Welcome to the Communication Studies Department 
Senior Project Presentations
Student taking CST 499: Senior Project in Communication Studies have conducted original scholarly research projects investigating communication topics of interest. Examples of student projects during Spring 2012 include Monica Rincon's "At the End of the Day You do Business with People You Like: A Qualitative Study of how Event Planners Build Relationships," Ashley Przedwiecki's "Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: Disclosure in College-aged Adult-Parent Relationship," and Samantha Peacock's "A Look at the Coach-Athlete Relationship and its Impact on Coach Sport Satisfaction Levels in Division III Athletics." Click here to find the schedule of presentations.
RAQ Radio Racquet Update
The Broadcast Club/RAQ Radio Racquet will host RAQ Radio Fest on Friday, April 20, from 11am – 4pm on Wittich Field. Included in this fun event will be a bake sale and live music performed by bands from the surrounding area. Thanks to Sean Mobley, RAQ Radio now has a website, RAQRADIO.COM. The website features RAQ’s program schedule, information about the shows and a link to live365.com/stations/raq to listen to the live shows. Be sure and check it out!
News from the Broadcast and Digital Communication Emphasis Area
Video Production Class Produces Weekly Newscast: Dr. Pat Turner’s Advanced Video Production class is producing a weekly 30-minute newscast, “News Update,” that airs on KQEG/ION (Charter 5 & CenturyTel 4) on Saturday mornings at 11:00am. In addition, the class is working on “Inside La Crosse,” a 60-minute PM format program, that will air in late May or early June on KQEG/ION. Class members are Brett Bailey, Chance Dickman, Aaron Engstrand, Jordy Foy, Callie Frank, Cole Gallagher, Megan Glidden, Zach Hansen, Elizabeth Kramer, Tyrell Luebker, Emily Marotz, Van Ngo, Braden Schrupp, Angela Spagnoli, Mike Stein, Summer Steiner, and Drew White.
RMP Seminar a Success: The Radio Marketing Professional (RMP) Certification Seminar was held on Tues., 3/20, & Thurs., 3/22. Ken Beno, chair of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Education Committee, conducted the seminar. There were over 20 students who attended and received RMP certification. The seminar is endorsed by the Radio Broadcasting Bureau.
Megan Glidden Receives WBA Student Awards for Excellence: Megan Glidden received a Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Student Awards for Excellence for her video produced for the Coulee Region Humane Society Telethon. The award-winning video highlights Fergie, a pitbull, that was abused and found a loving home with Allie Benish. The WBA Student Awards program recognizes outstanding achievement by radio and TV students enrolled in a postsecondary school in Wisconsin. See her video below.
Sean Mobley's "Francis Scott Key and the Defense of Fort McHenry"
The CST Department congratulates Sean Mobley! His UW-L Grant-funded documentary, "Francis Scott Key and the Defense of Fort McHenry" won the 2012 NATAS - Upper Midwest Chapter Student Achievement Award in the Arts & Entertainment/Cultural Affairs category. The NATAS is the organization that puts on the Emmy awards each year. The Communication Studies Department will be receiving a Crystal Pillar Award to commemorate this honor. You can see the video and information on the award at the NATAS website.
Faculty, Staff, and Student Success
Congratulations to Thomas Reader, Kristyn Emmer, and Mackenzie Hautala! These students will be recognized at the CLS Celebration of Excellence event for their successes. Please plan on attending and supporting our students on Wednesday, April 11. The reception in the CFA lobby begins at 6:00 pm, with the program in Toland Theatre at 6:30. Congrats are also in order for the other student nominees--Kelsie Bolz, Ashley Przedwiecki, and Sarah Wilcox.
Congratulations are also in order for Dr. Scott Dickmeyer, Dr. Dena Huisman, Dr. Sara Docan-Morgan, Dr. Tony Docan-Morgan, and Dr. Dan Modaff. They were recognized by students in residence life for their care and contributions to UWL. This honor is with the National Residence Hall Honorary.
Ayesha Patnaik has been promoted from Associate Lecturer to Lecturer and Dr. Jim Putz has been promoted from Senior Lecturer to Distinguished Lecturer. Dr. Tony Docan-Morgan has been promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor. Their new titles take effect Fall 2012.
Apply for a Scholarship
CST students, consider applying for a scholarship: https://uwlax.academicworks.com/
Coulee Region Humane Society Telethon a Success
The 13th Annual Coulee Region Humane Society Telethon raised over $5,400 and more than $500 dollars in supplies. The majority of the monetary donations pledged during the telethon were for $100 or more. Many of the donations were given on behalf of viewers’ pets. The telethon aired Sat., Nov. 19, live on KQEG/ION Channel 23, campus channel 6 and Charter Cable channels 5 & digital 989 from 7 to 10 p.m. Rick Wilson, KQEG, and Carrie Vick, Communication Studies student, hosted the event. Chris Zobin worked the tote board, along with Drew White, Angela Spagnoli, & Courtney Zahn. Each took turns rotating between the tote board and phone bank. Allison Garkovich was the lead person on the phone bank.
Many Communication Studies students were instrumental in making this year’s event a success. Students, who assisted with the airing of this event, were Sean Mobley (director); Cole Gallagher (technical director); Chance Dickman (CG); Zach Hansen (Cayman); Nabeel Deane, Shahad Jan, and Luke Prescott (cameras); Sean Mobley (lighting); Jessica Anderson (audio); Van Ngo and Ryan Pomerening (floor directors); Abby Schyvinch (teleprompter); Chris Chard (computer graphics designer); Joe Etten (video technician); Anna Fein, Jordy Foy, & Tyrell Luebbker (video operators); Ashley Cary, Katy Coon, Aaron Engstrand , Megan Glidden, Chelsea Hodgins, Nick Rytilahti, Mikayla Smith, & Mike Wolf (line producers). Students, from Pat Turner’s CST 376 Remote Video Operations class, produced videos that aired throughout the telethon. In addition, the class was instrumental in getting coupon donations and other donations from the La Crosse business community before the telethon went on the air. Carrie Vick was instrumental in organizing the successful fundraising campaign, along with the help of Jordy Foy and Mike Wolf.
For more info, contact Dr. Pat Turner, Communication Studies at 608.785.8369.
Health Communication (CST 354) Students Run Campaigns and Connect with Mayo Clinic
Dr. Cheri Niedzwiecki's Health Communication students are actively running campaigns to promote health awareness. Below left, her students focus their project on breast cancer awareness. Other groups running their health promotion campaigns include Nutrition on Nov. 9 in Cartwright Center 12-2 p.m., Be Wise--Exercise on Nov. 15 in Whitney Center 4-7 p.m., Autism will show the film "Temple Grandin" at 9 p.m. in Drake Hall on Nov. 28, and Stress Management on Dec. 2 in Port o' Call 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Students also toured Mayo Clinic's Center for Health & Healing in Onalaska to learn about alternative forms of medical treatment firsthand. On the table is CST student, Scott Schell who is experiencing one of the energy treatments with Judy Aufenthie, Health & Healing Coordinator.
Two CST Faculty Members Honored
Dr. Linda Dickmeyer and Dr. Scott Dickmeyer were honored by the Department of Communication Studies at Minnesota State University-Mankato and selected to give the 2011-2012 Nadine B. Andreas Lecture. The title of their talk was "It's complicated: The not-so-natural way to effective communication." Congratulations!
Event Promotes Communication about End-of-Life Decisions
More than 250 people attended a film screening and panel discussion about communication regarding end of life issues, coordinated by Dr. Michael Tollefson. Filmmakers Mike Bernhagen and Terry Kaldhusdal presented Consider the Conversation: A Documentary Film on Oct. 19 on the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse campus. Following the film Bernhagen conducted a panel discussion with Kaldhusdal and area end-of-life experts in fields including medical ethics, sociology, and religion. For more information about the event, contact Dr. Michael Tollefson at mtollefson2@uwlax.edu or (608) 785-4211. For more about the film and its creators, visit the website: http://www.considertheconversation.org/about/mike
The Communication Studies Department is Now Located in Centennial Hall
The Communication Studies Department is now located in the newly built Centennial Hall. The building is located at the center of campus and is home to 44 classrooms, 2 auditoriums, multiple academic departments, Career Services, the Academic Advising Center, and much more. Read more about fast facts, the floorplan, and the courtyard memorial pictured below.
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
4206 Centennial Hall
La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601-9959
(608) 785-8519
(608) 785-6719 FAX
cstdept@uwlax.edu