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Witty and Smart, Meg Kissinger Inspires

11/2/2012

Meg Kissinger's "Imminent Danger" package inspired #loweclass via the Web as much as she did in the classroom.

It's always great when my students really enjoy a guest speaker's presentation. (Sharif Durhams, Mike Gousha, Eugene Kane, Mira Lowe and Sharon McGowan are among those who readily come to mind.) Well, rarely have I seen young people as inspired and enthralled as when reporter Meg Kissinger visited #loweclass to talk about her award-winning journalism career and her coverage of mental health for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Kissinger is in residence this academic year at the Diederich College of Communication and collaborating with Marquette University students as she pursues a series of investigative and explanatory stories focusing on mental health. My Digital Journalism II students had been assigned to review Kissinger's impressive "Imminent Danger" package for the Journal Sentinel – as well as these two stories: "Can Adult Siblings Connect When Mental Illness is Part of Mix" and "At Death's Door, But Living Life to the Fullest" – before her class visit on October 24.

Nearly all of the 16 students wrote their assigned weekly blog posts about what Kissinger revealed about her life, family and career while sitting at the conference table with them and chatting for more than an hour. "Let me just say this: I love Meg Kissinger," began the post by Monique Collins, one of three students who shared how mental health or a serious medical condition has touched their own families. "Meg Kissinger could have spoken to our class for another two hours and I don't think anyone in the room would have complained," Alexandra Whittaker wrote.

"What really struck me about Kissinger was her positive energy," Stephanie Graham offered. David Tukesbrey wrote in his post: "She's somebody that all journalists can aspire to be. When she sits down and talks to you, she looks you in the eye. Although she's a great journalist, more importantly she's a great person." Students also described Kissinger as vibrant, charming, witty, personable, funny, knowledgable, smart, hardworking and passionate.

Caitlin Miller echoed everyone in the class when she wrote that "I am really excited" about the course's final project – in which Kissinger and I aim to dispatch them as teams of two into Milwaukee County to interview people who impact or are impacted by mental health: advocate, family member, judge/court commissioner, nurse, patient, police officer, psychiatrist and social worker. The projects will be similar to those the class are producing for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service this fall. If all goes well, the Journal Sentinel will publish the mental health projects.

Enjoyed seeing @grahamcrackers being #inspired as @megkissinger1 discussed her #journalism career and mental health reporting in #loweclass.
— Herbert Lowe (@herbertlowe) October 26, 2012

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Three Students Focusing on a Career

10/31/2012

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I often say in #loweclass and elsewhere that there are two kinds of college students: those who want a grade and those who want a career. I'm so pleased that three of my students recently used key elements of their coursework – blogging and personal websites – to showcase their storytelling gifts after experiencing monumental circumstances. It's important to note that in each case the student did so without the work being assigned or garnering extra credit.

Unable to get back to Milwaukee from New York, where he had covered the Big East cross-country championship for the Marquette Tribune, sophomore Christopher Chavez posted "Stranded in New York: The Hurricane Sandy Story" on the website he created for my Digital Journalism II course this semester. "Yesterday afternoon," Chavez wrote, referring to Monday, "the streets in my neighborhood of Jackson Heights were dark and the wind was picking up. I did not step outside my home at all the entire day. I stayed in my room and had my laptop and phone plugged in at all times, so that when I lost power I would be ready to tackle the storm and stay connected."

On October 22, his classmate, Caitlin Miller, also a sophomore, posted "How My Typical Day at Work Changed in an Instant." Miller described how she and her co-workers in The Children's Place in the Brookfield Square Mall coped as authorities responded to the tragic shooting at the Azana Salon and Spa the day before. "I would have never imagined – and still cannot believe – (that) incidents like this could happen in the small suburban city I grew up in," she wrote. "It is still hard for me to grasp the fact that I was outside, right across the street, with the spa in plain view, when Radcliffe Haughton opened fire inside. Nothing prepares you for a situation like that."

On a happier note, Tess Quinlan, a junior who was in #loweclass #digital last semester, on October 14 posted "My Summer Turned Golden in London at 2012 Olympics." In a blog post that cannot help but inspire other aspiring journalists, Quinlan recalled the "incredible production experience" she gained while interning for NBC in the International Broadcast Centre during the Summer Games in England. "Whenever I talk about something that I accomplished while over there, I realize that it was not just my accomplishment, but one of a group of dedicated people that gave everything they had every day," she wrote. "Everyone I met at NBC genuinely cared about each other, but (also) wanted to create great television, a balance that can be very difficult to find."

Please take the time to read all three blog posts. Chavez, Miller and Quinlan won't get a grade for their efforts. But it's easy to see that they are serious about earning something much more lasting: a career. Warms my heart.

Props to @chris_j_chavez for writing a blog post on #Sandy while stranded in #NYC. bit.ly/Sd0mxy cc @herbertlowe He gets a gold star!
— Tess Quinlan (@TessQuinlan) October 31, 2012

He's getting a break @patrickkleary! @chris_j_chavez will get an excused absence if he fails to attend #loweclass #sports because of #sandy.
— Herbert Lowe (@herbertlowe) October 30, 2012

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Auburn Holds Fantastic "Journalism Day"

10/23/2012

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Dr. Adams and alumna Julie Clark McKinney confer with Plainsman editor Robert Lee during Auburn Journalism Day.

It's always exciting to attend a conference that helps prepare journalism students for the jobs and responsibilities awaiting them after graduation. It's just as nice to see lots of professionals and alumni taking the time to share career advice with aspiring journalists. I saw all of this and more at "Auburn Journalism Day" on Friday in Alabama.

Many of the estimated 150 majors in Auburn University's journalism program sat in on one or more of the 10 sessions held in the campus student center. Having only been to Alabama twice before – both times in Birmingham, once for a NABJ regional conference, the other for a wedding – I'm grateful that the program's director, Jennifer Wood Adams, invited me to sit on two panels and to attend its advisory council's meeting and luncheon.

A key component of Auburn Journalism Day: several panelists were Auburn alumni. Indeed, those who joined me on the multimedia storytelling panel – Julie Clark McKinney and Wes Sinor, both of al.com (the Web hub for the Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times and Mobile's Press-Register), and Maxwell Newfield, a production assistant at CNN Documentaries, have all graduated from Auburn within the past few years. "When you're doing broadcast, silence does just as much as talking does," Newfield told the audience while discussing interviewing.

McKinney – who admirably says she considers the live chats that her website does "my baby" – also joined me on the social media reporting panel, as did Anthony Cook, also of al.com, and Bill Barrow of The Associated Press. I loved hearing her share these wise words with the students: "If you are a journalist, you should be reading other journalists" and "you don't want to put anything out there that can come back to bite you. Just keep it professional."

Journalism Day ended with several professionals and alumni meeting with Editor Robert Lee and other staffers in the newsroom of The Auburn Plainsman. The pros spent an hour offering critiques and tips for the young journalists as Austin Phillips and Judy Riedl, the adviser and general manager, respectively, looked on happily. Congratulations to Dr. Adams and everyone else who helped produce the day's events. By all accounts, it was very worthwhile.

I've learned so much from @herbertlowe at #AUJDay! I'm now officially on @linkedin! Thanks!
— Hannah Crane (@hannahcrane5) October 19, 2012

SO impressed with the Auburn Journalism students that came out today. Hope I see some of them in NYC after graduation! #aujday
— Riley Tant (@rileytant) October 19, 2012

Had a great time at #AUJDAY. Any students who'd like some more advice, please don't hesitate to contact me
— Wesley Sinor (@WesleySinor) October 19, 2012

Fantastic #AUJDAY! Thanks to all who participated in the event. #WarEagle!
— Auburn Journalism (@AUJRNL) October 20, 2012

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Veteran Intern Offers Advice for Others

10/15/2012

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Journalism students at Marquette University and elsewhere are essentially running eight laps around the having-a-job-at-graduation track, with pit stops after the second, fourth and sixth intervals. The laps are, of course, semesters and the pit stops are summers between freshmen orientation and commencement. Any student serious about a career in journalism knows that newsroom internships are as important as campus media experience.

Marissa Evans, a senior in the Diederich College of Communication, has already interned on the metro or business desks at four newspapers: The Union-Tribune (San Diego), The Star Tribune (Minneapolis), Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Washington Post. To her credit, she has helped several of her friends and classmates by letting them know about opportunities and deadlines for internships and offering advice on cover letters and resumes.

Now, Evans, as they say, has gone national! The Poynter Institute on Friday published a wonderful and insightful article she wrote, "10 Steps Young Journalists Can Take to Get a Great Internship." The tips include starting to look now, sticking to the professional experience you want to have, keeping your (paid and unpaid) options open, having a Web presence (beyond social media) and, regardless of the outcome, find ways to practice journalism. I particularly like this tip: look locally and nationally. That may seem obvious to newsroom veterans and recruiters. But I am always surprised by the number of journalism students who are set on staying close to campus in the summer.

Actually, this is the second time a national journalism organization's website has published an article by Evans that offers advice for aspiring scribes. Check out "8 Reasons Student Journalists Should Consider Business Journalism" – she wrote it for the Reynolds Center (businessjournalism.org) in April.

Anyway, to those students and graduates still circling the track, I also recommend my blog post "Covering the Student Cover Letter," and these Poynter articles: Matt Thompson's "10 Ways to Make Your Journalism Job Application Better Than Anyone Else's" and Joe Grimm's "Your Job Application Shows Your Skills." Good luck.

Shout out to @marissaaevans on her first post for @poynter! Check it out, here: bit.ly/VZLQ1e
— MU Journalism Dept. (@mujournalism) October 12, 2012

@marissaaevans MARISSA YOU'RE ON POYNTER! Get it, girl!
— Kelsey Rolfe (@kelseypinkshoe) October 12, 2012

Check out the 10 steps @marissaaevans offers to young #journalists to get a great #internship: bit.ly/RCgcSd via @poynter. #YouGoGirl
— Erica Hernandez (@EricaAlyssa) October 14, 2012

Just turned in my #ChipsQuinnapplication! Thank you @marissaaevans for your @poynter article, it helped a lot in finalizing my submission.
— Amer Taleb (@taleb52) October 15, 2012

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Rolling Deep From Panel to Panel

10/11/2012

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@EmeraldIslePR photo: "... a wonderful, insightful day at the @prsmsummit! Thank you to all of the great speakers!"

I had the pleasure of joining three journalists for a wonderful panel discussion at the PR+Social Media Summit yesterday at Marquette University. Nearly 250 people looked on as Sharif Durhams of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kathryn Janicek of WMAQ-TV (Chicago), Andy Tarnoff on OnMilwaukee.com and I generally agreed that social media presents interesting opportunities and challenges for journalists and news consumers.

Major kudos to everyone who helped produce the summit. Nearly 500 people registered for the one-day conference that focused on the convergence of strategic communications and social media. The Diederich College of Communication designed the event for senior executives, marketing and public relations professionals, brand managers, students and leaders and proceeds benefit a scholarship fund for the college's students.

I'm still in awe from having witnessed 250 people seem transfixed during Gee Ekachai's impressive 40-minute, multimedia presentation, "Visual storytelling: How Instagram's become a new social media superstar." Check it out via Slideshare and pay particular attention to the awesome YouTube video about Instagram near the end. (Here's a related blog post about the summit from Tara Vandygriff, a senior public relations student.)

Many thanks to the summit's organizers for allowing my Digital Journalism II students (#loweclass #digital) to attend and live tweet the session, "Corruption of Social Media Discourse: What You Need to Know. Why You Should Care," by David Kamerer, an assistant professor at the Loyola University Chicago School of Communication.

People on campus then saw me rolling deep as #loweclass #digital walked from Alumni Memorial Union to Cudahy Hall to join students from one of my journalism seminar courses (#loweclass #sports) for a panel session titled "Want to Know What it Takes to Make It In Pro Sports?" Sponsored by the university's Circles eMentor Network, the panelists included Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond and Gord Ash and John H. Steinmiller, assistant general manager and media relations manager, respectively, for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Both classes were assigned to live tweet that discussion, too. By then #loweclass digital was into its second hour of constantly adding to the Twitterverse – and there were rumblings of being held hostage. I cannot win. Some of them moan and groan about spending 3 hours and 40 minutes with me in class each Wednesday. So instead I take them on two field trips and ask them to do a little journalism while there – and they still complain. Students!

Clarity, consistency, accuracy, authority -- BOOM, @herbertlowe hitting the nail on the head about social media. #PRSMS
— tara vandygriff (@tvandygriff) October 10, 2012

@herbertlowe rocking the #prsms panel on news and social media.instagr.am/p/QnQrqvJAuY/
— Joshua Arter (@Jarters) October 10, 2012

I've come to the conclusion that @herbertlowe must have kidnapped the #Digital #LoweClass class & is forcing them to tweet their lives away.
— Brynne Ramella (@brynneramella) October 10, 2012

#rollingdeep @marquetteu MT “@tessquinlan: While taking a break from studying, I spy #loweclass returning from #prsms! twitter.com/TessQuinlan/st…”
— Herbert Lowe (@herbertlowe) October 11, 2012

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Editor, Class Focus on NNS Success

9/27/2012

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The news service's home page proudly features headlines and weblinks to its Murrow award and Knight grant.

"Stop typing! Look at me!" The 16 #loweclass #digital students had been live tweeting nuggets from Sharon McGowan's accounting of the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service's origin, mission and success as she met with the class recently. McGowan demanded their full attention as she stressed the following: "Don't think that you can know multimedia and not have to write. Trust me – because everybody has to know how to write."

This is the third semester the news service and my JOUR 1550 students will team to pursue community journalism in Milwaukee. Based on the successes and lessons learned from the first time in fall 2011, students from last semester's class said they found their NNS projects to be among their biggest learning experiences.

As editor and project director, McGowan also noted that the news service has earned national recognition and support. It includes a regional Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association, and a $192,000 two-year grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, matched by grants from two Milwaukee foundations. The grants will allow NNS to expand its coverage area to 12 more local neighborhoods, she said.

McGowan had the class watch and discuss a compelling NNS multimedia package about young mothers organizing to create children's activities on Milwaukee's North Side. "What makes it a good story?" McGowan asked. Student Alexandra Whittaker replied, "Even if I don't know their story, I can understand where (they're) coming from." The editor agreed and added, "The reason I like this story is because it exemplifies the kind of story we want to do."

Another student, Monique Collins, is interning at the news service this semester. "This is the best thing," she told her classmates. "I have lived in Milwaukee my whole life and I have learned so much (about it) I didn't know." That led McGowan to say her job allows her "to do everything I love and all in one place" – teaching and editing.

Each student afterward wrote a blog post about McGowan's visit and the news service. Several reported being excited for the chance to move outside their comfort zone. "I can't wait to find out what our assignments will be," Stephanie Graham wrote. "I think everyone can benefit from these projects, since we'll get some experience doing journalism in Milwaukee, rather than confining ourselves to news on campus and downtown."

Those eight team assignments will come from among the additional neighborhoods the news service is now covering. I will, of course, reveal toward the semester's end how it all goes.

Even though @milwaukeenns does a great job of reporting, organizations are their sources, not partners #loweclass #digital
— Jacob Born (@Jacob_Born) September 19, 2012

"I started something that I hoped would live longer than me": @sharonmcgowan_ on the news service. #loweclass #digital
— Casby Bias (@casbias) September 19, 2012

"Our model is to be a professional and balanced news organization." - @sharonmcgowan_ on @milwaukeenns #loweclass #digital
— David Tukesbrey(@DavidTukesbrey) September 19, 2012

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Article on Standing Out Stands Out

9/13/2012

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A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about how to make your twesume count, referring, of course, to the 160 characters (maximum) that comprise one's Twitter bio. After that post became one of the most visited pages yet on this website, Poynter.org accepted my offer to expand on the topic for its site's How To's and journalism education sections. "How to Write a Twitter Bio That'll Make You Stand Out as a Journalist" debuted there last week.

I crafted the article so it featured several tips for creating a great #twesume. They include start with the basics, show that you can write, always consider your audience, use relevant Twitter handles and hashtags, show a little of your personality, don't distract from your goal, have some place else for them to go and keep it updated. The article also includes great twesume examples from Erika Glover (@ErikaJGlover), Daniel Jimenez (@DMJreports), Taylor Shaw (@TaylorShaw_427), Eva Sotomayor (@sotomayoreva) and Brianna Stubler (@BriStubler).

I figured the article would resonate among journalism students and educators. It is about Twitter, after all. However, the response far exceeded my expectations. Indeed, the piece earned more than double the amount of tweets from its Poynter.org page than happened for my previous best-received article for them, about showing journalism educators how to teach students to live tweet campus events. At last look, this new offering has nearly 600 tweets!

A note about the headline: I definitely like it. But I think another reason the piece got so many retweets is because it doesn't just apply to journalists. The title could easily be "How to Write a Twitter Bio That'll Make You Stand Out."

Anyway, not everyone liked everything about the article. Many objected to the term twesume. Why? I'm not exactly sure. None of the dissenters in the comments section made an argument against the term that I can remember now. No matter. The point is we should take every opportunity to use those 160 characters to present our best self. Call it a twesume. Call it a Twitter bio. I don't care. Just use it so someone with a job will want to call you for an interview.

Fun piece on how to write a twesume (aka Twitter resume) that'll make you stand out as a journo: bit.ly/RIg3yP @herbertlowe explains.
— Mallary Tenore(@mallarytenore) September 7, 2012

#COM135 students new to Twitter--here's a must read by @herbertlowe poynter.org/how-tos/journa… thanks @itsapopod for the heads up!
— Intro to Journalism (@lujournalism) September 8, 2012

@herbertlowe for all that is good and holy, please don't write the word "twesume."
— The real Jon Brodkin (@JBrodkin) September 9, 2012

I just read an informative article on how to create a distinctive Twitter bio by @herbertlowe. I pass the test. Do you? tinyurl.com/9qhczmh
— A DuB (@JusADuB) September 11, 2012

How to write a Twitter bio that’ll make you stand out as a journalist by @herbertlowe poynter.org/how-tos/journa…” #twesume
— NABJ_Marquette U (@NABJ_MarquetteU) September 12, 2012

How to write a Twitter bio that’ll make you stand out as a journalist by @herbertlowe poynter.org/how-tos/journa…
— journalism festival (@journalismfest) September 11, 2012

#FF #loweclass students w/nice #twesumes: @moniquekcollins @alexawhittaker @marissaaevans @grahamcrackers @jacob_born poynter.org/how-tos/journa…
— Herbert Lowe (@herbertlowe) September 14, 2012

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Hoping JOUR 1550 is Again a Blast!

9/6/2012

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Click on the image to visit this semester's JOUR 1550 class page and for quick access to each student's digital portfolio.

This is my fourth time teaching Digital Journalism II (JOUR 1550) in the Diederich College of Communication – and it's become my favorite course. It's the one in which most of my students begin to see themselves as journalists.

Take Brynne Ramella, for example. I loved how she – without prompting from her instructor – crafted a stellar blog post, "The Dark Underbelly of Comedy," about her experience last semester with what's now a course staple: the "One at Marquette" package based on The New York Times' "One in 8 Million" collection. In a subsequent blog post, "Looking Back and Moving Forward," Ramella wrote: "Thanks to everyone who's been involved in the project, listened to my complaints or listened to me gush about my successes with 'One at Marquette.' It's been a blast!"

JOUR 1550's objectives remain the same: producing digital news stories using text, images and audio; focusing on key industry trends, technologies and multimedia reporting techniques; working alone and or as teammates to create journalism for the Web, and using social media to build a following and "brand" as a digital journalist. The course textbook is the second edition of "Aim For The Heart: Write, Shoot, Report and Produce for TV and Multimedia."

Once again, each of the 16 students this semester will pursue a Digital Journalism Basics certificate from the Poynter Institute's News University; write a weekly blog post related to their assigned news media website; produce a Storify from each of two campus events they will live tweet; and partner with a classmate to produce a multimedia package about a local nonprofit organization and assigned by the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. The students might also get to work on projects that would be published on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's website.

As in my two journalism seminar courses this semester – one on sports, the other on campaigns and elections – the JOUR 1550 students will share their coursework on their respective digital portfolios created via Weebly.com. These portfolios can be accessed collectively from the same webpage here. Check their progress often.

Diversity should go beyond the obvious. It is important to have a diverse pool of interviewees in every story #loweclass #digital
— Alexandra Whittaker (@AlexaWhittaker) August 30, 2012

I never knew about the rule of thirds in photography. So that's something I learned in #loweclass #digital.
— Ben Greene (@BenSGreene) August 30, 2012

When taking photographs you should zoom with the camera, not your body. #loweclass #digital
— Caitlin Miller (@caitlin_mmiller) August 30, 2012

I received some great constructive criticism on my blog from classmates today. I will be working on the corrections! #loweclass #digital
— Courtney P. (@CPerry28_) September 6, 2012

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Sports Fan Aims for Worthwhile Course

9/5/2012

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Click on the image to visit the "Outside the Lines" class page and for quick access to each student's digital portfolio.

For the fourth time in my six semesters as a faculty member, I am teaching a new course. It's another journalism seminar called "Outside the Lines: How the Media Report on Amateur and Professional Sports." Disclosing here that I didn't cover athletics full time during my newspaper reporting career. But as a lifelong fan of sports in general, and Philadelphia teams – Phillies! Sixers! Eagles! – in particular, definitely aiming for a worthwhile course.

The course objectives include learning the basics of media coverage of sports on the high school, college and professional levels; developing critical thinking skills about issues and dynamics impacting and caused by sports; gathering and curating social media to tell and present stories about sports and athletes, and evaluating how these highly paid performers use the media to shape their public persona and legacies.

The 10 students will also discuss sports journalists' ethical obligations and the business implications that technology brings to the media's coverage of sports. They also will develop a blog with regular posts that analyze a topic or task assigned by me, and take stock of their respective news media website's sports coverage.

Each student will do two Storifys demonstrating their capacity for live tweeting. They will also each research and write a 1,500-word analysis on social media and sports journalism; and do likewise related to media coverage of a sports-related issue of their choice as well as offer a 15-minute presentation on the matter in class.

Here are the issues the students chose: cheerleading, concussions in hockey, track and field between Olympics, double standards related to male and female sports journalists, compensation for college athletes, the black quarterback, the Miami Heat's "Big Three," fantasy sports, sports scandals and paralyzing injuries in football.

The course textbook is "Field Guide to Covering Sports," by Joe Gisondi, who has a fantastic blog, "Sports Field Guide: Tips and Suggestions for Covering Sports." The course will also take advantage of helpful and relevant modules offered by the Poynter Institute's News University, including "Introduction to Sports Reporting." Here's hoping my misguided students rooting for the Jets, Packers, Raiders, Rams, Seahawks and Titans enjoy the course – even as they scheme for seats on the Eagles' bandwagon as my team moves toward Super Bowl XLVI.

Today I discovered that I will be covering The Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper, how exciting! #LoweClass #Sports
— Kevon Albright (@KevonAlbright) August 30, 2012

Avoiding widows and orphans help improve your writing. Keep it short and concise. Thanks for the Weebly tip @herbertlowe. #loweclass #sports
— Ryan Ellerbusch (@RyanEllerbusch) September 4, 2012

I learned @herbertlowe is way too confident in the Eagles in #loweclass #sports
— Michael LoCicero (@michaellocicero) September 6, 2012

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Acquainted Group to Study Election Coverage

9/4/2012

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Alec Brooks

Joseph Kvartunas

Melanie Lawder

Brynne Ramella

Alex Rydin

Click on each student's image to visit his or her blog for this semester's #loweclass #elections (JOUR 4932) course.

I am again teaching a journalism seminar course that focuses on how the media report on political campaigns and local, state and national elections. Last semester, I taught the class with a Diederich College of Communication colleague, James Scotton, and we had 12 students. This time, I'm on my own and have just five students. I had hoped for more given the focus this fall on the general election between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, instead of the lackluster GOP primaries last semester. Then again, this is the third time each of the five have had me for a teacher at Marquette University, so we are all well acquainted.

The course objectives are much the same as last time. They include developing a journalistic blog that offers fair and balanced commentary about media coverage, gathering and curating social media to tell and present stories about campaigns and elections; and analyzing how candidates use the media – and money – to shape their campaign messages. There's no course textbooks this time. However, I have negotiated with the Poynter Institute's News University to provide the students with access to some interesting and relevant course modules. They will include "Reporting on Religion and Political Candidates," "Social Media and Your 2012 Election Coverage," "Political Fact-Checking: Tips and Tricks for the 2012 Election" and "How to Work With Campaign Finance Data."

The students have individually chosen to monitor election news coverage from CNN, NBC News, Politico, The New York Times or The Washington Post as weekly beat assignments. They have also each picked a U.S. Senate race – in either Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri or Ohio – from which to analyze in a 1,500-word paper and to make a 15-minute class presentation. They will also similarly analyze and offer a presentation on one of these traditional campaign concerns: abortion, education, family values/civil unions, health care and homeland security.

I hope to again present relevant guest speakers. Last semester's group greeted, among others, Sharif Durhams, Mike Gousha, Charles Franklin and Eugene Kane. Also proud to say that a student from the spring, Tessa Fox, used the course as a springboard for a wonderful opportunity with The Washington Post.

Finally, this semester's class schedule better matches when "On the Issues with Mike Gousha" – the public affairs program that brings newsmakers and policy shapers to campus – is held at Marquette's law school. My students are excited to get to witness and live tweet from the "On the Issues" event featuring former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) on October 4, the morning after the first presidential debate between Obama and Romney. So am I.

Three semesters in a row of #LoweClass with @mel_lawder, @joekvartunas and @alexrydin. #champs
— Brynne Ramella (@brynneramella) August 28, 2012

What's the relationship between #journalism & political campaigns? Find out by reading my new blog post for #loweclass. melanielawder.weebly.com/jour-4932.html
— Melanie Lawder (@mel_lawder) August 30, 2012

Today in #loweclass we learned that journalists always have to watch what they say, even when they think no one is listening.
— Alex Rydin (@alexrydin) August 30, 2012

@joekvartunas nice assignment. let us know if you need anything specific
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 30, 2012

Today's #elections #loweclass centered around the representation of women and minorities as presidential debate moderators.
— Alec Brooks (@alecbrooks) September 4, 2012

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Witty and Smart, Meg Kissinger Inspires

Three Students Focusing on a Career

Auburn Holds Fantastic "Journalism Day"

Veteran Intern Offers Advice for Others

Rolling Deep From Panel to Panel

Editor, Class Focus on NNS Success

Article on Standing Out Stands Out

Hoping JOUR 1550 is Again a Blast!

Sports Fan Aims for Worthwhile Course

Acquainted Group to Study Election Coverage

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