FALL 2008
Fulton Debate Wins Binghamton Tournament (11.23.08)
The Fulton Debating Society won the novice division of the Binghamton University Debate Tournament held over the weekend of November 22-23. Ryan Folio '12 and Ken Aruda '10 won four of five preliminary debates before sweeping through five elimination rounds. A second Boston College team, Brenden Benedict '12 and Chris Fegan '12, earned third place honors in the novice division. The Fultonians finish out their semester with a tournament at John Carroll University the first weekend in December.
Dr. Charles Morris and Alicia Parmentier '09 Honored at the NCA Convention (11.22.08)
A Communication faculty member and a major were honored for their scholarship at the 94th Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association held this year in San Diego, California. Dr. Charles Morris received the Randy Majors Memorial Award from the Caucus on Gay and Lesbian Concerns for his "outstanding scholarly contributions." One of our majors, Alicia Parmentier '09, received the top undergraduate paper award from Lambda Pi Eta, the official communication studies honorary society of the National Communication Association.
Fultonians Debate the Decriminalization of Marijuana (11.19.08)
A public debate on whether Massachusetts should decriminalize marijuana drew an enthusiastic crowd of more than 250 people to McGuinn Auditorium on Tuesday, November 18th. After a spirited debate about the whether state resources should be used to combat "weed," the audience overwhelmingly affirmed the decision of Massachusetts voters who adopted Proposition 2, a measure that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana on Election Day.
Communication Top Major at Boston College (11.10.08)
Communication is the largest major at Boston College according to a new study just released by the Office of Study Services. Of the 9,060 undergraduates at Boston College, 843 (10%) had declared communication as their major in September 2008. Over the course of the academic year, more than 200 new students will declare communication meaning there will be well over 1000 majors by the end of the 2008-2009 academic year. Student Services reported that finance (830 students) is the second largest major.
Fultonians Debate Presidential Election (10.29.08)
A public debate on whether Senator Barak Obama or Senator John McCain should be elected president drew a crowd of more than 200 people to McGuinn Auditorium on Tuesday, October 28th. A poll of the audience before the debate found Senator Obama was the overwhelming choice of those in attendance. Another poll of the audience immediately after the debate found observers had changed their mind. Since there was no shift in opinion, moderator John Katsulas debate declared the debate a draw.
Fulton Debate Wins Hat City Debates (10.28.08)
The Fulton Debating Society won the junior varsity division of the Hat City Debate Tournament held at Western Connecticut during October 25-26. Sean O’Hara ’09 and Gabe Stacy ’12 took first place honors and a second team, Daniel Berkowitz '11 and Kelsey Muraoka '11, finished third in the junior varsity division. In novice division, Brendan Benedict '12 and Chris Fegan '12 finished in third place, and Ryan Folio '12 and Ken Aruda '10 finished in fifth place.
Three Communication Majors Selected to Present Papers at the NCA Convention (10.1.08)
The Communication Department is pleased to announce that three majors have been selected to present their scholarship at the National Communication Association in San Diego, California. Student presenters include (in alphabetical order): Tula Marie Batanchiev '09 ("Entertainment or Oppression: Male and Female Representation in Films About Domestic Abuse"), Kia Guarino '09 ("The American President and Humanitarian Crises: The U.S. Marginalization of the Rwandan Genocide"), and Alicia M. Parmentier '09 ("Once Upon a Time: CNN’s Coverage of the Minneapolis Bridge Tragedy").
SPRING 2008
Dr. Charles Morris Honored by the Eastern Communication Association (5.3.08)
Dr. Charles Morris received two significant awards at the 2008 Meeting of the Eastern Communication Association in Pittsburgh, PA. His book, Queering Public Address, received the Everett Lee Hunt Award for Outstanding Scholarship. The Hunt Award is given annually for "a major contribution to the understanding of rhetoric and communication as a human function in the contemporary world." Dr. Morris also received the Past President's Award, an honor that recognizes excellence in scholarship, distinguished classroom teaching, and notable service to the Eastern Communication Association.
Two Communication Majors Named Junior Dean's Scholars (3.30.08)
Each year a select group of the brightest young scholars in the junior class are honored by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences as Dean’s Scholars. They are selected on the basis of their overall academic performance, the recommendations from their departmental faculty, their co-curricular initiatives, and the sense of purpose with which they approach their future. The Junior Dean's Scholars from Communication for 2008 are Tula Batanchiev and Kelly Skrodzki.
Nine Communication Majors Named Sophomore Scholars (3.30.08)
The Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences each year honors the most academically distinguished members of the sophomore class as Sophomore Scholars. The Sophomore Scholars have achieved an academic ranking that places them in the top four to five percent of their class of more than 1582 and they have also received the recognition and nomination of their major department. The Sophomore Scholars from Communication for 2008 include John Boles, Elizabeth Glatzer, Kari Hulley, Katherine Julian, Liesl Kenney, Emily Koruda, Emily Legros, Kellen O’Gara, and Margaret Rulli.
Dr. Michael Keith Wins Broadcast Education Association Distinguished Scholar Award for 2008 (2.26.08)
Dr. Michael C. Keith was named co-recipient of the 2008 Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Distinguished Scholar Award. Over the course of his scholarly career, Dr. Keith has authored more than 20 critically acclaimed books as well The Next Better Place, a memoir about his childhood. An expert on “fringe radio,” Dr. Keith has written about use of radio and television by Native Americans, the nature and role of counterculture radio in the sixties, the right-wing's exploitation of the electronic media airwaves (with Robert Hilliard), the role of gays and lesbians in broadcasting (with Phylis Johnson), about broadcasting and the First Amendment (with Robert Hilliard), and the loss of localism in American radio (with Robert Hilliard). Dr. Keith is also the author of the most widely adopted text on radio in America, The Radio Station, now in its seventh edition. As the BEA noted, “Professor Keith continues to be one of the most widely cited authors in radio studies, while pursuing further research on the oldest electronic mass medium.”
FALL 2007
Roger Woolsey Appointed Director of Career Services at Colby College (12.1.07)
The Communication Counselor, Roger Woolsey, has been appointed Director of Career Services at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. In addition to serving as our Counselor for the past five years, Mr. Woolsey taught popular courses in Advanced Public Relations and Advanced Advertising. Last spring, his Advanced Public Relations class raised more than $40,000 for Medical Missions for Children and his Advanced Advertising class represented Boston College in the American Advertising Federation's Campaign Competition. Mr. Woolsey's last day will be Friday, January 11. An active search is underway for a replacement. (While Mr. Woolsey will be sorely missed, the Communication Department wishes him the very best in his new position at Colby. He was a gifted counselor, an extraordinary teacher, and a valued friend and colleague.)Fulton Debate Hosts British National Team; Debate Merits of Military Intervention in Iran (10.3.07)
On October 2, 2007, the Fulton Debating Society hosted the British National Team for a debate on American foreign policy held in the Irish Hall (Gasson 100). The topic for the spirited exchange was, “Resolved: This House believes that an invasion of Iran would cause more problems that it would solve." The Boston College team, Matthew Maerowitz ’10 and Ryan Malone '10, took the affirmative and argued for a diplomatic response. The British team, in contrast, took a hard line and claimed the threat of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons justified overt military intervention. The British duo, Alex Just of the University of Oxford and Alistair Cormack of the University of Durham, will travel to thirty-two different colleges and universities over the next three months as part of the English-Speaking Union Tour of the United States.
SPRING 2007
Inaugural Medical Missions for Children Gala Raises Over $41,000; Benefit Planned by Communication Students is a Major Success (5.9.07)
On May 5, 2007, Medical Missions for Children hosted its Inaugural Benefit Gala at the Westin Copley Place. Planned by the students in Professor Roger Woolsey's Advanced Public Relations course at Boston College, the event was attended by over 150 people and raised more than $41,000 for the organization. The night included live and silent auctions as well as show-stopping performances from "American Idol" alum Ayla Brown, renowned pianist Ann Sweeten, the Boston College Dynamics a cappella group, and JAZZ BAND. The proceeds from the event will go toward funding future missions for MMFC in order to support their continuing quest to provide free surgical and dental services to children from underdeveloped nations worldwide.
Communication Honors Dinner (5.7.07)
The Communication Honors Dinner was held on Sunday, May 6, in the Murray Function Room on the fourth floor of the Yawkey Athletic Center. The department acknowledged students receiving various College Honors including 10 Sophomore Scholars, 2 Junior Dean's Scholars, and 14 students selected for Phi Beta Kappa. All departmental awards are presented at the dinner. This included the winners of the Leonard Public Speaking Contest, the Communication Excellence Awards, and the Dorman Picklesimer Outstanding Major Awards. As always, the highlight of the evening was the presentation of Communication Honors to 28 majors completing an honors thesis. Tom Mulvoy was also honored as a Friend of the Communication Department. At the end of the evening, the department announced the winner of the Justin DeRose Memorial Award, the Gail A. McGrath Award, and the John Henry Lawton Award. A list of all winners is available on the Honors Program and on the Communication Department's web site.
Ten Communication Majors Present Papers at the Eastern Communication Association Convention (4.29.07)
The Communication Department is pleased to announce that ten majors have presented their scholarship at the 98th Convention of Eastern Communication Association. The Convention ran from April 25th to April 29th and will be held at the Westin Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island. Student presenters included (in alphabetical order): Elizabeth Barnet, Lindsey Day, Mary Elizabeth Findlay, Christopher J. Hunker, Brady Littlefield, Marina Malvagna, Alexis Mark, Erin Morley, Elizabeth Pawelczyk, and Thomas Simmons. Beyond the papers, Chris Hunker and Alison Hynes also participated on a panel on "Campus Speech and the Law: Intersections of Regulation."
Fulton Debate Ranked #8 in Final National Debate Tournament Rankings (4.23.07) Based upon its performance at tournaments during the 2006-2007 year, the Fulton Debate Society of Boston College is ranked as the 8th best debate program in the United States according to the final rankings released by the National Debate Tournament Committee (NDT). The overall rankings are determined by awarding schools points based upon the performance of their top two teams at eight tournaments held over the course of the academic year. Approximately two hundred schools compete in policy debate. Listed below are the rankings for the top twenty-five debate programs:
1. Liberty University
2. University of Oklahoma
3. Binghamton University
4. United States Military Academy
5. Wake Forest University
6. Whitman College
7. Wayne State University
8. BOSTON COLLEGE
9. University of Kansas
10. Emory University
11. University of Georgia
12. Harvard University
13. Cornell University
14. University of Mary Washington
15. Northwestern University
16. Missouri State University
17. University of Rochester
18. University of California, Berkeley
19. John Carroll University
20. Kansas State University
21. Wichita State University
22. Gonzaga University
23. Dartmouth University
24. California Polytechnic State University
25. University of Southern California
Two Communication Majors Named Dean's Scholars (4.1.07)
Each year the College of Arts & Sciences selects the brightest scholars from the Junior class and names them Dean's Scholars. The students are selected on the basis of their overall academic performance, recommendations from the faculty, and co-curricular activities. The Dean's Scholars from Communication for 2007 are Victoria Matese and Kathryn Zioto.
Ten Communication Majors Named Sophomore Scholars (4.1.07)
Academically distinguished members of the sophomore class are selected by the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences to be honored as Sophomore Scholars. These students have achieved an academic ranking that places them in the top three percent of their class and have been recommended by their major departments. The Sophomore Scholars from Communication include Chelsea Amengual, Tula Batanchiev, Christopher Baxter, Ann Flores, Kia Guarino, Cooley Horner, Elizabeth McBride, Lauren O'Leary, Madeleine Rodriguez, and Molly Tormey.
Fulton Debate Qualifies for the National Debate Tournament (3.19.07)
Boston College qualified to compete at the 61th annual National Debate Tournament (NDT) to be held at the Westin Hotel in Dallas, Texas, from March 30 to April 2, 2007. This marks the 30th year that Fulton Debate has qualified teams to compete at the NDT. The field is limited to the top 78 debate teams in the United States. Teams must qualify by participating at district tournaments or by receiving at large-bids which are awarded to the top sixteen teams prior to districts and to the top ten teams after the district qualifying tournaments. Qualifying this year from Boston College were Allen Best ('07) & Mandy Castle ('07), who became the first BC debate team in the history of the school who qualified for the NDT in all four years of their career. Two other debaters in BC history, Darren Schwiebert ('92) and Jack Minnear ('95) each qualified four times (Schwiebert from 1989-1992 and Minnear from 1992-1995), but they debated with more than one partner.
Dr. Keith Delivers Inaugural Presentation in "Scholarship in Radio Lecture Series" (3.12.07)
Dr. Michael Keith delivered the inaugural presentation in the "Scholarship in Radio Lecture Series" sponsored by the Radio Department of the School of Media Arts at Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois. The "Scholarship in Radio Lecture Series" is designed to support and disseminate scholarly and academic work in radio arts and broadcasting. Dr. Keith, one of the nation's leading scholars on electronic media, is the author of twenty acclaimed books and numerous articles for journals and magazines.
Three Communication Professors Promoted (3.5.07)
The President's Office announced the promotion of three Communication faculty members. Promotions are relatively rare (there are only a handful of ranks), so each promotion represents a major moment in a professor's career. Please join the department in celebrating the success of the following faculty members: Assistant Professor Pamela Lannutti was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure, Associate Professor Charles Morris was tenured, and Adjunct Assistant Professor Bill Stanwood was promoted to Adjunct Associate Professor.
Rhetorical Tradition Featured in The Heights (2.15.07)
An article in The Heights on the Teacing with New Media (TWIN) Awards highlighted the way in which Dr. Bonnie Jefferson uses Web CT in Rhetorical Tradition. Dr. Jefferson, a previous TWIN Award winner, has won numerous teaching awards over her long and distinguished career. The article about Rhetorical Tradition is available online at "TWIN Awards Honor Technology-Saavy Professors."
FALL 2006
Dr. Herbeck Wins Haiman Award for Distinguished Scholarship on Freedom of Expression (11.19.06)
Dale Herbeck and Thomas Tedford, co-authors of Freedom of Speech in the United States, shared the Franklyn S. Haiman Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Freedom of Expression for 2006. This award is given annually by the National Communication Association to the author(s) of outstanding published research on research on freedom of expression. The Haiman Award, along with the other major NCA awards, is presented at a gala awards ceremony at the culmination of the NCA's Annual Meeting.
Communication Department Launches New Advising Strategy (10.30.06)
The Communication Department implemented a new tiered-advising scheme to facilitate registration for Spring 2007. Under the new plan, degree audits are available in the main department office, group advising sessions have been organized, and majors are no longer required to meet with an assigned academic adviser. Majors will now have the choice of informational advising, group advising, or meeting with the faculty member of choice. The decision is with the student and all majors will have the opportunity to select the type of advising that meets their needs. Information about academic advising is available on the department's web site.
Debate Expert O'Donnell Shares Secrets with Communication Majors (10.26.06)
Nearly 300 majors attended a lecture by Brett O'Donnell, one of President Bush's coaches for his 2004 Presidential Debates with Senator John Kerry. As part of his presentation, O'Donnell showed video clips of some famous moments in debate history and shared some stories about his famous student. An article about the lecture, "Strategist Reveals Secrets to Presidential Debates," appeared in The Heights on October 26, 2006.
"Taking Part in the Mission" with Advanced Public Relations (10.19.06)
Roger Woolsey's section of Advanced Public Relations was featured in "Taking Part in the Mission," an article appearing in The Heights on October 19, 2006. This semester, Professor Woolsey's class is raising awareness and money for Medical Missions for Children. The article is available online at "Taking Part in the Mission."
"Sciences Continue Surge," but Communication Remains the Most Popular Major at Boston College (10.5.06)
For the sixth consecutive year, Communication (945 students) is the most popular major at Boston College. Finance (805 students) is the second most popular major followed by political science (777 students), English (770 students), and history (618 students). Despite the growing institutional emphasis on the sciences, Communication has nearly as many majors as all of the science departments combined. At the end of registration in September, there were 945 Communication majors against 966 declared majors in the five science departments. The science majors are distributed as follows: biology has 641 majors, biochemistry has 127 majors, chemistry has 97 majors, physics has 62 majors, and geology has 39 majors. For more about enrollment trends read "Sciences Continue Surge" in the Boston College Chronicle, October 5, 2006.
Special BEA Panel to Recognize Dr. Keith (9.25.06)
A special panel at the Broadcast Education Association will honor the prolific radio scholarship of Dr. Michael Keith, the country's most prominent author of books on radio broadcasting. The session will also consider current trends in Radio Studies, including recent research approaches and the key areas being investigated. Panelists will include Frank Chorba (Washburn University), Christopher Sterling (George Washington University), Michael Brown (University of Wyoming), and Mike Adams (San Jose State University).
SPRING 2006
Communication Majors Win Dodge High Caliber Challenge (6.10.06)
The Boston College team of Woody Tondorf ('06), Jennifer Cowperthwait (Comm '07) and Stefanie Sitzer (Comm '08) topped teams from Northwestern and Texas Christian universities to win the five-day charity road trip challenge to benefit the Global Music Project of Doctors Without Borders. For their "high caliber" effort, each member of BC's victorious team wins a 24-month lease on a new Dodge Caliber."Under the Influence" (6.1.06)
Dr. Kenneth Lachlan of the Communication Department was featured in the "Inquiring Minds" section of the Spring issue of Boston College Magazine. The article, which reports on some of Dr. Lachlan's research on the video game "Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories," is available online at "Under the Influence."Dr. Jefferson Wins Eckroyd Teaching Award (5.1.06)
The Eastern Communication Association presented the Donald and Caroline Ecroyd Teaching Award to Dr. Bonnie Jefferson at the culmination of its 2006 Convention in Philadelphia, PA. The Ecroyd Award is given annually to a professor who has "employed communication principles as the foundation for constructing pedagogical principles applied in teaching practice."Eleven Communication Majors Name Sophomore Scholars (4.5.06)
Academically distinguished members of the sophomore class are selected by the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences to be honored as Sophomore Scholars. These students have achieved an academic ranking that places them in the top three percent of their class and have been recommended by their major departments. The Sophomore Scholars from Communication include Clairesse Brogoitti (Communication/Sociology), Jennifer Close (Communication/International Studies), Krystle Corredor-Diamond (Communication), Susan Kelly (Communication/Hispanic Studies), Mark Nylen (Communication), Kelly Sutter (French/Communication), Lauren Svensson (Communication/Hispanic Studies), Kimberly Walsh (Communication), Richard Wisgirda (Communication), Lauren Zaccone (History/Communication), and Kathryn Zioto (Communication).Five Communication Majors Named Dean's Scholars (4.1.06)
Each year the College of Arts & Sciences selects the brightest scholars from the Junior class and names them Dean's Scholars. The students are selected on the basis of their overall academic performance, recommendations from the faculty, and co-curricular activities. The Dean's Scholars from Communication for 2006 include Nicholas Bernier (History/Communication), Alexandria Bradshaw (Communication/Sociology), Amanda Denes (Communication), Aleksandra Lada (International Studies/Communication), and Clare Robbins (Communication/History).Dr. Jefferson Promoted to Adjunct Associate Professor (3.1.06)
The Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences announced that Dr. Bonnie Jefferson had been promoted to Adjunct Associate Professor. This promotion recognizes Dr. Jefferson's service to the Communication Department and her exemplary skills as a teacher. All Communication majors have taken Dr. Jefferson as she is responsible for Rhetorical Tradition, the introductory course to the major.Fulton Debate Qualifies Two Teams to Attend the National Debate Tournament (2.28.06)
The Fulton Debating Society qualified two teams to compete at the 60th annual National Debate Tournament (NDT) to be held at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, during 24-27 March 2006. This marks the 29th year that Fulton Debate has qualified teams to compete at the NDT. Boston College will be represented at NDT by Allen Best ('07) and Mandy Castle ('07), along with Jeffrey Sullivan ('06) and Doowon Chung ('09). The other schools qualifying for the NDT from District Eight (New England) are Dartmouth College, Harvard University, the University of Rochester, and the University of Vermont.Advanced Public Relations Featured in The Heights (2.27.06)
Roger Woolsey's section of Advanced Public Relations was featured in "Bringing Real Life into the Classroom," an article appearing in The Heights on February 27, 2006. The article is available online at "Real Life.""The Stem of Misunderstanding" (2.21.06)
Dr. Pamela Lannutti of the Communication Department co-authored an article about alcohol and sexual negotiation appearing in the latest issue of American Sexuality Magazine, an online journal published by the National Sexuality Research Center. The article, which reports on some of Dr. Lannutti's research, is available online at "The Stem of Misunderstanding."Communication Remains "Most Popular" Major (2.16.06)
"While the most popular majors at Boston College are--for the fifth straight year--communication, with 953 undergraduates, and English, with 814, the number of students in various majors preparing for medical, dental, or veterinary school is now 1,231 and accounts for nearly 14 percent of BC's total 9,019 undergraduates. This represents a 37 percent increase over students planning for those careers five years ago. Other popular majors are political science (801), finance (760), biology (650), and history (627)." For more about enrollment trends read "Study Plans" in the Boston College Magazine, Winter 2004.
