UNO COMMSpring 2017 TO A B IN R I G D H E T G G F U U L T P U R T E E G Credits: (Continued from page 2) Each student has the ability to tailor The alumni section pairs featured UNO alumni who have Content his or her communication studies to fit unique strengths and grown into their professional careers in communication Capstone Communication ambitions. The University of Nebraska at Omaha offers many with students who have similar career goals and aspirations. areas of expertise within the communication major, including Our student involvement briefs show how our students Production Director Andy Weber Ryan Lance Journalism and Media Communication, with sequences are gaining professional experience outside the classroom. Hayley Jurek Angela Chicas Taylor Horton Journalism, Public Relations/Advertising, and Creative Media. Communication faculty and staff are highlighted, as well, to Edior-in-Chief Anna Bunz Staff Writers Communication Studies offers many sequences as well, gain even more insight into the field from an educator’s point Kayla Eggenberg Ashley Chasek (Fall 2016) including Corporate Training, Intercultural Communication of view. and Diversity, Interpersonal Communication and Conflict Alumni Mason Shumaker Ayu Haramura Angelina Mangiamelli Management, and Organizational Communication and It’s no secret that students who immerse themselves into 04 (Fall 2016) Bre Miller Brianna Olson Leadership among others. their studies and show passion for their field are destined for Profiles Copy Editor Bryce Kneeland Joe Franco greatness. UNO School of Communication students know Ryan Lance Clarissa Romero Madison Shomaker Each year, Capstone Communication chooses a publication that getting “plugged in” to their future means pursuing their Photography Director Elizabeth Stevens Mason Shumaker theme to showcase School of Communication activities and ambitions in the present. Clarissa Romero Emily Michaels Skylar Smith achievements of students, alumni and faculty. This year, Agency Director Hayley Jurek Cover Art the goal was to promote the versatility of a communication Allisha Anderson Jordan Shaw Ashley Chasek degree. Joe Franco (Fall 2016) Kayla Eggenberg Advisers Graphic Design Kris Krug Melodae Morris Faculty Cassidy Conrad Kyla Booker Hugh Reilly Director’s Report 2016-17 20 Mackenzie Millard Kylie Holman Karen Weber (Fall 2016) Profiles Staff Writers Lindsey Ciurej Every year, I struggle with what to include and what to leave relations classes. Roma will be part of the changing of the out when I write the annual Director’s Report. If I had my guard as two of our long-time professors, Dr. Teresa Lamsam Allisha Anderson Mackenzie Millard way, I would mention everything and everybody, but my and Dr. Dave Ogden, both retire this academic year. We CommUNO magazine is produced by Capstone Communication and published annually by the UNO School of Communication: 6001 editors tell me, “Professor Reilly – keep it short!” So here it is continue to grow, change and adapt. Every year brings new Dodge Street, ASH 140, Omaha, NE 68182: Phone: 402.554.2600. Fax: 402.554.3836. For more information, follow us on Twitter@ – in all of its abridged glory. challenges and new successes. I expect next year will be no CommUNO, join the “UNO School of Communication” page on Facebook or visit communication.unomaha.edu. different. However, you’ll have to wait for next year’s Our outstanding students continue to rack up awards. Our PR Director’s Report for all the details! and advertising students won multiple Paper Anvil Awards Election from PRSA. Our TV and radio students also won several Get Plugged In to a local and regional awards. However, their big achievement 22 Activities was winning an unprecedented 10 awards from the national By Kayla Eggenberg Broadcast Educators Association. Competing against nearly Bright Future 1,500 other entries from 176 schools across the country, they Taking the first step toward earning won 10 awards, including four first-place trophies! a degree in communication will, quite literally, pay off in the future. Once again, our incredible forensics team finished among the Students who hold a bachelor’s degree top five teams in the nation and was the top team in Nebraska, in communication earn an average in 2016, for the third year in a row. Not an easy feat since of $2.4 million more than others in four of the top 17 forensic programs in the nation reside in similar positions over their careers, Nebraska. Features according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 25 addition to earning more, the study of We were awarded a $2 million grant from the U.S. State communication also prepares students by Department to help two Afghan universities, the University teaching the skills essential to being hired of Balkh and the University of Kabul, create Communication and prepare for the workplace. Studies departments. Our faculty traveled to Afghanistan, Dubai and India to meet with Afghan professors, introduce This profitable liberal arts degree them to Communication Studies and begin what will be a has earning potentials comparable to multiple-year partnership. When the programs are up and those in biological sciences, business, running, we believe they will be the first Communication education and psychology. Media and Studies departments in Asia. News communication occupations are projected 29 to continue to grow 4 percent from 2014 We have begun a “School of Communication Presents” series Briefs to 2024, which will result in about 27,400 of special events. This year they have included Debate Watch, new jobs. The increased job openings Comedy Night, Best and Worst Super Bowl Ads, Women in in communication fields stem from the Media panel, Night before Nationals and the High School demand for more creators, editors and Media Conference. social media savvy public relations practitioners, according to the U.S. In January, we added a new professor – Dr. Roma Bureau of Labor Statistics. Kayla Eggenberg, editor. Photo by Hayley Jurek Subramanian, who teaches primarily journalism and public Hugh Reilly, director, School of Communication. Photo by Kimberly Bailey. Alumni Profiles Alumni Profiles (Continued from page 4) Korf’s new teaching mindset involved embracing the constantly evolving world of By Anna Bunz Keegan Korf embraces new technology. She wanted to adapt and stay current with technology-teaching trends. Student Profile technology while teaching Although Korf said she loved her teaching job at Platteview, Jaime Melton she went on to teach at the Omaha Public Schools system, By Madison Shomaker where she taught freshman English. Korf started working on the Microsoft Innovative Educator program during her second year of teaching at OPS. She joined the program to become a trainer for her staff and students. Korf knew she wanted to bring this information back to her school, so she went with a few other teachers from different schools to be trained in the MIE program. Korf said she enjoyed helping her fellow staff and students with the technology shift in education. She became so impassioned within this new career field that she was open to finding a job that would let her further pursue technology and teaching. That’s how Korf found herself in the position she has today, the lead teacher of digital citizenship for 52,000 kids at Common Sense Media, a part of Omaha Public Schools.. Korf says: “Digital citizenship wasn’t a term that existed five or six years ago. There is an amount of education we need to provide to not only younger children but to people my age, about what it means to be a good online citizen, be conscious of the content you post online and how you represent yourself.” Advocate for digital citizenship, Keegan Korf at Omaha Public Schools. Photo by Ayu Haramura Korf says that digital citizenship encompasses so much more Starting as a journalism student, Keegan Korf, had no idea than just cyber bullying, and also revolves around your digital where her second concentration in English and Writing would footprint, like using social media and writing blog posts. take her. “The environment in my Korf asks her students, “What image are you creating for During her time at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Korf yourself on the internet?” Photo by T2S Photography was an active member and co-director of the Omaha chapter classroom was warm and of Public Relations Student Society of America. Through Korf asks her students, Dream job: Corporate Training her education and extracurricular activity involvement, Korf comforting,” Korf says. “I gained real-world experience that earned her an advertising Hometown: Dickens, Nebraska job at The Knot Magazine in Omaha after she graduated in loved watching the students “What image are you Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Master 2008. creating for yourself on the grow and become more of Arts in Communication Although Korf felt fortunate enough to land a job after school, especially during a time when jobs weren’t readily available, comfortable and confident in internet?” Major: Journalism she knew she didn’t want to stay in the PR and advertising world forever. Concentration: News Editorial themselves.” Korf says she loves her current job and the new opportunities “I could feel in my gut that education was where I wanted to it offers her; however, she’ll never lose that part of her that be,” Korf says. “I wanted to help people in a way other than loves teaching. how advertising let me.” Career goal: Her ultimate It was her second year of teaching when Platteview introduced “Whenever I lose sight or get stressed out about what I’m Korf spent the next year and a half of her life earning her a new program that would change Korf’s career path, the 1 doing, you just have to remember, where am I going?” Korf goal is to work in human graduate degree in teaching at the College of Saint Mary in to 1 Ipad Technology Initiative.