iMedia | Today at Elon | ��޹��Ʒ

Alan Buck G’13 named School of Communications director of development

Tommy Kopetskie — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:01:22 +0000

Alan Buck G’13 has been named the new director of development for the School of Communications, where he will advance philanthropic support for students and programs and strengthen engagement with the school’s alumni, parents and friends. A graduate of Elon’s M.A. in Interactive Media program, Buck returns to campus with more than two decades of professional experience in media and higher education.

Alan Buck G’13

In his new role, Buck will oversee a portfolio of alumni, parents and friends affiliated with the School of Communications, with a focus on building relationships that support the school’s academic priorities. He will work closely with University Advancement colleagues to align fundraising efforts with broader institutional goals.

“Returning to the School of Communications feels both personal and purposeful,” Buck said. “As a graduate of the M.A. in Interactive Media program, I experienced firsthand the mentorship and hands-on learning that make Elon so distinctive. I am honored to now serve as director of development and look forward to building meaningful relationships with alumni and partners to expand opportunities for our students.”

“Alan understands the culture of the School of Communications and the powerful role relationships play in shaping the student experience,” said Jonathan Miller, senior director of development. “With his existing connection to the school and the university, he is well positioned to strengthen our existing partnerships while building new relationships that will advance the school’s future.”

Buck brings more than 20 years of professional experience in multimedia production, broadcasting, higher education and strategic communication. He began his career in television news, working at CBS, WB and Fox affiliates in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. His production and videography work has included projects for the CBS Network, The Weather Channel, The Masters Tournament, the Pittsburgh Penguins and numerous nonprofit organizations. His work as a news videographer earned an Associated Press Award for Best Feature Video.

He later transitioned into higher education, teaching communication courses and leading academic initiatives, including launching and directing a digital communication certificate program. Buck served as an associate professor of practice in communication at Meredith College and taught at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In addition, Buck was selected by the U.S. Department of State as a Fulbright Specialist, serving in Eswatini (Southern Africa) to collaborate on cross-cultural storytelling and media education initiatives. He was also one of four producers nationwide chosen by the Foreign Press Center, part of the Bureau of Global Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, to cover the 2020 elections through its Virtual Reporting Tour. His footage was distributed to U.S. embassies worldwide.

Throughout his academic career, Buck has also led successful fundraising and facilities development initiatives to expand hands-on learning opportunities for students. At Meredith, he played a central role in securing philanthropic support and overseeing the design and build-out of a new television studio, control room, editing labs and podcasting suite. During his Fulbright Specialist appointment in Eswatini, Buck helped secure funding and equipment to strengthen instructional resources for students in the Department of Communication at the University of Eswatini.

Phillip Motley’s research honored with Nancy Chick Article of the Year Award

Tommy Kopetskie — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:38:33 +0000

Phillip Motley, professor of communication design, has been recognized with the Nancy Chick Article of the Year Award for his co-authored publication, “Defining Immersive Learning.”

Phillip Motley, professor of communication design and director of graduate programs in ��޹��Ʒ’s School of Communications, recently published two scholarly articles that underscore his interest in immersive, community-engaged learning. Together, the works highlight how educators are rethinking high-impact practices – both in the classroom and through global partnerships – to support student learning across today’s higher education landscape.

Motley was honored with the Periclean Award for Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility during the Faculty and Staff Awards Luncheon in May 2025.

Motley’s article “” published in Teaching and Learning Inquiry, was recently recognized with the journal’s prestigious Nancy Chick Article of the Year Award. Co-authored with colleagues from the United States, Canada and Australia, the study examines how immersive learning is practiced and understood across institutions. The research team conducted a large-scale survey and more than 50 one-on-one interviews with faculty and staff from four countries, offering one of the field’s most comprehensive examinations of immersive learning to date.

That breadth of inquiry – and the collaborative approach behind it – earned the study the journal’s top honor. The Nancy Chick Article of the Year Award, presented annually at the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning conference, recognizes scholarship that reflects Teaching & Learning Inquiry’s commitment to methodological diversity, interdisciplinary perspectives, and international authorship.

The “Defining Immersive Learning” research has also sparked future scholarship: Motley and co-authors Beth Archer-Kuhn (University of Calgary) and Michelle Eady (University of Wollongong) are now co-editing a forthcoming book on immersive learning, with additional chapters contributed by members of the research team.

Motley’s second recent publication – “” – appears in the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement. Co-authored with colleagues from the U.S. and U.K., the article traces the creation of the International Service-Learning Network, a cross-institutional community of practice that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group convened faculty and staff committed to sustaining community engagement at a time when traditional service-learning models were disrupted. The article highlights the network’s ongoing work and includes significant examples of Elon’s own community-engaged initiatives.

Elon Comm celebrates 25 years, honors showrunner Asha Michelle Wilson ’13

Tommy Kopetskie — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 14:15:09 +0000

School of Communications Dean Kenn Gaither (left) shares a moment with Asha Michelle Wilson ’13 – one of his former students – during the School of Communications’ 25th anniversary celebration on Oct. 10 in Snow Family Grand Atrium. Wilson, a Hollywood showrunner and writer, was recognized with the school’s 2025 Outstanding Alumna Award. Photo by Aidan Blake ’26.

The School of Communications recognized acclaimed showrunner, writer and producer Asha Michelle Wilson ’13 with its 2025 Outstanding Alumna Award during the school’s 25th anniversary celebration held Homecoming Weekend in Snow Family Grand Atrium.

Wilson, co-executive producer of Fox’s animated series “The Great North” and writer for FX’s “American Horror Story” and “Archer,” has established herself as one of Hollywood’s dynamic creative voices. Her work spans genres and formats – from streaming comedies to psychological thrillers – showcasing her range as both a storyteller and showrunner.

The 25th anniversary celebration brought together current and past professors who played pivotal roles in the School of Communications’ growth over the past quarter century. Pictured (from left) are former faculty members David Copeland and Brooke Barnett, Founding Dean Paul Parsons, and current faculty member Vic Costello. Photo by Blake.

During his introduction, Dean Kenn Gaither described Wilson – a former student of his – as “a model alumna who inspires not only for what you do but for who you are.” He highlighted her drive and determination, noting her persistence to succeed in Los Angeles, working as a nanny, Lyft driver, waiter and bookstore employee in pursuit of her Hollywood dreams.

“Asha has created her own opportunity through one percent luck and ninety-nine percent hustle,” he said. “Elon communications graduates have a knack of not waiting for opportunity, but creating it.”

Wilson’s writing and producing credits include “Incarnate” on Netflix and Amazon’s “The Hospital,” and she also produced and wrote the short film “Friends Like These,” which won honors at the London Short Film Festival. Her recent projects include “Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy,” an adult animated sci-fi comedy series. In recognition of Wilson’s success, BET named the Elon graduate among “Six Black Female Showrunners Who Inspired TV’s Diverse Renaissance.”

Reflecting on her Elon experience, Wilson spoke about the power and support of the school’s community. “I think Elon is great at showing all of the professional possibilities that we have in our future,” she said. “But something that’s really underestimated are the personal connections that are made here. Some of my best friends today are from Elon. I don’t know if I would have survived as long in LA as I did if not for the connections that I made here.”

The award presentation was part of a larger afternoon program celebrating the school’s silver anniversary. The event began with “Don’t Be a Stranger to Networking,” a casual alumni networking session featuring more than a dozen graduates offering advice to current students. Following Wilson’s award presentation, both Founding Dean Paul Parsons and Dean Gaither addressed audience members, reflecting on the school’s growth from a small department to a nationally recognized leader in communications education.

During the “Don’t Be a Stranger to Networking” alumni networking session, Matt Belanger ’05 (left), news anchor and reporter for KSTP-TV, spoke with Anjolina Fantaroni ’26, executive director of Elon News Network.

Parsons shared stories from the school’s early days, when Elon’s communications program was still working to make its name known nationally. He recalled wearing an Elon name tag at a national conference shortly after arriving in 2001 and being asked, “Now, where is Ellen?” The question, he said, reflected how far the school had to go in establishing its reputation.

“At that time, we focused first on ‘to be’ — ways to be of greater quality to our students,” Parsons said. “In time, we became nationally accredited, launched new majors, and started programs like Elon in Los Angeles. These efforts to be excellent soon led to our being seen as excellent. Other universities began referring to us as one of the top communication schools in the nation.”

Gaither closed the afternoon by reminding attendees that while facilities, majors and technologies have evolved, the school’s heart remains unchanged.

“Turning 25 isn’t a date and it’s not really a time,” he said. “It’s more of a state – a state of becoming something bigger, better and bolder. The School of Communications stands strong because of the people who have built, supported and believed in it. This anniversary is theirs as much as it is ours.”

Don’t Be a Stranger to Networking participants

Matt Belanger ’05, News Anchor and Reporter, KSTP-TV
Cally Crocco ’20, Interior Designer, Live Simply Homes
Eva Fragner ’25, Public Relations, Autumn Communications
Caroline Gardiner ’25, Account Executive, RLM Public Relations
Sophia Giuffré ’20, Digital Content Producer, Jukebox
Lila Hoffman-Byer ’25, Social Impact Assistant, Rare Beauty
Daniela Pereyra ’16, Real Estate Broker, Dalton Wade Real Estate Group
Aarti Rishi ’15, Brand Marketing Manager, Grubhub
Jordan Roman ’15, Writer/Director/Founder, Ominous Entertainment
Jeff Sanders ’00, Chief Architect, Microsoft
Jeffrey Williamson ’13, G’14, Freelance Photographer and Content Creator
Asha Michelle Wilson ’13, Showrunner/Co-Executive Producer/Writer, “The Great North,” “Archer,” “American Horror Story”

Elon team continues tradition of media coverage at ICPC World Finals

Tommy Kopetskie — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 14:24:48 +0000

Members of the ��޹��Ʒ contingent gather together while on site at the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) World Finals in Baku, Azerbaijan. Elon representatives have provided media coverage of the prestigious programming competition for a decade. Pictured (from left) are Chris Kirkham G’12, Bettina Johnson ’06 G’11, Amanda Sturgill, Randy Piland and Ethan Wu ’27.

��޹��Ʒ junior joined faculty members Amanda Sturgill and Randy Piland in Baku, Azerbaijan, this September to help document the world’s top collegiate programmers in action at the – often called the “Olympics of college coding.” The annual competition draws more than 60,000 regional competitors from more than 3,000 universities, with roughly 2,000 finalists from over 50 countries tackling complex, real-world programming challenges. This year’s championship concluded with St. Petersburg State University of Russia earning the top honor.

Elon students, faculty and alumni have contributed to ICPC media efforts for the past decade, and this year continued that long-running involvement. Sturgill said Wu was chosen for the international production crew because of his exceptional photography skills – evident by his strong work in student media and Elon’s Office of University Communications.

“The opportunity to get real-world production experience while traveling to a completely different culture deeply fascinated me,” said Wu, a communication design major who has lived in China and the United States. “The experience exceeded my expectations, providing valuable insight into a professional media production environment and process.”

Ethan Wu ’27 (conveniently the only individual not in a blue shirt) poses with ICPC World Finals attendees in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In his role, Wu documented events and speeches, assisting the ICPC video team with gimbal shots and capturing b-roll of everything from the competition floor to the streets of Old and New Baku. “The video crew relied on Ethan’s facility with gimbal shots to tell the story of competitors from six continents who came to Baku,” said Sturgill, associate professor of journalism and one of the event’s media producers.

Like past years, the ICPC news coverage had a distinct Elon presence. Piland, associate teaching professor of communication design, provided photographic coverage of the event and the local surroundings. Sturgill and Interactive Media alumna Bettina Johnson ’06, G’11 served as lead media producers, shaping the storytelling approach and coordinating coverage. Fellow Interactive Media graduate Chris Kirkham G’12 contributed to the production team as well. Together, the group ensured that the ICPC’s global audience experienced the excitement of the competition and the rich culture of Azerbaijan.

For Wu, the cultural exchange proved just as memorable as the technical work. “It was great to practice my video skills and receive in-person feedback and guidance from Elon alumni and industry professionals while reinforcing my photography skills,” he said. “The most memorable part of my time in Baku was my interactions with the locals. It was very interesting learning about their culture and cooperating with them in media production. I even had the chance to try some local foods served at the competition.”

Wu’s work, featured on the , captures both the creativity of the competitors and the striking sights of Baku.

Master’s-level Elon graduates urged to embrace the unknown

Alexa Boschini — Thu, 23 May 2024 17:36:20 +0000

While Commencement marks the end of one chapter, with students becoming graduates after months or years of rigorous work, it also signifies a new beginning. In his welcome remarks at Elon’s Graduate-Level Commencement ceremony on Wednesday, May 22, School of Communications Dean Kenn Gaither reminded graduates that a commencement literally means a beginning, despite the traditional framing of graduation as a destination reached.

“Graduates, a commencement is the beginning of a new chapter of your life, and you are now armed with the knowledge from an advanced degree to begin something new,” Gaither said. “The Elon motto is ‘numen lumen,’ which signifies spiritual light and intellectual light. At Elon, you have walked in the light. Now, you enter the world as the light.”

A graduate receives their hood during Elon’s Graduate Program Commencement on Wednesday, May 22, in Alumni Gym.

The joint ceremony in Alumni Gym recognized graduates from the Master of Science in Accounting, Master of Science in Business Analytics and Master of Business Administration programs in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the Master of Arts in Interactive Media program in the School of Communications; and the Master of Arts in Higher Education and Master of Education programs in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education.

Stephen Gyan of the Master of Arts in Higher Education program, who was selected to deliver the message of appreciation on behalf of his fellow students, encouraged the graduates to embrace the beauty of the unknown. A first-generation college student from Ghana, Gyan traveled 5,389 miles to realize his goal of earning a master’s degree and deepening his understanding of how educational systems nurture people and transform societies.

He shared how overwhelming it was at times to pursue an advanced degree in an unfamiliar country, an ocean way from his family. But Gyan’s Elon experience also broadened his educational and professional horizons and boosted his confidence in his own abilities, leading him to pursue his Ph.D. this September.

Stephen Gyan G’24 of the Master of Arts in Higher Education program was selected to deliver the message of appreciation on behalf of his fellow graduates.

“There’s power in the unknown, and it’s important to reframe it as a catalyst for action,” Gyan said. “Life may be complex, but I firmly believe that when we trust ourselves and take initiative in the present moment, the world will conspire to help us achieve our dreams.”

Gyan said he believes that earning their master’s degrees Wednesday night signified a stepping stone for the future he and his fellow graduates want to create for themselves. With a commitment to learning continuously, constantly seeking mentorship and acting proactively, he said he felt confident the graduates would leave Elon well equipped to take on whatever comes next for them.

“Let’s draw inspiration from taking small steps even when the path isn’t clear,” Gyan said. “By doing this, we become bold, action-oriented and willing to experiment. It will free us from the fear of inadequacy and imposter syndrome and empower us to embrace the humanity that includes failure as part of our journey. After all, our actions can have a variety of outcomes – it can be good, it can be bad or somewhere in between. But the most important thing is that we would have tried. Colleagues, let’s choose to be optimistic and embrace the positive world that awaits us.”

André Valcour, vice president and laboratory director with the Center for Esoteric Testing and discipline director of allergy, coagulation and endocrinology at Labcorp, echoed the importance of lifelong learning in his keynote address. He remarked on humans’ capacity to adapt to change and reflected on how rapidly the world has evolved throughout his own educational and professional journey.

André Valcour G’14, vice president and laboratory director with the Center for Esoteric Testing and discipline director of allergy, coagulation and endocrinology at Labcorp and a 2014 graduate of Elon’s MBA program, gave the keynote address.

When he took his first computer programming course in college, he submitted his homework on punch cards. His doctoral dissertation at the University of Vermont was the school’s first to be written on a word processor rather than a typewriter. Today, people carry computers in their pockets or wear them on their wrists and are now experimenting with artificial intelligence as a resource. To keep up with such exponential evolution, Valcour said it’s imperative that people always aspire to learn.

“To soar in the age of explosive change, you will need to constantly increase your knowledge and skills,” said Valcour, a 2014 graduate of Elon’s MBA program. “You will need to be a lifelong learner to be a lifelong success. The days when you could get a four-year degree or even a graduate degree and think that it would sustain you for a lifetime are over.”

To be successful in today’s world, Valcour encouraged the graduates to routinely assess what further self-development they need, what further knowledge and skills they need, what standards they should set for themselves and what strengths they should employ. He also urged them to be proactive in exploring mentoring relationships with people who are smarter than them, people who will provide guidance and support, and people who will challenge them.

“You must remember that if you will be successful in this kind of relationship, you must be open to criticism, you must have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and, most of all, you must be passionate about your goals and be willing to take risks to achieve them,” Valcour said.

President Connie Ledoux Book charged the graduates to be resilient and steadfast like the mighty oaks for which Elon is named.

Valcour also underscored the importance of not only learning throughout your career but using that knowledge to empower the success of others. Leadership, he said, is not about a person’s position, but about their actions, their innovations and their influence.

“Be the kind of leader that makes others successful,” Valcour said. “Use your talents to effect positive change. Above all, maintain a strong moral compass. Your integrity is your most valuable asset.”

In her charge the graduates, President Connie Ledoux Book said she hoped they would carry Elon’s core values of honesty, integrity, responsibility and respect with them as they begin their next chapter as master’s degree recipients.

“Use these Elon values when you encounter hard choices,” Book said. “Lean on them – and each other – when you need to reason things out. Remember, we are forever bound together by these values – you, me, your classmates, faculty, staff, Elon.”

Candidates for the Master of Science in Accounting Degree

Alex Belveal

Katlin S. Bollenbach

Blake C. Cleven

Liam M. Dabagian

Tommy Dimock

Claire E. Doherty

Taylor Getz

Kaitlin A. King

Jack C. McAuliffe

Jackie Schmidt

Ariston J. Tomes

Jake Varady

Julia C. Vide

Callum R. Walker

Candidates for the Master of Science in Business Analytics Degree

Annabelle Ackroyd

Jessica Booth

Jack Cutler

Rafi Dahdal

Léanna Dejean

Justine Dobral

Matthew Downing

Raphael Engelhard

Luca Erhardt

Zac Ervin

Zane Bruce Gilbert

Kai Glass

Chazz Harley

Nazhiyah Hayes

Dylan Heap

Kathryn Johnson

Maya Johnson

Daniel Martin

Drew Ellen Menscer

Hannah Miller

Ajay Nimmala

Caleb Ogunmola

Tate Ostrowski

Shane Paradine

Edoardo Righetti

Victor Roche

Isak Sedin

Suman Sharma

Trinity Roshni Swepson

Vanessa Taylor

Jabril Williams

Jun Yin

Candidates for the Master of Business Administration Degree

Kyra Auguste

Richard Bechtold

Quintin Brenner

Frederick Brown

Jose Daniel Castillo Solano

Felicia Cenca

Major Duckett

April Dawn Dudash

Jessica Hamrick Hart

Nitish Kumar

Meghann Mae Lail

Breanna Lewis

Aeriel Miller

David Eugene Morgan III

Jasmine C. Ryant

Victoria Schneider

Warren Snell

Brandon Jade Swindell

Candidates for the Master of Arts in Interactive Media Degree

Raven Monique Abbott

Jessica Maris Baker

Andrew Allen Dryfoos

Isabella Maria Szalay Hilditch

Tishana Trinity Jackson

Kaitlin N. McGoogan

Cameron Xavier Rosebud

Gabriella R. Sable

Denise Yvonne Simmons

Abigail Sparkman

Morgan Sierra Stankiewicz

Amaya C. Waddy

Puxin Zhao

Candidates for the Master of Arts in Higher Education Degree

Hao Chun Chi

Julia Ruth DeWitt

Darynha Gnep

Elana Rae Gutmann

Stephen Gyan

Caleigh Shea MacKinnon

Marie-Clare Oluebube Ofoegbu

Elijah Pennock

Vanessa Lorraine Truelove

Haley Nicole Turczynski

Alexandra Lucia Weaver

Candidates for the Master of Education Degree

Robert A Alvis

Fernando Antonio Arevalo Rodriguez

Wanying Deng

Yanmei Duan

Maria Florencia Guida

Alexa Perkins LaTorre

Wenting Li

Zongchao Mu

April Ashford Siler

Madeleine Steffani Tapia Solis

Interactive Media capstone projects celebrated at exhibition

Tommy Kopetskie — Wed, 22 May 2024 19:34:32 +0000

Abigail Sparkman G’24 discusses her thesis project, The 100 Club, with attendees of the Interactive Media Capstone Exhibition held May 21 in Long Building. “I am most proud of the iMedia project I created and developed because it showcases my ability to blend creativity with technical skills, resulting in an innovative and engaging interactive web prototype,” she said.

As part of their 10-month exploration of new avenues in interactive and digital media delivery, members of the 2024 Interactive Media graduate program have stretched themselves, discovering new technical skills, new passions and new career paths.

The culmination of their efforts was on public display on May 21 during the program’s Capstone Exhibition, highlighting 13 thesis projects ranging from video storytelling, data visualization, gaming and mobile applications. Photos from the exhibition are available on the .

, who earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and studio art at Presbyterian College, was among the graduate students sharing their semester-long projects in Long Building. And she creatively used her new skills to highlight something old: centenarians.

Cameron Rosebud G’24 discusses his capstone project with C. Rizleris, assistant director of marketing communications for graduate programs.

The Elon women’s volleyball player built a comprehensive website and brand called The 100 Club, a project that explains the concept behind Blue Zones, areas in the world that have an unusually high number of people living to be 100 or older. While the site is still in development, .

“The 100 Club is dedicated to celebrating and studying individuals who have reached the age of 100 or older by honoring centenarians’ lives and achievements, gathering and sharing their stories, researching the factors contributing to their longevity, and helping others aspire and embrace a century by celebrating life, wisdom and resilience,” she said.

The collegiate athlete explained that she was drawn to the idea because it emphasizes the importance of physical health, longevity and optimal functioning.

“Athletes constantly strive to enhance their performance and extend their careers through diet, exercise and recovery techniques,” said Sparkman, who was recently named captain for the upcoming Elon women’s volleyball season. “Understanding how centenarians maintain their health and vitality into old age offers valuable insights and strategies that athletes can adopt to boost their longevity and performance.”

Phillip Motley, professor of communication design, raved about Sparkman’s efforts, calling it one of the top projects in his class. “It’s beautifully designed and very professionally produced,” he said.

Associate Professor Derek Lackaff, who serves as director of the Interactive Media graduate program, likewise congratulated the efforts of several of his mentees. This included two international students, of the United Kingdom and Robin Zhao G’24 of China, who developed projects to help other international students.

Isabella Hilditch G’24 shares her project, “Gateaway to the NCAA,” at the May 21 exhibition. The graduate student explained that her project pushed her to build on her skill set. “The biggest challenge for my project was working on the front-end coding,” she said. “I came into iMedia with no knowledge of coding and website building, so using these recently acquired skills in coding was challenging at times.”

, titled “Gateaway to the NCAA,” provides accessible educational resources for international students interested in continuing their athletic pursuits as NCAA athletes in the United States. Having grown up in London and later competing in track and field at Princeton University, she is familiar with the … hurdles … of moving to the U.S.

“My capstone intends to fill a knowledge gap which exists for international students interested in immigrating to the states to play collegiate sports,” Hilditch said. “My interactive educational website allows these students to work out whether a move to the states is feasible and the right decision for them.”

Likewise, Zhao utilized his own personal experiences and created a website for incoming international students that provides information about transportation, healthcare and housing – areas that he found challenging to navigate.

“Developing a product for international users requires a designer to deeply understand diverse user perspectives,” Lackaff said. “These projects effectively demonstrate how research and personal experience can be translated into products useful to others.”

The remaining 10 capstone projects touched on game design, videography and social media strategy. During the exhibition, and his project drew a regular crowd, where the grad student delved into facial recognition and image generation – and the hurdles the technologies still face.

For Sparkman, the capstone project and exhibition were the culmination of a yearlong process where she gained a comprehensive, hands-on experience in digital media production and design. “The program equips graduates with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed to excel in the rapidly evolving media and communication industries,” she said.

Meet Interactive Media’s Class of 2024.

Students, alumni head to Egypt to provide media coverage at programming championships

Tommy Kopetskie — Thu, 16 May 2024 21:05:31 +0000

Donelle Leak ’25 works on her phone while on the competition floor during the 46th and 47th International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) World Finals held in Luxor, Egypt. The strategic communications major was one of nine individuals with ties to the School of Communications who provided media coverage for the international event.

A contingent of Elon students, faculty and alumni attended April’s International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) World Finals in Luxor, Egypt, providing media coverage for one of the world’s most prestigious programming competitions.

This year’s event attracted approximately 2,000 international programmers from more than 50 countries dueling it out over real-world programming problems using creativity, mathematics and innovation. The competition was fierce and the brainpower was evident.

At the conclusion of this year’s ICPC World Finals, members of the Elon contingent that provided event coverage pose for a photograph together. Pictured (front, from left) are Oliver Fischer ’19, Isabel Gouveia ’24, Donelle Leak ’25, Senior Lecturer Randy Piland, (back, from left) Chris Kirkham G’12, Associate Professor Amanda Sturgill, Lee McPhatter G’18, Ryan Kupperman ’25 and Bettina Johnson ’06 G’11.

“Honestly, I don’t think it’s an understatement to say that geniuses compete in these competitions,” said Ryan Kupperman, an Elon journalism junior who traveled to the ICPC World Finals.

Among those in attendance were nine Elon students, faculty and alumni who supported the competition’s video and photography needs, providing content for . Joining Kupperman were fellow Elon students Donelle Leak ’25, a strategic communications major, and Isabel Gouveia ’24, a journalism and political science double major. Additionally, School of Communications faculty members Amanda Sturgill and Randy Piland joined Elon alumni Bettina Johnson ’06 G’11, Oliver Fischer ’19, Lee McPhatter G’18 and Chris Kirkham G’12 to also support the event’s media coverage.

Interestingly, members of the Elon community have been involved with ICPC every year since at least 2010, both for the North American Championships and the World Finals.

During this year’s ICPC competitions, teams had five hours to solve as many as a dozen complicated programming problems with real-world applications. The team that solved the most problems in the shortest amount of time won.

The Luxor competition, held at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport, was a doubleheader hosting both the 46th and 47th ICPC World Finals. Due to a gap during the COVID-19 pandemic, two ICPC championships were hosted simultaneously. A team representing Peking University won the 46th World Finals, with a cohort from National Research University Higher School of Economics capturing the title at the 47th World Finals.

Leak (center) Oliver Fischer ’19 (far right) gather photo and video content during the ICPC World Finals.

Having served as managing editor of ElonNewsNetwork.com, Kupperman is familiar with deadline pressure, and the programming competition had a similar feel to a newsroom under a time crunch.

“These competitions last five hours and these teams are working furiously to solve as many of these complex computer problems as they can,” the junior said. “The kicker is only one person is allowed to touch the keyboard at any given time. So, they have to work together to collaborate and solve these problems. The vibe was intense, but exciting. Yet, everyone was so happy to be there. Having spoken with a lot of the teams, they were really excited to attend and compete.”

Kupperman shot video, conducted interviews, and worked closely with editors and photographers to chronicle the contest’s results. Leak focused primarily on social media coverage, capturing, creating and posting content on the ICPCNews accounts. .

The ICPC World Finals drew approximately 2,000 international programmers from more than 50 countries.

Leak said she is immensely proud of her content for the Cleo the Camel social media takeover she coordinated with fellow members of the ICPCNews team. As part of the campaign, social media followers were invited to leave a comment with the name of the university they wanted to see, and Leak would snap photographs of the team at work.

“It was really cool to capture the teams working on the contest floor and see our Facebook followers engaged with the contest from afar,” she said.

Kupperman, too, enjoyed the camaraderie he built with his ICPCNews colleagues, especially the Elon alumni in Luxor.

“I had an amazing time getting to know them, working with them and learning from them,” Kupperman said. “They had a lot to teach us about the different cameras that we were using and the different shots that they were looking for. It was great hands-on experience. And they were all really good people. I’m so glad that I got to meet them.”

Elon students Ryan Kupperman ’25, Isabel Gouveia ’24 and Donelle Leak ’25 take in the sights while traveling to Luxor, Egypt.

Admittedly, the competition’s location was a draw for the Elon students, alumni and faculty who attended. Luxor is home to several of the country’s most recognizable temples, tombs and monuments, which the group got to see up close. Leak and Kupperman, who both have experience traveling abroad, jumped at the opportunity to travel to Africa.

“As a tourist, highlights of the trip included seeing the tombs at the Valley of the Kings – and riding a camel for the first time,” Leak said. Fittingly, one can’t ride a camel without getting photographic proof – see images below.

Kazakhstan will host the 2024 ICPC World Finals in September.

��޹��Ʒ the ICPC

The International Collegiate Programming Contest is the oldest, largest and most prestigious university-level algorithmic programming contest in the world. Each year, some 50,000 students from more than 3,000 universities across more than 100 countries compete in regional competitions to earn a spot at the World Finals.

Communications students capture nine awards in BEA competition

Tommy Kopetskie — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 19:53:54 +0000

Max Wallace ‘26 (right), a journalism major, collected two awards at the 2024 BEA Festival of Media Arts, showcasing his broadcasting work in Elon’s student media organizations. Also pictured is Hodge Burkhardt ’27.

School of Communications students collected a total of nine awards in the Broadcast Education Association’s 2024 Festival of Media Arts, with Max Wallace ’26 leading the way with two awards.

The journalism major headlined Elon’s haul of awards with a second-place finish for his in the festival’s Video Story/Feature (short) category. Wallace also earned an Award of Excellence in the Audio/Video Sports Event: Play by Play Talent category.

In total, the received more than 1,885 entries, representing 300 colleges and universities. While a top prize eluded the Elon entries, Brendan Antrosiglio ’23 matched Wallace, earning a second-place finish for his “” submission in the Music Video category. A full list of Elon student winners can be found below.

“We can all be proud of our students’ success in this annual competition as each year the entries increase, and the competition stiffens between a truly impressive list of universities and academic programs,” said Vic Costello, associate professor of cinema and television arts, and former BEA president.

Members of the Interactive Media graduate program’s 2023 cohort collect video while working with Dove Youth Development (DYD), a nonprofit organization that supports youth initiatives in the Dominican Republic.

A regular contributor to Elon Sports Vision, Elon News Network and WSOE, Wallace is a consistent presence behind the microphone at university athletic events. The sophomore said he enjoyed highlighting Mallory’s successful summer playing for the Burlington Sock Puppets, where he earned an all-star game invitation, as well as the Appalachian League’s Humanitarian of the Year award – the focus of the feature.

The segment, which runs two minutes and 30 seconds, first aired during halftime of an Elon football game on FloSports and WMYV My48. It was later rebroadcast on Elon Sports Vision’s “Inside the Nest” program.

“Baseball has always been my favorite sport since I was a kid,” Wallace said. “When the news about Kenny broke, it was like the best of both worlds because I got to cover a sport that I love, and such a great moment for a great guy.”

Wallace credited Claire Geary, Elon Sports Vision’s coordinating producer, for her encouragement and support to share Mallory’s story. “We talked about the idea, and she gave me the green light from the jump,” he said.

He also thanked Khirey Walker, assistant professor of sport management, for providing insightful comments about Mallory during an on-camera interview that illustrated the star athlete’s talent, personality and demeanor.

As for other BEA award winners, members of the Interactive Media graduate program’s 2023 cohort earned a second-place finish in the contest’s Graduate Interactive Media & Emerging Technologies Competition.

During their Interactive Project for the Public Good course, the students traveled in January 2023 to the Dominican Republic. While in Puerto Plata, the students worked closely with Dove Youth Development (DYD), a nonprofit organization that supports youth initiatives in the Caribbean country, to overhaul DYD’s online presence. The students conducted video interviews, captured photography, and created a robust website, .

Following an award-winning showing in the 2023 On-Location Student Creative Competition, Liam Dupas ’26, Aaron Chan ’26 and Julien Dupas ’26 captured an Award of Excellence in the Video Story/Feature (short) category for their two-minute documentary, “The Inspirational Story of Finn Curran-Ng’asi.”

Elon’s 2024 BEA Festival of Media Arts Winners

Student Audio Competition: PSA, Promo, or Commercial Category
Award of Excellence: Elon Docs Promotional spot; Merrie Byers

Student Film & Video Competition: Animation/Experimental/Mixed Category
3rd Place (tie): Extended Realities; Isaac Kunesh, Leah Schultz, Mel Jones & Jerry Kunesh

Student Film & Video Competition: Music Video Category
2nd Place: All In Her Mind & A Year Went By; Brendan Antrosiglio

Student Film & Video Competition: Narrative Category
Award of Excellence: The Pictured Man; Brandon Talton, Trey Mead, Michael Brown & Jacob Meyers

Award of Excellence: The Brink; Ridley Randolph, Kevin Siczek, Alex Chadwick & Kendall Saulsby

Student Sports Competition: Audio/Video Sports Event: Play by Play Talent
Award of Excellence: Max Wallace Play-by-Play; Max Wallace

Student Sports Competition: Video Story/Feature (short) Category
2nd place: Kenny Mallory Jr. Feature; Max Wallace

Award of Excellence: The Inspirational Story of Finn Curren-Ng’asi; Liam Dupas, Aaron Chan & Julien Dupas

Graduate Interactive Media & Emerging Technologies Competition
2nd place: Dove Youth Development; Shaina Catchings, Sequoia Nichols, Courtney Simmons & Michaela Zeno

ElonComm alumni win Midsouth Emmys

Tommy Kopetskie — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 18:05:30 +0000

Nolan Elingburg ’11, G’12 helps cut down the nets in March 2023 following Duke University men’s basketball team’s ACC Tournament Championship run. It was the program’s 22nd ACC Tournament title. Elingburg recently won two Midsouth Emmy Awards for his work highlighting former Duke player Dereck Lively II. Photo courtesy of Elingburg.

Celebrating one’s success takes many forms.

Drivers take victory laps. Newly inducted Hall of Famers give speeches. Basketball teams cut down the nets. And Emmy Award winners pose for photos hoisting three-pound gold statuettes. These traditions cement the moment in our memories.

Nolan Elingburg’s moment in front of the camera with his two new Emmy Awards will have to wait – he was working behind the lens and missed last week’s ceremony.

Elingburg and Dereck Lively II are all smiles as they conduct a “jersey swap,” trading Lively’s jersey for Elingburg’s ACC-branded media vest. Lively is featured in Elingburg’s video project, titled “Dereck Lively II: No Excuses,” which recently won two Midsouth Emmy Awards. Photo courtesy of Elingburg.

While the work of journalists, producers, editors and content creators was being celebrated at the held Feb. 17 in Nashville, Elingburg, senior producer and editor for Duke Men’s Basketball, was documenting the Blue Devils’ win in Tallahassee, Florida.

The two-time alumnus’ statuette photo won’t make the rounds on social media until the award arrives in the mail.

Elingburg, who graduated in 2011 as a broadcast journalism major and in 2012 as an Interactive Media graduate student, was one of four School of Communications alumni to be honored at last week’s Midsouth Emmy Award ceremony. And he was honored not once, but twice.

His 10-minute video, titled “,” won top billing in both the Sports Story – News Feature category, as well as the Editor – Long Form Content (Longer Than 10 Minutes) category. The project details several poignant moments from Lively’s life, including the pass of his father and his mother’s courageous battle with cancer.

“It was an honor to tell Dereck and his family’s story,” Elingburg said. “He and his mom, Kathy, are incredible people who have faced a lot of adversity. I thought it was important for everyone to know what they have been through together and how they turned difficult times into a unique bond with one another.”

While he has received plenty of praising following the award’s announcement, Elingburg takes most comfort in the fact that he told a powerful story that pleased the project’s subjects.

“There has been an amazing amount of support and congratulations from everyone since winning, from my family to co-workers and our Duke coaches and players,” he said. “But I’m most proud that Dereck and Kathy were happy with how everything turned out.”

While his work has been nominated previously, these are Elingburg’s first two Emmy Awards.

Jack Norcross ’21, supervising producer at WCNC Charlotte, is another first-time Emmy Award winner. The Elon alumnus and the crew of the station’s “Wake Up Charlotte” 6 a.m. newscast won the ceremony’s Morning Newscast category, recognized for its chronicling the city’s South Park fire that killed two construction workers.

Before becoming a supervisor producer at WCNC Charlotte, Jack Norcross ’21 began at the news outlet as a producer-in-residence. Here is a photo from a May 2021 announcement announcing his post-Elon plans. Photo courtesy of Norcross’ X account, @JNorcrossNews.

Given the urgency of the fire and the significance of its impact, Norcross commended his colleagues for putting together an award-winning program on the fly.

“Any time you have an anchor out in the field, the stakes and technical challenges are high, especially for a morning show when your team doesn’t have time to do run throughs,” he said. “It’s why I’m especially proud of pushing the boundaries and providing important storytelling to one of the city’s biggest tragedies of the year. Putting a show like this on the air is truly a team effort with major kudos to the dozens of people in front of and behind the camera.”

Norcross credits the meaningful opportunities and repetitions he received as a student journalist and producer for preparing him for his responsibilities today.

“I would not be in this position today if it wasn’t for all the time I spent at Elon News Network,” he said. “Overseeing shows where we had anchors in different studios during the pandemic, plus shows field anchored from President Book’s inauguration and a live show from Lake Mary Nell, prepared me well.”

Alas, Norcross wasn’t available to attend the Nashville ceremony. The following morning he helped produce WCNC Charlotte’s Sunday political program, “Flashpoint.”

Joe Bruno ’14 (right) stands with fellow Eyewitness News Reporter Hunter Sáenz. “It was a dream to share the stage and this award with one of my best friends, Hunter,” Bruno said. “The two of us have been inseparable in Charlotte. He is a gifted journalist and an even better friend.” Photo courtesy of Bruno.

Not to be outdone, Joe Bruno ’14, an investigative reporter for WSOC-TV in Charlotte, was honored with two MidSouth Emmy Awards. And, yes, he was actually in attendance.

Bruno and his colleagues were recognized in the Breaking or Spot News – Multiple Reports category for their work on a three-hour police chase and crime spree, as well as in the Team Coverage category for their own South Park fire reporting.

Carly Thomas ’19, a former digital content producer at WSOC-TV, also contributed to the police chase coverage and was recognized in the team category. She currently works as an associate editor at The Hollywood Reporter

“As the great Rich Landesberg always says, ‘we should never do work for awards, but we should always strive to do award-winning work,’” Bruno said. “I am honored that my reporting is being recognized. It is always WSOC’s goal to approach stories compassionately. We strive to serve our community by providing our viewers with compelling stories and information they can trust. This is especially important in times of crisis.”

In total, Bruno has now won five Emmy Awards in his career, as well as several other accolades.

��޹��Ʒ the Midsouth Regional Emmy Awards

The Nashville/Midsouth Emmy Awards celebrate excellence in television broadcasting across North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama. The awards recognize outstanding achievements in news, documentary, entertainment, sports and other programming categories. This year, there were 917 entries judged in 73 categories.

New research by Fulbright Visiting Scholar Cennydd Bowles examines harmful design in browser choice

Tommy Kopetskie — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 17:45:49 +0000

As Cennydd Bowles reflected on the strong media attention his recent research investigating Microsoft’s design practices has received, the cautioned technology users to be mindful of what companies desire.

A technology ethicist and interaction designer with 20 years of experience, Fulbright Visiting Scholar Cennydd Bowles is teaching this spring in Elon’s Interactive Media graduate program.

“They all want you to use their own browser, their own search engine, etc., and a large part of that is because it means they can get your data,” said Cennydd (pronounced “Kennith”) Bowles, who is teaching in Elon’s Interactive Media graduate program this semester. “As part of our research, we made no evaluation of whether Microsoft Edge is a good browser. That’s not our focus; it may well be the right browser for you. But Microsoft is really keen that you come to that conclusion. So just be critical or skeptical of the choices that technology firms are trying to impose upon you and the directions that they want you to go.”

Bowles offered his warning while discussing his January 2024 report, “.” Published in collaboration with fellow researcher Harry Brignull, the report investigates Microsoft’s design practices across its core operating systems (Windows 10 and 11), web browser (Edge), and search engine (Bing). The findings indicate that Microsoft repeatedly uses harmful design to influence users into using Edge.

The report was commissioned by Mozilla, the maker of free and open-source web browser, Firefox. This fact is widely acknowledged by Bowles and Brignull in an effort to be transparent.

A technology ethicist and interaction designer with 20 years of experience, as well as author of the 2018 book “Future Ethics,” Bowles is uniquely positioned to assess how design influences the choices of consumers. His insights have been quoted by Forbes, WIRED and The Wall Street Journal, and he is a sought-after speaker on the ethics of emerging technology. Additionally, he has spoken about responsible innovation at Facebook, Stanford University and Google, and recently studied practical ethics at the University of Oxford.

Fittingly, Bowles is teaching an Ethics in Interactive Media course this spring, instructing a class of School of Communications graduate students, as well as two communication design majors and an engineering major.

“For me, persuasive design is where a lot of the rubber meets the road,” he said. “When it comes to ethics of technology, technology can persuade, cajole, coerce, manipulate us to do all sorts of things. Sometimes that’s good. Sometimes it’s not, and it’s a bit unexplored and it sits right at the heart of my interests as a designer and as an ethicist.”

According to Bowles, Brignull was originally approached by Mozilla, which was concerned that Microsoft was acting unfairly and sought independent experts to evaluate the multinational technology corporation’s platforms.

Bowles and Brignull had collaborated previously, with Bowles serving as a tech editor for his co-researcher’s most-recent book. By the time Bowles became involved with the Mozilla-supported project, Brignull had conducted the preliminary research, combing through Microsoft’s interfaces and logging details. Bowles supplemented those efforts looking at potential harms and ethical wrongdoings. “I was brought in to explain how what they were doing was deceptive, coercive, manipulative, and recommend change,” he said.

Bowles’ “Over the Edge” report has generated significant media coverage since its January 2024 release.

Of all Microsoft’s tactics, the “most objectionable” – according – is its dissuasive messaging injected directly into the Chrome download page. “For a browser vendor to interfere with the contents of a competitor’s website – or indeed any website – with neither due cause nor user consent is highly irregular and ethically indefensible,” Bowles wrote.

So far, the “Over the Edge” report has generated ample media coverage with pcmag.com, The Register, and techradar.com, among many others, promoting its findings. The most pointed headline was published by , which wrote: “Hi Microsoft, please stop using ‘harmful designs’ and deceptive tactics to give Edge the competitive advantage over other browsers on Windows, says Mozilla.”

Bowles acknowledged that he expected some level of media interest because the ethics of emerging technology has become a growing topic of interest. “People want to know if our technology is actually good for us,” he said. “Is technology helping us flourish? Or is it trying to drive us to do things that maybe aren’t in our best interests? So there’s some currency to that debate.”

Admittedly, the David vs. Goliath angle of the research doesn’t hurt either.

“This is a story about a very large, powerful company that, historically, has exhibited some questionable behavior,” Bowles said. “And journalists are often sympathetic to criticism of big tech firms.”

Regardless of why a user clicks to read his report, Bowles is hopeful his research is informative and thought-provoking, raising attention to potentially harmful behavior and design.

��޹��Ʒ the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program

Each year roughly 900 faculty and professionals from around the world receive Fulbright Scholar grants for advanced research and university lecturing in the United States. Individual grants are available to scholars from more than 100 countries. Individuals who meet the eligibility requirements apply for grants through the Fulbright Commission/Foundation or public affairs section of the U.S. embassy in their home countries. After a thorough selection process in the home country, final approval for awards is issued by the presidentially appointed Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board in the United States.

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