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Alumni News

SCT Alumni among nominees for Mid-Atlantic Emmys

SCT alumni Bill Vargus '80, Sean Murphy '91, and Kurtis Sensenig '05, MJ '09 were nominated for the 27th annual Mid-Atlantic Emmys. Fox29's Vargus is up for best sports anchor, Murphy, of CBS3, was nominated in the Reporter-Features/Human interest category, and Sensenig was nominated for an episode of his Philly.com program, "Outdoor Philadelphia- Skydiving". The Mid-Atlantic Emmys recognize excellence in television news, programming and individual achievement in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware markets for work completed between April 2008 and March 2009. Winners will be announced at a September 26 ceremony at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia. Read full article.

SCT Alumni in Politics

Successful journalists and politicians share several key skills, from the ability to communicate complex issues to the personal presence needed to connect with a wide range of people. Little wonder, then, that the path to a political career often runs through the School of Communications and Theater. To read about six SCT alumni as they discuss their political careers, from press secretary to state Assemblyman, click here.

Recent SCT Alumni Authors

SCT alumni have recently published books on a variety of subjects, from the New York housing market bubble to corruption in New Jersey politics to animation as a global product. Their work has made best-seller lists, developed devoted fan followings and been updated and revised in new editions. To read more about SCT alumni authors, click here.

FMA Grad nominated for Emmy

While he spends his professional life behind the camera, Christopher Manley, '94, will get his moment in the limelight September 20. It's on that day he will find out if his director of photography work on the AMC series "Mad Men," earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography for a One-Hour Series. He's up for the honor against directors of photography from "Breaking Bad," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigators," "Life on Mars" and "The Tudors." In total, "Mad Men" received 16 nominations this year, more than any other dramatic series. The 61st Annual Primetime Emmys air on CBS at 8 p.m on Sunday, Sept. 20.

Journalism Alum David Wood Featured in Washington Post

After a quarter-century as a military correspondent, David Wood, '70 knew the drill as he reported from Afghanistan last week, in helmet and flak jacket, on the intricacies of the U.S. war effort. But this time he was writing for a fledgling Web site, one that -- unlike the thousands that specialize in commentary, snark or recycling other people's reporting -- is willing to pony up to send an old-school journalist on a six-week foreign assignment. Wood was picked up by AOL's Politics Daily in May, shortly after the Baltimore Sun laid him off. "As the newspaper business declined, I felt hemmed in by smaller news pages, demands for tighter copy, growing stinginess with travel money," Wood says. "It just seemed harder and harder to do quality, in-depth journalism on my beat. None of those restrictions exist at Politics Daily." Read full article.

Article by Interim Dean and Mass Media & Communication Alum is Accepted for Publication

Congratulations to MM&C alum Leanne Chang, '07 and Professor and SCT Interim Dean Tom Jacobson, whose article, "Measuring Participation as Communicative Action: A Case Study of Citizen Involvement in and Assessment of A City's Smoking Cessation Policy-Making Process," has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Communication. The article is based on Leanne's dissertation; Leanne is now an Assistant Professor in the Communications and New Media Programme at the National University of Singapore.

Temple Theater Artists Nominated for Prestigious Barrymore Award

Temple Theater Department alumni, a current M.F.A. student, a full-time faculty member and an adjunct professor have been nominated for the prestigious Barrymore Award. This award is the "Tony Award" of Philadelphia Metro Theater.

The following is a list of the Temple Theater Artists and their nominations:

• Elena Bossler (BA '08) - Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play - "Anna Bella Eema" (Gas & Electric Arts)
• Elena Bossler (BA '08) - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical - "Cinderella" (People's Light & Theatre)
• Elena Bossler (BA '08) - Outstanding Ensemble in a play - "Anna Bella Eema" (Gas & Electric Arts)
• Keith Conallen (BA '98)- Outstanding Actor in a Play "Jump Cut" (Flashpoint Theatre Company)
• Kala Moses Baxter (BA '96) - Outstanding Actress in a Play "Gee's Bend" (Arden Theatre Company)
• Kala Moses Baxter (BA '96) - Nominated for the F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist
• Kathryn Petersen (Current M.F.A. Playwriting Graduate Student) - Outstanding New Play - "Cinderella" (People's Light & Theatre)
• David Ingram - (Associate Professor) Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play - "The Rant" (InterAct Theatre)
• Jennie Eisenhower (Current Adjunct Professor) - Outstanding Leading Actress in A Musical - "Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits" (Walnut Street Theatre, Independence Studio on 3)

Master of Journalism Alumna Anna Goldfarb Selected as One of the Top Twitter Dating Experts

Master of Journalism alumna Anna Goldfarb, '08 was selected by the Web site DatingOnline as one of the top dating experts to follow on Twitter. Anna is the founder and editor of the Web site, ShmittenKitten.com. Read full article.

Recent Master of Journalism Graduate Publishes Her First Academic Journal

Karthika Muthukumaraswamy, '09 published her first academic journal article: When the media meets crowds of wisdom: How journalists are tapping into audience expertise and manpower for the processes of news gathering, in Journalism Practice (2009), 3(4). Click here to read the full article.

Mass Media & Communication Alumnus Publishes Book

Congratulations to MM&C alum Ron Bishop '83, Professor and Director of the Communication Program in the Department of Culture and Communication at Drexel University in Philadelphia, on the publication of his book, When Play Was Play: Why Pick-Up Games Matter, by the State University of New York Press. The book explores the cultural significance of unstructured play through an in-depth analysis of interviews and written narratives about pick-up game memories from more than 150 people from around the world. For more information and to purchase the book, visit SUNY Press. Ron has also set up a Facebook page, "The Pick-Up Games Project," where he encourages visitors to share their pick-up game memories.

SCT Alumni Will Premiere Film at LA Shorts Fest and Release on iTunes

Local writer/director and 2005 Film and Media Arts graduate Daniel M. Kalai's directorial debut Committed starring Michael Rady '04 and Bethany Bassler will World Premier at the 13th annual LA Shorts Fest on Saturday, July 25th, at 7:45 p.m. at the Laemmle Sunset 5 Theaters in West Hollywood. Shorts International has also acquired rights to the film for worldwide distribution through iTunes and ShortsTV. Shorts International, the world's leading short film entertainment company has acquired the world rights and will release Committed in the live-action category in their Summer Fun Release on iTunes stores in the US and Canada, United Kingdom and Germany giving iTunes users the opportunity to download Committed for $1.99 which is now available on iTunes.

Executive produced by West Chester Alums Kevin Sheridan and Nick Smith, Committed stars Temple Alum Michael Rady (CW's 2009 Melrose Place, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 1 & 2, Showtime's Sleeper Cell, CBS's Swingtown, and more) and Bethany Bassler (CondomNation, Food for Thought, California Dreams, Young and the Restless) as a couple dealing with varying levels of commitment in their fiery relationship. Meegan Delane, and local actresses Temple Alumnae Rachael Kemery '06, Kristin Kirgan, and Gina Donaghy '09 round out the cast.

Journalism Alumnus Becomes and Up and Coming Oil Painter

Liam Dean '07, born and raised in the Philadelphia Area is an up and coming oil artist, and is moving fast. Within only six months of painting, he has achieved the following honors:

• Feature Artist at Blink Art Gallery (2nd and Chestnut, Olde City) for June 2009 where he held three shows
• July 2009 Artist of the Month in the window at Duffy's Dept Store (17th and Chestnut)
• His painting, 'Tempest,' is up on display at the Starbucks in Jenkintown, Pa
• Another painting is on display at a ZOT (Belgian Restaurant) by Penn's Landing

Since the beginning of the year, Liam has completed 60 items from his apartment in the Washington Square section of Philadelphia. He also maintains a website on Fine Art America. View his work at: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/liam-dean.html.

Shaw University Names Dr. David Marshall Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

Shaw University, located in Raleigh, NC, named Dr. David Marshall, JOUR '01 and MMC '03, the Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences effective immediately. Dr. Marshall had been serving the University as the Chair of its Mass Communications Department. "Dr. Marshall has given his students incredible opportunities to gain practical experience, and truly broaden their career horizons," said Dr. Dorothy Cowser Yancy, Interim President of Shaw University. "We now look for him to bring that same drive and belief that students need out-of- classroom learning experiences to the entire College of Arts and Sciences." "This is an amazing opportunity," said Marshall. "These programs and these students have so much potential, and this area is so rich in educational and practical experiences. The challenge is to bring the students and those experiences together, but when that happens, the energy will be just incredible." Read full article.

BTMM Alumna's Short Film to be Screened at the New York International Latino Film Festival

Laurie Seidman '98 will be screening her short film, Abuelo, at the HBO Presents New York International Latino Film Festival this summer. If you live in New York or will be in the area, you may purchase a ticket to see Abuelo at the Visual Arts Theatre on Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1, 2009. The film will be shown during the Shorts Program of the Festival entitled "You and I Collide" and will screen in the 6th position out of 8 short films during the program. Abuelo premiered in Nantucket and won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the Nantucket Film Festival. Laurie is just beginning to chart the course of her film festival journey and will screen at the Palm Springs Shortfest, LA ShortFest, Rhode Island International Film Festival and The HBO Presents NY International Film Festival during the summer months. To stay up-to-date on her journey, please visit the website at www.abuelofilm.com.

Screening Schedule:

Film & Media Arts Alumna's Thesis Film Screening at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival

MFA alumna Heidi Saman '07 will screen her thesis film, The Maid at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival in Northern Liberties on June 26 and 27, 2009. The film is featured in this article from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Recently, The Maid has been traveling the festival circuit. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2008. It also screened at the Dubai Film Festival in December 2008, Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah in January 2009, and at the Bibliotheque Alexandrina for its Egyptian premiere.

Screening Schedule:

Philly Metro Newspaper Article Features Film & Media Arts Alum

Jeffrey Kilpatrick, FMA '97, has established himself as a cartoonist and one of the originators of the Philadelphia Cartoonist Society. He recently completed "Sketches of Fishtown, Volume 1", and was featured in an article in Philly Metro newspaper recently. He will be participating in an upcoming "Sketch-a-thon" at Fishtown Airways, 200 E. Girard Avenue, on May 30, from 6 - 10 p.m. To learn more about the Philadelphia Cartoonist Society, please visit their website.

Film & Media Arts Alumni's Senior Project Film Picked up for DVD Distribution

Ephraim Asili's 2007 senior project, the Derek Freese Award nominee Points on a Space Age, has been picked up for DVD distribution and was officially released on May 19, 2009 by MVD Enterprises. In this video-essay documentary about the Sun Ra Arkestra, layered and experimental combination of on-screen text, recent performance footage, archival footage and new interviews compellingly mirror the aesthetic of perhaps the most famous avant-garde jazz ensemble of all time. Click here to purchase this title at Amazon.com.

Journalism Alumnus Wins the Society of Professional Journalists Spotlight Contest

Journalism alumnus Brian Kirk, '09, won first place in the Health and Medical Story (non-daily) category for his Philadelphia Weekly piece, "Thinking Positive," in this year's Keystone Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists Spotlight Contest.

To read the article, click here.

MM&C Alumnus Richard Popp Wins Doctoral Dissertation Prize

Congratulations to MM&C alum Richard Popp, '08, who has won the Margaret A. Blanchard Doctoral Dissertation Prize, given annually by the American Journalism Historians Association to recognize the best doctoral dissertation on journalism and mass communication history in the country. He will receive this national award, which recognizes his Temple dissertation "Magazines, Marketing, and the Construction of Travel in the Postwar United States," at the annual conference of the American Journalism Historians Association in Birmingham, Alabama in October 2009. He is now a tenure-track assistant professor of journalism at the Manship School of Communication at Louisiana State University.

SCT Alumni Honored with 2009 Keystone Press Awards

The Keystone Press Awards reinforce excellence by individuals in the newspaper profession by recognizing journalism that consistently provides relevance, integrity and initiative in serving readers, and furthers First Amendment values. The goal is for the Keystones to stimulate journalists to improve their craft and ultimately improve their community. The following SCT journalism alumni have been awarded Keystone Press Awards in 2009. Congratulations to all!

• Michael Elkin, JOUR '70, Jewish Exponent
  o 1st Place Headline Writing, Division VI
• Steve Esack, JOUR '96, The Morning Call
  o 1st place, Spot News, Division I
  o 2nd Place, News Beat Reporting, Division I
• David Gambacorta, JOUR '06, Philadelphia Daily News
  o Distinguished Writing at a Daily, 2nd Place
  o 2nd Place Column, Division 1

• John George, JOUR '84, Philadelphia Business Journal
  o 1st Place Business or Consumer Story, Division VI
  o 1st Place Sports Beat Reporting, Division VI
  o 2nd Place News Beat Reporting, Division VI
• Krystle Marcellus, JOUR '06, The Bulletin
  o 1st Place Photo Story, Division V
• Christine Olley, JOUR '08, Philadelphia Daily News
  o Honorable Mention News Beat Reporting, Division 1
• Regina Rahill, JOUR '06, Public Spirit
  o 1st Place News Photo, Division VIII
  o 1st Place Sports Photo, Division VIII
  o 2nd Place Feature Photo, Division VIII

Journalism Alumnus Named Newspaper Photographer of the Year

Stephen M. Katz a 1995 journalism graduate was named Newspaper Photographer of the Year by Pictures of the Year International at the National Press Photographers Association's (NPPA) Northern Short Course in Photojournalism in March 2009. Katz is a staff photographer for The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, VA, where he has worked since 2004. Katz graduated from Temple with a Master of Journalism degree, and began his career at a small twice-weekly newspaper in Ashland, VA. He next moved to a chain of daily Media General newspapers in northern Virginia where he was quickly promoted to Director of Photography with a staff of seven photographers. Next stop was Fredericksburg, Virginia to be Photo Editor of The Free Lance-Star, which became the top photography paper in the National Press Photographers Association's Region 3. Following his stint in Fredericksburg, Katz moved to Bangor, Maine to become the Senior Photographer and then the Assistant Photography Editor at the Bangor Daily News.

Katz's work has been published in several magazines and books and has been exhibited around the country. He has received numerous state, regional and national photography awards, including top honors from the National Press Photographers Association Northern Short Course (POY 2008), Southern Short Course (POY 2007), The Associated Press and Society of Newspaper Design. Recently Katz placed third in NPPA's Best of Photojournalism competition. See his work online at: www.stephenkatzphotography.com.

Recent Journalism Grad Shares Success in TV News, Next Stop: New Orleans

Donnell Jackson, a 2007 Journalism graduate who now is a producer at the NBC affiliate in his hometown of New Orleans, returned to campus recently to share his success in the real world with Temple students by speaking to production classes. While at Temple, Jackson served as president of the Temple Association of Black Journalists when the chapter won the best student chapter award. After graduation, Jackson took an entry-level position at Philadelphia's NBC-10, then moved to Winston-Salem's WXII-TV, where he produced award-winning newscasts. After a little more than two years in the business, Donnell is producing news in one of the nation's larger news markets (ranked 53rd). He's also looking forward to helping in the rebuilding efforts of neighborhoods where he grew up which were devastated by the hurricanes.

Alumnus Serves On Public Policy Committee

Bryan Tate, a 1989 Radio, Television and Film graduate, has been selected to serve on the Public Policy Committee of the Council on Foundations. The council is the national professional philanthropic association based in Washington, D.C. The public policy committee provides recommendations regarding legislative issues and the development of policy relevant to the philanthropy sector. Tate is Vice President for Community Investment at York County (Pa.) Community Foundation.

RTF Alumnus Develops Movie On Theft of the Mona Lisa

Joe Medeiros, a 1975 Radio, Television and Film graduate, is in the final stages of editing a feature-length documentary on the true story of Vincenzo Peruggia, the man who stole the Mona Lisa in 1911. His film project was the subject of a story in the January 2009 issue of ARTNews. The article, Carried Away with the Mona Lisa, discusses how Medeiros first became interested in the story of the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre shortly after graduating from Temple, and continued to research it while working as the head writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. To read a pdf of the article about the film, click here. To read the blog about the film, visit monalisadocumentary.blogspot.com. To watch a teaser for the film, click here.

RTF Master's Alumna Named Georgetown Professor

Arline Jolles Lotman, a 1984 Radio, Television and Film graduate, has been named adjunct professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Lotman will teach at the Center for the Study of Sex Differences in Health, Aging and Disease at Georgetown University Medical Center. She will work on expanding public policy issues related to research and gender issues. As the first Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Governor's Commission on the Status of Women, Lotman brought federal, state and local attention to public policy concerns in several areas of gender differences and sex discrimination, beginning with groundbreaking investigations and the first-in-the-nation public hearings in health care. These led to changes in the law and in health practices and research protocols. Lotman, who also holds a bachelor's degree and a law degree from Temple, will continue her law practice with offices in Philadelphia.

RTF Alumnus Hosts Irish President, Irish Film Stars

Bill Daly, a 1977 graduate in Radio, Television and Film as well as senior vice president for post production at Warner Brothers, helped welcome Irish President Mary McAleese on a December visit to Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. Joining McAleese at the event were Irish actors Colin Farrell, Fionula Flanagan, Ed Begley Jr. and Ray Bradbury, author/actor Bernadette O'Neill and film composer Patrick Cassidy. The president hailed the long association between Ireland and Hollywood during the event organized by the Irish Film Board and Enterprise Ireland.

CBS Sports Producer Shares Expertise With Students

Suzanne Smith, a 1980 Radio, Television and Film graduate and Director of CBS's NFL and college basketball coverage, shared her expertise with students while on campus to cover the Dec. 1 Temple Owls Women's Basketball Game at the Liacouras Center. Students visited the production truck while the game was airing live on CBS. Smith was a 2008 Lew Klein Alumni in the Media Award. The three-time Emmy Award-winner also has produced and directed coverage for college football, golf, tennis, boxing, track and field, NBA, car racing and cycling (Tour de France).

Theater Alumna Featured In Washington Post

Naomi J. Jacobson, a 1979 Theater graduate with a 1982 master's in fine arts in theater, was profiled in the Nov. 26 issue of the Washington Post for her work including a December performance at Folger Theatre. She is an eight-time nominee for the Helen Hays Award, received the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship and will attend a week-long master class with Lynn Redgrave in August 2009. To read the piece from the Post, click here.

RTF Alumnus Shares Networking Tips During Campus Visit

Miles "Chip" Schutzman, a 1991 Radio, Television and Film graduate and CEO/President of Miles High Productions, visited campus in November and shared industry networking tips with students. Schutzman specializes in the marketing and promotion of musical artists. Before starting his own business, he spent eight years with the House of Blues, developing a specialty in web promotions including some of the first concert podcasts. He also worked on MSN's music presence. He now does online marketing promotions for emerging independent artists, aiding in setting up social networking sites, branding web sites and search engine optimization.

Film and Media Arts Alumna Hosts Literary Event To Benefit Girls High

Leslie A. Banks, who has a 1998 master's in fine arts in film and media arts and is the author of the Vampire Huntress Legend series of books, is hosting a three-day event from Feb. 13 to 15 through the Philadelphia Folklore Project to benefit Philadelphia High School for Girls' library. Planned are a reception and "book club pajama party," a bus tour, a dinner theater event and a brunch. Additional information is available through www.leslieesdailebanks.com.

Journalism Grad Wins Pepperpot Award

Emily Grose, a 2005 journalism graduate, has won the Anthony Fulginiti Award at the Public Relations Society of America's Philadelphia Pepperpot Awards. Grose is an assistant account executive in the public relations department at Tierney Communications, where she represents organizations in the consumer, real estate and non-profit industries. She provides media relations and communications support to clients including McDonald's, Prudential Fox & Roach, REALTORS and the Wellness Community. An active member of the chapter, Grose participated in hosting the PRSA 2007 International Conference. The award recognizes her leadership in facilitating the PR Institute, an advanced training program that further develops the skills of young public relations professionals through a mock-agency competition.

Film By FMA Alumni Wins Awards

God of Tears, a film by Film and Media Arts alumni Max Margulies and Naoko Masuda, has won the award for Best Short Film at the Atlanta Underground Film Festival and the prize for Best College Animation at the Bucks Fever Film Festival. It also has been screened at the Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival in Brazil and the Montezuma International Film Festival in Costa Rica. Their other short, Fish, has also been making the festival rounds, including the Fantastic Fest 2008 and the Montreal International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. For information on upcoming screenings, check out their website, www.lbcfilm.com.

Alumni Recognized During Philadelphia A.I.R. Awards

SCT Alumni were honored during the Philadelphia A.I.R. Awards in November. The awards recognize achievement in radio. Brenda Jorett, '80, host and senior producer for Morning Edition at WHYY-FM, was recognized as a Milestone Honoree. Jessica Fry, '06, was honored as the best weekday midday host for WRDW's "Casey's Mid Day Show." Andrea Duffy, '04, had the best individual performance in a radio spot or promo for the Roberts Auto Mall Downingtown Jingle on WBEN. Marc Farzetta, '05, was the producer of the best feature production, "Who's On Steroids?" on WIP. Tiffany Bacon, '93, was the producer, writer and voice for the best locally produced public affairs program, "Praise in the City" on WPPZ.

1998 Broadcasting Grad, First South Asian Sports Announcer in U.S., Joins SportsCenter

Kevin Negandhi, '98, the first national South Asian sports announcer in the U.S., has joined SportsCenter on ESPN. Negandhi had five internships at radio and television stations by the time he graduated from Temple. His family discussed changing his name for television, but Negandhi insisted on retaining it to keep his Indian identity intact.

SCT Alumni Involved with the Olympics

School of Communications & Theater alumni have long had strong connections to the Olympics, and this summer was no exception. Among those recently involved was the director of a U.S. Olympic Training Center, a member of NBC's boxing coverage team and the lead communications strategist who helped Beijing develop its brand identity. Read more.

Film Grad Find Real World Job in Virtual Settings

Recent Film and Media Arts graduate Ariella Furman has been described by the Wall Street Journal as "a master of machinima, an emerging genre of virtual movie-making." She began her work in a documentary film class and now makes Second Life videos for clients like IBM and the World Bank. She also does work with the media tech companies Popcha! and Electric Sheep Co. Furman writes scripts and shoots her scenes with avatar actors who are controlled by other players. The videos capture how people live and socialize in Second Life. Her own avatar in Second Life is Ariella Languish, who she used to dress up as a geisha or Amazonian warrior, but who now sticks to business suits so she looks professional when she meets with clients. To read the Philadelphia Inquirer magazine profile of her, click here.

1998 Grad's Film Part of U.S. Sports Festival

Paulette Joy Douglas, '72, a five-time Emmy winner, had a film selected to be shown in the U.S. Sports Film Festival in Philadelphia in October. Peglegs of Stuyvesant High, a documentary that aired on CBS College Sports in 2007, followed Manhattan's Stuyvesant High School football team. The film is about the sense of team and the diverse paths each athlete takes to get to school and compete, contrasted with the field successes or failures of a team whose school is in the shadow of Ground Zero. To read the review of the film in the New York Daily News, click here.

2008 Journalism/Broadcasting Grad Hired By Syracuse, N.Y. TV Station

Catherine Hawley, a 2008 Journalism and Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media graduate, has been hired by 5WTVH-TV in Syracuse, N.Y. While a student, Howley interned at WTXF-TV and KYW-TV in Philadelphia, and also for the college station Temple Update.

2008 Advertising Grad Joins Ogilvy & Mather's Associate Program

Leanne Perzel, a 2008 Advertising graduate, is participating in the Associate Program at Ogilvy & Mater in New York City. She will explore various aspects of advertising during a 12-month rotation, including account management, project management, new business, consulting and planning. The competitive program provides integrated training in general advertising, direct marketing, interactive services and strategic planning. Ogilvy's client roster includes American Express, IBM, Kodak, SAP, DuPont, Dove and Kraft.

2008 Broadcasting Grad Selected as Page for NBC Universal in New York

Kristen Celins, a 2008 Broadcasting, Telecommunications, and Mass Media graduate, was selected to work as a page for NBC Universal in New York City. Of the 7,000 who applied for the role, only about 80 were offered the prestigious position. The year-long learning and development program orients those seeking permanent placement at NBC Universal. Pages conduct tours and work behind the scenes on NBC shows such as Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Celins had previously interned at NBC10 in Philadelphia and NFL Films and had worked as a sales account executive at Wired 96.5 radio station.

1986 Radio, Television and Film Grad Co-Founds Virtual Record Label

Michael Kauffman, '86, is a co-founder and principal of The HiFive Group Inc., a virtual record label that provides outsourced sales, distribution, marketing, digital strategy and partnership services to those in the music industry. Kauffman has more than 25 years of entertainment marketing experience, ranging from positions as a DJ, record store clerk, concert promoter, copywriter, media buyer and salesman. He previously was a senior vice president of sales and catalog at the Verve Music Group, where he developed and worked with the award-winning team for The Jazz Pack, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers 2005 and 2006 Label of the Year.

2008 Broadcasting Grad Provides Visual Effects for World Cafe Live Event

Jes Ayres, a 2008 Broadcasting, Telecommunications, and Mass Media graduate, provided visual effects for a World Cafe Live Performance for Arts for Awareness. The organization is dedicated to bringing focus to social, environmental and humanitarian issues through the immense power of the arts. Ayres has worked on Art Fennell Reports for CN8, The Comcast Network.

1976 Journalism Grad is Editor and Associate Publisher of Director & Boards

Jim Kristie, '76, is the editor and associate publisher of Director & Boards, which focuses on corporate governance for thought leaders. Directors and Boards seeks to help management and its board have the most productive relationship possible, in order to create great value for the company and its shareholders. Kristie has been editor since 1981, and associate publisher since 1991. During his tenure, he has served as coordinating editor of Corporate Restructuring: A Guide to Creating the Premium-Valued Company, published in l989 by McGraw-Hill Book Co. He is an adjunct instructor at Temple University's School of Communications and Theater, teaching the course Advanced Public Relations Writing. He appears frequently before governance conferences and meetings, and is regularly quoted in the major media and specialized publications as an authoritative source on leadership issues.

Mass Media & Communications Ph.D. Grad Presents Paper At Brookings Institution/USC Event

Banu Akdenizli, a 2006 Ph.D. graduate in Mass Media and Communications, has presented a paper at an event hosted by the Brookings Institute and the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communication. Democracy in the Age of New Media: A Report on the Media and the Immigration Debate explores "how the media conditioned public opinion and the policy landscape" on the immigration issue. Akdenizli also presented News Coverage of Immigration 2007:A Political Story, not an Issue, Covered Episodically at the event, which included a panel discussion was moderated by Harvard University's Marvin Kalb. Akdenizli is the index methodologist for the Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ) within the Pew Research Center. She also is the author of Toward a Healthier Understanding of Internet Policy Development: The Case of Turkey. She previously was a writer for the Turkish edition of Cosmopolitan Magazine and a radio producer for TRT (Turkish Radio and Television) in Turkey.   She has a B.A. in Sociology and an M.A. in Translation Studies from Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey.

New York Times Profiles 2003 Broadcasting Grad Who Is Chicago Bears Fullback

Jason McKie, '03, the starting fullback for the Chicago Bears, was profiled in the Sept. 12, 2008 issue of the New York Times for founding the Jason McKie Foundation of the Institute for Science and Health. The Foundation provides support for families of soldiers through scholarships, financial support and tickets to the Bears' home games. His decision to focus the foundation's work on soldiers and their families came from his father, who spent 21 years in the military. To read the Times article, click here.

Philadelphia Inquirer Features Mass Media & Communications Ph.D. Grad

Maria Simone, a 2006 Ph.D. graduate in Mass Media and Communications, was profiled in the Oct. 1, 2008 Philadelphia Inquirer for her Rowan University class, Covering the Campaign. The class taps into how the media shapes public opinion in the course of the election. Simone's doctoral dissertation was on media policy and the public interest. Read more.

2001 Broadcasting Grad joins Phillies Pre Game Show

Jeff Skversky, a 2001 graduate in Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media, has joined the Phillies Pre Game Show. He previously worked as a sportscaster for the NBC affiliate in Atlantic City, as the weekend sports anchor in Philadelphia, and as sportscaster for KMOV in St. Louis.

Broadcasting M.A. Grad's Article Published in Online Journal

BTMM M.A. graduate Katie Donnelly's article, "Youth Participation and Media Literacy on The-N.com" was published in Studies in Media and Information Literacy Studies (SIMILE), an online journal published by the University of Toronto Press.  Katie is currently employed as a research associate on the fair use media literacy project in the Media Education Lab. The N is an edgy nighttime network for teens that is owned by Viacom and currently available in 55 million homes. The network's web site, available at http://www.The-N.com, offers teenagers a variety of forums in which they can interact with media and with each other, including message boards, games, quizzes, and exclusive web-episodes ("wepisodes") of their favorite programs. While The N's main goal is not media literacy, many of the web site's features offer teens and preteens the chance to actively participate in their own media culture – whether by playing at media creation through mash-ups and games, or by deconstructing The N's advertising and programming on the message boards. Through this type of active participation, users can potentially acquire media literacy skills. You can access the publication through this link.

Theater Grad's Work Draws Praise

M.F.A. Acting Grad David Blatt has drawn praise from the News Journal for his portrayal of Mercutio in the Delaware Shakespeare Festival production of "Romeo and Juliet" in Rockwood Park. "David Blatt is a ribald and charming Mercutio," writes Tom Butler. "He gives guile and wit to the 'Queen Mab' dream monologue and gets full impact from the 'plague on both your houses' lines. Blatt also handles himself well in the combat scenes."

Broadcasting Grad Produces Stories for NPR Radio Show

BTMM graduate Carina Giamerese, who was selected out of more than 1,000 applicants to be an intern at NPR, National Public Radio, has produced stories for a web-based radio show that debuts July 31. Giamerese works for the audio engineering department and has managed all the sound for "Intern Edition," a 40-minute web based radio show and blog. Her stories are on new advertising for The Dark Knight and on the fluid gender identity at some of D.C.'s most colorful balls. The show premiered July 31 at www.npr.org/internedition.

Grad's Film Premieres At The Cannes Film Festival

One year after she graduated from Temple University's Film School, Heidi Saman recently found herself at the Cannes Film Festival, where the short narrative film she wrote, directed and edited for her thesis was selected for its world premiere. The Maid, a 19-minute film in Arabic with English subtitles, concerns a house maid in Cairo who must come to terms with her perceptions of trust, duty, and her place within the family household. It was shot in Cairo, Egypt in a vérité style, in which a choreographed hand held camera captures the intimate interactions between the characters. "It examines the moments in which we are forced to understand that other people are real in the same way that we are," Saman said. "The film's style reveals a visual quality of Cairo and the Middle East that is vastly different from the profuse and damaging news images of this region," she added.  "The cinematographic quality of this film critically responds to the flat, stereotyped video images of Arabs and the Middle East in television news and reveals a contradictory, dynamic, and ultimately human environment."  To read the Cannes description of the film, click here.

SCT alumnus Michael Gozzard honored with Diamond Excellence Award

At the Temple University Young Alumni's 10th Annual Business Card Exchange, Michael R. Gozzard, RTF '96, received the Diamond Excellence Award. Gozzard, a screenwriter, producer and director based in Hollywood, wrote the screenplay for Pride, which starred Terrence Howard and Bernie Mac and debuted in the Top 10 of the U.S. box office on the weekend of March 23, 2007.

Before turning to screen writing full time, Gozzard was the senior VP of development for Fortress Entertainment, as well as a story editor for Morgan Freeman's production company, Revelations Entertainment. He helped develop such films as Bruce Almighty and Million Dollar Baby.

Another SCT alumnus, Jim Smith, Jr. , JOUR '94, presented a lecture on business networking at the event, and then ran the guests through a speed networking workshop. Smith is a motivational speaker and trainer, and is president and CEO of JIMPACT enterprises, Inc.