The Headliner

454 Moore Hall, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 [email protected] t h e Alumni Newsletter VOLUME 5,Headliner ISSUE 1 SUMMER 2009 Central Michigan University’s spacious Park Library houses many of the resources utilized by Journalism Department students and staff. Coupled with the Caponigro, the Park Library has everything a Journalism major needs for developing skills and completing coursework. Inside the Headliner PAGE 2 PAGE 6 PAGE 10 Cass City Chronicle editor Journalism Hall of Fame inducts six China Daily editor enjoys time at CMU named Alumnus of the Year PAGE 7 2009 Summer internship opportunities PAGE 3 Professor Palen retires PAGE 11 Department implements new majors New faculty join department Virtual Reality: new lab benefits many PAGE 8-9 PAGES 4-5 PAGE 12-13 Journalism RSOs enable students Alumni return for Homecoming Days to learn about careers Annual Department of Journalism Luncheon Study Abroad benefits 13 Journalism students 2 Headlinert h e SPOTLIGHT ON ALUMNI By Jake Bolitho Cass City Chronicle editor named Alumnus of the Year om Montgomery has been with the weekly newspaper. The paper employs only and fertilizer explosives. Montgomery had in Cass City Chronicle for more than three full-time and two part-time workers, fact met McVeigh in town just a few years earlier. T22 years and is a graduate of CMU’s so a large amount of the burden is put on his “It looked like an army had landed around Department of Journalism. In April, he shoulders. He covers every beat, with the the Nichols’ farm, and there were reporters was honored as the 2009 CMU Journalism exception of sports. from everywhere—Detroit to northern Alumnus of the Year. “Today, we average 14 pages a week, which Michigan,” Montgomery said about the raid. Montgomery wrote for CM Life during his may not seem like much, but when you have “When I got back to the office, I had phone time at CMU and also did freelance work for to fill eight of those pages by yourself, it can messages from the biggest dailies in New York, The Morning Sun. His first job in journalism be,” he said about his role with the Chronicle, Washington, D.C., California—you name it.” after graduation was with the Leelanau which has been in existence since the late 1800s. He won a Michigan Press Association award Enterprise and Tribune, a weekly newspaper Even in a small town like Cass City, for his coverage of a Ku Klux Klan meeting in Caro, northwest of Traverse City. It was a difficult Montgomery has found himself covering a Mich. However, the experience still haunts him. but worthwhile experience for Montgomery. range of news throughout his career. “I really never really saw the face of hate “It was definitely a learning experience for a One of his favorite memories at the paper until that day,” he said. young, green reporter,” he said. “I worked very involved covering the FBI raid of a farm Montgomery attributes much of his success long hours for very little money.” belonging to Jim Nichols, in which Terry to the CMU Department of Journalism, Montgomery started out at the Chronicle Nichols and Timothy McVeigh had both particularly Professor John Palen’s reporting as a staff writer. He then worked his way up stayed. Both played a role in the 1995 class, which he says played an important role to news editor, then to editor. The titles, in Oklahoma City bombing. The farm was in his development as a journalist. Montgomery’s mind, mean little at a small, believed to have been used for testing fuel oil Hall of Fame The 2008 inductees include: Michelle Bearden (1976 graduate) Mike Green (1975-1980) Sheila Gruber McLean (1982 graduate) Jim Reindl (1978 graduate) Randy Lovely (1986 graduate) Richard Milliman (Honorary) 2008 Young Journalist of the Year: Chad Livengood t h e Headliner 3 Central Michigan University’s Journalism Department now offers Online Journalism major to keep up with current trends and technologies. SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENTS By Aaron McMann Department implements new majors ith newspapers folding and print media Multimedia Lab with brand new Mac computers, Internet-driven model – AnnArbor.com. on a steady decline, Central Michigan and the media resource room in Moore 444 was Faculty member Ronald Marmarelli is on board WUniversity’s Department of Journalism converted into a multimedia resource center. with the transition into digitalized news. is taking a dive into the wave of electronic media. A Costs for each new program will remain constant “Journalism is done in all sorts of venues in new Online Journalism major has been approved by – about $20,000 a year – while program revenue addition to newspapers,” he said. “As has been noted the university and will be implemented in the fall, is expected to increase each year with anticipated by several commentators recently, we do not need an attempt to keep the program up to date with the increased enrollment. paper to do news.” changing news industry. In addition, photojournalism Miller expressed the need for students to be able Reinforcing the digital age, referred to as a fad by will be available as a major as well as a concentration. to do more in the world of journalism today. many executives just 10 years ago, CMU hosted a Professor Kent Miller is one of the faculty “For photojournalism students, it is not enough 313 Digital forum on April 7 with electronic gurus members leading the transition and feels that it is for me to teach still photography,” he said. “My from different outlets such as Hulu.com, CBSsports. necessary to adapt to changing times. students are also learning video.” com, Chrysler LLC and AOL. One common “The industry is in transition between print and Dr. Lori F. Brost, who teaches online courses as well theme during the event was the fact that major online,” Miller said. “CMU’s journalism department as some of the department’s courses in the University corporations are allocating more money than ever is in transition as well to meet the needs of students Program, said today’s journalism students need to be before to the digital side. entering a changing industry.” able to write and edit copy, do audio and video, upload While admittedly not an expert on the electronic New courses added for the specific online images and podcasts, use social networking tools and wave, journalism faculty member Timothy Boudreau major include JRN 340: Introduction to Online generally serve as “backpack journalists.” admits that the new direction is important for the future. Journalism; JRN 440: Advanced Online Journalism; Many newspapers across the country have been “In addition to the courses offered, it’s another JRN 441: Computer-Assisted Reporting; and feeling the effect of decreased advertising revenue in option for students,” he said. “It’s essential.” JRN 445: Multimedia Reporting, all of which will challenging economic times, leaving news agencies Although just in the beginning stages, online be required for students to graduate with the new no choice but to lay off employees and move to the journalism will become a more important staple in major. Students will be asked to choose between an Internet, or shut down completely. the department’s instruction going forward. internship (JRN 540) and practicum (JRN 549) to The Detroit News and Free Press are the latest “The journalism department is working on gain further experience in the field. to follow suit, cutting back home delivery to three meeting students’ needs for both print and online,” In anticipation of the new online program, days a week and making the print copy available Miller said. “However, I do believe as the transition Moore 424 was transformed during summer at newsstands. Others, such as the Ann Arbor continues, our department will move more and more 2008 into a multimedia lab called the Caponigro News, have closed and launched a completely new toward teaching online journalism.” t h e 4 Headliner JRN 556 students Gregory Winsatt and Jason McBride sit with alumni in Moore Hall’s fourth floor for Central Michigan University’s Journalism Homecoming Days on April 7 and 8. Journalism alumni attended the Homecoming Days, sharing experiences gained after leaving CMU. Photo by Tatum Criner. SPOTLIGHT ON ALUMNI By Tatum Criner and Jillian Wilhelm Alumni return for Homecoming Days lumni from all over Michigan returned Gregory Winsatt said. “Most time consuming The alums covered many topics such as to their alma mater during was getting in touch with the alumni. There were reporting, editing/design, new media, public A Central Michigan University’s a lot of phone calls and follow-up phone calls.” relations and photography. Journalism Homecoming Days April 7 and 8. Alumni showed up and shared their Alumna Cheryl Wade was one of the many The event, put on by Jim Wojick’s public experiences in various journalism classes on who spoke during Homecoming Days. relations seminar class, brought back alumni Tuesday, April 7, and Wednesday, April 8. The “I’m flattered and honored that my little bit of from the journalism department to speak to students felt was beneficial for both the alumni experience is valuable to someone. I feel like I better students in journalism classes about careers. and the students to participate in an event like this. make it count and make it relevant,” said Wade. This was the first year for CMU’s Homecoming “It’s not every day that you get to see what Wade graduated from CMU in 1977 with a Days and the event was planned almost you could be one day and sometimes it’s not journalism major and a minor in psychology.

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