the door to her six years at ShotAtHome. Bear and Dragon fitness. Deffenbaugh can be Monica Cooley, Advertising ‘94, of com, where she currently is a senior market- contacted at bearanddragonfitness.com. Bonner Springs, Kan., works as the art direc- ing manager. While attending K-State, Hin- Tim Horan, Print ‘78, was recently pro- tor for Global Gaining Business magazine man was a part of Alpha Xi Delta sorority as moted to editor and publisher of the Abilene and also works as a freelance graphic artist. well as the advertising club. Reflector-Chronicle in April of 2013. While While studying advertising, Monica worked Michelle Mesa, PR and Advertising at K-State, Horan was the assistant editorial in the JMC advertising department, as well as ‘06, of Topeka, started her career with Aber- for the Collegian newspaper. Horan can be the Collegian. crombie and Fitch, and has worked her way reached at [email protected]. Robert Wells Jr., Master’s ‘96, a up. Starting in Dallas, Mesa opened the new resident of Stroudsburg, Pa., Wells currently Gilly Hicks brand, and moved to New York 1980s works as an income maintenance caseworker and then Germany, where Mesa lived for for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. two years and opened the first non-English Sherry Arnott, Radio and Television While at K-State, Wells participated in K- speaking Gilly Hicks in Europe. At K-State, ‘80, of Oberlin, Kan., continued on to State’s radio station KSDB and was a graduate Mesa was vice president of the Kappa Delta receive her masters in PR at K-State. She school teacher’s assistant for Paul Prince from Sorority and minored in marketing. then traveled to Flo., working for the U.S. 1995-96. Wells can be reached at rcwellsjr@ Michelle Dean, PR ‘08, of Kansas City, Mo., government and helping educate Semione

updatejmc.com | 17 ver since she was a Estudent, Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins has been helping people. Since graduating in 1996, she has launched prod- uct advertising campaigns, successfully campaigned to cut sexually-trasmitted disease rates in Kansas City and was recruited by Bill Clinton for the HIV initia- tive in Africa. Hutchins, although small in frame, has become no small force in the humanitarian world. It’s been this way for a while. “I was a very active student,” Hutchins said. “I was also very curious while I was on campus. About my studies, about the people I was with, about my extracurricular activities. I also feel that my advocacy streak started here. I was definitely a global-oriented, cause-oriented student.” Hutchins found herself at K-State after a little convincing from her father to go to his alma mater. “I didn’t want to go to K-State at first, but it turned out to be the perfect place for me to begin,” Hutchins said. “I came in feeling like I was A World entering a very warm, nurturing Changer community, so that helped me.” by Darrington Clark In addition to studying for two degrees, Hutchins was involved in PRSSA, SGA, HALO, BlueKey and still made time to perform in every Winter and Spring Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins, Dance. Passionate describes almost anything Hutchins put her mind to in school. 1996 graduate in advertising and One of Hutchins’s internships while at K-State political science, seeks to improve was with FleishmanHillard, one of the largest and most reputable PR firms in the nation, with 111 offices conditions for all people around the in 29 countries across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa. She was offered a job globe. there immediately after her graduation. “I was the intern who always asked, ‘What else do you need me to do? Is there anything else that I can help with?’” And they found plenty for her to do. Hutchins’s Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins compassion and dedication to good work served her presents a speech on Sept. positively with the firm. 5 in the K-State Student “I only worked for one PR company and that Union Little Theater. was FleishmanHillard, so the team, your managers, your peers, those who may have worked under you photo by Hannah even, you felt that people always had your back, and Hunsinger as a result I think that instilled me having their back,” Hutchins said. After K-State, Hutchins attended grad school in New York where she was recruited by the Clinton Administration to aid in organizing and launching an HIV campaign in Africa. “It’s easy to say that the coolest person I’ve ever worked with is Bill Clinton,” Hutchins said. “He’s such a presence. When you’re talking to him, he makes you feel like there’s no one else in the room but you and him.”

18 | Alumni Clinton was interested in Hutchins but also to understand them. Without that nation of where and why. I said, Sunna, you because of her work. Motivated to help others link to the outside world, Hutchins said those have milk, you have squash (she loves squash), in any way she could, working from the Oval individuals lose a vital human right. you have fruit. There are a lot of babies in the Office allowed her to travel the world and “I want to make sure that [every per- world who don’t have that. They’re hungry. So begin initiatives of her own, which started a son’s] situation is accounted for,” Hutchins mama has to help them. And she said, ‘Okay new chapter in her life. said, “That their voice be accounted for. That mama.’” Hutchins’s advice to students is the same their struggles and their wins be accounted For Hutchins, the work isn’t about the she follows herself. for. Your life is important, so we collectively impression, the recognition or even the per- “Be positively disruptive in this world,” have the obligation to represent and to be the sonal benefit. It’s the imprint she can leave on Hutchins said. “That’s my motivation to do voice.” her children. She is a force, a drive, a person what I do.” The work, the traveling, the juggling act committed to betterment, and she hopes Fluent in at least four languages and never stops for Hutchins. Between the world Sunna and Coleman will be too. savvy from her education, Hutchins uses her travel and business meetings, campus visits “I think it’s a good example to give my knowledge in global marketing and affairs to and awards ceremonies, Hutchins makes time children,” Hutchins said. “Hopefully they’ll create her very own positive disruption. for birthdays and family outings. grow to be good global citizens and produc- “She founded an international develop- “I think I always wanted a family. I never tive people.” ment organization and works to address issues went around dreaming about children or a mostly in developing countries,” said Theo- husband, because all of those things in some dore Stavropoulos, senior in management. way were out of my control,” Hutchins said. “Her main message was about the importance “What was in my control was going to school, of global citizenship and stewardship in the working to get internships, having interest- U.S. and abroad.” ing jobs, and when I met a Stavropoulos met with Hutchins for only wonderful man who became a brief time at the Leadership Studies building my best friend and then my Pat Bosco where she received the 2013 Spirit of Leader- partner, who puts up with a ship Award Sept 6. Stravropoulos said he was lot, we quickly decided to have on left with an unmistakable impression. children.” “She is an amazing story of how a K- At this point in her Stater can change the world,” Stavropoulos career, Hutchins said there has said. never been more of a pull to Hutchins was honored with the annual be home with her kids, Sunna NabeehaNabeeha is a great K-Stater title for her unique work in humanitarian and Coleman. efforts and support for young girls in nations who is full of life and em- across the world. “I never thought it bodies what our school is all “She provides a tremendous example would be as of a female who has done extraordinary about. She represents things during some difficult economic times challenging as it opportunity, inclusion, to establish a world class business that does is right now, but tremendous good throughout the world,” said entrepreneurship, and a Pat Bosco, vice president of student life. “It’s this work makes can-do spirit that is inspiring.” “ it worth it for me,” contagious. The day before her award acceptance, Kazi gave a presentation titled, “Mass Com- she said. “I know She was just that way as an munication as Global Citizens,” where she undergrad at K-State. From emphasized the importance of thinking past my kids are at the U.S. border. Hutchins said her talks with home with the very first day I met her as students in more intimate settings of 20-30 a freshman through her years yielded surprising results. nutritious food and “I’ve been speaking to a lot of classes care, and a clean at K-State, she was an since I’ve been back here,” Hutchins said. “It living space. Those incredible student leader and just seems that people are a lot more globally a wonderful ambassador for committed. They want to make a difference, children in Guate- not necessarily in it all for themselves.” our school. mala are starving,” Hutchins’ goal when she visits is to make She’s inspiring and gives sure global awareness remains integral to Hutchins said. students. every one of our students a “I want people to stay in touch, I want She recalled a time when great role model of what can people to come visit me. My intention is to an inquisitive Sunna asked her grow my global family,” Hutchins said. about her job. be done with hope, energy Hutchins said everyone, especially young “She’s three and a half and a genuine sense of women in developing countries, needs a and she said once, ‘Mama, representative to aid them in their problems, whey you go?’ It was a combi- purpose. updatejmc.com” | 19

danced for a few hours to an array of records. It was there in Anderson Hall, where she met her Then and Now husband, Victor Roper. “He taught me the two step,” she said. “I was thrilled to find him in one of my classes the next semester.” Alice Roper tells how the news of On Dec. 7, 1941, Alice was attending Sunday dinner with the rest of the girls in Van Pearl Harbor changed K-State and her life. Zile. The girl working the switchboard came into the room and whispered to Dean Helen Moore, the residence director. She nodded and they continued their meal. When everyone was by Tara Cowley finished, the announcement was made--the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. “There was a stampede for the tele- phones, and general hysteria,” she said. “Everyone either had rela- atercolors scattered across the dining “Tasks were on a rotation basis; two tives or knew someone who Wroom table. Three unique paintings of butter- weeks as breakfast help, then dinner servers, was in the Navy or Army. We flies and flowers aligned in the corner, ready housekeeping, and a week off,” Roper said. for upcoming birthdays. With sight becoming “There were two phone lines into the hall, didn’t realize how our lives a problem, Alice Roper fills her time with the and an extension on each floor. The students would be changed.” multiple shades of watercolors. manned the switchboards.” At the end of her sophomore year, 1943, A large window looking across the Flint Roper’s role as a woman on campus was it was announced that the Armed Services Hills provides natural light to each corner of different from today. Women wore dresses or would occupy all housing; residence halls, fra- her small, but quaint, apartment. skirts on campus, and could not wear pants un- ternities and sororities with the Army Special “I like to watch the storms come in over less it was below 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Training Program. They were ROTC students, the hills,” she said as she looked out at the “Of course no one even considered wear- awaiting their assignments to Officer Train- sunny outskirts of Manhattan. ing shorts,” Roper added. ing Schools. Victor Roper and many of Alice’s In September 1941, Roper enrolled at There was a strict no smoking ban on friends were among them. Kansas State University, majoring in Indus- campus, so Roper and her friends sat on the “My roommate and I had to find another trial Journalism. Franklin D. Roosevelt was wall with their feet facing the street to smoke. place to live,” she said. “We had a room in the president and the country was coming out of “Money was tight, though. We were home of the chief of police. We shared a double the Great Depression. Coming from a large coming out of the depression. I couldn’t even bed and the space in one upstairs bedroom.” German family, Roper was one of five children. afford a Coke, and I had to bum a cigarette.” The girls worked in a dining hall across the Only three of the five were allowed to attend Though the economy was struggling, street from their new home, serving the eve- college. To help with expenses, Roper took Roper found pleasure in attending dime dances ning meals. part in chores around Van Zile Hall, the only in Anderson Hall, provided by the YMCA and In January, 1945, Victor Roper left for women’s residence hall on campus. YWCA. Admission was 10 cents, and they war. While Victor was away, due to an ex-

K-State Journalism Class Good said she learned how to keep searching to find answers. “I thought it was interesting to learn that Morganville wasn’t just a small town with some Reconnects Towns cool piece of architecture such as a church, schoolhouse, etc., but it has history deep in the A small town in Kansas and one in France, a small farming community in the roots connecting it with the town’s sister city France are reconnecting, thanks, in part, to a Moselle Valley of Lorraine. Their story was of Fèves, France,” Good said. “… I also learned Kansas State University journalism and mass broadcast on the NBC radio network and how to dig deeper into investigative reporting communications class assignment. Armed Forces Radio Service in 1950 and – finding the facts I need to know and putting Students in Gloria Freeland’s News and publicized in newspapers across the U.S. It was them into a story.” Feature Writing classes researched and wrote also featured in a 1955 book. Freeland and her husband Arthur stories about nearby Clay County communities Public relations students Mariah Vaughan did additional research, and Vaughan as their final project of the spring 2013 Rietbrock, senior, Logan Falletti, junior, created a website (www.morganvillefeves.org) semester. One story, “Morganville and Fèves — and Katie Good, junior, wrote the story for relating the story. unlikely sisters,” has led to re-establishing ties Freeland’s class. Morganville produced a pageant, “One between the two communities. “… I thought that the compassion World Peace Festival,” in August 1948. More In 1947, Morganville, Kan., population Morganville showed to Fèves was incredible,” than 2,000 people — 10 times the town’s less than 300, wanted to aid a village devastated Rietbrock said. “My favorite part was finding population — attended. People came from by World War II. The town adopted Fèves, our focus and being able to just go with it.” as far away as New York. Velma Carson, a 20 | Alumni Continuing to enjoy the sites of Man- hattan, Alice Roper sits on her couch with a view. photo by Tara Cowley

photo courtesy of Alice Roper

Alice Roper and her roommate take a break between classes. The girls found a spot on a wall to pose for a picture and sometimes enjoyed a cigarette there.

treme teaching shortage, Alice found a job as She walked through her apartment talking of a teacher using an emergency teaching license. her four children, five grandchildren, and one She taught Freshman English and government. great grandchild. Three of her children went Though Alice busied her time with teaching, on to attend K-State, one even worked for the she and Victor wrote letters while he was away school’s information systems. at war. He arrived home in January, 1947. Alice sat back down on the couch. With each story she told, Alice kept “I now get to watch Manhattan grow,” glancing out the window. It was as if she ex- she said as she continued to look over the out- pected to see the Manhattan. from her stories. skirts of town and the distant Flint Hills. Though it had changed over time, so had she.

Morganville native and K-State journalism 6 when the items from Morganville began “I had read about ‘The Kansas Lost Towns student during World War I, wrote the pageant. arriving. Project’ at K-State’s Chapman Center for Rural With the money raised from the pageant, Hervé said people in Fèves are getting Studies, and I thought it would provide a great Morganville began shipping items — powdered quite excited and hope to form a permanent opportunity. It allowed my students to do milk, shoes and clothing, small toys, seed relationship with perhaps a connection background research, interview people who packets, comforters, layettes, pencils and other between schools. have memories of the communities, and put needed supplies — to the resilient citizens of The old Morganville elementary school stories together. And the Morganville story has the French town. will be the site of a reception for the Torlottings. grown to include international connections — Fèves schoolmaster Henri Torlotting was Presentations will show how the sister-city something my students and I weren’t expecting. a key person in the distribution of the items. relationship developed and the status of Fèves It’s exciting and rewarding.” But hard economic times in France meant that today. Students in Freeland’s class began their Falletti is also amazed where it led. neither Torlotting nor anyone else from Fèves research by visiting the Clay County Historical “The project was a good exercise visited their partner village in Kansas, although Society Museum. Cathy Haney, museum in finding the story in anything,” she said. several families from Morganville traveled to curator, helped guide the students. “Therewasn’t much to work with at the Féves. Several of the stories have been beginning. ... I can’t believe how much this has But in December, Gérard Torlotting published in “The Clay Center Dispatch,” and blown up.” — nephew of Henri — and his wife will fly radio station KCLY did a four-part series about Rietbrock may be able to meet the to Houston, Texas to join their son, Hervé the students’ stories for its “Up Close Rural” French visitors while they’re in Kansas. Torlotting, his wife and two children for the program. “I think it’s interesting that our story is holidays. All six will travel to Kansas, visiting “I’m always looking for real-world what sparked their interest in coming here,” she Morganville Dec. 29. Gérard, now 71, was experiences for my students,” Freeland said. said. updatejmc.com | 21

Chris Masters cuts down his part of the net from Notre Dame’s 2013 NCAA Regional. Climb to the Top by Corbin McGuire Photos courtesy Mike Bennett/Lighthouse Imaging Being mentioned in the same breath as an industry legend­. Check . Working with an NCAA Division I national championship team. Check. Being recognized nationally multiple times for your work. Check.

At 39, Chris Masters, the associate media Masters’ next move would also be face meeting. relations director at Notre Dame and 1998 financially influenced, but the trip only Brown was engulfed with the newness A.Q. Miller School graduate, is climbing the shifted him one time zone to the west to of the area, school and campus so getting a sports information world at a rapid pace. Manhattan, Kan., for graduate school. student staff together was a challenge. The San Francisco, Calif., native’s accom- Kansas State University was one of Masters still wasn’t sure which direc- plishments are journey filled, and the journey five schools Masters looked into for gradu- tion he wanted to take his career, but after from the West Coast to the middle of the coun- ate school. When a paid teaching assistant working a little with Ohio Wesleyan’s Sports try began for one reason. position opened up for him under Ron Information Department, he knew sports Johnson, the adviser for the Collegian information was a possibility. Financial Flight at the time, K-State became the obvious Masters offered to work for Brown on a Masters was set to attend Oregon to study choice. volunteer basis, which the first-year director mass communications and journalism, stay on “That teaching position allowed me accepted enthusiastically. the side of the country he was accustomed to to pay for grad school,” Masters said, “and “He did a great job for us,” said Brown, and pursue his original career plan as a sports that was an offer that none of the other now the Associate Athletic Director for print reporter. Then Ohio Wesleyan called. The schools I was looking at could match. Athletic Communications at Illinois. “He school located in Delaware, Ohio, offered Mas- They were all great schools, but it just so was a guy we could depend on to work a lot ters an academic scholarship to attend school happened that this opportunity presented of different events. more than 2,000 miles from the area he called itself for me to go to K-State.” “When he was done with grad school home. there, I had no problems with recommend- “I thought it’d be a great opportunity to Little Apple Answers ing him for a full-time [job] as he moved on get off the West Coast and see a different part Kent Brown, starting his first year as in his career.” of the country,” said Masters, who graduated Sports Information Director at K-State as Masters said his experiences at K-State, cum laude from Ohio Wesleyan in 1996 with a Masters was beginning graduate school, where he graduated with a master’s degree bachelor’s degree in journalism. “I never really discovered a mutually beneficial relation- in mass communications and journalism left the Midwest after that.” ship with Masters begin with one face-to- with an emphasis in public relations, “crys- 22 | Alumni tallized” his decision to pursue a career in ond for the Heisman in 1970). Twenty of Masters’ publications have sports information. Masters’ rise in the industry to this pla- received national or regional recognition from “Well, [K-State] was the first school teau is no “accident,” said John Heisler, Senior the CoSIDA including a runner-up honor for that I had the chance to work in athletic Associate Athletic Director For Media and his 2012 women’s soccer media guide. media relations, or sports information Broadcast Relations at Notre Dame. “It’s gratifying because it comes from your as it’s sometimes called, at the Division I “It’s [CoSIDA board selection] obvi- peers,” Masters said, “and for them to think level,” Masters said. “The [public relations] ously a great honor so I think that speaks to that highly of me [and] to evaluate your work track coupled with working in the athletic his reputation in the business because those and think that it’s worthy of something like department for two years certainly helped things don’t happen by accident,” Heisler said. that, it’s just incredibly humbling. form the foundation for the career path “You have to have made an impression on a “But our job is not to be winning awards I’m on now.” good number of people for some time. and being in front of the camera.” “It’s just a great compliment I think at Masters’ humility is part of what Heisler No Luck Needed what he’s done and how long he’s done it.” said will continue his climb in the profession, In June, Masters was selected as an allowing him to, “see the bigger picture.” at-large member of the board of directors What He’s Done, “Sometimes in our business, there are so for the College Sports Information Direc- How Long He’s Done It’ many little things that you can get caught up in tors of America (CoSIDA) for a three-year Masters said he was “thrust into the all the trees and not really understand what the term. Ironically, Brown’s term on the deep end of the pool,” when he started his forest looks like,” said Heisler, who is in his 36th board had just ended. three-year stint for Western Kentucky as a year at Notre Dame. “Part of the challenge is The honor, impressive in itself, but Sports Information Director (SID) – his first to try and get [younger SIDs] a little bit better tied to the fact the he’s the first Notre full-time job out of graduate school – for the picture of the big picture, and kind of under- Dame representative in nearly 25 years, women’s basketball, volleyball and soccer stand why it is we’re doing all these other little becomes more of a shock. teams while also serving as the publications things.” “There have been so many tremen- coordinator. The most challenging part of Masters’ job? dously talented folks that have come Volunteering at multiple women’s NCAA Finding something to complain about. through our office, or are currently work- basketball Final Four events – 1998, 1999 and “I’m pretty sure there hasn’t been a day ing in our office, that for it to be 25 years 2000 – opened the door for Masters in 2001 where I haven’t woken up and been really since somebody from Notre Dame had when a position became available at Notre excited for, or looking forward to, going into been on the CoSIDA Board…” Masters Dame. Now in his 13th year, Masters has been the office,” Masters said. “That includes days said before pausing for nearly 10 seconds. the media contact for the women’s basketball where you’re coming to work the day after your “I can’t really wrap my head around that.” team since he arrived. season has come to an end in the Final Four, The last Notre Dame representa- His time with the team is highlighted by or you’ve lost in the first round of the NCAA tive on the board was sports information three consecutive Final Four appearances by tournament, or haven’t even made the NCAA legend Roger Valdiserri – best known the Irish in the last three years. tournament, or your football team goes 3-9. for changing the pronunciation of Joe He’s worked with the women’s soccer “I get paid to watch sports, and that’s the Theismann’s last name from THEES-man team, which won the 2010 NCAA national essence of it. That’s a pretty cool thing.” to THEIS-man, which happened to rhyme championship, for the past six years while with Heisman (Theismann finished sec- helping out with football game day duties. Getting paid to do what you love. Check.

Masters embraces Notre Dame’s Masters working a Notre Dame women’s basketball game in Pircell Pavillion, 2010 NCAA women’s soccer home to nearly 400 wins by the Irish women in its 45-year history. national championship trophy. updatejmc.com | 23 Kansas Born and Greatness Bound Robert Clark made his long time dream come true through his 34 stories published with National Geographic.

by Tara Cowley/photos by Robert Clark

A group of men shuttle home after a day’s work cutting sugar cane in the fields of Brazil. Robert Clark followed them through their day, from their work, to home with their families and the the extremities of the climate.

en line the inside walls of a bus, their and who took it,” Clark said. he needed. Not long after returning to the Mhands, faces and bodies dirtied from the Clark worked on the Collegian staff Philadelphia Inquirer, Clark quit. day’s work. Some wear shirts, most do not. while at K-State, and felt the environment “I never got a full-time job offer at the The work of tomorrow can be seen through provided by a student-run organization was Philadelphia Inquirer. I wasn’t going to get a each window. Sunlight shines brighter on like his laboratory; he was able to work on full-time job at the Philadelphia Inquirer. It one man, a man dirtied like the rest, though what he wanted. is a tough career, and even tougher now that the gold of his wedding band shines. This Clark graduated from the A.Q. Miller everybody has their phones,” Clark said. describes one of the 14 Robert Clark photo- School in 1985. Shortly after he accepted a He traveled a bit, working for smaller graphs in his Cane Cutter project. contract job for the Philadelphia Inquirer— magazines, though he said he wasn’t getting Clark was born in Hays, Kan. and his first big success. In 1989, Clark did a where he wanted to go. So, in 1993, he sold quickly found his passion for photography, shoot titled Friday Night Lights. Set in all of his belongings in Utah and moved to but it wasn’t until his time at Kansas State Odessa, Tex. and based on the lives of high New York. Universtity, that he was able to build his skills school football players and their Texas- A fellow K-State alumnus, John toward a career. rooted passion for the game, Clark’s photos Sleezer, had received a scholarship with “I never had another job. I am dys- inspired a movie and the NBC television National Geographic. It was then, that Clark lexic; I was a terrible student. But if I saw a series that followed. made the decision to learn more about light- picture that I liked, I remembered the picture Friday Night Lights was the success ing to become more well rounded. His deci-

24 | Alumni Permian Panthers’ quarterback, Mike Winchell waits for a pep rally to begin as the team awaits their game against arch-rival, Mid- land Lee. The photo is included in Robert Clark’s famous Friday Night Lights collection.

Robert Clark’s work has been multiple publications from Time magazine, Sports Illustrated and National Geographic.

sion paid off and set him a part from other ing yourself in the subject matter.” photographers. Now as a husband and a father, Clark Clark found himself working beside lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. He has built the career both Sleezer, as well as 1969 alumnus, Jim he wanted—the one he looked toward in the Richardson. laboratory of the Collegian and the one he “(Richardson) He has had a huge sold everything in Utah to get. Clark con- visual influence on me, more than anyone tinues to freelance for National Geographic, working in the Midwest,” Clark said. as well as work on a book documenting the Richardson had his first story for Na- birth of science and evolution. tional Geographic in 1984. He is known for “For Rob to call me one of his influ- his work highlighting the Midwest. Though ences is an honor, of course, and I’m pleased Clark and Richardson never worked on a to have shared our college background,” The colorful sky and unique temple story together, they admired each other’s Richardson said. “Rob is always gregarious, of Cambodia make one of the work. but he is also loyal and earnest. He does 17 moments captured in Robert “My experience with Rob has been Kansas State proud.” Clark’s Cambodia collection. around the halls of National Geographic, where he and I have crossed paths while working various, separate, projects. Rob is always in the know, much connected and able to make a lot of needful things happen,” Richardson said. “Rob’s work has always been very sophisticated, extraordinarily well pro- duced, and he takes on complex projects that require a lot of conceptual insight combined with arduous studio and lighting work to pull o ff ”. Clark has produced 34 stories and 16 covers published through National Geo- graphic. He is currently working on four stories, the most he has ever taken on at once. The stories range from taxidermy, to 3D printing. Traveling comes with the job, as Clark has shot in multiple countries. “Before a big shoot, I try to learn as much as I can about the subject matter. I try to get as much information as I can. When I walk in, I try to stay open,” Clark said. “I look at the color of the wall, or just the different aspects of the surroundings. I don’t think anything matters as much as really immers- updatejmc.com UPDATE A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION Mass Communications U.S. Postage PAID Kansas State University Permit 525 Kedzie Hall 105 Manhattan, KS 66506 Manhattan, KS 66506-1500

photo by Hannah Hunsinger Update staff.Front Row: Melanie Thomas, editor, Tara Cowley, photo editor, Ariel Crockett, managing editor. Row 2: Sophie Eisenhauer, ass’t. design editor, Corbin McGuire, copy editor, Bria Dansby, web editor. Back Row: Darrington Clark, design editor, Linda S. Puntney, instructor.