A first-of-its-kind job and internship fair, a School-wide pizza party, and an awards reception and scholarship dinner rank among the many highlights of JMC’s first Student Success Week, April 26 through May 3.
The week of events is intended to highlight student opportunities and celebrate student achievements, according to Director Thor Wasbotten. “There is literally something for everyone during Student Success Week. The faculty and staff of JMC recognize that there are many different ways to measure success: for some, it’s landing a top internship or first job, for some it’s winning a prestigious national award, fellowship or scholarship and for all of us, it’s completing an academic year.”
The 2012/2013 academic year was a particularly significant year for JMC, Wasbotten noted. “Our students have earned a number of fantastic firsts, such as our first News21 Fellowship and our first student placing three times in the top 10 of the Hearst National Journalism Awards Program. We’ve also made some tremendous strides in national recognition, such as jumping from 33rd place in the multimedia competition last year to tying for fifth place this year. And we’re creating important new firsts for our students, such as the CCI JobExpo2013, a JMC-led collaboration with the Schools of Communication Studies and Visual Communication Design.”
The Student Success Week lineup includes:
* JobExpo2013, Friday, April 26, 1 to 4 p.m., The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland: the first Kent State job and internship fair focused exclusively on communication, media and visual design majors. The fair, organized by JMC and sponsored by CCI, is open to JMC juniors, seniors and graduate students, as well as COMM and VCD juniors and seniors. Transportation to and from the event is offered at no cost to registered students. Twenty-four of the region’s top employers and more than 100 students are attending.
* FREE Donut and Pizza Day, Monday, April 29, First Floor Lobby, Franklin: JMC faculty and staff will celebrate all JMC students at a donut breakfast (8 to 10 a.m.) and pizza dinner (3 to 5 p.m.). A video tribute to graduating seniors will debut that afternoon.
* Student Award Ceremony, Tuesday, April 30, 6:30 p.m., 312 Franklin: more than 35 students who have won or placed in national award competitions or earned national fellowships and internships this academic year will be recognized at this event.
* Kappa Tau Alpha Induction Ceremony, Wednesday, May 1, 3:30 p.m., 110 Franklin: the top 10 percent of JMC juniors and seniors will be inducted into the national college honor society that promotes academic excellence and scholarship in journalism and mass communication.
* Annual Scholarship and Awards Dinner, Thursday, May 2, 6:00 p.m., 306 Kent Student Center: A record-breaking $64,000 in scholarships and financial awards will be presented to 51 JMC students at this event, where JMC will also recognize scholarship and award donors.
* Professional Advisory Board Spring Meeting, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 213 Franklin: Members of JMC’s advisory board, many of them alumni, will spend the day meeting with student media leaders and faculty, while reviewing the status and progress of JMC programs.
* Retirement Celebration for Professor Barb Hipsman Springer, Friday, May 3, 5 p.m., First Floor Lobby, Franklin Hall. Hipsman Springer, retiring at the end of June, will be recognized by faculty, staff, students and Board members.
For more information on these events, contact Stephanie Smith, JMC’s marketing and media coordinator, at ssmit149@kent.edu.