Mass Communication Students Develop Websites for Community Organizations

By Dennis Frohlich, Department of Mass Communications

In the spring semester, mass communication students put their web design skills to the test, developing websites for local organizations and non-profits. The project was part of MASSCOMM 220: Multimedia in Mass Communications I, and students worked in groups to create or update nine websites.

The goal of the project was to help community organizations either establish an online presence or update an existing website. All of these agencies have small staffs, and some are only staffed by one person! As such, it can be difficult for organizations to devote time to creating a website.

I worked with the Berwick Area United Way to identify suitable clients. Students worked in groups of 4-5, and met their clients in mid-March. They worked with clients to identify their needs and strategized the best way to meet those needs with a website. The groups then had five weeks to deliver the project outcomes.

Most of the clients did not have experience with web design, so it was imperative that students create a website that would be easy to update. In some cases, students also made social media accounts for the clients on platforms such as Facebook. Many of the clients wanted an easy way to accept online donations, so most groups also helped clients set up donation accounts with Paypal.

The following is a sampling of the work students completed.

The Berwick Area United Way’s website was drastically in need of updating, as it looked like it hadn’t been touched in ten years. Students not only gave the website an aesthetic update, but reorganized the content so that it was easier to navigation, and optimized the site for mobile devices.

The Berwick Area Swimming Pool Association has been preparing for years to reopen the Ber-Vaughn Swimming Pool. The pool fell into disrepair and was closed in 2012. Since then, the Pool Association has been working hard to reopen the pool. The pool previously had a single page website that was more of a placeholder than anything. Students created a whole new website for the pool. The pool is reopening this summer, so the website came just in time!

One group even developed a website for the Salem Township Police Department. At first they thought it would be intimidating working with the police, but they ended up having a great time and had a good working relationship with the department.

I could go on with stories like these. The students stepped up to meet their clients’ needs, and all of the clients were pleased when the students presented their work at the end of the semester.

One client sent me an email, saying in part:

“The students were pleasant, responsive and very professional to work with.  The clinic director and I are happy with the design, colors and format of the website they created. … They even offered to help me out via email if I get stuck! … Thank you for encouraging your class to perform this community service!”

The assignment partially fulfilled students’ Citizenship MyCore requirements, but the assignment was more than just a General Education Point (GEP). Students got real-world experience working with clients, and each group faced unique challenges as they tried to meet their client’s needs. The students got to give back to their community, and through this project they gained a newfound confidence in their design abilities.

Students will do this assignment again in the Fall semester, so we are in need of new clients! If anybody knows of a local organization, agency, non-profit, church, club, or other group that needs a website, please contact me at dfrohlic@bloomu.edu

List of Community Websites, along with the students who worked on them

Ber-Vaughn Pool
Laura Campbell, Matthew Delviscio, Erik Falcone, Cathy Quinones, Rebecca Ward

Berwick Area United Way
Ethan Baker, Nicole Keiser, Frank Kucharski, Angela Marchese, Hannah Young

Columbia County Volunteers in Medicine
Keely Cahill, Chelsea Kennedy, Carrie Mann, Audra Ortiz

Danville United Way
Francesca Fortunato, Jayne Gac, Dashiyah Green, Victoria Notte, Anna Wegrzyn

The Dental Health Clinic of Berwick
Monica Grater, Anastasia Scott, Andrijana Stamenkovic, Erin Winkler

The Gate House
Amanda Blasco, Malik Sneed, Eddie Weldon, Daneisha Williams

Mission Mall Alternative Gift Fair
William Breinich, Rachel Moogan, Alexandra Offor, Luke Rimmer

Salem Township Police Department
Devon Downes, Kyle Klosinksi, Lauren Messam, Alexandria Soller


Young's Funny Farm
Evan Brown, Seulgi Shin, Corey Shirk, Taylor Yandle

Mass Communication Students win On-The-Spot Competition

Nineteen Mass Communications students and members of the BU chapter of the National Broadcasting Society (NBS) recently traveled to Atlanta, GA for the annual NBS Convention capturing first place in the Society's prestigious “On-the-Spot” (OTS) competition. The OTS competition provides an opportunity for students to show off writing, performance and production skills. Bloomsburg’s contingent produced an NBS promo on deadline.

You can watch their production on the Bloomsburg NBS Chapter’s YouTube channel. This was the second consecutive year Bloomsburg won this particular competition, which includes submissions from dozens of schools nationwide. This year, NBS leadership was so impressed by the students’ work they may adopt the spot as the organization’s official promotional commercial.

In addition to honing their production skills, the students toured CNN and the set of the television show The Vampire Diaries and networked with students, professors and industry professionals. The mission of NBS is to enhance the development of college students preparing for careers in electronic media industries.

Mass Communications Alumna Reflects on BU Experience

Julie Gould '14

May 2014:  I woke up to rain hitting my window and my phone buzzing as my family was letting me know they were on their way, but all I could think about was graduation day. It was a day that I remember thinking about 4 years earlier when I entered Bloomsburg as a freshman, and thinking how far away it was in time, but in reality, college is the fastest four years of life. My time at Bloomsburg taught me a lot about myself and everyone around me; I’m glad I was able to spend my time with the College of Liberal Arts and graduate with a Journalism major and English Minor.

Within days of graduation, I was already moved out of my hometown of Hamilton, NJ, and moved in with my boyfriend in Newtown, PA. During winter break of my senior year, I began to apply for jobs and interview in hopes of landing something shortly after graduation. Well, needless to say … it worked! I walked across the stage on that rainy day May 10, a couple weeks later I received a job offer, and June 9 was my first day on the job.

Through a lengthy process of a phone interview, face-to-face interview, reference check and about a month wait-time, I was on the edge of my seat in anticipation waiting to hear if I got the job or not. I applied to work with a company, Vantage Labs (USA), LLC, as their Proposal Writer. Although it wasn't directly reporting much like Journalism is known to be, it was still a writing position that would use the skills I learned through the Mass Communications/Journalism and English departments.

The Mass Communications department at Bloomsburg was by my side for the entire journey. They were the ones who pushed me to go and apply early because they knew I had it in me to land a job quickly. Many fears ran through my mind because you go through school and hear things about how hard it is to find a job, but with the right support, anything can happen.

My journey doesn't end there; I have also applied and been accepted to many different contributing writer sites to have personal work published on different websites. Currently, I contribute to Elite Daily, Thought Catalog, Quirky Daily, and I even have a piece featured on USA Today College. I have been contacted through some of my articles to join other sites as well, and it is a rewarding feeling to know that out of the thousands of viewers reading my posts, it does make an impact on a few.

When I sat in my classrooms during my four years at Bloomsburg, I never thought I would be this far along in my life in such a short time after graduation. I have to thank the support of everyone around me while there at Bloomsburg because I wouldn’t have made it this far without them. Since graduation, I have also had the opportunity to come back to Bloomsburg and speak to an underclassmen lecture for professor, Dr. David Magolis. I was able to go back and share my personal experience with the students and also give them tips about what they should be doing, and what they will be doing in their future; it is important for them to learn these things now before it is too late down the road.

I left Bloomsburg Univeristy with the confidence that I can do and accomplish anything that stands in my way. I also left with many connections that I know will last a lifetime between professional connections through professors and also those of my peers. My biggest dream and aspiration is to publish a novel for young adults, and although I have submitted a manuscript for a children’s book, I hope to turn that into bigger things. I know that Bloomsburg is always there behind me, and I still have many professors and friends that I can turn to when needed.

- Julie Gould, Mass Communications Alumna ‘14

Dean's Salute to Excellence 2013

Recently the College of Liberal Arts recognized five individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the life and students of Bloomsburg University.

Their teaching, scholarly/creative work, service and leadership have improved campus culture and enhanced the visibility and reputation of the university nationally and internationally.

In 1998 Dean Hsien-Tung Liu established the Dean’s Salute to Excellence award to recognize distinction in the areas of teaching and professional responsibilities, scholarship, and service. Since then, the college has recognized a few select faculty members each year for their achievements, presenting them with a glass apple, a traditional symbol of teaching and learning.

This year the College continued this tradition, but with a twist. Because of the retirement of Bill Wise, the artist/alumnus who supplied these glass apples, awardees were presented hand-crafted maroon and gold pens in presentation boxes that read “Dean’s Salute to Excellence” on one side, and the recipient’s name on the other.

With the unanimous support of the College’s elected chairpersons, the final glass apple was awarded to the leader who as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences instituted the Dean’s Salute to Excellence and served as a tireless advocate for the college, its students, and its faculty during his fourteen-plus years as dean: Dr. Hsien-Tung Liu.

Dr. Richard Ganahl, Dr. Neal Slone, Dean Jim Brown, Professor Meredith Grimsley, Dr. Timothy Rumbough

Four current Liberal Arts faculty were also recognized:

Dr. Richard Ganahl is a senior member of the Department of Mass Communications who recently celebrated his 20 year anniversary at Bloomsburg University. His areas of specialization include New Media, Media Use, Advertising, and Public Relations. He is the co-editor of Webcasting Worldwide: Business Models of an Emerging Global Medium.

Dr. Ganahl is a popular and well-respected instructor. His student evaluation scores are consistently high, and his colleagues praise the effective blend of theory and practice in his courses as well as the extracurricular field experiences he and his students have organized, including fundraising campaigns in excess of $10,000 for local organizations. He speaks eloquently of his view of teaching, scholarship and service as manifestations of a unified overall enterprise, and he clearly conveys that worldview to the next generation of public relations professionals.

Dr. Ganahl is the founding faculty advisor of BU Now, a multimedia student-managed media blog site. He is also active in service to the broader community, serving on the school board at St. Joseph School in Danville, PA and on the planning committee for the Collegiate Media Summit hosted by Bloomsburg University in Fall 2012.

Professor Meredith Grimsley is a member of the Department of Art and Art History, where she teaches Fabric Design and 3D Design. Her work includes wearable art, installation, performance, two-dimensional and three dimensional forms. Her student evaluations are superlative, and she is an active member of the department, taking a lead role in assessment and other initiatives. Her annual PADME event—that’s Personal Adornment Day and Makeup Extravaganza—has become a Bloomsburg tradition.

In the five years since she was tenured, she has maintained a challenging agenda of scholarly growth, including five highly competitive and international solo or two-person exhibits.

Professor Grimsley has demonstrated great potential as a faculty leader at the department level as well as within the college and the university as a whole. She and her students are highly visible at our annual Taste of the Arts, helping young patrons create projects in a hands-on way that often involves blow-dryers. She organizes the department’s Lunch Bag Lecture Series and Review Week, and she’s active in the broader community as well.

Dr. Timothy Rumbough recently completed his twentieth year in the department of Communication Studies. He teaches a wide range of courses for the department, including the general education and core classes as well as courses like Communication in Relationships and Computer Applications for Professional Communicators. His research focuses on computer-mediated communication and the effects of technology like cell phones and the internet on interpersonal communication. He’s published articles in several respected journals, and his research has been featured in national and international media.

Dr. Rumbough’s student and peer evaluations are consistently exemplary, and he is known as a leader in the department who serves on and leads several departmental committees. He has also served very effectively as a summer chairperson and is known as a knowledgeable and effective advisor.
Dr. Rumbough has also been very active in APSCUF serving recently on a Meet and Discuss working group reviewing promotion policies and practices. His commitment to the department, the college, and the university can be held up as a model to his colleagues.

Dr. Neal Slone has also recently completed his twentieth year at Bloomsburg University in the department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice. He’s taught and advised in both the Criminal Justice and Sociology programs. He is a highly regarded instructor based on his student evaluations as well as the observations of his peers, who laud his passion for teaching and his natural rapport with students. One observer noted specifically his patience with students in Statistics. In one of his upper level courses students complete a research project where they develop and analyze a dataset in order to produce a scholarly paper.  Students who have gone on to grad school report that this experience has made them far more prepared than their peers from other institutions.

Perhaps Dr. Slone’s greatest strength is in the area of advising. He is an outstanding advisor who gets to know all of his advisees and offers the time, attention, and personalized advice they need.

In the area of scholarship, Dr. Slone has focused on projects that allow him to engage students in research, including a recent survey with a group of students that led to a local lawyer successfully arguing for a change of venue. He also worked closely with regional Criminal Justice professionals to help them develop an advisory board to help the region better collaborate.

The College of Liberal Arts is pleased to recognize these outstanding individuals!

Achievements

Mass Communications major Natalie Wagner is one of four students across the PA State System of Higher Education to receive one of the first William D. Greenlee Scholarships. Ms. Wagner, of Milton, is dual majoring in anthropology. Congratulations!

Anne Dyer Stuart, English Department, won the 2012 New South Prize Prize for her essay "Idiopathic." She received a $1000 award, and her essay will be published in the Fall 2012 issue of New South. She recently read from her novel at the KGB Bar in New York City as part of Columbia Faculty Selects. She also has poems forthcoming in Third Coast, Midway Journal, and Earth's Daughters. 

The BroadwayWorld Student Center recently featured the students and faculty of BU's Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance on its website, providing valuable national exposure. 

In April, Stephen Whitworth, department of English, delivered a paper on "Psychoanalysis and Teaching" at the Transitions and Transactions Conference at CUNY; he delivered another paper at Fordham in New York in April on Baroque poetry and psychosis at the annual conference of the Affiliated Psychoanalytic Workshops. Two of his articles on psychoanalysis are now featured at on the online journal of the Washington D.C. Lacanian Forum.