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Journalism Centennial events set for April 29-30

March 30, 2005

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Centennial Weekend on April 29-30 will feature a number of events aimed at examining contemporary communications issues.

The events will be primarily held in the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St., and require a $15 registration fee. Registration is available online.

“We’ve built the weekend around our graduates, and we’ll to use the events to examine the challenges faced by communicators as the school marks its centennial,” says Kathleen Bartzen Culver, faculty chair of the celebration.

The weekend kicks off on Friday, April 29, with a lunch meeting between students and communications professionals. Then, from 2-4 p.m. student organizations will hold reunions at Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave., and the day’s events will be capped by a reception in the Alumni Lounge at the Pyle Center.

Saturday’s program begins with an opening speech by Professor James Baughman, director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, in the Pyle Center auditorium, followed by panel discussions from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

The panel discussions include:

  • “To Infinity and Beyond: Taking a J-School Degree Beyond Journalism and Strategic Communication,” led by Madison City Attorney Michael May. Participants include: Kristi Beall, a teacher in Austin, Texas; and Joy Amundson, vice president, Baxter Healthcare.
  • “Blogs: Rising Influence and Questionable Credibility,” led by Kerby Meyers, owner of The Communications Refinery. Participants include: Scott Anderson, political producer at washingtonpost.com; Greg Downey, assistant professor School of Journalism and Mass Communication; Nick Olejniczak, Web editor, University Communications; and Katie Harbath, Web developer, the Republican National Committee.
  • “Watching the Watchdogs: The Challenge to Objective Journalism,” led by Jill Geisler, group leader at the Poynter Institute. Participants include: Jeff Greenfield, political analyst, CNN; Eileen Alt Powell, Associated Press; George Stanley, managing editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; and Jonathan Wolman, editorial page editor, The Denver Post.
  • “Strategic Intersections: Branded Content and Product Placement,” led by Chris Schell, vice president of marketing, AnchorBank and faculty associate in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Participants include: Mike Murray, account supervisor, Fallon Worldwide; Michelle Nelson, assistant professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication; and Troy Janisch, president of Icon Interactive. From 12:30-1:30 p.m. a luncheon featuring a Daily Cardinal Alumni Association Pulitzer panel will be held in the auditorium. From 1:45-2:45 in the auditorium, the school will present its annual awards and a $500 scholarship to a Wisconsin high school journalism student.

The Pyle Center events will conclude with a panel discussion, moderated by Bob Klein, vice president of Cramer-Krasselt, on the future of the field from 3-4:30 p.m. in the auditorium. Participants include Lauren Tucker, vice president and group planning director, the Martin Agency; Owen Ullmann, deputy managing editor for news, USA Today; Neal Ulevich, retired Associated Press photographer; and Scott Cohn, senior correspondent at CNBC.

The centennial events will conclude with a gala dinner at The Madison Concourse Hotel, featuring a speech by John Geddes, managing editor of the New York Times. The gala, which begins with a reception at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7:30 p.m., requires a separate, $45 registration. Registration is available online through April 8 at centennial Web site.