The annual recognition honors emerging public relations professionals making their mark on the industry in the early stages of their careers. For Gibson, the recognition gave her a chance to appreciate how much she and HCM have grown in a relatively short time.

ā€œPRNEWS is one of the most respected platforms in the industry, so itā€™s an honor to be recognized,ā€ Gibson said. ā€œIā€™ve spent the past few years watching Hannah Cranston Media grow from a team of three to a team of more than 20, and most days Iā€™m too deep in pitching and problem-solving to stop and think about how far weā€™ve come.ā€

While Gibson has built her career in public relations, many of the skills that guide her work today were developed through her experiences as a journalism major at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

The Honors Fellow was heavily involved with ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network as an anchor and multimedia journalist, while also participating other immersive experiences like FreshTV. Those opportunities helped establish a foundation in storytelling that she continues to draw upon while working on the public relations side of the media industry.

ā€œĀŅĀ׏Óʵ gave me a passion for storytelling and a tenacious curiosity, both essential to my career,ā€ Gibson said. ā€œWorking as a reporter and anchor with ENN taught me what it takes to build a good story, and what makes people actually connect with one ā€“Ā the human element has to come first.ā€

That journalism background, Gibson said, has proved especially valuable as she develops stories and works directly with reporters.

ā€œItā€™s shaped how I think about what a good story looks like and made me a better resource to the journalists I work with today,ā€ she said.

Following graduation, Gibson spent three years with Jennifer Bett Communications before joining HCM in early 2024 as senior manager of public relations. She was promoted to director of public relations and business development six months later.

In her current position, Gibson oversees the agencyā€™s consumer packaged goods, womenā€™s health and wellness client roster, with responsibilities spanning client strategy and media relations. Her work can range from developing pitch strategies with colleagues to staffing events with reporters and cultivating media relationships. ā€œMy job changes shape depending on the week ā€“ which is one of the best parts,ā€ she said.

Gibson credits much of her professional growth to learning the importance of surrounding herself with people committed to their work and to one another.

ā€œBet on people over playbooks. In an industry built on relationships, we can teach anyone to write a pitch or find the right story ā€“ but working alongside people who are passionately determined and hungry to see their teams succeed is an irreplaceable, unteachable quality.ā€

ā€“ Amanda Gibson ā€™21

Gibson also points to retired ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ faculty members Rich Landesberg and Glenn Scott as influential mentors. She credits Landesberg with instilling a respect for journalismā€™s ability to serve communities, an outlook that has influenced the brands and people she chooses to work with. Her research with Scott examining how stories are told around major events also continues to inform her approach to identifying stories and perspectives that might otherwise be overlooked.

Those lessons, along with the relationships she developed during her undergraduate years, remain important to Gibson five years after graduating.

ā€œBeyond the classroom, the friendships and mentors I found at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ continue to be a bedrock of both my life and my career,ā€ Gibson said, ā€œIā€™m endlessly grateful for my time Under the Oaks.ā€

As digital editor at WUSA-TV, a CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C., Rosenthal handles a wide range of responsibilities, from writing for the stationā€™s website and producing social media content to gathering sources and reporting in the field. The journalism major said she fell in love with news reporting when she was in high school, which led her to apply to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

ā€œI joined my high school newspaper club in ninth grade, and it was the 2016 election season,ā€ Rosenthal recalled. ā€œThere was a ton of news, and I got the ā€˜news bug,ā€™ and I’ve been doing it ever since.ā€

At ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, Rosenthal found opportunities through student media to develop her reporting skills outside the classroom.

ā€œI feel like the hands-on experience that I got working with my peers and friends, and actually going out and doing reporting, and putting together a paper every week showed me more of the skills that I use on a day-to-day,ā€ Rosenthal said.

She also credits The Pendulumā€™s critique sessions with teaching her how to receive feedback and use it to improve her work.

ā€œYou donā€™t need to qualify a mistake or qualify a reason why you did this or that,ā€ Rosenthal said. ā€œWhat I learned so much from critique was how to take feedback and move forward and use that in the next piece. Now Iā€™m somebody who asks for feedback all the time because, I think, in part, because of those critiques.ā€

Those lessons have followed Rosenthal into her professional career. Earlier this year, she spent three weeks covering a murder trial in Fairfax, Virginia, an assignment she described as a significant learning experience.

ā€œMy station sent me to a murder trial in January, and I spent three weeks covering a very high-profile case every day in court, and that has been a huge learning and teaching moment for me,ā€ Rosenthal said. ā€œI feel like I learned so much from covering this trial, especially as somebody who has covered many court hearings and smaller things.ā€

For current ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students interested in journalism, Rosenthal recommends getting involved in student media early and pursuing the subjects that interest them.

ā€œMy biggest advice is to be involved in student journalism,ā€ she said. ā€œJust start doing stories and meeting people and doing things that are out of your comfort zone. When I was at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, I was interested in courts. I would go to the courthouse in Graham to pick up court documents for stories, and go to the police station, and pick up crime numbers, and things like that. If there’s something that you’re interested in, just start doing it.ā€

Like Rosenthal, Phengsitthy discovered her love of writing through her high school newspaper, where she served as editor-in-chief. She brought that interest to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, double majoring in Communication Design (now Visual Communication) and Media Analytics while becoming heavily involved with ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network.

ā€œIā€™ve always been a writer,ā€ Phengsitthy said. ā€œI know that people donā€™t really like talking about high school when they talk about their experience, but high school is when I really started.ā€

Phengsitthy served as design chief of The Pendulum during her sophomore year and managing editor as a junior. She credits those experiences with providing the foundation for her professional journalism career.

Everything I did in ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network is what set me up for my journalism experience today. I joke with my friends that ENN was like my third degree in college because I got so much done and learned so much there. From just writing every single day, that’s what helped me get better.

ā€” Nyah Phengsitthy ā€™23

While at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, Phengsitthy interned with Bloomberg Law on its environment desk. Following graduation, she returned to the organization through a rotational program and now works as a health reporter. In that role, she has covered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, drug pricing and other complex issues affecting the pharmaceutical and health care industries.

Her work at Bloomberg Law requires reporting on complex subjects, but Phengsitthy said young journalists shouldnā€™t feel pressure to become experts on every topic they cover. Instead, they should focus on developing the skills necessary to find knowledgeable sources, understand complicated information and explain it clearly to readers.

ā€œBe an expert in being a reporter and writing and learning how to break down information for your readers,ā€ Phengsitthy said.

Phengsitthy also encourages ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students to complement their campus journalism experience with internships that allow them to apply their skills in professional settings.

ā€œYou can have all the skills, and you can have all the clips that you have from ENN, but itā€™s more powerful if you go and get to apply them somewhere else,” she said, noting the value of internships. “The more experience you have, the better.

ā€œThe job market is really hard right now, but I feel like if youā€™re able to show that you can get your foot in the door somewhere, thatā€™s good.ā€

SPJā€™s Region 2 includes Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and the District of Columbia. First-place recipients advance to the national competition, where they will be judged alongside winners from SPJā€™s 12 regions. National honorees will be recognized at the SPJ convention, scheduled for Oct. 1ā€“4 in Columbus, Ohio.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network earned seven first-place awards:

• Best All-Around Student Newspaper | The Pendulum |Ā April 9, 2025;Ā April 30, 2025;Ā andĀ Dec. 10, 2025 editions
• General News Reporting | Nia Bedard |
• In-depth Reporting | Anjolina Fantaroni |
• Feature Photography | Katrina HoltzĀ |Ā 
• Television Feature Reporting | Charlotte Pfabe |Ā 
• Regional Political Reporting | Miles Hayford | and
• Retail/Small Business Journalism | Lilly Molina | and

In addition, the organization earned five finalist nods:

• Best Affiliated Website | ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network |Ā 
• Best All-Around Television Newscast | ENN Tonight |Ā Ģż±š»å¾±³Ł¾±“Ē²Ō
• Best Use of Multimedia | Erin Martin |
• Personality Profile Writing | Avery Sloan |
• Sports Writing | Miles Hayford |

A Virginia resident majoring in communication design, Wu grew up in the DaXing area near the capital city until age 12 and has closely followed efforts to clean up the LiangShui (Cold Water) River.

Judges for the Pulitzer Fellowship, a competitive international travel grant awarded to an ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ student journalist each year, noted that Wuā€™s proposal stood out for its background research and on-the-ground context.

A fluent Mandarin speaker with his own photography business, Wu noted that while air pollution in China receives much attention, less coverage has been given to water quality and to the impact of factory effluent, agricultural runoff, and untreated waste on the regionā€™s rivers, lakes and groundwater. Wu believes much has changed since the conditions he observed in his childhood, when waterways were filled with algae blooms and litter.

ā€œThis is an example of when a community and its officials reach an agreement to improve a crucial resource to their well-being and actually work out a beneficial solution,ā€ he said. ā€œHowever, there are so many towns, especially rural ones, that lack the power, voice or physical ability to improve something as important as a shared waterway.ā€

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is a long-standing member of the , a network of colleges and universities that support the centerā€™s mission to promote journalism on critical global issues. The organization pairs students with mentors and advises student journalists through the reporting and publication phases. Students from the 39 participating campuses travel to Washington, D.C., to present their projects, and campus partners also benefit from professional journalist grantees who visit partner campuses.

Among his professors and collaborators at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network, Wu has earned a reputation for being open to a variety of assignments and for his technical dexterity, said Randy Piland, associate teaching professor in Communication Design.

ā€œEthanā€™s always willing to take on any photo assignment,ā€ Piland said. ā€œHe has a sense for quality. Heā€™s taken it to another level.ā€

Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism, serves as ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s liaison to the Pulitzer Center.

Now a junior journalism major, Pfabe has been elected the executive director of ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network for the 2026-27 academic year. Her path to the top leadership spot was a fast one, starting with a variety of roles in broadcast, web, and print. By the spring of her first year, she was already helping others get started as a new member coordinator.

ā€œI helped new students get acclimated to ENN, responded to emails, and acted like I knew what I was doing,ā€ Pfabe said.

Her passion for the craft actually goes back to her childhood. While she briefly considered psychology because she loved learning why people act the way they do, she realized journalism was a better way to learn others’ stories. She did morning announcements in elementary school and even acted as a reporter for Junior Achievement BizTown, which combines in-class learning with a day-long visit to a simulated town.

ā€œI think local news is one of the pillars of local community and society,ā€ Pfabe said. ā€œPeople trust their local news more than they trust their national news. There is such a value in having people that are constantly around and making those connections to tell stories, especially ones that don’t get told often.ā€

Pfabe finds inspiration in local reporters she grew up watching in Baltimore, like investigative reporter David Collins. She recalled being starstruck when she finally met him during an internship. She also looks up to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ alumni who started exactly where she is now, such as Gary Grumbach ā€™16, a legal affairs reporter for NBC News, and Maya Eaglin ā€™19, an on-air reporter for MSNOW.

ā€œThey started where weā€™re starting, and their ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ education helped them get there,ā€ Pfabe said. ā€œThat is so phenomenal.ā€

As she looks toward her new role, Pfabe wants to shift the focus toward community-facing initiatives. She plans to lead ENN in more outreach and volunteer events throughout Burlington and Graham to build relationships that are not just transactional.

ā€œYouā€™re going, and youā€™re volunteering in your community. Youā€™re doing good, and youā€™re not getting a story out of it,ā€ Pfabe said. ā€œYouā€™re just doing something for the community.ā€

Transparency is another major goal for the upcoming year. Pfabe said she wants to break down the mystery of how news is made and show the campus that the staff is juggling many responsibilities at once.

ā€œThere is this idea that we are journalists first and students second, but weā€™re journalists and students at the same time,ā€ Pfabe said. ā€œWe are still learning, and weā€™re still doing schoolwork at the same time as weā€™re doing our stories. We have classes with the same people weā€™re interviewing.ā€

Inspired by real-world stories about the high-stakes race for valedictorian, student filmmakers and spent the past several years bringing to life ā€œValediction,ā€ a feature-length film set to premiere on Wednesday, April 8, in .

A twisted coming-of-age comedy, this first-ever feature film by ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ undergraduates explores the dangers of apathy and obsession. The screening, scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m., will be followed by an informal reception.

ā€œI think people should be excited for the screening because itā€™s the culmination of so many ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students and facultyā€™s hard work over these past two and a half years,ā€ said Martin, a strategic communications and cinema and television arts double major. ā€œNo matter your major, you will almost certainly see a familiar face or two onscreen or in the credits.ā€

What began as a concept rooted in academic pressure quickly expanded into a genre-bending, feature-length production ā€“ an uncommon scope for undergraduate filmmakers. Sherouse, a cinema and television arts BFA major, and Martin collaborated to develop an intricate story and cast of characters, ultimately committing to a longer format to fully realize their vision.

At the center of their story is Sam, played by , an isolated overachiever who fights her classmates tooth and nail for the title of valedictorian. The film draws inspiration from the competition surrounding academic achievement, a dynamic explored in Margaret Talbotā€™s 2005 New Yorker article that examines how the pursuit of valedictorian status can push students to extremes. Sherouse said he read the article years ago, and the subject stayed with him long after.

ā€œTo include everything we wanted in the story, it became clear to us that ā€˜Valedictionā€™ had to be feature-length, rather than a short film like most ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ productions,ā€ Sherouse said. ā€œWe knew it would be a long and arduous process, but worth it to bring this story to life.ā€

That extended scope also shaped how the story is told. A balance of satire and suspense drives the filmā€™s tone, blending humor with unexpected twists.

ā€œā€˜Valedictionā€™ is simply a movie that’s meant to be seen by a large audience,ā€ Sherouse said. ā€œThere are laughs, scares and shocking turns ā€“ a whole emotional rollercoaster that’s best experienced with friends. I guarantee there are some twists you won’t see coming.ā€

As the premiere approaches, the scale of that effort is giving way to reflection.

Martin expressed pride in what the team accomplished and excitement to share the finished film, while Sherouse acknowledged the mix of anticipation and nerves that comes with completing a nearly three-year creative process.

Produced through , ā€œValedictionā€ drew on support from faculty across campus.

Assistant Professor of Cinema and Television Arts Kai Swanson served as the projectā€™s primary faculty sponsor, while Director of Technology, Operations and Multimedia Projects Bryan Baker and Assistant Professor of Cinema and Television Arts Youssef Osman provided mentorship and feedback throughout development and production. Baker also assisted with securing equipment for principal photography.

Faculty also stepped into the story itself. Several faculty members appear in the film, including Assistant Professor of Journalism Israel Balderas, Assistant Professor of Classical Languages Tedd Wimperis, Associate Professor of English Scott Proudfit and former journalism professor Susan Ladd ā€“ many trying their hand at acting for the first time.

Several mentors praised the studentsā€™ ambition and execution in bringing a feature-length film to the screen.

ā€œI had the chance to see a rough cut and was very impressed with their ability, passion and perseverance in completing an entire feature film on their own,ā€ Osman said. ā€œThe film is a fun, highly stylized and engaging dark comedy.ā€

Swanson noted that the project originated as a student pitch and has grown into ESTVā€™s first made-for-TV movie.

ā€œThe students have put an incredible amount of work into this project, from development through production and post,ā€ Swanson said. ā€œItā€™s a great example of the kind of ambitious, long-form work students are starting to pursue.”

Credits

Roof Rat Productions (creative team)

• Talula Martin – co-director, co-writer, producer, actress
• Hammond Sherouse – co-director, co-writer
• Althea Muldrew – producer
• Katharyn MacDonald – lead actress, associate producer

Crew

• JJ Duckworth – production sound mixer, actor
• Karter Evans – makeup artist
• Lauren Nesbit – costume designer
• Gabi Emerson & B Underhill-Reed – composers

Cast

• Katharyn MacDonald – Sam
• Hope Hynes Love – Eliza (Sam’s mother)
• Jeff Alguire – Dr. Whistler (Sam’s father)
• Grace Minton – Deidre (Sam’s friend)
• JJ Duckworth – Ben (politician)
• Monty Lewis – Henry (student reporter)
• Amelia Brinson – Abe (theater kid)
• Graham Boggess – Nate (jock)
• Ryan Voisard – Charlie (stranger)
• Susan Ladd – Mrs. Garden (psychology teacher)
• Hank Heimlich – Seth (theater kid)
• Talula Martin – Jeremy (theater kid)
• J. Israel Balderas – Mr. Haruspex (principal)
• Jackson Bennett – Patrick (student reporter)
• Maverick Powell – Nora (student reporter)
• Rose Fyffe – Sarah (theater kid)
• Tedd Wimperis – Dr. Franklin (scientist)
• Wrigley Koch – Ms. Burnesse (guidance counselor)
• Scott Proudfit – Dr. Miles (scientist)

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network earned 11 awards during the National College Media Conference hosted by the Associated Collegiate Press in San Francisco, March 5-7.

The awards contest included hundreds of entries from college media outlets from across the country. Below is a list of the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ winners.

• Finalist – Online Pacemaker | Staff |
• 2nd Place – Best of Show Broadcast | “ENN Tonight” |
• 2nd Place – Best of Show Newspaper | The Pendulum |
• 4th Place – Best of Show Digital Newsletter | ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network Weekly Newsletter |
• 6th Place – Best of Show Website |
• 6th Place – Best of Show News Story | Lilly Molina and Charlotte Pfabe |
• 10th Place – Best of Show Sports Story | Benjamin Berfield |
• 8th Place – Best of Show Feature Story | Charlotte Pfabe |
• 6th Place – Best of Show Newspaper Design | Sarah T. Moore |
• 7th Place – Best of Show Broadcast News Story | Anjolina Fantaroni | “
• 10th Place – Best of Show Broadcast Sports Story | Monika Jurevicius | “

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students attending the National College Media Convention conference included Evan Cooper ā€™28, Trista Panagakos ā€™28, Megan Walsh ā€™28 and Nolan Williams ā€™28. They were accompanied by Kelly Furnas, senior lecturer in journalism and ENN adviser.

ENN is a student-run news organization covering ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ and the broader Alamance County community. It includes The Pendulum newspaper, ā€œENN Tonightā€ broadcast, elonnewsnetwork.com website, as well as social media accounts, podcasts and newsletters. regardless of their experience level, major or year in school.

Now a journalism and Spanish double major at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, Vann will join with dozens of fellow ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ musicians for a Wind Ensemble performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City, a moment that will reflect her musical growth and commitment to balancing two distinct passions.

That performance takes place on March 11 as part of a showcase ensemble for the 24th Annual New York Wind Band Festival.

Vann, a Phoenix Band Scholar and member of the Fire of the Carolinas marching band from Siler City, North Carolina, played in a high school band. With only three clarinets, one musician per part, she was used to being the only one playing a section of a piece. In the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ wind ensemble, there are multiple clarinets playing per part.

ā€œI learned to be extremely aware of myself and how I sound,ā€ Vann said of her 15-member high school band. ā€œThere wasnā€™t much balance or blend because we were all focused on ourselves. But I’m grateful for that experience because it helped me figure out my specific sound and establish strong practice habits.ā€

Transitioning from a small band to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s 50-member wind ensemble taught her how to balance and blend in her section.

ā€œThe first thing I realized was how big the sound was here,ā€ Vann said. ā€œI was surrounded by people who genuinely cared about music. Our director focuses so much on the little details. In high school, we focused more on the bigger picture. Here, everyone is working in harmony to create something beautiful.ā€

Combining two passions

While music is a passion, Vann is not a music major. She studies journalism and Spanish and serves as a copy editor and reporter forĀ , juggling interviews and deadlines with rehearsals and performances.

She credits ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s opportunities for allowing her to continue performing while pursuing a non-music degree.

ā€œI love how ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ gives students who arenā€™t music majors the opportunity to participate in ensembles,ā€ Vann said. “If they didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to do what I love.”

Her decision to continue playing was inspired by the Phoenix Band Scholarship. After taking a year off from playing the clarinet during her senior year of high school, she realized how much she missed performing.

ā€œI decided to do it because I missed playing so much,ā€ Vann said. “I am really happy I did. I have met so many people who share a passion for music.ā€

Jonathan Poquette, ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s Fletcher Moore Distinguished Emerging Scholar and director of bands, said he is intentional about welcoming any ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ student, regardless of major, to participate in music ensembles.

ā€œAs a faculty, we enjoy working with students who are passionate about making music, even if they are not music majors,ā€ Poquette said. ā€œThe fact that so many of our students are non-music majors, and yet we can achieve tremendous experiences like this, is what makes ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ so special.ā€

Performing on the big stage

When Vann first learned the wind ensemble would perform at Carnegie Hall, she described it as ā€œa roller coaster of emotions.ā€

ā€œAt first I was completely shocked, then excited, then nervous,ā€ Vann said. ā€œI felt a sense of pressure, but it was a good kind of pressure, the kind that pushes you to be the best musician you can be.ā€

Performing at Carnegie Hall represents nearly a decade of dedication and practice.

ā€œItā€™s hard to believe Iā€™m going to be on the best stage in the world, where so many legends have performed,ā€ Vann said. ā€œAll the time and effort Iā€™ve spent practicing since sixth grade has led to this moment.ā€

While she has not visited Carnegie Hall before, she is eager to step on the stage alongside her bandmates.

ā€œI think I will feel everything, excitement, nerves and adrenaline,ā€ Vann said. “But we’ve practiced so hard, and I know we are ready. Iā€™m just going to take it all in.ā€

As she prepares for the trip to New York City, Vann is looking forward to sharing the experience with her band family.

ā€œThis will definitely be a core memory for me,ā€ Vann said. ā€œEach member of the ensemble is vital. It wouldnā€™t be the same without every single one of them, and Dr. Poquette has worked so hard to make this a reality.ā€

Beyond ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, Vann said she hopes to one day report and write for a publication and tell stories she is passionate about. She also hopes to pursue translation work with her education in Spanish.

ā€œMusic will always be a part of my life and is another way to express myself,ā€ she said. ā€œI canā€™t imagine not doing music. Wherever I end up, I hope to join a community band or orchestra to keep refining my skills.ā€

Photos of the conference are available on the .

The conference began with the panel discussion “Government Threats to Journalistsā€™ Autonomy” moderated by Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism, and Pate McMichael, director of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition and instructor in communications. Joining the panel were professionals Thad Ogburn of the Raleigh News & Observer, Rana Cash of the Charlotte Observer, and Phoebe Zerwick of the Down from DC newsletter.

Colin Donohue, assistant professor of journalism and director of student engagement and special projects for the School of Communications, organized the conference. He said hosting an event such as NCCMA provided learning opportunities for ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students and outreach to students from around the state.

ā€œWeā€™re always excited to host the NCCMA conference because we love supporting and celebrating student media,ā€ Donohue said. ā€œThe event allows students to develop professionally and network with their peers from across the state, and that shared learning experience can inform the work they do on their campuses.ā€

The keynote address was presented by ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ alumnus David Hodges ’12, an investigative reporter for WBTV in Charlotte.

Many other ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ faculty, staff and students presented breakout sessions at the conference.

• McMichael presented the session “Know Your Rights: Media Law for Student Journalists.”
• David Bockino, associate professor of sport management, presented the session “From ‘We’ to ‘Me’: A History of Sports Media and Sports Betting.”
• Ben Hannam, associate professor of communication design and chair of the Department of Communication Design, presented “AI & Creativity: Challenges and Opportunities for Graphic Designers.”
• Israel Balderas, assistant professor of journalism, presented “Covering Protests, Walkouts and Campus Political Flashpoints.”
• Drew Perry, associate professor of English, presented “Literary Magazine ā€“ From Start to Really Finished: Matching Your Vision to the Printed Page.”
• Randy Piland, associate teaching professor of communication design, presented the sessions “Drones in Media: Aerial Storytelling, Ethics, and Real-World Impact” and “Photography ā€“ Action. Reaction. Interaction. Building Storytelling Frames That Matter.”
• Kelly Furnas, associate teaching professor of journalism, presented “10 Things Youā€™re not Doing Online (but should be).”
• Anjolina Fantaroni ā€™26, executive director, of ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network and Sarah Moore ā€™26, managing editor of The Pendulum, moderated the student editorsā€™ roundtable.
• Journalism major Charlotte Pfabe ā€™27 introduced Hodges, and she and journalism, media analytics and digital content management triple major Abby Gravely ā€™27 emceed the conferenceā€™s awards presentation.

The conference also featured an awards ceremony recognizing the best in student media from around the state in 2025. Students from ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network received honors, including:

• Best of Show – Newspaper | The Pendulum
  Issues from and
• Best of Show – Website | ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network
  
• 1st Place – Digital Storytelling | Lilly Molina
  
• 2nd Place – Digital Storytelling | Anjolina Fantraoni
  
• 1st Place – Photography | Ethan Wu
  
• 2nd Place – Photography | Alexander Siegel
  
• 1st Place – News Writing | Anjolina Fantaroni
  
• 1st Place – Sports Writing | Miles Hayford
  
• 2nd Place – Feature Writing | Nia Bedard
  
• Honorable Mention – Feature Writing | Charlotte Pfabe
  
• 1st Place – Single- or Two-Page Design | Sarah T. Moore
  
• 2nd Place – Single- or Two-Page Design
  Megan Walsh
  
• Honorable Mention – Single- or Two-Page Design | Reagan Sizemore
  
• 1st Place – Illustration/Graphic
  Nia Bedard
  
• 2nd Place – Illustration/Graphic
  Reagan Sizemore
  

The event, scheduled from 4:20 to 5:30 p.m., will feature a dynamic speed-rotation format, allowing attendees to engage in a variety of discussions in 15-minute intervals. Faculty, staff, students and alumni will lead conversations exploring how their work advances access, representation and belonging in the communications and sport fields.

This yearā€™s table topics reflect the breadth of the schoolā€™s work ā€“ from health literacy and neuroinclusive communication to religious diversity, brand activism, student journalism and the influence of algorithms on movie audiences. Other sessions will spotlight undergraduate research, alumni leadership and student-driven initiatives that aim to build a more connected and representative community.

ā€œReaching underrepresented people is the through-line for so much of our work in the School of Communications,ā€ said Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism and chair of the Inclusive Excellence Committee. ā€œThese presenters demonstrate how dynamic our field is, and how tapped in ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students, faculty and alumni are to these changing systems and the ways they impact equity in communications.ā€

Complimentary beverages and snacks will be provided.

For more information, contact Ahearn at lahearn@elon.edu.

Table Topic Discussions and Presenters

1. Engaging All Audiences Through Neuroinclusive Communication Practices
   James Holsinger, Executive Director, Koenigsberger Learning Center
2. Live Oak Communications: Rooted In Community
   Hal Vincent, Associate Teaching Professor, Strategic Communications
   
3. Understanding is Power: What is Health Literacy and Why Does it Matter?
   Julie Lellis, Professor, Strategic Communications
4. The Politics of Play: Race, Gender, and Power in Sport
   Lindsay Pieper, Assistant Professor, Sport Management
5. Diversity in the Age of Algorithms
   Sowjanya Kudva, Assistant Professor, Cinema and Television Arts
6. Exploring ReligionĀ in a Diverse Campus Community
   Anthony Hatcher, Professor, Journalism & Max Negin, Assistant Professor, Cinema and Television Arts
7. Faces of the Future: Undergrad Research on the Cutting Edge
   Maddie Bauman ā€™26 & Halli Harwood ā€™26
8. Friend or Faux: The Role of Authenticity in Brand Activism and Advocacy
   Shanetta Pendleton, Assistant Professor, Strategic Communications
9. Alumni Spotlight: A Journalistic Voice for Justice and Clarity
   Robin Adams Cheeley ā€™81
10. Unity in Communications: A Student Initiative to Build Diverse Community
11. International Student Spotlight: Navigating Across Cultures
    Ethan Wu ā€™27 & Bernardo Vargas-Lopez ā€™26
12. Student journalists: Challenging Inequity in the Real World
    Estella Hoye ā€™27 & Cassie Weymouth ā€™26