Two of the biggest stories of 2011 are already being written and prepared by the media; a few stories on these topics have already appeared.
It's been 10 years since the 9/11 attacks. I imagine the media will be doing stories throughout the year culminating with reports on Sept. 11, 2011.
This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. I've asked a few of our history professors to start brushing up in preparation for stories. This issue also cuts across disciplines of psychology, sociology, and even economics.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Third day of the new semester. Our workstudy returned and told me she got straight A's last semester. Good for her.
OK, tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of JFK's inaugural speech in which he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Br. Ed Sheehy was intervieweed about the words last week; I hope you'll get to hear them on KYW newsradio tomorrow.
This Friday (Jan 21) is the graduation ceremony for the BUSCA program, which is for Spanish dominant students. Here's a detailed descpription:
BUSCA is a two and a half year associate's degree program for Spanish dominant students. During the first semester at La Salle, student take intensive instruction in English, then follow the University's core curriculum. All classes are held in English. (Busca means “to search for” in Spanish.)
"This way students are able to raise their proficiency of English while earning college credit," said Sister Suzanne Neisser, Director of BUSCA.
I've had luck getting tv to cover the ceremony. This year a BUSCA graduate who is now studying for their master's at La Salle will be the guest speaker.
This program is special to me for many reasons, as it demonstrates the University's commitment to serving the community, but it also reflects on the founding of the Christian Brothers. St. John Baptiste de La Salle started the order to teach poor children in France, teaching them in their native language (as opposed to Latin) and providing a practical and sprititual education. I think BUSCA carries on that tradition and sense of mission.
OK, tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of JFK's inaugural speech in which he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Br. Ed Sheehy was intervieweed about the words last week; I hope you'll get to hear them on KYW newsradio tomorrow.
This Friday (Jan 21) is the graduation ceremony for the BUSCA program, which is for Spanish dominant students. Here's a detailed descpription:
BUSCA is a two and a half year associate's degree program for Spanish dominant students. During the first semester at La Salle, student take intensive instruction in English, then follow the University's core curriculum. All classes are held in English. (Busca means “to search for” in Spanish.)
"This way students are able to raise their proficiency of English while earning college credit," said Sister Suzanne Neisser, Director of BUSCA.
I've had luck getting tv to cover the ceremony. This year a BUSCA graduate who is now studying for their master's at La Salle will be the guest speaker.
This program is special to me for many reasons, as it demonstrates the University's commitment to serving the community, but it also reflects on the founding of the Christian Brothers. St. John Baptiste de La Salle started the order to teach poor children in France, teaching them in their native language (as opposed to Latin) and providing a practical and sprititual education. I think BUSCA carries on that tradition and sense of mission.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Another semester ends...
December 17th, the last day of finals for the Fall, 2010 semester. Can't believe it's gone, or that I've taken this long to post another blog.
Had some notable successes these past few months: several faculty published oped in the Inquirer, on topics ranging from college and minorities to madam bovary to the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy being elected president. Last weekend KYW Newsradio interviewed Prof. John Hymers about the philosophy of food as it pertains to the holidays. This is the 19th media placement I've obtained for the department, and I take a silly pride in it because anyone can get historians, psychologists, political scientists and economics in the media, but how many can get a philosopher???
Michael Boyle, a 1998 La Salle graduate (I knew him when he was a student here) joined the poli sci faculty and was quoted in a cnn.com story about Afghanistan. He's just as brilliant and likeable as he was when he was a student! In fact, Mike gave the commencement address at the 1998 graduation exercises, my first at La Salle.
I have a few more things "in the works" for January and February. Now that the Phillies have signed Cliff Lee, maybe I can get Jack Roosi and Jack Rooney to talk about him (in the press, of course) when spring training begins in February.
I wish all of you a happy and safe holiday season.
Had some notable successes these past few months: several faculty published oped in the Inquirer, on topics ranging from college and minorities to madam bovary to the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy being elected president. Last weekend KYW Newsradio interviewed Prof. John Hymers about the philosophy of food as it pertains to the holidays. This is the 19th media placement I've obtained for the department, and I take a silly pride in it because anyone can get historians, psychologists, political scientists and economics in the media, but how many can get a philosopher???
Michael Boyle, a 1998 La Salle graduate (I knew him when he was a student here) joined the poli sci faculty and was quoted in a cnn.com story about Afghanistan. He's just as brilliant and likeable as he was when he was a student! In fact, Mike gave the commencement address at the 1998 graduation exercises, my first at La Salle.
I have a few more things "in the works" for January and February. Now that the Phillies have signed Cliff Lee, maybe I can get Jack Roosi and Jack Rooney to talk about him (in the press, of course) when spring training begins in February.
I wish all of you a happy and safe holiday season.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Like clockwork....
Today La Salle hosted its annual Thanksgiving Day dinner for police and firefighters at the 35th police district headquarters. Several TV stations sent cameras to cover the event. Since I've been at La Salle, TV has covered this dinner every year but one....in 2001. I'm still trying to figure out that one....
For those of you who were born before personal computers were a part of our daily lives, and whenwriters worked on something called a typewriter, it took a good deal of time to do several versions of a press release. For instance, La Salle is honoring someone for their charitable work. I'm doing three releases: one for a general audience, one for her hometown newspaper, and one for the paper that covers the city where the charity is based. Thank God for word processors. This way it's possible to get three media hits for one story with a minimum of typing!
For those of you who were born before personal computers were a part of our daily lives, and whenwriters worked on something called a typewriter, it took a good deal of time to do several versions of a press release. For instance, La Salle is honoring someone for their charitable work. I'm doing three releases: one for a general audience, one for her hometown newspaper, and one for the paper that covers the city where the charity is based. Thank God for word processors. This way it's possible to get three media hits for one story with a minimum of typing!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
The waiting game
A journalist in Philadelphia is interested in doing a story on a La Salle project that involves our students tutoring at a city middle school. The program is held on Wednesdays, and there are 3 more until the end of the semester (after which our students in the program take a break to get ready for finals). This journalist is pretty busy and said they can probably make the last Wednesday; I have no problem with that, but if something comes up and it falls through, then I'll have to wait another six to eight weeks before the journalist can visit the site again. Such are the hazards of this profession.
I just learned that a story in Philadelphia Metro about our MA program in Psychology was published; it was written by Rachel Vigoda, daughter of the late Ralph Vigoda, who was an Inquirer reporter. Ralph died several years ago at 53, and I will always be grateful for his professionalism and assistance. If I pitched a story to Ralph, he'd listen and if he liked it, fine, and if he didn't, he didn't wavering for days and days. If he thought another writer at the paper would be interested in doing that, he would tell me who to approach. I don't think I'm going overboard here, but the Inquirer and its readers lost something special when he died.
I just learned that a story in Philadelphia Metro about our MA program in Psychology was published; it was written by Rachel Vigoda, daughter of the late Ralph Vigoda, who was an Inquirer reporter. Ralph died several years ago at 53, and I will always be grateful for his professionalism and assistance. If I pitched a story to Ralph, he'd listen and if he liked it, fine, and if he didn't, he didn't wavering for days and days. If he thought another writer at the paper would be interested in doing that, he would tell me who to approach. I don't think I'm going overboard here, but the Inquirer and its readers lost something special when he died.
Once again coming up with a trio...
Tuesday, Nov. 4 was a pretty good day: the Philadelphia Inquirer posted three La Salle stories:
One was a book review by Br. Ed Sheehy; the second was an oped by Jack Rossi on the 1960 presidential election, and the third was an item about Bob Vogel being honored for his "Writer's Matter" program, done in 12 schools throughout the area. I knew the review would be published that day (the author was in town and the paper likes to publish a review when its author is speaking locally), but the other two could have run at any time.
One was a book review by Br. Ed Sheehy; the second was an oped by Jack Rossi on the 1960 presidential election, and the third was an item about Bob Vogel being honored for his "Writer's Matter" program, done in 12 schools throughout the area. I knew the review would be published that day (the author was in town and the paper likes to publish a review when its author is speaking locally), but the other two could have run at any time.
When it's not Halloween
For the first time in 13 years, TV did not come to campus to film the kids from our daycare center trick or treating. It's possible TV crews didn't show because they tricked and treated on the Friday BEFORE Halloween, as opposed to doing it on Halloween (which was on a Sunday this year). Well, next year Halloween should be on a Monday; if I'm lucky, the Eagles will have had a bye week then and the airwaves won't be saturated with football, football and more football.
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