Friday, June 24, 2005

Another award! 15 Olympics interns! Can you *stand* it?

I know, I know: it happens ALL the time. But I never get tired of hearing -- once again -- that the rest of the world recognizes that Park students really are exceptional.

This week, it happened twice -- TWICE!

First, the Park School's independent magazine, Buzzsaw Haircut, won two national awards for excellence from the Independent Press Association. The IPA's Campus Journalism awards reward excellence in socially engaged journalism and recognize the contributions of student publishers and journalists to free thought within their campus communities.

Buzzsaw Haircut was named the Best Independent Campus Publication with a Budget under $10,000 for 2005, and its editors won first place for political commentary.

Judges of the competition had this to say about the winners in general:

This year¹s winners are notable for their dedication to strong, fearless reporting. They use research to draw connections between campus activities and the welfare of their surrounding communities, between students¹ daily lives and national political debates. They uncover the histories of political movements on their campuses, and they make humorous and scathing critiques of culture and politics. Most importantly, they do the kind of well-researched and straightforward reporting that is sorely lacking in professional journalism today.

And here's what they had to say about Buzzsaw Haircut:

This creatively designed news magazine offers an impressive blend of national and community-centered reporting. Always based in a foundation of well-researched investigative reporting, Buzzsaw Haircut¹s inventive articles bring political questions to their readers in surprising and sophisticated terms. With their blend of irreverence and hard-hitting
journalism, Buzzsaw Haircut manages to maintain high editorial standards without compromising a certain raw-edged sensibility.

The Political Commentary award went specifically to editors Kate Sheppard, Matthew Corely and Jeremy Levine, for their two-part story on right-wing political strategies. Here's what the judges had to say:

"Conservative Activism?" & "Scary, Yes. But Winning" In the first section part of this two-part meditation on right-wing political strategies, three Buzzsaw Haircut editors candidly recall their frightening and hilarious experience of going "undercover" at the 2004 Conservative Political Action Conference. Their vibrant, impressionistic style brings a much needed dose of originality and wit to a hot political issue. A second, more conventional editorial examines their personal experiences at the conference against a national context in terms that are circumspect and concise.

Congratulations to Kete, Matt, and Jeremy -- and to the rest of the Buzzsaw Haircut staff -- for these well-deserved awards. And thanks for your important contribution to public discourse and debate on the Ithaca College campus. It wouldn't be as dynamic, committed or engaged without you.


Second, we were informed this week that FIFTEEN Park students and one Sports Media Management student have been selected to work as interns for NBC Sports at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy. Park was one of only five schools across the country where interns were recruited, and it was the communications school from which the greatest number of interns were chosen. Congratulations to all of you who are headed to Italy in January! What an adventure!

Monday, June 13, 2005

ICTV wins again!

This just in:

"The board members of the New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association
have judged the colleged competition entries. Your
station won a first place award for best regularly scheduled news
program and a special mention for best news story (Kelly McPherson)."

The Associated Press knows quality when it sees it! Congratulations to the entire staff of ICTV, and to its fearless leader, Eloise Green, for yet another recognition of its excellence.

Hurrah!

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Our sincere thanks...

Greetings,

I just got the total from our Development Office for this year's contributions to the Park School's Ithaca Fund. Our alumni and friends contributed more than $60,000 over the past ten months -- an extraordinary showing of support and enthusiasm for Park and what it means to so many of you.

As I've said before, the funds will be used this summer to install wireless Internet access throughout the school, making Park the first academic building on campus to go completely wireless. It's an essential step in a much larger technology plan that will ensure that we remain in the top tier of communications schools nationwide. And we couldn't do it without your help.

Thanks to you all; your generosity and ongoing support for the school and its initiatives make all the difference.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

What an honor -- in duplicate!

It was an amazing honor that one of the Park School's graduates had been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study and teach abroad. It still is.

But what is even MORE amazing is that TWO Park School grads were awarded Fulbrights this year. In addition to Janet Williams' award, already reported here, Landon Van Soest (C&P, 2004) will leave his job at the Sundance Channel this fall and
return to Kenya, where he spent a semester abroad. He plans to produce a documentary on the subject of Lake Victoria and the lingering effects of colonialization on the African people and their environment.

Congratulations to Janet AND to Landon. Are we proud of our fellow Parkies, or WHAT?!?