A monthly publication of the NWC Communication Department

Upcoming Events

Professional Practices Dinner

February 21
(more info)

Midterms

March 5-6

Spring Break

March 7-17

Featured

Student

Shannon Elliott
Senior

Major: Theatre

What are your plans for the future? I would like to do anything and everything related to theater that makes a difference and means something. Vague, I know, but when you've been onstage and offstage and have loved every minute, it makes choices so much more difficult. Someday I'd love to produce, direct and star in my own production. I'd like to keep designing lighting, I'd love to have a lead in a Shakespeare and I would love to have a stint as a dramaturg. These are my "small" goals, at least.

What opportunities have you had at Northwestern?

I've had the opportunity to be involved as an actor in a few NWC productions, stage manage and spend countless hours as a stage technician for Maranatha Hall. Last year I had the great honor and privilege to be in Les Liasons Dangerous at Torch Theater, intern at Yellow Tree Theater, intern for Around the World in 80 Days at Open Window Theater and design lights for Till Death with Thirty for the Thirsty. Last semester one of my favorite projects was an independent study class in Dramaturgy, wherein I spent hundreds of hours studying three plays, combining my love of research and my love of theater into a real profession. Currently, I am an assistant drama teacher at Hope Academy, a stage technician for MaHa, a mime for EPPIC Ministries and part of NWC's Theatre on Purpose.

What is your favorite thing about NWC?
It really is all about the people for me. All the great friends I made here have really opened up my eyes to the world and the wonderful stories He gives to each of us. Finishing school this semester, I know I have a group of friends and a great mentor who will encourage me to be who my Father intended me to be. Maybe I don't have a clear goal, maybe life is still hard and maybe NWC was a thorn in my side sometimes, but I have loved learning from my fellow students and my professors. As long as God's passion for people and their stories is still in my heart, I know that He still has plans for me. NWC taught me that.

Featured

Alumnus

Jared Johnson

2009

Degree:

Comm. Studies

Where has life taken you after Northwestern?

Since graduation I have enjoyed an incredible journey that allowed me to work in sports communications. After a brief stint at a publishing company, my wife Skyler ('09) and I moved to West Virginia so that I could work for the athletic media relations office at Marshall University. Following our time in Huntington, W. Va., we moved back to the Twin Cities, where I was hired as the Sports Information Director at Bethel University--- where I've been since October 2011.

What advice do you have for current students?

What I've discovered is that it's great to have a plan after school, and its really good to network with a broad assortment of people. But what is most important is that you trust God's timing for all things and allow yourself to be used where He finds best. Additionally, don't take anyone or any opportunity for granted and remember to always be yourself--- cliché I know--- because employers and peers will respect you for who you are, not who you're trying to be.

Sundance Film Festival a first for NWC

Northwestern College's Communication professors pride themselves on offering real-world experiences to their students, and this semester is no different. Professor Ann Sorenson brought six Electronic Media Communication students to the 2013 Sundance Film Festival--- a premier showcase for independent films held in Park City, Utah--- from Thursday, January 21 to Sunday, January 27.

"Experiential learning is especially important in filmmaking," said Sorenson. "We learn by doing, seeing, listening, and participating. It was an amazing opportunity for film students to meet other film students from across the country, see a variety of films and meet with the directors directly."

Each morning, the Northwestern group took part in the Windrider Forum, a group organized and attended by Christians that met to discuss faith and films and listen to filmmakers. Over the course of their afternoons and evenings, the students each viewed approximately a dozen festival films ranging from documentaries to comedies. The filmmakers often shared the story of the film with the audience, giving attendees a look into the perseverance and passion filmmaking requires.

Senior EMC major Krista Koester said, "These films brought up some of the deepest life questions that every human thinks about. It was a blessing to have a trusted group of friends to dialogue with about the questions raised. I appreciated the emotion that all of these films evoked. Even though few included the topic of Christianity, we were still able to see themes of redemption, forgiveness or perseverance. Film is such a powerful medium that can be deeply moving if you allow it to be."

The students practiced their networking skills with directors at Q&A sessions after the films and learned to vocalize and be knowledgeable about their film projects. Koester said, "I have learned so many things that I will be able to apply to my future work--- production aspects like cinematography ideas or story aspects. I grew close to my fellow peers on the trip, and I believe we have built lasting relationships that will carry on both professionally and personally."

Read a daily account of the students' experiences on their blog: nwcatsundance.wordpress.com.

Media majors honored with 8 national awards

Electronic Media Communication students were recently announced as the winners of eight awards in the 2013 Intercollegiate National Religious Broadcasters (iNRB) competition, including three first place awards. This year the students swept the film and video public service announcement/commercial category, taking first, second and third place.

Senior EMC major Chris Bell entered the iNRB competition for the first time and won first place in the Radio Promo/Imaging/Branding category with his radio spot "To Write Love on Her Arms." He said, "I was inspired to write the spot in support of the company because I think it is helping to heal the broken and give hope to those that don't have any. During the process of writing and producing it for the NRB, I learned that things do not need to be complicated in order to be excellent."

The winning students will attend the NRB convention in Nashville on March 1-- 5 to accept their awards as well as hear keynote speakers, interact with leaders in the industry and participate in a 36-hour media production competition.

Radio professor Mark Seignious said, "While the industry has honored these students, it is the Lord's grace that abounds. Our prayer is that these students will always strive to remember that they 'have been entrusted with the Gospel, so they speak not to please man but to please God, who tests their hearts (1 Thessalonians 2:4).'"

Congratulations to these award-winning students:

1st Place: Radio Feature/Radio Drama
Anthony Mansmith and Aaron McIntire "Momentary Troubles"

1st Place: Radio Promo/Imaging/Branding
Chris Bell "To Write Love on her Arms"

2nd Place: Radio News and Sports
Aaron McIntire "The Hunger Games: Freaky Fad or Fantastic"

1st Place: TV/Video PSA/Commercial/Promo
Luke Stapleton and Grant Swanson "Bessy"

2nd Place: TV/Video PSA/Commercial/Promo
Chris Behnen "Commute"

3rd Place: TV/Video PSA/Commercial/Promo
Krista Koester "Third Day - Behind the Scenes"

2nd Place: Documentary
Anna Carey "Poet"

3rd Place: Short Film
Chris Behnen "Man in the Mirror"

New courses teach students to create content for the Web

This semester the Department of Communication is offering two brand new courses, Writing for the Web and Web Content Strategy.

Professor Doug Trouten, who teaches both courses, explained what they bring to the Communication program. "To work in communication fields today, a person needs to be able tell a story effectively across a wide variety of media platforms. Writers are producing short videos. Radio personalities are writing blogs. And everybody needs to know how to communicate online."

The Writing for the Web course explores how Internet users read online content, and students will learn how web writing differs from print writing. In the course, each student will write for his or her own website or blog, learn to communicate effectively via Twitter and even post a review on Amazon. Web Content Strategy will take a look at the planning involved in effective content creation and delivery. Students will dive into such topics as website usability and search engine optimization.

"In the age of the Internet," said Trouten, "everybody is a publisher. But not everybody is a good publisher. Making the most of modern communication technology takes thought and planning, and the development of specific skills. In some ways, what the Internet needs is a good editor, and we're teaching students to be good curators of web content, and to make their own content easily discoverable by people in their target audience."

Trouten, who has historically taught print journalism, shared how teaching these courses was a natural fit for him. "Much of my professional career was spent in print media, and I've been pleased by how many basic skills from journalism transfer easily to the Web...I've also been working with computers since the days of punch cards and creating websites for more than a decade, and it's a lot of fun to be able to bring my tech background and journalism background together to help prepare students for this important new field."

WCM3056 Web Content Strategy is a quad four course with no prerequisite. Enrollment in the class via theROCK is open through March 20.

Notable Notes

Public service announcements produced by a collaboration of Public Relations and Radio students currently appear on the websites of non-profit organizations like Hockey Ministries International and Courage Center (see right column).

PR alumnus Brian Gordon ('10) landed a new job as Constituent Services Officer for U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann in her district office in Woodbury, MN.

Junior PR major Isabelle Faletti is now a Sales and Events Assistant at Bellagala, one of Minnesota's premier wedding vendors.

PR alumnus Jeremy Johnson ('10) recently accepted a job as an account executive for sales and marketing with Spanish TV station Univision Minnesota.

Dr. Kent Kaiser has two articles in the Winter issue of the Boundary Waters Journal--- on newsstands now at stores such as Barnes & Noble and REI. One article is on stream trout fishing and the other on the Gunflint Trail Fire and Rescue Squad.

Dr. Kaiser served on a panel at Future Productions' annual Beauty Is Power seminar on January 5, discussing what Miss USA state-level judges seek in casting women to appear in the nationally televised Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants.

Dr. Kaiser testified at the MN Legislature on January 31 in favor of House File 193, sponsored by Rep. Steve Simon (DFL-St Louis Park). The bill would make it easier for voters to access an absentee ballot.

Recent Journalism graduate Amy Overgaard ('12) is now a Publishing Assistant at Thirty Two Magazine.

Speech team member Adam Saxton won 2nd place in the impromptu category at the Twin Cities Forensics Leagues tournament held on January 29.

Note From the Chair

Film is an immensely powerful form of mass media, with the ability to create a "reality" that all but compels belief. It's also the media channel in which, perhaps, people of faith have had the least success telling the greatest story of all time.

Northwestern College is committed to giving film students the training and experience they'll need to light the way for the gospel in the sometimes-dark world of the movies. This year, a half-dozen film students and their professor, Ann Sorenson, visited the Sundance Film Festival and got a close look at the challenges and opportunities ahead.

One film they saw at the festival was Linsanity, a documentary about Jeremy Lin's unlikely rise to NBA fame. In the Q&A after the screening, somebody in the audience noted that Linsanity seems like a Christian film and suggested the filmmakers might consider cutting that from the movie. The filmmakers explained that Lin's faith is an integral part of who he is and thus had to be included to create a realistic portrayal.

The question from the audience was a telling one. The question really boiled down to, "Did you consider changing reality so as to avoid offending my anti-religious bias?" It was a great look at a mind-set that our students will face as they launch their careers and a reminder of how important it is to nurture the next generation of Christian filmmakers.

Doug Trouten
Communication Department Chair