Schieffer School finishes third nationally in Bateman competition

Cowtown Communications, a Schieffer School public relations team, finished third nationally in the 2008 Bateman Competition, the most prestigious national case study competition for public relations students.

Sponsored by the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and General Motors Chevrolet, this year’s competition attracted entries from 76 universities.

The top three teams presented their campaigns at the General Motors Headquarters in Detroit, Michigan on May 2. Judges from General Motors and Public Relations Society of America judged the contest, which was won by Loyola University.

Tommy Thomason, director of the Schieffer School of Journalism, said the competition represents another important win for Schieffer School students in national competitions.

“We only re-entered the Bateman competition last year,” Thomason said.  “To finish third nationally in your second year of competition is a real testament to the quality of our public relations students in the Schieffer School.

As part of the campaign, Cowtown Communications organized a car safety fair, Safe Kids Buckle Up, held at Stripling Middle School in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 21. The event drew more than 230 parents and students and was covered by local media.

Safe Kids Buckle Up and General Motors sponsored the 2008 Bateman Competition.  Dr. Amiso George of the Schieffer School’s Division of Strategic Communication was the team adviser.

The Bateman Competition is a national case study competition established in 1973 to allow PRSSA students the opportunity to use their analytical skills outside of the classroom. For more information, visit http://www.prssa.org/resources/bateman2008.asp.

Journalism prof’s research interests include Harry Potter novels

By Sara Kercho

Star Wars movies, baseball and Harry Potter books are shared interests among many college students and one of the newest Texas Christian University journalism professors has taken such personal passions and combined them with his professional endeavors.

Daxton “Chip” Stewart has conducted research about the effects of the Harry Potter books on journalistic images. Stewart said he feels the Harry Potter series is important because of its impact on the upcoming generation and referred to its popularity as a “cultural phenomenon.” Full Story

Kayla Rodriguez practices a choreographed routine with a court of male classmates and friends in military dress uniforms. They performed at her quinceañera, the traditional 15th birthday celebration of a girl's entry into womanhood.

A photo exhibition featuring the work of Fort Worth photojournalist Alyssa Banta how hangs in the Photojournalism Gallery in the Schieffer School.

Ms. Banta’s exhibit, “La Ciudad de Fort Worth, explores Fort Worth’s Latin community.  She was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in photography for her work in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2002 and won a Time Magazine Photograph of the Year award in 2001.

The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Publications win SPJ, TIPA, CNBAM awards

Image magazine and the DailySkiff.com Web site have been recognized as best publications by both the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) and the Society of Professional Journalists region that includes colleges in Texas and Oklahoma.

Image magazine won the TIPA sweepstakes award, which is based on overall awards and first in overall excellence at the TIPA annual convention held April 3-5 in College Station. The magazine won the first place Mark of Excellence (MOE) award at the recent Region 8 SPJ spring conference in New Orleans.

In TIPA’s affiliated Web sites category, DailySkiff.com won first place in the general web site excellence category, and it won the first place MOE for affiliated Web sites from SPJ. Full Story

Sears leaves Star-Telegram to join Schieffer School faculty

By Taylor Pashley

Dallas, 6:40 a.m. – With a blaring boom box in one arm, Broxon Sears begins his morning routine by waking his 6-year-old grandson, Christian, to his favorite rock ‘n’ roll tunes. After a quick breakfast together, Sears drives him to school and begins the first half of the 96 miles he will travel to and from TCU for his new full-time position teaching in the Schieffer School of Journalism.

Praised for his talents in newspaper graphic design, Sears left behind his fast-paced days in newspaper journalism at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in January to transition from the professional to academic world. Full Story