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ASSESSMENT PLAN
The performances by students in the department are public and disseminated in various forms; interpersonally, electronically or through print.  JMC 327 students work at KSTV which feeds Cable USA on channel 8 of the city cable system. JMC 336 students work at KSCV-FM which broadcasts approximately twenty hours a day and covers the city of Kearney. JMC 350, 351, and 352 students work for the Antelope newspaper which is published weekly and distributed widely. SPCH 237 students perform at forensics competitions in various venues throughout the country.

 

2001-2002 ASSESSMENT
Some examples of reviews of student performances follow:
  1. The Antelope newspaper staff won the following awards at the 2002 Nebraska Press Association convention.
3rd Place General Sweepstakes behind the UNL Daily Nebraskan and UNO Gateway.
1st Place Spot News
2nd Place Sports Photography
3rd Place Sports Photography
3rd Place Feature Photography
  1. Six members of Lambda Pi Eta, the Speech honorary, were selected to present papers at the fall 2002 National Communication Association annual convention in New Orleans.
  2. Six of the 19 papers published in the 2001 - 2002 UNK Undergraduate Research Journal were produced by Communications majors and minors who were supervised in their research endeavors by Communications faculty.
  3. Two Communications majors won a silver ADDY award in the 2002 advertising competition sponsored jointly by the Omaha and Lincoln Advertising Federations. The students co-wrote a script for a public service announcement.
  4. The selection of students for much sought after internships is often based on the quality of their portfolios, their interviewing skills and their knowledge of the field. Several students were selected for prestigious summer 2002 internships. The internship grantors are: BBDO, New York City; Memorial Hermann Hospitals, Houston; Walt Disney World (four students), Orlando; Kansas City Comets; Bozell & Jacobs, Omaha; Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Denver and; Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha.
  5. A summary of the forensics team's successes during spring 2002 follows. At the Presidential Love Swing Tournament in Boston, the UNK Forensics team competed against eighteen teams from throughout the East Coast and Midwest. A UNK team member won Poetry Interpretation and placed fifth in Program of Oral Interpretation. Another placed third in Program of Oral Interpretation. A third placed sixth in Extemporaneous Speaking. The team competed at the Hastings College Bronco Blizzard Speech Tournament where they faced thirteen teams from throughout the Midwest. A UNK competitor placed third in Extemporaneous Speaking, fourth in Communication Analysis, and second in Quadrathon (best in four events). Another student placed sixth in Poetry.
  6. A summary of the fall semester 2001 forensics team activities follows. One student placed fifth at the Mid-America Forensic League Tournament in Maryville, Missouri, placed second in Impromptu Speaking and fifth in Extemporaneous Speaking at the Midland Lutheran College Invitational Tournament, and placed third in Impromptu Speaking and sixth in Extemporaneous Speaking at the Mid-America Forensic League Tournament at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota. At the Nebraska Wesleyan Tournament, the student placed fifth in Impromptu and second in Extemporaneous.
  7. Two students won awards in the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) competition. One student won an Award of Merit for a series of print advertisements that he produced and another won an Award of Merit for a brochure she developed.
  8. An Organizational Communication major was selected to deliver the senior response at the spring 2001 graduation ceremony.
  9. Three students were inducted into Alpha Delta Sigma, the national advertising honor society.
2000-2001 ASSESSMENT
Some examples of reviews of student performances follow:
  1. UNK Forensics brought home their first National Championship from the National Forensic Association National Tournament April 19-23 held at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. The team placed first in President's Division Three beating thirty-one other teams.
  2. UNK Forensics team was victorious at the Northeast Community College Hawk Invitational Speech Tournament in Norfolk, Nebraska February 2-3. UNK placed second in Division II Team Sweepstakes beating Northwest Missouri State, Nebraska Wesleyan and Concordia University. One member of the team, a junior, was the tournament champion in Quadrathon (top competitor competing in four different events). He was also the tournament champion in After-Dinner Speaking and Extemporaneous Speaking and he placed second in Impromptu Speaking. He was also chosen by his peers, coaches and judges as the Outstanding Public Address Speaker. Another UNK student placed fifth in Communication Analysis.
  3. UNK Forensics competed at the Wesleyan Weasel Forensics Tournament
    December 2nd in Lincoln. The tournament brought together top teams from throughout the Midwest. A UNK sophomore placed fourth in Impromptu Speaking and a teammate placed fifth in Extemporaneous Speaking.
  4. In a competition at the United States Air Force Academy, one member of the team placed 6th in Impromptu Speaking and another placed 6th in After Dinner Speaking.
  5. At South Dakota State University, a 5th Place in Impromptu Speaking was earned by a UNK student.
  6. The UNK Forensics team competed in the Pioneer Trails Forensics Tournament in Casper, Wyoming October 2000. The tournament brought together eighteen schools from Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Utah, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. A UNK junior placed third in Impromptu Speaking, fifth in Informative, sixth in After-Dinner Speaking, and was a semi-finalist in Extemporaneous Speaking. A sophomore teammate placed second in Dramatic Interpretation. Another sophomore member of the team was a semi-finalist in Extemporaneous Speaking.
  7. The UNK Forensics team kicked off the season with impressive finishes at the Creighton/Concordia Double-up Tournament held in Omaha, September 2000. The tournament brought together 32 top schools from throughout the nation. A UNK junior placed second in After-Dinner Speaking and fourth in Impromptu Speaking. A sophomore teammate was a semi-finalist in Impromptu Speaking.
  8. At the Nebraska ADDY's competition, two UNK students won an ADDY Award for a TV script they wrote regarding teen pregnancy. Another student won a Citation of Excellence for a :30 TV script for Dodge Trucks. This same student also won a trophy, called a "Judges Special Citation", which was awarded with the Best of Show trophies because "the judges just loved his copy." Two more UNK students won a Citation of Excellence for a :30 TV script entitled "Think Before You Act."
  9. A UNK student was one of four students selected in a national competition
    sponsored by the American Advertising Federation to tour advertising and marketing agencies, graphics houses and editing studios for one week in NYC. The student's travel expenses, meals and hotel accommodations were paid for by the AAF.
  10. A UNK advertising major won the Advertising Federation of Omaha Scholarship.
  11. UNK advertising students have increasingly been able to secure attractive internships. These students have, in many cases, been chosen by people at institutions outside of Nebraska. Selection is often based on writing ability, knowledge of the field and portfolio materials. Examples - during summer 2001 a Communications student is interning at Nylon Magazine in New York, another is at D'Arcy also in New York, a sophomore is interning at the Omaha World Herald, another secured an internship with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. and another one is interning at Empower IT in Bethesda, Md.
  12. A UNK broadcasting major won the Advertising Federation of Lincoln's Multicultural Scholarship.
  13. Of the 19 papers published in the 2000 - 2001 UNK Undergraduate Research
    Journal, six were written by Communications students. The editorial board consisted of one UNK faculty from each of the following departments: Biology; English; Chemistry; History; Education; Communication; Political Science; Management/Marketing; Accounting and; Music
1999-2000 ASSESSMENT
Performances and review of the same by outside entities continue to play an important role in the department. Some examples of reviews of student performances follow:
  1. Two UNK Forensics team members won awards at the 1999 Double-up Forensics tournament in Omaha. These included a tournament champion in Persuasive Speaking and another student who won Sixth Place in After Dinner Speaking in part one of the tournament and Third Place in the second half of the tournament. The team competed against those from Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, California, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Minnesota.
  2. One Communications major was the tournament champion in Duo-Athlon at the
    Hastings College Kool-Aid Classic. She was also second in Program of Oral Interpretation and sixth in Persuasive Speaking. A UNK sophomore was fifth in After Dinner Speaking. Another sophomore was fifth in Persuasive Speaking. Overall, the team placed fifth in Team Sweepstakes.
  3. At the Colorado College Invitational one UNK team member placed second in Extemporaneous Speaking, sixth in After Dinner Speaking, and was a semi-finalist in Impromptu Speaking. Another placed third in Persuasive Speaking and fifth in Impromptu Speaking. A freshman on the team was a semi-finalist in Impromptu Speaking.
  4. A UNK senior earned a third in Quadrathon (best in four different events) at the Wayne State Wildcat Tournament. She won Program Oral Interpretation and placed third in Persuasive Speaking. Her teammates placed third in After Dinner Speaking, fourth in Informative Speaking, sixth in Persuasive Speaking and sixth in Extemporaneous Speaking. Overall, the team placed fifth in Team Sweepstakes.
  5. Competing against 24 teams from throughout the Midwest at the Concordia University Speech and Debate Tournament, the UNK forensics team continued its long season of successful competition. One UNK sophomore was the tournament Quadrathon Champion. The Quadrathon Award recognizes those students who achieve the greatest success in four different events. He was also tournament champion in Impromptu Speaking, won second place in Extemporaneous Speaking, third in Informative and fifth in Duo Interpretation. A senior placed fourth in Poetry, fifth in Persuasion and fifth in Duo Interpretation with the tournament Quadrathon Champion. The team placed fifth in Sweepstakes, beating last year's state champion, Hastings College.
  6. The UNK Forensics team competed at the 64 team Southwestern College/Point Loma Nazarene University Swing Tournament in February in San Diego. UNK placed fourth in Sweepstakes at the Southwestern College half of the tournament. In the first half of the tournament, a UNK freshman won Informative Speaking and placed second in Prose. Teammates were third in Persuasion, fourth in After Dinner Speaking, fourth in Communication Analysis, second in Poetry. In the second half of competition, one team member placed second in Informative Speaking, fourth in Prose, and third in Duo with another UNK student. There was also a placing for Communication Analysis -third and a finalist in Extemporaneous Speaking. As a result, UNK Forensics qualified seven students in nineteen events for the national tournament.
  7. Twenty-five teams from throughout the country competed in the Novice Nationals Forensics Tournament in Corpus Christi. UNK Forensics placed fourth in Team Sweepstakes in Division III. One team member placed second in Poetry Interpretation and third in Prose Interpretation. Another was a semi-finalist in Impromptu Speaking.
  8. The UNK Forensics team competed at the National Forensics Association National Tournament in Athens, Ohio in April. The tournament brought together 89 teams from throughout the United States. One UNK student was a quarter-finalist in After Dinner Speaking. This means that he placed in the top 24 in the nation. Overall the team placed 13th in Division One.
  9. Six students from the Department of Communications and one recent graduate received national awards in the Society for Collegiate Journalists competition for writing, photography and newspaper page design. UNK students received first-place awards for news reporting, feature writing, spot news photography, feature photograph and sports photography. Other awards included a second place in feature photography, an honorable mention in feature writing and an honorable mention in front page layout design. More UNK students took first-place honors this year in this competition than ever before; the eight awards earned this year represent a record for UNK students. Communications students competed with entries from other colleges and universities of similar size throughout the nation.
  10. In the 2000 Collegiate Newspaper Contest sponsored by the Nebraska Press Association, members of The Antelope newspaper won the following awards for materials published in 1999:

        2nd Place - Best News Photo
        1st Place - Best Feature Photo
        2nd Place - Best Feature Photo
        1st Place - Best Personal Column
        3rd place - Best News series
        1st Place - Best Editorial
        2nd Place - Best Editorial
        Nebraska Collegiate Sweepstakes Award

    The submissions were evaluated by members of the Texas Press Association.
  11. One UNK Advertising major won a national internship from the American
    Advertising Federation and will work during the summer of 2000 at the L.A. Times. She also won a scholarship sponsored by the Omaha World-Herald.
  12. Three students had the necessary criteria for induction in Alpha Delta Sigma, the national advertising honorary, sponsored by the American Advertising Federation.
1998-99 ASSESSMENT

Mass Communications
Performances and review of the same by outside entities continue to play an important role in the department. Some examples of reviews of student performances follow:

  1. Three advertising students received Bronze Quill awards from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) chapter in Omaha for work in copywriting and desktop publishing
  2. In the 1999 ADDYS competition sponsored by the Advertising Federation of Lincoln and the Omaha Federation of Advertising, two advertising students were awarded Citations of Excellence for broadcast scripts that they wrote.
  3. An advertising student was the 1999 recipient of the Omaha Advertising Federation scholarship.
  4. An advertising student was named one of "The Nation's Most Promising Minority Advertising Students" by the American Advertising Federation.
  5. At the 1999 Nebraska Press Association annual convention, The Antelope newspaper and its staff received awards for:

1st Place - Best News Photo
1st Place - Best Personal Column
3rd Place - Best Feature Story

  1. A public relations student was selected to present a research paper she wrote at the National Council for Undergraduate Research conference in Rochester, New York.
  2. A broadcasting student was awarded an Honorable Mention in The Communicator Awards competition (Arlington, TX) for a video feature package.

Speech Communications

During 1998 - 1999, the department-sponsored forensics team won a total of 29 trophies in various individual events and qualified to compete in 12 events at the National Forensics Tournament in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

The department will continue to encourage students to enter competitions external to the campus and apply for scholarships. Attempts will be made to broaden the unit's efforts to encourage all Communications majors to seek such reviews and funding.

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17 May 2005
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