College of Information and Communications

2015 News Archive

Dr. Andrea Tanner named director of journalism school

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications has new leadership as Tanner is promoted from interim director to the top position.

PR Prose: How saying outrageous or provocative things can activate your full worth

Dr. Shannon Bowen discusses how exploring counter-ideas works to help understand rationales, boundaries, and why you believe something.

Creating for the community

Students working for Ezekiel Ministries had never before created a website in 24 hours, but the energy and passion flowing from teammates, mentors and the nonprofit organization seemed to make anything possible. This is CreateAthon@USC and it's the only reason college students would willingly stay at school for 24 hours straight.

Carolina's cross cultural convergence

Two journalism professors created and executed an innovative and culturally inclusive study abroad program in China that produced a number of culture-based multimedia projects while changing the perspectives of the students who participated.

Our greenhouse effect

Move over 30 Rock! The Kennedy Greenhouse Studio at USC features mass communications students broadcasting live and a hands-on production experience.

SAF announces winners in student advertising competition

Logos. Ads. Videos. Social media campaigns. The Student Ad Federation awarded $1,000 in prize money for student work in a variety of categories. See the winners!

SJMC professor debuts new book "Snatched"

Child abduction. It’s a crime that is often sensationalized by the media and one that terrifies most parents. For many it’s a hard subject to talk about, but for Leigh Moscowitz it’s the focus of her latest book.

Student-produced magazine wins industry awards

InterCom magazine, the student-produced alumni and donor magazine for the college, won three platinum awards, two gold awards and four honorable mentions in the 2015 MarCom Awards for two recent issues.

PR Prose: Thank goodness for Volkswagen. It reminded us of why ethics matter

Dr. Shannon Bowen discusses the culture of compliance in corporate America and why communication pros must look closely at the ethics of all decisions, including good will or intention.

School of Journalism honors accomplished alumni

What do a public relations aficionado, an entertainment marketing officer, a newspaper editor for the troops, a sports broadcast producer and a billion-dollar company's co-founder have in common? They all have a degree from the J-school.

PR Prose: The C-suite needs problem solvers, not cheerleaders

Dr. Shannon Bowen writes: "To earn your place at the table, in most cases, CEOs will not respect a yes-person. They would rather have someone with a spine in that seat."

J-school dedicates new home of new media

Forget the ribbon cutting! This building dedication featured a banner unveiling and a performance by alumni Darius Rucker and Mark Bryan in honor of the school’s long-awaited new location.

Photo of the Week: Sharing with a Prof

Advertising Professor Bonnie Drewniany is surprised with a very personalized gift from a former student.

Students apply classroom studies to summer internships

ESPN. Cosmopolitan Magazine. The Today Show. Ben Carson's political campaign. These are just a few of the places our students interned this summer. Here are their stories.

J-school ready to welcome students in new home

ColaDaily.com reports on the opening of the new building and features alumni response (including a little "friendly jealousy") to the facility, technology and the new view.

Students and faculty honored for outstanding research and teaching

Two USC faculty were recipients of the top faculty awards from the Mass Communication and Society Division of AEJMC, one of the largest and most active of AEJMC - the educational association of journalism and mass communication educators, students and media professionals.

A degree and an evening gown

Graduate student Anna Mills Polatty spends her free time studying, doing charity work and ... wearing a crown? Take a look at her adventure through the Miss America organization.

Journalism school moves to renovated Horseshoe building from Coliseum

Students and faculty will return to classrooms in August that have state-of-the art technology. The J-school's new home, in a renovated three-story building on the Horseshoe, will have an antiquated feature that students and professors likely will value as much as the new flatscreen TVs and iMAC computers — windows.

Giving a voice to the voiceless

Visual communications graduate Jaimie Falke Devita is using her talents to bring awareness to at-risk, inner-city high school students in Columbia, South Carolina.

Taking it with Tatge

In a class taught by Mark Tatge, you can expect finances, social media and colorful kazoos. Tatge is teaching while earning his doctorate through the Baldwin Business Fellowship.

Ten years of visual communications

The visual communications program began in 2004 with 35 students. A decade later, many of them are now alumni with established careers in the communications industry.

The road less traveled

A communications degree doesn't always lead to a corporate job. In Zachary Blankenship's case, it led him to Cambodia where he met a young boy who sparked a need for change.

The voice of civil rights

Take a look inside the 2015 Media and Civil Rights History Symposium, the only one of its kind in the country.

Giving back Gamecock style

Rosalyn Durant, a very busy vice president of college sports programming at ESPN, is always available to mentor students — especially when they are fellow Gamecocks.

Creating entrepreneurs

Senior instructor David Weintraub teaches students the ins and outs of entrepreneurship in his course, Freelancing for Creative Professionals.

Shared control is the future of PR

Social media is commonly studied by PR academics. Dr. Shannon Bowen discusses new research in a UofSC doctoral dissertation which focuses on the relationship variable of control mutuality, or shared control of policy and organizational decisions in social media.

Award-winning research and teaching recognized at symposium

Two doctoral students were awarded for their outstanding teaching and research at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications Doctoral Student Research Symposium.

Going out with the Coliseum

In 1985, Bon Jovi took to the Carolina Coliseum stage. In 1977, Strom Thurmond watched Elvis Presley play the Carolina Coliseum. And in 1968, Jim Haney was a teaching assistant, checking to make sure everyone in reporting class had carbon in their typewriters.

Where Matters

Where you learn it matters. So where you find the story might also be where you find the classroom.

Student-produced film shown at international festival

Hayden Antal co-produced a movie for the 2015 Campus MovieFest as a side project. Not only did it win top honors, it was selected to show at Cannes International Film Festival in France.

Start spreading the news

Not many college graduates land their dream job before their diploma is in hand but Chris Rosa's hard work at Carolina landed him that coveted gig. Just a few weeks after graduation, Rosa, a senior public relations major, will move to the Big Apple to work for VH1 as an entertainment writer.

PR students help promote science and mathematics on National Teacher Appreciation Day

Some teachers received a boost to their "cool" factor with a video parody of Beyonce's hit song "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)." The Carolina Agency, the student-run PR firm, served as creative consultants, onscreen talent, behind-the-scenes production assistants and social media promoters for the video released in support of science and math teaching.

Student-run firm wins 'Best of Show' at public relations awards

Competing against statewide public relations professionals, The Carolina Agency, brought home the top award for their #RideWithPride integrated marketing campaign to get Gamecock license plates approved in Virginia.

Student PR team to compete in national competition

Five seniors are heading to Chicago to compete as one of three finalist teams in a top national public relations campaigns competition. They'll be back on campus just in time to graduate.

What can bring PR professionals and academics together? Research

Renowned PR scholar Jim Grunig often said, "There's nothing as practical as a good theory." The insights gleaned from the International Public Relations Research Conference can prove him right.

Outstanding students honored for academics and involvement

Faculty from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications recognized student award recipients at the annual Honors and Awards Ceremony.

Coca-Cola creative team to claim the Cocky Award

Creators of the 60-second commercial whose call-to-action promoted online and world-wide positivity via the #MakeItHappy hastag will pick up their Cocky Award for the best Super Bowl ad of 2015.

Distinguished Black Power historian to present public lecture

Dr. Peniel Joseph, a national commentator on issues of race, democracy, and civil rights, will address the community on April 3 at Zion Baptist Church as part of the Media & Civil Rights History Symposium.

University of Leeds student wins USC's Farrar Award

Mark Joseph Walmsley's award-winning research focuses on how the process of news construction has affected understandings of the Civil Rights and Homophile Movements of the 1960s.

'The lesson of more'

The words of Carolina broadcast professor Richard Uray have stuck with Leeza Gibbons for nearly 40 years, teaching her the lesson of "more." The 1978 alumna recently won TV's "Celebrity Apprentice" and plans to use her prize money to renovate a home for families dealing with chronic illnesses or diseases.

Public relations students attend Real World Conference

Old school social networking, finding your niche and the rise of integrated marketing communications were just a few of the sessions available to students at the Real World Conference in Atlanta.

ESPN executive tackles the subject of football and brain injuries

The only thing more intense than America's passion for football may be the way it is played. But what happens to a player every time he's hit was the topic of the Baldwin Business and Financial Journalism Lecture.

Three student teams win Silver ADDYs for integrated campaigns

Students and faculty attending the AAF of the Midlands annual awards show strolled down the Yellow Brick Road during a Wizard of Oz themed event. Although they did not come home in a hot air balloon, they returned with some fancy hardware.

Broadcast journalism students attend RTDNA workshops

Twelve broadcast journalism students took park in the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas workshops in Charlotte - and one of them returned home with a scholarship.

Notes and press releases

Public relations student Anna Mathias communicates through writing and music. She performs with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and writes for, and edits, websites for other musicians.

ESPN executive to discuss football and brain injuries

Dwayne Bray will discuss the groundbreaking work the award-winning Outside the Lines program has done to document brain injuries in the multi-billion-dollar business of football.

Super Bowl, cool ads, pizza and 100 of your closest friends: Class offers credit for all

Class, clickers and commercials. It all 'Ads'up to one Cocky Award winner for the best Super Bowl Ad.

Who Matters

If the space around you reflects who you are, then Bonnie Drewniany's story is written all around her office.

JEA names Flowers teacher inspiration award recipient

The Journalism Education Association has named Karen Flowers its 2015 Linda S. Puntney Teacher Inspiration Award recipient for her actions and ability to inspire others to pursue scholastic journalism teaching and advising.

Life on the run

His job in communications for the Southland Conference in Dallas keeps alumnus Calhoun Hipp moving seven days a week.

Doing the right thing

Shannon Bowen's unique, quantitative analysis of media stories and press releases related to Toyota’s auto recall crisis shows the damage that failing to acknowledge ethical lapses in public relations communications might do to a company’s reputation and long-term financial health.

Alumna takes leading role promoting healthcare in South Carolina

At work and at play, Sara Lamberson utilizes her USC education. Alumna takes leading role promoting healthcare in South Carolina.

From the classroom to the newsroom

M.M.C. student Jennifer Blencowe credits her USC graduate education for helping her land her first job in a television newsroom.

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