Mass Comm Week Session Schedule
Zoom Session Notes:
Several Mass Comm Week 2023 sessions will be offered virtually on Zoom. All sessions with a provided link are open to all students. Attendees will be admitted into the session about 10 minutes before the session’s start time. You may be asked to log in to Zoom to access the session. Click on the SSO option and log in with your Texas State information.
Need help? Check the Texas State University IT Assistance Center Zoom support page.
9:30 a.m.
Television News Directors Talk Jobs in TV News
We’ll be joined in person by two news directors from Sinclair Broadcast Group. Rob Cartwright, news director of KEYE CBS Austin, is a Texas State alum (class of 1996). Blaise Labbe is the Group News Director for a host of Sinclair-owned TV stations. They’ll be meeting with merged sections of TV News and Multimedia Journalism and talking about jobs available right now in broadcast journalism.
Location: Old Main 234
Program: Electronic Media
Speakers: Rob Cartwright, Blaise Labbe
Moderator: Kelly Kaufhold
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12:30 p.m.
TXST University Marketing Team
Description TBD
Location: Old Main 232
Program: Digital Media Innovation
Speakers: Elissa Fontenot, Giselle Kowalski, Lucero Trevino, Callie Lewis
Moderator: Dale Blasingame
*Students enrolled in MC 4326.006 get priority seating.
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8:00 a.m.
Education Abroad and Study in America Opportunities
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication will be offering four Education Abroad and three Study in America programs this academic year. These sessions allow students the opportunity to learn about these programs, the destinations, the courses offered, and what you will learn and experience during these transformational learning opportunities.
Location: CENT 157
Program: All
Speakers: Dale Blasingame, Harry Bowers, Ali Forbes, Jessica James, Charles Kaufman, Youjeong Kim, Gilbert Martinez, Alex Muk, Debra Price, Jennifer Scharlach, Sara Shields, Paul Villagran
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11:00 a.m.
Living the Agency Life: Bobcats working at PR firms talk about their careers and how they got there
Want to know what it is like to work at an agency? Recent grads will share their stories and give tips about landing a job. Panelists include Carson Jones from anthonyBarnum, Blake Pousson from ECPR, Allison Jones Ralston from INK Communications, and Summer Richie from Hill+Knowlton.
Location: Old Main 232
Program: Public Relations
Speakers: Summer Richie, Blake Pousson, Allison Jones Ralston, Carson Jones
Moderator: Debra Price
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12:30 p.m.
Emilee Hall, Chuy’s social media coordinator (SJMC alum)
Description TBD
Location: Online/Zoom
Program: Digital Media Innovation
Speaker: Emilee Hall
Moderator: Dale Blasingame
*Email RSVP to blasingame@txstate.edu for Zoom link.
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12:30 p.m.
Education Abroad and Study in America Opportunities
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication will be offering four Education Abroad and three Study in America programs this academic year. These sessions allow students the opportunity to learn about these programs, the destinations, the courses offered, and what you will learn and experience during these transformational learning opportunities.
Location: HINES 204
Program: All
Speakers: Dale Blasingame, Harry Bowers, Ali Forbes, Jessica James, Charles Kaufman, Youjeong Kim, Gilbert Martinez, Alex Muk, Debra Price, Jennifer Scharlach, Sara Shields, Paul Villagran
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5:00 p.m.
The Path to a Digital Career
Two recent Digital Media Innovation graduates will discuss the path to their digital career. Giselle German (DMI ’22) is an IT Business Analyst for General Motors, and Lauryn Briggs (DMI ’22) is a social media manager at The Cosmos Labs. Hear about from them about their job search and current responsibilities and get tips for your own career ahead.
Location: Online/Zoom (restricted to students enrolled in MC 4328.001; link to recording will become available)
Program: Digital Media Innovation
Speakers: Giselle German, Lauryn Briggs
Moderator: Cindy Royal, Professor, Digital Media Innovation
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9:30 a.m.
Digital networking for your PR job search
Did you know that there’s a correlation between your LinkedIn presence (how long you’ve had an account + how many connections you have) and the number of interviews and job offers you may receive? Hear from Dr. Prisca Ngondo about findings from her recent research on digital networking and from Mel Pearce, a Texas State alumna who works for the job search site Handshake.
Location: Old Main 232
Program: Public Relations
Speaker: Mel Pearce
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10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Education Abroad and Study in America Browse
Do you want to learn more about School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) Education Abroad and Study in America programs but can’t attend a scheduled session? You are in luck. Faculty representatives from all our SJMC Education Abroad and Study in America programs will be available to answer your questions and provide information about the programs.
Free pizza while it last!
Location: Old Main first-floor lobby
Program: All
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12:30 p.m.
Digital Marketing and Production in Professional Sports
Two recent Texas State alumni – one from Electronic Media and one from Digital Media Innovation – will join us to talk about their work with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Texans, including how they apply the skills they learned here at Texas State.
Location: Old Main 106B
Program: Digital Media Innovation & Electronic Media
Speakers: Kate Connors, Tatiana Torres
Moderator: Kelly Kaufhold
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12:30 p.m.
Dyhanara Rios, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center multimedia communications specialist (SJMC alum)
Description TBD
Location: Old Main 232
Program: Digital Media Innovation
Speaker: Dyhanara Rios
Moderator: Dale Blasingame
*Students enrolled in MC 4326.006 get priority seating.
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2:00 p.m.
Podcasting – Telling Stories with Sound
Three professors – two from Texas State and one from Sam Houston State (a member of the Texas State University System), will share their experiences producing their own podcasts and researching the important and growing role of podcasts in society.
Location: Hines 204
Program: Electronic Media
Speakers: Dan Seed, Dr. Marcus Funk, Jillian Ament
Moderator: Kelly Kaufhold
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3:30 p.m.
From Old Main to City Hall: Building your Career in Digital Media and Public Service
Join us for an inspiring discussion with Gab Herrera, an SJMC alumna and now Senior Communications Advisor for the Office of Mayor Ron Nirenberg in San Antonio. Gab will share her journey from a Texas State student to a key figure in local government communications. During this session, she will delve into the various roles she has held throughout her career, as well as offer practical career advice for current students looking to carve out their own paths in a digital world.
Location: Alkek Teaching Theater – Alkek 250
Program: Digital Media Innovation
Speaker: Gabrielle Herrera
Moderator: Jon Zmikly
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3:30 p.m.
Digital Content Producer – Reporting Behind the Scenes in TV News
A number of graduates from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication now produce journalism for television stations but don’t appear in traditional on-air roles. Instead they work as Digital Content Producers, creating original journalism for TV-station websites and social media platforms. You’ll meet a couple of recent graduates who are Digital Content Producers at major market TV stations.
Location: Old Main 106B
Program: Electronic Media
Speakers: Sammy Turner, Paul Livengood II
Moderator: Kelly Kaufhold
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10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Education Abroad and Study in America Browse
Do you want to learn more about School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) Education Abroad and Study in America programs but can’t attend a scheduled session? You are in luck. Faculty representatives from all our SJMC Education Abroad and Study in America programs will be available to answer your questions and provide information about the programs.
Free pizza while it last!
Location: Old Main first-floor lobby
Program: All
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12:30 p.m.
Amanda Weaver, Winston-Salem Dash marketing and communications manager (SJMC alum)
Description TBD
Location: Online/Zoom
Program: Digital Media Innovation
Speaker: Amanda Weaver
Moderator: Dale Blasingame
*Email RSVP to blasingame@txstate.edu for Zoom link.
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