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All Star Sisters and Teammates

Twins Britny and Whitny Edwards excel on the basketball court and in the classroom

By Gretchen Lindsay, School of Communication Intern Spring ’13

Growing up, twins Britny and Whitny Edwards were surrounded by the love of basketball and East Carolina University.

Their father, Theodore ‘Blue’ Edwards, played basketball for ECU and went on to play in the NBA for several teams such as the Utah Jazz and the Boston Celtics.  Both girls have played basketball all their lives and now play for ECU. Both are also working on master’s degrees in health communication.

Before attending ECU, Britny and Whitny played basketball for the University of Virginia and received their bachelor’s degrees in English. Both girls graduated from UVa early and returned to North Carolina to attend graduate school.

Coming to East Carolina for graduate school to study health communication seemed like the natural choice for both girls.

“I chose the university because I always wanted to come back and play in my home state,” Whitny says. “I was comfortable with ECU because my parents went here and our family had lived in Greenville briefly while Britny and I were younger.”

The twins have always loved the opportunity to play on the same team.

“It’s amazing to play basketball with my sister,” Britny says. “I do everything with my sister. If we didn’t play basketball together it would not be as fun.”

The girls have played basketball for several teams. Britny’s positions are power forward and center while Whitny is the small forward. Their years spent playing basketball have taught them a lot.

Whitny says that being on a team has taught her to be goal oriented, competitive, a team player, resilient and a leader. Their coach, Heather Macy, has been a big influence on both girls.

“She believes in us and reminds us to have total confidence in our abilities and our team,” the twins explained.

“The girls have high character,” Macy says. “They are fun to be around and fun to coach.”

The twins have made an impact on people in the athletic world with their friendly demeanors but they have had the same impact in the classroom.

“Britny and Whitny are fabulous student athletes,” said Dr. Kris Kirschbaum. “Really and truly, they are the epitome of hard-working, conscientious, and engaged in classes. Even though they had demanding practice and game schedules, they were always on top of class work, and a delight to have in class!”

Both girls hope to get the chance to go overseas and play professional basketball after they receive their master’s degrees. They also are looking forward to the opportunities that health communication provides. Their likeable personalities and goal-oriented mentalities will take them far after graduation.

No matter where life takes them, it’s clear that they will never be too far apart and North Carolina will always be their home.

School of Communication professor honored for excellence in service-learning

North Carolina Campus Compact, a coalition of 38 public and private colleges and universities, has named an East Carolina University professor as the recipient of the 2013 Robert L. Sigmon Service-Learning Award.

Dr. Rebecca Dumlao, an associate professor in ECU’s School of Communication, is the first from ECU to receive the award.

The Sigmon Award recognizes a faculty member for significant contributions to the practice of service-learning, a teaching strategy that links community service to classroom study and reflection. The award is named for North Carolina native Robert Sigmon, who helped pioneer the approach in the 1970s.

“I believe that service-learning is one of the most important ways we can equip students to be leaders and actively engaged as citizens in their communities after they graduate,” Dumlao said. Students pair academic coursework with community-based experiences, and articulate what they learn. “It’s a way to bring student service and community engagement into the classroom,” she said. [ FULL STORY ]

Film screening, panel focused on women in media

The East Carolina University School of Communication will hosted a free screening of the award-winning documentary “Miss Representation” at 6 p.m. Feb. 19 in Hendrix Theatre. A reception and panel discussion  followed.

The film, an official selection of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, examined how women are portrayed in the media, offering surprising evidence that women are still facing unfortunate odds even in modern society.

Dinecia Gates, academic advisor for the School of Communication, spearheaded efforts to bring the film to ECU. The film “addresses the impact media has on perceptions of women in America,” she said. That includes women in leadership and high profile positions.

“This film is both exciting and relevant in a day and age where media has a tremendous, yet often undetected, impact on our day to day lives and perceptions,” Gates said.

A panel discussion after the screening included ECU professors Todd Fraley, School of Communication; Christine Avenarious, Department of Anthropology; Marieke Van Willigen, Women’s Studies Program; and Amanda Klein, Department of English, Film Studies.

Outstanding Senior at Graduate Recognition Ceremony Announced

Kaitlin Wiggins was named Outstanding Senior at the School of Communication Graduate Recognition Ceremony Dec. 14 in Wright Auditorium. Congratulations to Kaitlin and to all of our 2012 graduates!

School of Communication Welcomes Fall 2012 Graduate Recognition Ceremony Speaker

The 21st century has ushered in new jobs and fields that previous generations might not have imagined. Not only can you achieve academic success through online learning, but those online skills may open-up meaningful professional careers. This year’s School of Communication fall 2012 recognition ceremony speaker, Lori Reed, knows all about that. As an ECU distance education student, Reed graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from the School of Communication in 2011. Currently, she is the Customer Experience Coordinator for Novelist, a division of EBSCO Publishing where she oversees support training and customer service for libraries worldwide. Reed is the coauthor of Workplace Learning & Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainer. In 2009, Library Journal named Reed a “Mover & Shaker” for the work she has done to promote lifelong learning in libraries.

Although Reed never set foot on campus, she still felt connected. “The online community created by professors and students provided me just as much support as I would have received as an on campus student. I appreciated working on collaborative projects with students who were located all over the world,” Reed said. As a recent graduate, Reed encourages students to network. “Networking is more than just having a lot of friends on Facebook! You need to make professional connections with others who work in the same field you wish to work in,” Reed stated. By making professional connections online, students open themselves up to a virtual world of opportunities. Often, Reed said, jobs are filled online before ever being posted. Posting meaningful content through professional associations can boost students’ chances to make solid professional connections.

The School of Communication’s fall 2012 graduates participated in commencement on Dec. 14, 2012 in Wright Auditorium.

Fall 2012 Graduation Recognition Ceremony Photos

View photos from our Fall 2012 Graduate Recognition Ceremony. To save a photo, click it first to enlarge, then right-click/control-click and save the photo to your computer.

Pirate Alum Soaring in Germany

Like a lot of basketball fans, Joel Banjo-Johnson was looking forward to the opening tipoff of the NCAA basketball season Nov. 9 when UCONN and Michigan State faced off at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany. She was looking forward to it more than most however, as this 2009 East Carolina University Magna Cum Laude graduate, assisted with the planning of the game.

The game aired live on ESPN and ESPN2. Banjo-Johnson, currently the acting Chief of Public Affairs at the base, said it took five months to plan but the event was a success. She is pictured here, about an hour before Sports Center was going to air live.

“I definitely had a lot of fun and all the interviews and coverage turned out well. Everyone learned a little about what we do at Ramstein Air Base,” Banjo-Johnson said. “I’m grateful for these different experiences. I’m completely exhausted afterward but excited as it’s going on. I learned a lot about production behind the scenes and programming.”

Banjo-Johnson said now that her major is deployed she has taken over the position. “I now am the Chief of Public Affairs for the largest wing in the entire Air Force. It's certainly a challenge but I’m doing well. Hope all is well in Pirate country!"

SOC Hosts Successful High School Media Workshop   

Nearly 300 students from 20 North Carolina high schools converged on the ECU campus Oct. 25 for the Fifth Annual High School Media Workshop. Students participated in a variety of workshops addressing media basics like news reporting and writing, as well as other areas like online publishing, yearbook design trends, sports marketing and social media. This year, students also had the opportunity to see the new multiplatform newsroom and studio in the School of Communication, located in Joyner East.

Robin Bronk, CEO of The Creative Coalition, keynoted the event with a presentation in Hendrix Theatre. As head of the nation’s top arts and entertainment advocacy group, Bronk has created partnerships with leading independent film producers and distributors that address national and global issues.

Professionals from news and publishing organizations such as PURPLE! Magazine, WITN-TV, WTVD-TV, WNCT-TV, PIRATE Radio, as well as ECU School of Communication faculty, hosted breakout sessions throughout the day. Caitlin Hunnicut, editor of The East Carolinian gave the closing presentation, “Getting the Scoop: Life as a College Journalism Student.

The ECU School of Communication presented the workshop in conjunction with the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association.

ECU Soccer goalie and aspiring broadcast journalist plays well on both fields

Christiane Cordero, a senior communication major and ECU women’s soccer goalie, gives her all on and off the field. Recently, East magazine spent time in Cordero’s world, including class, training, team practice, and the women’s soccer game against ODU. Cordero, a student-athlete with 3.34 GPA, earned a spot on the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll as well as the ECU Director of Athletics Honor Roll. Several weeks ago, Cordero was named First Team All-Conference USA for her impeccable athleticism. In addition, Cordero interned with CNN in Atlanta this past summer as Kyra Phillips’ personal assistant. To read more, visit: http://www.ecu.edu/news/cordero1.cfm

School of Communication Going Global: Poland program to begin summer 2013

This summer, Dr. Linda Kean, Director of the School of Communication, traveled to Krosno State College in Poland for a two-week summit on migration and narration, making connections with other professors from around the world. Another focus of her visit was to learn about educational opportunities in Poland as the School of Communication develops a partnership of team-taught courses utilizing the global classroom, as well as creating a new summer study abroad program.

Kean spent her time primarily at Krosno State College in Krosno, but also visited Jagiellonian University in Krakow. These two universities, plus a site in Slovakia, have been chosen for the study abroad program in summer 2013. Both institutions offer courses and degrees of study in English and Communication, but each has its own respective atmosphere. Students who participate in the summer program will have the opportunity to compare their experiences in the United States with students from other countries and have the chance to become familiar with two diverse regions of Poland. Both undergraduate and graduate students can apply for the program. [ FULL STORY ] [ Download Brochure and Application ]

2012 Visiting Scholar: Robin Bronk, CEO of The Creative Coalition

The School of Communication recently welcomed Robin Bronk, CEO of The Creative Coalition, as its fall 2012 Visiting Scholar.

Bronk was in Greenville from Oct. 23 – 26 as a guest of the School of Communication. She served as the keynote speaker for the School’s Annual High School Media Workshop on Oct. 25, as well as a guest presenter in select public relations classes. Bronk also spoke at a community event at Emerge Art Gallery in Greenville on Oct. 25.

Robin Bronk is Chief Executive Officer of The Creative Coalition--the leading national, nonprofit, nonpartisan social and public advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment industry. As CEO, Bronk is dedicated to educating, mobilizing, and activating the entertainment industry and arts community on issues of public importance, particularly the First Amendment, arts advocacy, arts in education, and media literacy. Since being appointed to the position in April 2010, she has exponentially grown The Creative Coalition’s operating budget by designing and instituting corporate sponsorship programs and cause marketing opportunities.

To learn more about Robin Bronk and The Creative Coalition, visit www.thecreativecoalition.org

Outstanding alum returns to classroom, addresses special interest reporting

Carlton Purvis, December 2009 Outstanding School of Communication graduate, returned to ECU in September to speak to Dr. Cindy Elmore’s Feature Writing and Basic Reporting students.

After graduation, Carlton worked as a multimedia journalist for The Morning News in Florence, S.C., before making the move to Security Management Magazine, based in Alexandria, Va., where he is assistant editor and web editor.  Today, he does special interest reporting involving the regular, sustained use of data and FOIA requests, primarily focused on biosecurity, bioterrorism and health-related security topics.

“One of the reasons I wanted him to come was because I think a lot of journalism students do not realize the great journalism that can be done at specialty publications,” related Elmore.

Fulbright Scholar Reflects on Unique Experience in Berlin

Studying abroad and traveling the world are things many students dream of doing, but the opportunity is not always available. However, when it is, the School of Communication and its faculty are there to help students seize it. Senior English major Rachel Castro experienced this first-hand when she received a Fulbright Scholarship to Berlin, Germany in December. Castro is shown here at the East Side Gallery, located in central Berlin. It is the largest open-air gallery in the world. In 1990, artists from around the world transformed this portion of the once untouchable Berlin Wall into an international memorial for freedom. 

[ FULL STORY ]

[ View archived news: Fall 2012 | Spring 2012 | Fall 2011 ]