I have graduated from Radford University with a Bachelor’s in Media Studies while my concentration is in Journalism. This is my portfolio when it comes to work that I’ve done while was at school and some works that I have gotten published while in school.
Alysse Baker, who is just about to attain her master’s in strategic communication — her second degree from the School of Communication — did not start her journey at Radford. One thing that helped keep her at Radford is the professors.
“Most of my professors were very encouraging and outwardly supportive of the work I put into my assignments. I never thought about going to graduate school until they encouraged me to do so! I give a lot of credit to them for helping me get this far,” Baker said.
Her choice of Radford was based on its proximity to her hometown. She originally attended Northeast State Community College in Bristol, Tennessee, and in 2017, decided to return to her hometown of Galax, Virginia, to finish her associate’s degree.
Baker’s journey at Radford finally began after she received her associate’s degree. She transferred into the communication studies undergraduate program with a focus in public relations and a minor in psychology.
In 2019, she completed her bachelor’s degree and decided to go straight into the strategic communication graduate program with the goal of attaining her master’s degree in the spring of 2021. With the end of the spring semester just around the corner, Baker’s goal is just about accomplished, but she is not stopping there.
She now plans to continue her academic journey at West Virginia University where she will pursue her doctorate in communication studies. There she plans to do more research projects and teach as she has done at Radford.
“It was important for me to pursue a Ph.D.,” says Baker, “because, mostly, I wanted to prove to myself I could do it.”
In the strategic communication graduate program, Baker took the thesis track and her thesis is on “marginalization in Appalachia, specifically Appalachian women, regarding political communication.” She has also been teaching public relations courses and public speaking and credits her mentors for helping her grow as a person since she used to be more reserved as a student herself.
Baker speaks very highly of all her mentors: “Dr. Scott Dunn is my thesis chair and has been a major mentor and advisor of mine throughout the entire graduate program. Susan Sheridan-Smith has also been a huge contributor to my success as a teacher, as she is the mentor for all incoming GTAs. Dr. Shuo Yao was my advisor in undergrad and she’s the Graduate Coordinator, so she’s been someone involved throughout this entire process as well. I can’t say enough about the faculty in the School of Communication. They’re all wonderful!”
When it comes to how Baker is with her own students, she is very understanding and kind. She is also always encouraging her students to participate and do their best.
Baker’s advice to students is, “Don’t put limitations on yourself! If you would’ve told me six years ago that I would be about to move to West Virginia to pursue a Ph.D. I probably would’ve laughed. Don’t let anyone else put limitations on you either!”
Baker also says, “For students in the communication program, utilize your incredible resources. Your teachers are awesome, and they care!”
One thing she always tells students is how she always asks her past professors about things she is still teaching in her own classes when she isn’t sure.
No one is ever going to be upset just because you are coming back to them for some guidance.
This is one thing students usually forget, but now Baker can be an example of how teachers do want to help you on your journey to your career.
Baker, who is the recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award for the 2020-2021 academic year, wants to continue teaching in higher education once she completes her doctorate.
Here is a link to the published article on the School of Communications website at Radford University. https://www.radford.edu/content/chbs/home/comm/news/releases/AlysseBaker.html
Taylor Moore Graduating December 2021
When it comes to entertainment during the pandemic a lot of people have been using Disney+, Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services to have access to new shows and movies that are coming out all year long. One company is taking advantage of that through Disney+ this year and that is Marvel Entertainment. Marvel has multiple shows and movies set up to come out this year along with some that have already premiered in the first 3 months of 2021.
In January Marvel started their release of content with WandaVision which was a nine-episode series that followed Wanda Maximoff, also known as The Scarlet Witch, after the events of Endgame. When it comes to the execution of the series Marvel did a very good job on incorporating elements of the comics into the cinematic universe while still holding the characters true to themselves.
There was a one-week interval with a show focused on the making of WandaVision called Avengers Assembled. In the future there is supposed to be an episode of Avengers Assembled after every future series that Marvel is making to show the production process. Now airing is The Falcon and The Winter Soldier which is going to be six episodes total and focuses on Sam and Bucky, aka Falcon and The Winter Soldier, after the events of Endgame similar to WandaVision. There are three episodes so far meaning that the series is halfway done.
The next series set to come out is Loki which will be on Disney+ June 11th. Marvel also has multiple movies set to hit theaters along with Disney+ premier access such as Black Widow (July 9th), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3rd), Eternals (November 5th), and Spiderman: No Way Home (December 17). Along with that abundance of content there are still three more series set to come out sometime in 2021 which are What If…?, Hawkeye, and Ms. Marvel. Overall, Marvel is taking over entertainment during this pandemic in the best way possible.
Here is the link to the published article on The Tartan’s website.
Journalist and Media Historian: Bob Stepno
What started out as one man’s personal record book turned into an archive of journalism heroes from the bygone days of radio drama. Bob Stepno has now been keeping record of journalists from the 1930s to the 1960s and programs that span history on his blog called “JHeroes” or “Newspaper Heroes on the Air.”
Stepno himself was a journalist at The Hartford Courant which is known for being one of the nation’s oldest newspapers in continuous publication. After that he went on to teach his craft for 14 years until he became ‘semi-retired’ in 2013.
Even when he was retired, Stepno never stopped working on his blog, bringing new content for his audience. There is something for everyone whether it be an article or a podcast since there is fictional journalist stories and non-fictional stories.
Stepno originally had no intention of starting his own blog for the journalism. Originally this entire website was just for him to keep track of his personal research and as Stepno stated, “to get my act together for a book” that he planned to write in the future. This caused the audience to grow from just himself to history lovers, journalism enthusiasts, and even just entertainment lovers.
There are plenty of genres to choose from when it comes to Stepno’s stories and podcasts. He has a total of 11 different genres which include: Adventures, At the Movies, Comedy, Detectives, Drama, Editors, Ethics, Politics, Real-Life, Soaps, and World. There is something for everyone no matter your interests even if they are non-fictional. If that is what you like you could read about Clark Kent and Louis Lane who are better known for their appearances in the Superman franchise.
The website consists of the original radio broadcasts and some in depth insight from Stepno himself. Stepno helps shine light on history that would have been forgotten otherwise. In his article about the Destination Freedom radio episode, he emphasizes how much of a journalism hero Ralph Bunch really was. While facing adversity as an African American man, he defends a Jewish victim and obtains justice no matter what.
In the end this allows him to later win the Nobel Peace Prize and thanks to Stepno’s thorough research, this story is not lost to time.
When asked what his personal favorites were, Stepno responded with “I really like “Night Beat,” “Rogers of the Gazette” and the historical series “Cavalcade of America” … and “Soldiers of the Press” about United Press war correspondents.”
All of Stepno’s stories can be found on his website jheroes.com and he usually responds to any comments made on the articles. Stepno is always open to criticism and new information so he can expand his blog and meet people who may have been related to the journalists he has written about.
One important piece of advice Stepno had for upcoming journalists was to, “Start a blog for yourself. Get published and used to writing so you know that you really want to go into this field.” His reasoning for this was so that you know for sure you want to be a journalist and you are never going to get tired of writing.
Here is the link to the published article on The Tartan’s website
http://www.rutartan.com/wordpress/bob-stepno-journalist-and-media-historian/
Taylor Moore tmoore243@radford.edu Graduating Dec. 2021
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, better known as STEM, is one of the biggest fields of study across the globe. Here at Radford University, there is a decline in students who are enrolling in the Artis College of Science and Technology across both genders. The concerning thing is that women have been the minority in the STEM program over the past five years, but the gap is still closing as both groups decline in enrollment.
After talking to some women here at Radford who are a part of the STEM program it opened my eyes to some of the misconceptions that the world has about them. I asked if there were ever any situations where they felt it was going to be extremely difficult going into the STEM field and the responses were very average which is reassuring when it comes to the way society looks at women in STEM. Katherine Bindbeutel is a Mathematics major with concentrations in Applied Mathematics and Statistics and will be graduating this spring.
She first spoke of how difficult the workload is when you first start out in your field of study. Later Bindbeutel said, “I have also been criticized quite a bit for choosing to study math. It could be because it’s a tough subject that people have negative associations with, which is understandable. However, if you are in a STEM degree program, remember why you chose to study that and be proud of it!”
Bindbeutel also has a job set up for when she graduates this spring. This is just one example of a woman who is persevering in the STEM field even through a pandemic. Another amazing woman is Dr. Kristina Stefaniak. Dr. Stefaniak is a professor here at Radford University and teaches analytical and instrumental chemistry along with specialized courses in environmental and forensic chemistry. In my interview with Dr. Stefaniak, she described what usually happens with young people who are trying to pursue a career.
Dr. Stefaniak said, “I can’t say there was one situation where I thought I couldn’t be a successful scientist. I think this is a misrepresentation of the pushback women face in STEM. I have faced countless microaggressions. From an undergraduate physics professor telling me I earned my grade “because you are a woman”, to a graduate colleague commenting on my outfit choice as a response to my question about using a Dean-Stark trap for drying PEG, to mentors and advisors telling me when to start a family. These countless comments are what can convince women they are not worthy of the position they’re in, it’s the death of a career due to a thousand papercuts.”
I would like to close out this story with words of encouragement from each woman I had the pleasure of talking to. There was one more student I did interview which was Brooke Baumgarten, a Chemistry major graduating spring 2022. In regard to having more women in this field Baumgarten said, “They should totally do it this it’s really rewarding when you do something right and there really is a lack of women in this field.”
Bindbeutel’s advice to women considering STEM is, “to just go for it! I changed my major from Elementary Education to Math about a month into my first year at Radford and I haven’t looked back. There are so many career options with a STEM degree, from corporate work to teaching to even starting a business or nonprofit. Also, remember to make the most of your time in and out of classes by doing research and working with your peers and professors. Undergraduate research was a fun and creative experience for me, and it has opened so many doors for me.
Lastly Dr. Stefaniak has advice for everyone, “It is to know you are worthy of anything you choose to do. Your accomplishments, such as being a student at Radford University, the grade you got on the assignment, or working a job while being a full-time student, are truly accomplishments. Be proud of what you have done and have confidence that your future will continue to be full of accomplishments.”
Here is the link to the published article on The Tartan’s website
http://www.rutartan.com/wordpress/radford-women-in-stem-fields/
NRV Solar Forum
October 27, 2020
In the New River Valley Solar Forum on October 7th experts from across Virginia came together to talk about the impact of solar energy.
The forum started out with Rich Shingles (2:40), New River Valley Sierra Club Chair, who introduced all of the speakers and what topics they would be sharing. From there Ivy Main (6:45), Virginia Sierra Club Renewable Energy Chair, took over as the moderator and shared her topic which focused on the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA).
“The Virginia Clean Economy Act passed this year puts Virginia on a tract to 100% carbon free electricity by 2050,” stated Main. She went on to give reasons why solar energy was more efficient and one of those reasons was that solar energy is cheaper than fossil fuels. If energy is cheaper for the community money could be used elsewhere for more important issues.
The next speaker was Patrick Feucht (21:08), co-owner and business manager of Baseline Solar Functions. His segment helped to supports Main’s by showing how his business has helped communities save money with solar energy. He has also helped to give people jobs this year with business and hopes to do so in the coming years as well. “Our main goal is to help get more renewable energy deployed out there and operating in the world,” stated Feucht.
Town of Blacksburg Sustainability Manager Carol Davis (26:22) went into detail about how Blacksburg has been working toward Climate Changing policies since 2006. The biggest accomplishment so far has been the Climate Vulnerability Assessment which looks at what climate change could happen in the community of Blacksburg and analyze the risks that could happen to the environment and residents according to that specific change. A few of the climate changes they looked at were changes in temperature such as colder summers and warmer winters and changes in the precipitation such as droughts and excessive rain. The risks were changes in the residents mental and emotional health, changes in the ecosystem, and impacts on business in the area. Here is a link that shows the plan and all of their supporting documents https://www.blacksburg.gov/departments/departments-l-z/sustainability/climate-protection/climate-action-plan-and-supporting-documents.
Aaron Sutch (39:10), a member of the Solar United Neighbors, spoke about their efforts to get solar panels across Virginia. He also made it very clear that they are not an environmental organization because the people who support them come from all walks of life no matter what their background or political affiliation. Sutch said his supports come together because they “believe in the benefits of creating jobs” and “the smartness actually, of building resilient climate solutions with solar and battery energy.”
The final two speakers spoke around similar topics which were how to pay for certain aspects of the VCEA. Larry E. Jackson (46:22), APCo Director of External Affairs, spoke about how the VCEA was helping business be more eco-friendly but how it was only possible after a lot of negotiation with the people in charge because of how expensive it is in order to be able to run solely on solar energy. Even with how expensive it should be Jackson stated that Appalachian Power is “going to change [their] entire automotive fleet to electric by 2030.”
Town Manager of Rocky Mount, C. James Ervin (51:57), focused on what it took to get this project started in the 70s and how it has evolved in the past 18 months. Ervin also shows that he is open to any negotiations that the communities have because “you can have whatever you want we just have to figure out how to pay for it.”
Covid 19 in Radford Virginia
September 28, 2020
Radford University may have Covid-19 precautions in place but that is not enough to put the Radford community at ease.
Citizens voiced their concerns during a Radford City Council Meeting on September 14, 2020. Radford resident, Cathy Fox Childress, compared Radford University to Virginia Tech. “If Virginia Tech can limit student gatherings to no more than 15 [people] why can’t Radford?” said Childress. Other viewers in the audience agreed with her statement but also made the statement that city council cannot force the University to do anything.
While the University is trying to enforce Covid-19 guidelines the responsibility of how many cases are seen on campus ultimately falls on the students. Since many students are following theses guidelines while on campus there has been a major decline in positive cases on campus when compared to the beginning of the semester.
The University is not the only problem when it comes to spreading Covid-19. There have also been some problems when it comes to opening up restaurants and city councilmember, Jessie Foster, expresses how citizens are not complying to the CDC guidelines as thoroughly as they should be. “The staff themselves appear to be very compliant and wearing their masks and engaging by the protocol,” Foster than said “what was more discerning was customers moving about without masks.” She went on to say that there were no repercussions from the restaurant staff towards those customers and that it may be something that needs to be addressed in a different matter.
When testing was done the week of September 1st there were 195 new cases of Covid 19 while the numbers have gone down to only 40 new cases when students were tested the week of September 13th. Now in October there is an even bigger decline in Covid cases. The current numbers posted on the Radford University Dashboard as of October 6th show there were only two positive cases within the past week.
These are all good numbers but there is one thing that is very concerning for the Radford community and that is what will happen after Winter Break and all of the students come back from their hometowns.
“This is just following the global pattern. Dense populations get it first and remote populations later. Spikes are following large population migrations. Everybody went to the beach first week of July and brought it home. Students came from their virus laden cities and brought it here. Next up will be black Friday and or Christmas break. Expect these surges until herd immunity is achieved,” said Radford resident, Ed Hammond.
Following that logic after students go home to their big cities they are more likely to come back to campus second semester with the virus. There are not many options to help prevent this outcome but with how much the University has helped to prevent the spread of Covid 19 in this first semester back it is very likely there will be even better precautionary measures when they have a second chance.
For Immediate Release- November 22, 2019
Contact Info: Taylor Moore (434)247-1086 tmoore243@radford.edu
(RADFORD, Va) – The United Nations gave an award for outstanding citizen contribution to combat poverty to 10 groups and one group was right here at Radford University.
Four sophomores from the international relations program at Radford University were the first students to ever receive an award form the UN here at Radford. These students, Jenny Blackman, Barbara Nice, Ted Power and Brian Sneed, developed an app to help streamline sources to combat homelessness.
Ann Summerville, Award Coordinator for the United Nations, said, “The award-winners have taken it upon themselves to make a big impact not only in their own community, but the entire world.” The app can be used across the globe and can help give users the opportunity to educate themselves, donate to important causes and volunteer their time locally to combat homelessness. The app is also free and available for download. Jenny Blackman, Radford sophomore, said, “This just shows that you can make a difference no matter what your age is. We are so proud of the work we’ve done so far, but we aren’t done yet.”
One Blacksburg community is mourning deeply after a house fire claims two lives Wednesday morning.
Radford University’s Taylor Moore reports
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The neighbors are working together to help the family like close friend Vanessa Tyson.
(Tyson)”This is such a close knit neighborhood. When something like this happens it impacts us all.”
The husband, Tom Shields was at work when the fire happened.
(Shields) “They were my whole life. I don’t know what to do right now.”
The home was a total loss to the fire.
56-year-old mother Susan Shields and her 15-year-old son Matt Shields were killed in the fire.
Now he has full support from the community in this trying time.
(Tyson) “It is important to let the family know we are here for them. They were always so kind to my kids.”
(Brisko) “This fire could have been prevented. If you use a space heater, please keep it away from anything flammable.”
Fire Chief Tedd Brisko explained the fire was started by a space heater being too close to the blinds.
(Brisko) “Our hearts go out to the family. This is never an easy situation.”
Taylor Moore Radford University
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Tom Shields, the now widowed husband, is receiving help from the Red Cross along with support from his community after this tragic event.
There is also a gofundme that was started by the neighbors of the family in order to help pay for funeral expenses. A link to that can be found on www.wdbj7.com
Taylor Moore 