SCSU Mass Comm student and chapter take top honors at Society of Professional Journalists Conference

Kevin Hurd was the winner of a Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. The Sigma Delta Chi Awards date back to 1932, when the Society first honored six individuals for contributions to journalism. The current program began in 1939, when the organization awarded the first Distinguished Service Awards. The awards recognize the best in professional journalism in categories covering print, radio, television, newsletters, art/graphics, online and research from across the United States. Kevin Hurd did a piece entitled “Cash, Credit and Saving while in College.” It is a 30 minute story that looks at the need for young people to be smart with their money from the perspectives of an economist, local bankers and peers. The piece was judged best among radio stations in 101+ size cities across the United Sates in the Radio Documentaries category. It aired on KVSC-FM in 2009. The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s largest journalism organization dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism.

Kevin Hurd with SPJ's Sigma Delta Chi Award for radio documentary.

For the 2nd year in a row, the SCSU chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists was named the best student chapter in the region. The award is given to a student chapter each year among chapters in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Members of the SCSU chapter of the SPJ traveled to the SPJ National Convention in Las Vegas, NV in October to receive the award.

SCSU MC Students pictured (l to r) Arum Yang, Kevin Hurd, Nick Lenz and Jennifer Austin.

Event Organizer ‘Thrilled’ to have SCSU at Festival in D.C.

Today is my first day at our nation’s capital to cover the country’s first national science and engineering festival.

Larry Bock, Organizer of the USA Science & Engineering Festival, says he’s ‘thrilled’ to have St. Cloud State among the 75 leading science and engineering universities represented at this weekend’s expo.

The goal of the festival is to get young people excited about science. As an entrepreneur, Bock says his companies often have trouble finding qualified Americans to fill advanced science and engineering positions. As a result, he says, many of the jobs go to other countries.

“We believe society gets what it celebrates. We celebrate Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, and we generate a lot of Britney Spears’ and Lindsay Lohan’s. But we don’t celebrate science and engineering, so why not have a pinnacle event once a year to celebrate it?” said Bock.

About ten students and staff of St. Cloud State will arrive in Washington, D.C. on Friday. SCSU will have a booth set up on the national mall, which is expected to attract more than one million visitors throughout the weekend. The theme of SCSU’s booth is wind power.

-Chris Duffy, SCSU Graduate Student of Mass Communications

St. Cloud State Mass Communications students win at Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Awards

Students from the St. Cloud State
Mass Communications program won three Upper Midwest Regional Emmy
Student Production Awards (previously referred to as Student Emmy
Awards) for their work at UTVS. Whitney Thielman and Jon Otte
received the award for STUDENT PRODUCTION – SINGLE STORY for a
feature documentary “Schiefelbein (SHY-ful-BINE) Farms” originally
produced for “SCSU Local”, UTVS’ public
affairs show. “Husky Mag,” Jordan
Weinand – Producer, won the award for STUDENT PRODUCTION – SPORTS
PROGRAM/EVENT and “UTVS News,” Raquel Hellman and Ryan Ruud
– Executive Producers, won the top honors for STUDENT PRODUCTION – NEWSCAST
The field of contenders was large this year. Compliments and
congratulations to our students on work well done. 2010 Upper Midwest Regional
Emmy® Winners Winners :: STUDENT PRODUCTION – SINGLE STORY” src=”http://scsumasscomm.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/group_0.jpg” alt=”" width=”400″ height=”288″ />

Mass Comm students recognized at PRSA Student Classics

SCSU's Rachael Jahr with Candee Wolf, APR, Minnesota Public Relations Society of America President

ST. CLOUD, Minn.— Three mass communications students were honored at the 8^th annual Minnesota Public Relations Student Society of America Student Classics Awards March 25, 2010. The awards banquet is a chance for students to showcase their best public relations work.

Keeping Up With The “Times” : UTVS/ Times Media Announce Partnership

UTVS News Directors Ryan Ruud & Raquel Hellman manage the day to day operations of UTVS News and oversee the Times Media Partnership

UTVS News, St. Cloud State University’s student run television station’s news division, and the St. Cloud Times have partnered in an effort to expand local online news content.

Student reporters from UTVS News have been featured on the newspapers website since Jan. 25.