News

Department to sponsor mini conference

The Department of Mass Communication will hold a mini conference on Tuesday, April 19 and Wednesday, April 20 in the Washington-Johnson Complex, Room 100.

Registration will begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday with a wrap up at 5 p.m. The conference will resume Wednesday at 9 a.m. and end at 11 a.m. 

The keynote speaker of the event will be Jerry Ceppos. Ceppos is the dean of The Manship School of Communication at Louisiana State University. His lecture will focus on why ethics still matter. 

Other speakers will include Jayne Ruben who has served as news director of KSLA News 12 in Shreveport, Louisiana since October 2004. Ronnie Agnew, an executive director at Mississippi Public Broadcasting since August 2011 after spending three decades in the newspaper industry.

Christine Rambo who serves as the vice president at the North Louisiana Economic Partnership’s Communications and Corporate Affairs Department. 

Nicole Cross, an anchor for Good Morning Ark-La-Miss and KNOE 8 News at noon. 

Heather Wright, an award-winning journalist who anchors KTVE NBC 10 News will also speak and serve as the program moderator. 

“This is a great opportunity for the students to see a good line up of folks from various aspects of media,” said Will W. Sutton Jr., assistant professor of mass communication.  

Sutton said, “The faculty, staff and students will be able to hear about the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in this area.” 

The speakers will discuss the following topics Ethics Still Matter, Power of Pictures, Content is King and many other topics related to communications. There will also be round table workshops with speakers at the conference. 

“The purpose of the event is to bring the whole industry to the students,” said Dr. Sandra Lee, interim department head of mass communication. 

Dr. Lee said, “In the past we have had representation from People Magazine, Essence, Foxx News and The Dallas Morning News. She plans to revive the conferences and says that the Fall 2017 conference will be even bigger and better. 

“We plan to have a job fair, conference, workshops and a keynote speaker,” Lee said. 

If you cannot attend the event it will be streamed live at www.gram.edu. Scroll to the bottom of the homepage and click the YouTube icon. 

For information regarding this event contact Will Sutton at suttonw@gram.edu or 318-274-2411.