Friday, November 21, 2003
Students deliver the news
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Three college women are delivering topical news in an accurate and timely manner to the University of Southern Indiana community. The news director of WSWI, the news director and news anchor of Access USI, and the editor of The Shield cover news for the campus radio station, the campus television channel, and the student newspaper. The WSWI news director is Elizabeth Reever. She is a radio/television major who will graduate in December. A native of Fairfield, Illinois, Reever is a graduate of Fairfield Community High School. She is the daughter of Clifford and Donna Reever of Fairfield. WSWI is the campus radio station that offers news, sports, and alternative rock music. Students can tune in at 820 AM for news on the hour and half/hour from 7 to 9 a.m. A noon news show also is broadcast. Reever likes the fast pace of the news room. This fall she was working when news of Governor O’Bannon’s medical emergency came across the Associated Press wire. She was on air updating his condition as information became available. In addition to the news director, the WSWI staff includes a sports director, assistant news director, and students from practicum classes in radio and television. She vividly remembers the first interview she did as news director. She attended a USI Board of Trustees meeting and interviewed Dr. Rob Parrent, vice president for Student Affairs. Although nervous, she completed the first interview and has become a veteran interviewer. Her plans after graduation include graduate school at Southern Illinois University. Her advice to new students is to get involved with organizations related to your major. “You meet lots of people who have similar goals,” she said. Access USI is the television show that broadcasts to students in residence halls and apartments at USI. Liz Christian of Rockport, Indiana, anchors the news desk and directs the student staff. She likes the constant change and meeting people who are making the news. Christian is a graduate of South Spencer High School and the daughter of Scot and Terry White. A radio/television major, she wants to continue a career in television, eventually making documentaries. She’ll graduate in December 2004. Christian is production assistant for the morning show at WEHT Channel 25, the local ABC affiliate. She is at work at 3 a.m. Covering the appearance of Judy Shephard on campus last spring was memorable for Christian. She interviewed the mother of Matthew Shephard and also talked to protestors who were on campus. Her video package earned a third place in a competition sponsored by the Indiana College Broadcasters Association. Christian said the development of her stories is like art. She has an idea in her mind and the footage and the story add color and shade to her concept. She knows she can influence people by the stories she does, and that keeps her motivated. Greenfield, Indiana, native Tanya Hooton is editor of the student newspaper. Hooton will graduate in May and would like to stay in southern Indiana for a year working for a local newspaper. Hooton manages a staff that includes a managing editor and section editors for sports, campus news, opinion, and etc., the features section of the newspaper. Hooton’s parents are Theresa J. Roush and Keith M. Hooton. Her stepfather is Chris Roush. She graduated from Greenfield-Central High School in 2000. The Shield is a student-run newspaper. It currently is 12 pages, and Hooton would like to see that number increase. She’d also like to see more students submitting stories for the publication. She thinks students read The Shield for the opinions expressed. In her role as editor, Hooton guides new reporters in how to interview, how to quote individuals, and how to improve writing skills. A story she liked writing focused on freshmen. She advised them to not be scared of college. She explained that seniors, faced with finding a job, are intimidated, too. She encouraged the freshmen to take advantage of the opportunities available, and she and her staff offered 99 things students need to do before graduation. USI newspaper students attended the national convention of the Associated Collegiate Press in Dallas this month. Hooton said the convention offered workshops and seminars related to journalism, and it provided networking with employers. |
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