News and Events

Communication Alumni, Students, and Friends

Jana Barron Fuss, originally of Starkville, was named Manager of the Month from Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Fuss, pictured with her supervisor, CEO Charlotte Dupré, oversees all marketing and community relations functions for the hospital, its physicians and its clinics. Fuss lives in Brandon with her husband, Chris, and sons, Jonathan and Matthew. She is a graduate of Mississippi State University and her previous honors include being named to the top 40 under 40.

Sarah Dale is surprised at the announcement!

Communication Alumni, Students, and Friends

• News Release from Mississippi Credit Union Association Announcing Sarah Dale

Communication major Sarah Dale Simpkins was recognized recently as one of the top three contestants to determine who would be the first-ever "spokester" for Young & Free Mississippi representing credit unions throughout the state. Many of her university and personal supporters voted for her, and that was appreciated very much. Sarah Dale won this competition and will now serve in the one-year paid position traveling throughout the state and also coordinating various types of innovative media about credit unions, including videos, blogs, other channels focused on 25-and-under audiences.

Sarah Dale was recognized last week at a surprise ceremony on the MSU campus in the Grisham Room attended by dozens of Mississippi Credit Union Association representatives and a few university supporters who were all sworn to extreme secrecy. Please go to the links below to see videos and photos of the event and other related information about Sarah Dale. It is easy to tell she was honestly very surprised and excited about this great opportunity. We continue to be very proud of our excellent students!

• www.youngfreemississippi.com
• www.mscua.com

Kayla Bradley (left) and Jennifer Puhr
were recently recognized by the Public Relations
Association of Mississippi as the PRAM
Student of the Year and as honorable
mention. Bradley also received one
of only two state-wide scholarships
from the College Public Relations
Association of Mississippi.

Communication Alumni, Students, and Friends

Kayla Bradley, a senior Mississippi State University communication major with a public relations concentration, was recently recognized as Public Relations Association of Mississippi Student of the Year at the annual PRAM Conference in Natchez. She received a check for $1,000 and a certificate from the organization. Bradley is from Laurel and is also pursuing a minor in marketing. She plans to complete internships prior to her December graduation and then pursue a master's degree. (She is a graduate of Northeast Jones High School and Jones County Junior College.)

Jennifer Puhr was also honored at the PRAM Conference with honorable mention in the same program. Puhr graduated in May from Mississippi State with a communication degree and a concentration in public relations, with an English minor. She will be married in July and is relocating to the Houston, Texas, area later in the summer. (She is a graduate of Starkville High School.)

This was the first year for the PRAM Student of the Year competition. Any faculty member teaching a public relations course at any college in the state had the opportunity to nominate one top student. This award is presented to one student annually who exemplifies the professionalism, goals, and ideals of the public relations profession. All nominees were honored at the banquet announcing the winners. Other MSU students honored with nominations were Allyson Long, Courtney Meeks, and Lori Sullivan.

The Public Relations Association of Mississippi is comprised of approximately 600 public relations professionals from advertising and public relations agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations, government, education, industries and other organizations. The association includes 10 local chapters and is a member organization of the Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF).

Bradley was also recognized by the College Public Relations Association of Mississippi recently, with one of only two state-wide $500 scholarships. This scholarship competition was open to any full-time majors in public relations, communications, journalism, advertising, mass communications, political communications, crisis management, graphic design, or other communication-oriented major. Applicants were required to write a 500-word essay titled, "What I Hope To Offer The Field of Communication."

Pictured, left to right,
are Dr. John Forde, APR, Dianna Majors, Kayla Bradley, Courtney Meeks,
Amanda Bobo, and Dr. Hank Flick.

Communication Alumni, Students, and Friends

Four Communication majors were among the 26 MSU students across campus recently invited into membership in the MSU Society of Scholars in the Arts and Sciences: Amanda Bobo (Theatre), Kayla Bradley (Public Relations), Dianna Majors (Public Relations), and Courtney Meeks (Public Relations). The organization recognizes each semester the top students on campus from all majors who have demonstrated the highest levels of academic excellence and also possess a broad and rigorous exposure to courses in the arts, sciences, and humanities. The society is modeled after Phi Beta Kappa and uses higher standards than those employed by many Phi Beta Kappa chapters. Of approximately 2,700 undergraduate degree candidates each year, only about 50 of these students are inducted into the Society of Scholars.

President Mark Keenum served as the guest speaker in the spring ceremony, and the full auditorium included many parents, professors, and administrators. Student inductees honor faculty or staff by choosing who will introduce them for the event. Amanda and Dianna were introduced by Dr. Hank Flick, and Kayla and Courtney were introduced by Dr. John Forde, APR. (Please see our home site for a photo.)

Courtney was also recognized at the recent MSU spring commencement with only two others from the College of Arts and Sciences for having a 4.0 GPA throughout her academic career!

We are proud of our students and their accomplishments. Thanks

Sarah Dale Simpkins is shown
with Communication Instructor
Karyn Brown, her advisor and
award nominator.

Communication Alumni, Students, and Friends

Communication major Sarah Dale Simpkins was recently named the 2010 Most Outstanding Student for the MSU College of Arts and Sciences in a ceremony at the Colvard Student Union. Only one student was chosen per college in the event sponsored by the MSU Student Association and Academic Affairs Committee. Simpkins, originally from Gulfport, is a broadcasting student and will graduate this summer. Her current plans are to pursue a graduate degree at MSU in Political Science in the fall. She was nominated for the award by her advisor Karyn Brown, the broadcasting concentration coordinator.

Communication Alumni, Students, and Friends

Derric Curran (pictured left), a Mississippi State 2000 alumus, and Tom Dees (right), a Mississippi State 1987 alumnus, recently captured television's highest honor at this year's Midsouth Regional Emmy Awards ceremony held in Nashville, Tenn. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded Curran and Dees with an Emmy Award in the Light Feature Category for their work on a feature story about Ray's World's Famous BBQ in West Memphis, Ark. Curran is a 10-year veteran photojournalist and is currently employed with Fox 13 in Memphis. Reporter Dees is a 20-year veteran of the television news business. The two have been working together as a photojournalist/reporter team for the last five years at Fox 13, and they were the only reporter/photojournalist team from Memphis to win an Emmy Award this year at the Midsouth Regional Emmy Awards. Curran and Dees not only captured an Emmy award, but they also were nominated twice in the light feature category for their work.

To view their Emmy nominated and Emmy award winning stories, please go to the following links.

• BBQ Man
• Bikini Lawn Care

Communication Alumni, Students, and Friends

Plans are well under way for our Third Annual Mississippi State University Communication Career Fair and Symposium on Monday-Wednesday, February 23-25. This event is designed to offer our students and related majors an opportunity to meet with communication-specific prospective employers and graduate schools and to learn from alumni and other professional speakers. The Career Fair will be held Wednesday, February 25, from 1-4 p.m. (The symposium segments of our week will feature speakers in five different classes on Monday-Wednesday. We will have specific information available on that posted in a week or so.)

For each of the first two years of the fair we had approximately 20 employers/graduate schools and well over 100 students participate. Our goal is to have numerous organizations represented that would interest students in various areas of communication: Broadcasting, Communication Studies, Journalism, Public Relations, Theatre, Marketing, and Sports Communication. Exhibitors will each have a table, access to electricity, and a wireless Internet connection to set up a display and meet students on a come-and-go basis. There is a small registration fee of $75 to cover lunches, refreshments, and the table/chairs setup.

Our goal is to have the fair grow this year into an even bigger event. Numerous students were able to make direct contacts for full-time positions, internships, and graduate school admissions through the past two fairs. We have photo galleries of the 2007 and 2008 fairs on our website at www.comm.msstate.edu/gallery2 that highlight some of the professional and student participants.

Please register now if you are an employer at www.career.msstate.edu/employers/events/cdays/comm09ei.php. Specific registration instructions are also available at www.career.msstate.edu/employers/events/cdays/COMMRegistrationInstructions.pdf. In addition, we have a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=40901972735&ref=ts. Space is limited so please register early!

We ask students to lay out their best interview clothes and begin preparing that firm handshake to meet some great new contacts at the fair. We'll have a list of exhibitors posted at least several days prior to the event.

If you have any questions, please contact either of us at any time. Feel free to forward this to anyone with potential interest. Thanks.

John

JACKSON - The USA International Ballet Competition (IBC) named a new director of public relations just prior to the new year. Chantel Lott of Brandon will now serve the IBC.

Lott is a Grenada native who earned a bachelor's degree in communication from Mississippi State University (MSU). She has more than 7 years experience in the field of public relations working in several industries: telecommunications, healthcare, and accounting. Since locating to Jackson in 2003, she has been a member of the central chapter of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi (PRAM) and the Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF). Lott has served on the board of directors for PRAM's central chapter several times and won awards for her work inside the public relations field.

"I especially enjoy Chantel's excitement and enthusiasm to bring new ideas to the IBC. I am delighted to have her on our team," commented Sue Lobrano, executive director of the USA IBC.

As public relations director, Lott is responsible for USA IBC's media relations, web content management, publications, and advertising.

"The celebrated reputation of the USA IBC is one I will closely guard. The competition is a rare opportunity to showcase the USA in conjunction with Mississippi's great hospitality, talent, and craftsmen to people all over the world," said Lott.

"Mississippi tourism is the ultimate expression of my personal career goals. My role at the IBC blends my Mississippi roots, pride, and education with my desire to share it with others," added Lott. "I may have just found my niche."

The USA IBC is a two-week "olympic style" competition where tomorrow's ballet stars vie for gold, silver and bronze medals, cash awards, scholarships and jobs. The audience is filled with company directors and many dancers leave with contracts, which are possibly the grandest prize of all. For more about the USA IBC, visit www.usaibc.com.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Cassie Chance has been named assistant director of media relations in the University of Oklahoma Athletics Department. She comes to OU from Mississippi State, where she served in a similar capacity.

Chance will work directly with the sports of volleyball and softball in her new position.

"Cassie is one of the rising stars in our business," said Kenny Mossman,senior associate athletics director for communications. "She has done a nice job of building great experiences in the early stages of her career and will do a fantastic job promoting these nationally-ranked programs."

The 2006 Mississippi State graduate was responsible for the publicity relative women's basketball at her alma mater. She joined the MSU staff on a full-time basis shortly after her graduation. There she worked with numerous sports, including volleyball.

Prior to that, Chance served as an intern at MSU and with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, where she gained experience at the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Chance replaces Jessica Summers, who is now the Director of Special Events and Suite Operations for the OU Athletics Department.

... OU ...

Cassie Chance
(662) 617-4644
http:/www.sportsismylife87.blogspot.com

STARKVILLE, MISS. - Lab Rats Comedy will present "Inside the Improvvers Studio" on April 27, 2007, at the McComas Hall Lab Theater. These last two shows of the year are scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Friday night.

"Inside the Improvvers Studio" will be themed after James Lipton's popular television show, Inside the Actors Studio. The audience can expect to enjoy short form improv, long form improv, and sketch comedy. Not only are these the final shows of the year, but some of the improvvers will be performing for their last time as Lab Rats.

Admission is $5 for all who attend. A ticket reservation system is available at labratscomedy.com.

For more information, contact info@labratscomedy.com or visit labratscomedy.com. .

The Reflector, Mississippi State University's student newspaper, was named the Best College Newspaper in the South during the Jan. 25-27 convention of the Southeast Journalism Conference in Birmingham, Ala.

This is just one of 16 awards The Reflector and its staff received at the convention. The Reflector team also placed third in the on-site competition and several students won individual awards.

About 30 colleges and universities from seven states in the South participated in the Best of the South contest and the on-site competitions held by the SEJC. Schools in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee and Florida participated.

The Best of the South contest is based on entries submitted in November. Members of the USA Today staff judged the contest. In addition to the The Reflector being ranked as No. 1 in the Best College Newspaper category, nine of its staff members were selected as winners in individual categories of the Best of the South competition.

Award winners are:

• Best Opinion-Editorial Writer - No. 1, Jed Pressgrove
• Best Feature Writer - No. 1, Aaron Burdette
• College Journalist of the Year - No. 3, Tyler Stewart
• Best News-Editorial Artist/Illustrator - No. 4, Lindsey Young
• Best Arts and Entertainment Writer - No. 4, Gabe Smith
• Best News Reporter - No. 5, C.J. LeMaster
• Best Newspaper Page Layout - No. 7, Sara McAdory
• Best Sports Writer - No. 10, R.J. Morgan
• Best Press Photographer - No. 10, Jay Webb

The Reflector staff also did well this year in the SEJC on-site competition, placing as the No. 3 team. In this competition, students write stories, take photos, design pages and perform other journalistic activities on a tight deadline. The overall winners are based on rankings of individual students in the different categories.

The Reflector's individual winners in the on-site competition are:

• Photography - No. 1, Tyler Stewart
• Opinion Writing - No. 2, Jed Pressgrove
• Page Design - No. 2, Sara McAdory
• Entertainment Writing - No. 2, Aaron Burdette
• Sports Writing - No. 3, R.J. Morgan

The Reflector, a twice-weekly full-size newspaper, is managed by a student staff that is responsible for creating content and making decisions about all content to be included. Many of the students involved in producing the newspaper are communication majors, but the staff includes students from other majors also.

Communication instructor Frances McDavid serves as adviser to The Reflector.

JACKSON, Miss. -- A longtime Mississippi editor and publisher has been named the first new director in over two decades for the state's newspaper association.

Layne Bruce, 34, of Madison, was named executive director of the Mississippi Press Association, the trade organization for over 100 member newspapers in the state. He succeeds Carolyn Wilson, 60, of Sandy Hook, who announced in January her retirement after 25 years with the association.

The transition took effect Thursday and was announced by MPA President Marcus Bowers, publisher and editor of the Rankin County News in Brandon.

Bruce has been serving the past year as director of marketing for the press association and managed its advertising business unit, Mississippi Press Services. In his new capacity, Bruce will assume management responsibilities for the two organizations, as well as the non-profit MPA Education Foundation.

Prior to joining MPA, Bruce was publisher of the DeSoto County Tribune in Olive Branch and The Star-Herald in Kosciusko. He is a former editor and general manager of his hometown newspaper, the Daily Times Leader in West Point. He has also served as editor and general manager of the Glasgow (Ky.) Daily Times.

He served as a reporter for the Starkville Daily News and the Webster Progress-Times in Eupora while studying communications and journalism at Mississippi State.

"Layne is well known to our members for his longtime involvement with the association and his work as the marketing director over the past year," Bowers said. "He is a great advocate for newspapers and believes passionately in our future as an industry and the importance of the fourth estate to the communities we serve. Carolyn, I and the board could not be more pleased to have a long-time member of our newspaper family take this important leadership role."

He began his newspaper career nearly 20 years ago in the Times Leader's production department. His father, Roy "Spanky" Bruce, served as the paper's editor and publisher for many years before his death in 1993.

A Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary International, Bruce is a former member of the boards of directors of the Kosciusko-Attala Chamber of Commerce and Clay County Economic Development Corp. He is a former president of the Kosciusko Main Street Association and a past board member for the MPA Education Foundation.

He is an annual volunteer for United Way and a former board member for the Red Cross.

"It is an honor to take the leadership role with MPA," Bruce said. "I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to work with so many talented newspaper professionals and represent their newspapers to the best of my ability.

"I am also indebted to Carolyn Wilson for her years of service and the support and counsel she has given to me through my career."

Wilson joined the association in 1982 when it was a two-person organization. She served as its office manager and advertising director before being named executive director in 1985.

When asked about someone to take the reins and proceed to grow the association and its affiliate organizations, my response was an easy one to make. "I have known Layne Bruce since he began his career in the newspaper industry, and have watched him mature into one of the finest young newspaper executives I've had the pleasure to know", Wilson said. Not only is he knowledgeable about newspapers and related technology, but he has experience from being in the trenches at community newspapers of all sizes and frequencies, including top level management roles.

In retirement, Wilson will continue as a management consultant for the association and sister organizations. Bowers praised her for her efforts to strengthen the role of the state's press and improve the position of the association.

"It has been a pleasure to work with her over these years to help grow the association and its related organizations into an operation that is vital to us and something we can all be proud of," Bowers said. "We are pleased to say Carolyn will continue as a consultant for our organizations, providing valuable insight and perspective as needed in the months to come."

Under her leadership, the organization grew to a peak of a dozen employees and handled over $5 million in advertising business for its member papers. During her tenure, she has worked on behalf of MPA newspapers on such cornerstone issues as open records and sunshine laws, as well as internships for journalism students and continuing education for member employees.

Bowers said Wilson will be honored for her two-and-a-half decades of service to MPA during the organization's 141st annual convention this summer in Biloxi.

Established in 1866, MPA is the sixth-oldest operating association of its kind in the nation, representing over 100 member newspapers in the state. MPS, founded in 1978, serves as an advertising representative for the state's newspapers and handles ad placement services as well as cooperative ad networks. MPAEF administers journalism internships, grants for services and education programs for aspiring journalists.

Kristin Clemmer (center), a senior Communication major with a Public Relations concentration, was recently inducted into the Society of Scholars in the Arts & Sciences. The requirements of the honor society are among the highest at the university.