Department of Communication Media Journalism and Film Archives - Page 2 of 7

RCASH sets new participation record in Education Abroad programs

October 29, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

The Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH) continues its impressive participation in Missouri State University’s Education Abroad program.

For the 2024-25 academic year, RCASH led in both the number of participants and percentage of graduates who engage in study abroad.

According to a report issued by Education Abroad Director Elizabeth Strong, 188 RCASH students participated in education abroad programs during the 2024-25 academic year. That number is up from 177 during the previous year.

“This growth is reflected in the percentage of RCASH education abroad participants compared to RCASH graduates in the same academic year, which is 28.5%,” Strong said.

A total of 434 Missouri State students participated in education abroad programs during 2024-25.

In addition, of the 316 faculty-directed activities, 140 were led by RCASH faculty.

Panzer and Geibler named 2026 Education Abroad Faculty Fellows

Two RCASH faculty members have been named to the 2026 Education Abroad Faculty Fellow cohort. They are Associate Professor Dr. Sarah Panzer, from the Department of History, and Assistant Professor Dr. Robert Geibler, from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Other Missouri State faculty named to the cohort are Alison Alaimo (McQueary College of Health and Human Services), Mandy Benedict-Chambers (College of Education), Leslie Echols (McQueary College of Health and Human Services), Asif Ishtiaque (College of Natural and Applied Sciences), Nancy Kageyama (Darr College of Agriculture) and Kristen Thornton (College of Business).

RCASH schedules robust Education Abroad activity for 2026

RCASH Dean Shawn Wahl said he continues to be impressed by faculty engagement with Education Abroad.

“Their collaboration across academic areas to deliver impactful learning experiences for our students is inspiring,” he said. “This collaboration is the essence of Missouri State as the Public Affairs University.”

Several RCASH faculty have already scheduled Education Abroad activities for 2026, Strong noted.

2025 Education Abroad Faculty Fellows Nikki Ferry and William Harwood — Greece
2025 Education Abroad Faculty Fellow Jeff Loughary (coordinated with Dr. Tonia Tinsley) — Morocco
Leslie Seawright — United Arab Emirates
Jonathan Newman and Rhonda Stanton — United Kingdom
Cameron LaBarr — Australia and New Zealand
Antoinette Barffour — Ghana
Vadim Putzu — Italy
Gwen Walstrand and Marcus Howell — Italy
Luis Lombilla — Mexico and Spain
Jason Shepard — Ecuador [“Eight Missouri State students enjoy studying in Ecuador“]
Vanessa Rodriguez de la Vega — Peru
Holly Holladay and Cristina Pippa — United Kingdom
Amy Muchnick — United Kingdom

Learn more about Education Abroad

Mason Harris wins 2025 Holle Award for Excellence in Public Speaking

October 23, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Mason Harris, sophomore music education major, has won the 2025 Holle Award for Excellence in Public Speaking.

His winning speech, “Advocating for the Rights of Immigrants and International Students,” was selected from a pool of submissions and evaluated by a jury of industry leaders.

Competition winners were announced in September 2025. Harris received a trophy and a $10,000 monetary prize.

The Holle Awards are an annual national speaking competition based at the University of Alabama’s Tuscaloosa campus. The awards honor the legacy of Brigadier General Everett Hughes Holle.

Undergraduate students from any field or discipline who are currently enrolled in an accredited college or university in the United States are eligible.

“When I got an email notification on my phone from the Holle Awards, my heart skipped a beat,” Harris said. “I opened it immediately, clicked the pdf attachment, read congratulations and its subsequent words and started to tear up in the parking lot.”

“I am incredibly excited about the opportunities and doors that this may open for me in the near future due to this win,” he added.

Chess Club hosts first event for 2025-26 season

September 15, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Chess Club opened its 2025-26 season with an informal competition on Sept. 3 in Strong Hall’s atrium.

Over 20 students attended the event, which featured a blitz chess competition.

Interested players first participated in a casual, meet-and-greet session that emphasized non-competitive play. The club set up chess boards at several individual tables in the atrium, allowing players to chat while they played and enjoyed free pizza.

Afterward, the club held an informal blitz chess competition. Blitz chess is a playing format during which each game lasts three to five minutes.

Chess Club will host two more events during the fall semester: Oct. 1 and Nov. 5. Both events are from 3-5 p.m. in the Strong Hall atrium.

Mark your calendar

Chess Club is for everyone

Man walking behind people playing chess — Jay Howard, one of the faculty advisors for Chess Club, looks on as players engage in blitz chess.

Two faculty members of the Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH), Jay Howard and Nick Beatty, serve as Chess Club advisors. Howard is a senior instructor in the Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film. Beatty is an instructor in the Department of Political Science and Philosophy.

Even though it is advised by RCASH faculty, Howard emphasized that Chess Club is open to everyone, regardless of their playing level, their major or their status at the university.

“There are several faculty members who play as well as students, both undergraduate and graduate,” Howard said. “We’ve got community members here who aren’t students or faculty. So, it’s open to everyone.”

As a geology major, senior Connor Burns reflects Chess Club’s broader outreach at Missouri State. He has been with Chess Club since his sophomore year.

“It’s just fun,” Burns said. “I don’t have a lot of free time, but getting to come around here and play chess with people over the board is a lot better than being a recluse somewhere and playing it online.”

Junior psychology major Grant Howison also reflects Chess Club’s mission to be open to all. Like Burns, he has been part of Chess Club since his sophomore year and attends every meeting.

“I think it’s a lot of fun,” Howison said.

Meanwhile, freshman theatre and dance major Julie Kate Moylan is not a member of Chess Club. She joined the event, however, simply because she likes chess. For her, the game is “a great way to learn and maybe advance problem-solving skills. I think that’s a really good aspect of chess.”

MSU animation alumni recognized at 2025 BEA Festival

July 22, 2025 by Reynolds College

Four Missouri State University alumni from the electronic arts program were recognized at the 2025 Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Festival of Media Arts for their five-minute animated short, “You Rise, I Fall.”

Tyler Kenyon, Kate Austin, Caitlin Roberts and Daiji Bonsu collaborated on the film for their Senior Project-Electronic Arts (ART 498) course. All four graduated from Missouri State’s electronic arts program in 2024.

Roberts directed the entire project. Kenyon served as 3D artist, Bonsu worked as 3D art lead and Austin served as the project’s lead 3D artist and editor.

The film was inspired by Charles Anthony Silvestri’s poetry and GRAMMY® winning composer Eric Whitacre’s choral music.

“Grieving the loss of his wife, Tony wrote poetry about their life together and the love they had,” Kenyon said. “A few years later, Eric Whitacre…collaborated with Tony to create a ‘poignant secular requiem.’ Caitlin introduced us to the story as a potential project for our capstone.”

According to the organization’s website, BEA is the premier international academic media organization, driving insights, excellence in media production and career advancement for educators, students and professionals.

Four people standing on a stage — Caitlin Roberts, Kate Austin, Daiji Bonsu and Tyler Kenyon were recognized for their animation work.

Special topics course on 16mm filmmaking revives traditional skills

July 8, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

During Missouri State University’s May 2025 intercession, students who enrolled in “The Art and Skill of Shooting Super 16mm Celluloid Film” (Media 300/600) course got a first-hand look at the craft of celluloid filmmaking.

Instructor Conci Nelson, from the Department of Communication, Media, Film and Journalism (CMJF), taught the three-week practicum. The course trained students on how to plan and shoot celluloid footage using two Bolex H16 film cameras.

“The goal of this course is for students to gain an appreciation for the origins of filmmaking and content creation and better understand the utility of thorough planning and economic execution in a production,” Nelson said.

Nelson will incorporate footage that the class created into a short film she is producing, “The Princess of Ildereen.”

Reviving traditional filmmaking

In the fall of 2024, Nelson pitched the idea of a course devoted to celluloid filmmaking to the CMJF department. The class was needed, she said, because current technologies tend to inhibit students’ ability to learn essential filmmaking skills. Moreover, while digital and AI technologies might speed production, they don’t always encourage creativity, she added.

“Many students rely far too heavily on digital technology for focus, [but] what happens when you don’t have access to power?” Nelson asked. “Without power in digital filmmaking, there likely won’t be any shooting happening.” For example, a filmmaker might not have access to important peripheral tools, like Bluetooth monitors and scopes, which are used to represent focus using color or grids.

Instead, Nelson’s course teaches students how to use external light meters, tape measures to calculate focus, manual focus techniques and how to plan a shot. Even understanding the tangible qualities of film, such as its feel and smell or how it sounds when rolling properly, is part of the course.

Young man setting up celluloid film camera — Jake Martin observes Julian Garrett as he rehearses a shot on the Bolex H16 camera, mounted on the studio jib.

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