1 COMM, CHSS 2009-11-18T19:22:57Z 30 false false false false false false true false false 611 2009-11-19T12:20:00Z true true true true 1 Published In this Forbes.com article, Mason communication professor Robert Lichter writes about the nasty controversy over FOX News' treatment of President Obama. Is it fair and balanced? Mason Comm Professor Lichter Poses Questions About Fox News' Balance image/jpeg Lichter1.jpg 65745 2009-11-19T15:50:47Z http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/14/fox-news-barack-obama-media-opinions-contributors-s-robert-lichter.html

1 Gary Kreps 2009-11-17T15:18:30Z 30 false false false true false false false true false 598 2009-11-17T10:16:00Z false false false false 1 Published Don Stumpo, an instructor in the Communication Department who was also a producer and cameraman at NBC4 in Washington, D.C., died from a heart attack on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009. image/jpeg Stumpo.jpg 40472 2009-11-17T18:37:21Z http://gazette.gmu.edu/articles/15214

1 Communication Department, Edited by CHSS Staff Gary Kreps 2009-11-11T14:16:38Z 16 false false true true false true <p><a href="http://masonaidsquilt.onmason.com/" target="_blank">Mason Aids Quilt</a><a href="http://masonaidsquilt.onmason.com/"><br /></a></p> <p><a href="http://twitter.com/MasonAIDSQuilt" target="_blank">Follow the Quilt on Twitte</a>r</p> <p><a href="http://news.gmu.edu/articles/1130" target="_blank">Gazette Story</a></p> true true <p>George Mason University (Mason) will commemorate World AIDS Day by bringing more than 100 blocks of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the Fairfax campus&rsquo;s Dewberry Hall on Dec. 1, 2009.</p> <p>This event will be open to the public and is expected to be the largest display of the quilt on the east coast. Dewberry Hall is located inside Mason&rsquo;s Johnson Center.</p> <p>&ldquo;Our intent is to raise awareness among our students and the greater community, as well as to demonstrate the university's commitment to this critical social and worldwide health issue,&rdquo; said Dr. Gary L. Kreps, chair of Mason&rsquo;s Department of Communication and Director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication. &ldquo;At the same time, we also recognize the solemnity of this day and will pay tribute to the thousands who have died from AIDS.&rdquo;</p> <p>In addition to displaying the quilt, Mason will welcome speakers, entertainers, displays, films, and works of art concerning AIDS. Speakers for the Mason AIDS Quilt event include well-known AIDS advocates Hydeia Broadbent and Big Tigger, as well as scientists, public health experts, AIDS survivors, and community advocates. &nbsp;</p> <p>AIDS-related panel discussions, films, art, and exhibits will be presented beginning at 10 a.m. at Dewberry Hall in the Johnson Center and will run until 4 p.m.</p> <p>Community groups planning to participate in the event include the INOVA Juniper Program, the National Minority AIDS Council, the National Association for People Living With AIDS, the National Institutes of Health, the Entertainment Industries Council, the Metro D.C. Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry, the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League, the Human Rights Campaign, Equality Virginia, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Fairfax County Health Literacy Initiative.</p> <p>This event is part of a larger annual university program, HIV Awareness Week, sponsored by Mason&rsquo;s Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education.</p> <p>Many academic and research programs at George Mason University focus on HIV/AIDS prevention and support, including the Center for Health and Risk Communication and graduate programs in health and strategic communication.</p> <p>&ldquo;We are also drawn to this issue as one of the most diverse universities in the country and because we are part of the greater Washington, D.C., area,&rdquo; Kreps said. &ldquo;Washington has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS incidence and mortality in the county.&rdquo;</p> <p>According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on average, every 9&frac12; minutes, someone in the United States is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In 2006, an estimated 56,300 people became infected with HIV and today more than 1 million people in the United States are living with HIV.</p> <p>World AIDS Day, observed globally on December 1 every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of AIDS. Since 1995, World AIDS Day has been recognized by the President of the United States for observance.</p> <p>The AIDS Memorial Quilt, which is maintained by The NAMES Project Foundation, Inc., includes more than 47,000 panels dedicated to more than 91,000 individuals. Each "block" (or section) of The AIDS Memorial Quilt measures approximately 12 square feet and a typical block consists of eight individual three foot by six foot panels sewn together.</p> <p>The event is one of many that take place at Mason, a university that prides itself on its diversity and commitment to exploring social issues.</p> <p>Named the No. 1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S. News &amp; World Report, George Mason University is a diverse innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country.&nbsp; Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in communication, engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, informatics, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university. &nbsp;</p> false 583 image/jpeg 00001.jpg 83217 2009-11-17T09:10:00Z Our intent is to raise awareness among our students and the greater community, as well as to demonstrate the university's commitment to this critical social and worldwide health issue.At the same time, we also recognize the solemnity of this day and will pay tribute to the thousands who have died from AIDS. Dr. Gary L, Kreps, Chair of Mason’s Department of Communication and Director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication true false true false 1 Published Mason will welcome speakers, entertainers, displays, films, and works of art concerning AIDS George Mason University will commemorate World AIDS Day by bringing more than 100 blocks of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the Fairfax campus on Dec. 1, 2009. This event will be open to the public and is expected to be the largest display of the quilt on the east coast. AIDS Quilt Bound for Mason Campus on World AIDS Day image/jpeg AIDSquilt_350.jpg 93457 2009-11-17T14:35:23Z

1 2009-11-05T15:29:00Z 30 false false true true false false false true false 577 2009-11-05T15:29:00Z false false false false 1 Published Angie Goff, BA Communication 2001, is in motion at all times. Goff, traffic anchor, entertainment correspondent, lifestyle blogger and morning fill-in anchor for WUSA-9, joined the Washington, D.C., CBS affiliate in 2007 and has solidified her spot among the area's top media personalities. image/jpeg 2009_June_Hauschka_AngieGoff_Finals-8-666x999.jpg 19154 2009-11-06T15:40:03Z http://news.gmu.edu/articles/1047

1 2009-10-30T13:26:00Z 1 false false false false false false false false false 570 image/jpeg npr.jpg 27881 2009-10-30T13:26:00Z false false false false 1 Published With a week to go before Election Day in Virginia. Candidates for Governor will make their final rounds in the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, pundits and party leaders are speculating about the national impact of the race. Mason's Steve Farnsworth joins WAMU's Morning Edition Host Matt McCleskey to talk about the races. image/jpeg npr.jpg 27881 2009-10-30T13:36:38Z WAMU http://wamu.org/news/09/10/26.php#29751

1 2009-06-29T14:22:51Z 1 false false false false false false false false <p>The Department of Communication is busy preparing for the new cohort of MA and PhD students expected to arrive Thursday, August 27th for orientation. Directly following the <a href="../../gradorientation">Graduate Student Orientation</a> for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the department will host a Welcome Reception at 7:00 on August 27th in Student Union Building II (SUB II) (<a href="http://eagle.gmu.edu/map/fairfax.php">see campus map</a>), where students and faculty will have a chance to meet and discuss important issues for the upcoming semester. Please email <a href="mailto:mverdino@gmu.edu">Maria Carabelli</a> to verify your attendance at this important event.</p> <p>All new MA and PhD students should be enrolled in COMM 600 - Introduction to Graduate Studies. Doctoral students who have not previously received permission from Dr. Botan to enroll in COMM 750 should be enrolled in COMM 650 - Research Methods. Students are free to enroll in any other classes for which they have met the prerequisites.&nbsp; Information on course registration can be found on <a href="https://patriotweb.gmu.edu/">Patriot Web</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Parking passes can now be purchased online from <a href="http://parking.gmu.edu/">Parking Services</a>, and student IDs can be picked up in Student Union Building I (SUB I) on the main level. All students should be aware that the department will be housed in Thompson Hall for the 2009-10 academic year, but courses will be taught in various locations around campus. Check your schedule to find the best parking location for each of your classes.</p> <p>All graduate students who will be teaching for the first time at Mason will need to attend the Teaching and Learning Academy during the week of August 24-29. Please email <a href="mailto:btalking@gmu.edu">Brigit Talkington</a> if you have not received information about this important event. The Graduate Student Lounge in Thompson Hall will be open for business beginning August 24th, so stop by and hang out with your new classmates.</p> false 528 image/jpeg iStock_000004429036X.jpg 171074 2009-06-29T14:22:51Z false false false false 1 Published The Department of Communication is busy preparing for the new cohort of MA and PhD students expected to arrive Thursday, August 27th for orientation. Directly following the Graduate Student Orientation for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the department will host a Welcome Reception at 7:00 on August 27th in Student Union Building II (SUB II), where students and faculty will have a chance to meet and discuss important issues for the upcoming semester. Please email <a href="mailto:mverdino@gmu.edu">Maria Carabelli</a> to verify your attendance at this important event. image/jpeg iStock_000004429036XSmall.jpg 28288 2009-07-03T17:07:02Z

1 2009-06-09T15:04:41Z 1 false false false false false false false false false 508 2009-06-09T15:04:41Z false false false false 1 Published Mason’s Kreps is principal investigator for training contracts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Supporting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since 2007, George Mason University’s Center for Health and Risk Communication has helped public information officers at CDC take their health communication skills to the next level. image/jpeg flu.jpg 29755 2009-06-09T15:40:18Z http://news.gmu.edu/articles/224

1 B.J. Koubaroulis 2009-05-26T15:10:59Z 1 false false false true false false true true <p>So you can't throw a spiral like Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell or make a cutback move like running back Clinton Portis. That doesn't mean you'll never share a locker room with them.</p> <p>This fall, George Mason University's new sport communication minor will offer students the opportunity to gain an understanding of sport mass media, sport reporting, interpersonal and organizational communication.</p> <p>The minor will be particularly helpful for those students seeking employment in sport management or sport media.</p> <p>"This minor provides students with the opportunity to focus on their communication skills and learn something about the sports world from both sides of the business," said Steve Klein, communication instructor and former sport journalist who spent time at USA Today before coming to Mason. "The top three things employers look for on a resume are internships, skill set and knowledge base."</p> <p>Through a cooperative relationship between the Communication Department and the Sports Management program in the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism, students can achieve the minor in 18 semester hours.</p> <p>"It's a natural extension of current interests in both units," said Robert Baker, Director of the Sport Management Program. "This program combines the expertise in sport management with the expertise in communication to enhance student learning and better prepare them for related professional careers."</p> <p>Requirements include COMM 303, COMM 320, SPMT 201 or 304, SPMT 430 and two electives.</p> <p>With a strong local media market in the D.C. metropolitan area and several professional sports teams like the Redskins, Nationals, Mystics, D.C. United, Wizards, Capitals and many other semi-pro teams and marketing organizations, the sport communication minor prepares students for the "reality they will face with an educational background that will help them to be competitive in a difficult, but attainable, workplace," Klein said.</p> false 504 2009-05-26T15:10:59Z The top three things employers look for on a resume are internships, skill set and knowledge base. This minor combines the reality the students will face with an educational background that will help them to be competitive in a difficult, but attainable, workplace. Steve Klein, director of Mason's electronic journalism program true false false false 1 Published Communication Department and The School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism team up to offer students more opportunities in sports and journalism Communication Department and The School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism team up to offer students more opportunities in sport and journalism. image/jpeg sportscomm.jpg 33166 2009-08-06T20:22:47Z

1 The Communication Department 2009-05-26T15:07:49Z 1 false false false false false false false false <p>During the annual meeting of the Eastern Communication Association, George Mason University professor Dr. Gary Kreps was honored as one of the of the association's Centennial Scholars.<br /> <br />Participants in the ceremony to honor Dr. Kreps highlighted examples of how he has personally influenced their work, their lives, and the field of health communication.</p> <p>His successful teaching, mentoring and scholarly publications have had a profound impact on countless students, faculty, and health care consumers and practitioners. His unique ability to identify future scholars and help them successfully mold their careers has significantly contributed to the health care communication profession.</p> <p>As an internationally known scholar, Dr. Kreps has personally developed a prolific line of research and has promoted the communication discipline both in the United States and throughout the world.</p> <p>His career has spanned prominent universities and government agencies. He was employed by the National Cancer Institute, the National Institutes of Health, Hofstra University, University of Nevada, Rutgers University, Indiana University at Indianapolis, and Purdue University.</p> <p>Dr. Kreps currently has more than 300 publications, including books, monographs, edited volumes, scholarly articles and book chapters.</p> <p>Dr. Kreps has become one of the country's leading experts in Health and Risk Communication, Health Promotion, Interactive Health Information Systems, and Multicultural Relations.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> false 503 2009-05-26T15:07:49Z false false false false 1 Published Mason Communication Professor Honored Dr. Kreps Wins Eastern Communication Association's Centennial Scholar of Health Communication Award. Mason Communication Professor Honored image/jpeg kreps.jpg 10652 2009-06-08T12:53:24Z

1 B.J. Koubaroulis 2009-03-10T14:27:54Z 1 false false false false false false <p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/19/AR2009021901780.html">Washington Post Article</a></p> false false <p>Ryan Allen never thought he'd actually win, but the 22-year-old senior communication major decided he'd run for homecoming queen anyway. Following through on a joke he and his friends had batted around since they were freshmen, Allen entered the Ms. Mason competition as "Reann Ballslee" - a drag queen persona he uses when performing at local nightclubs.</p> <p>He earned more votes than two other women who competed for the crown.</p> <p>Allen, who is openly gay, said he received an overwhelming show of support from the crowd at Patriot Center on Feb. 14, when he was crowned during the men's basketball team's 64-53 victory over Northeastern. Allen, who came to Mason from Goochland - a small Virginia county with a population of about 20,000 located between Richmond and Charlottesville - said that "Mason's diversity creates an amazing learning environment." Since being crowned homecoming queen, Allen has been the subject of a media swirl, but he said that life on campus hasn't changed.</p> <p><strong>Why did you decide to enter the homecoming queen contest?<br /></strong><br />"My friends and I had joked about me running since we were freshmen. As I'm graduating, we figured this was the last chance."<br /><br /><strong>When you entered the contest, did you think you had a chance at winning?</strong><br /><br />"I never thought I would win. I was sure someone would find a loophole in the rules. But, with no protests after the pageant for my name being on the ballot, I was luckily crowned."<br /><strong><br />During the event, how did the Mason student body react to you?</strong><br /><br />"The student body for the most part has been very supportive. There are, of course, those who feel this is a disgrace to the university and they're entitled to their opinion. For me, though, this shows that Mason is a university that celebrates its diversity."<br /><strong><br />Were you shocked by the media attention that followed your winning the crown?</strong><br /><br />"I'm still shocked by all the media attention. I think, for the university, it was no big deal. We have drag events throughout the year. I think the media is blowing this into something bigger than it really is and, personally, I think that if you don't go to Mason, it doesn't affect you, so why does it matter?"<br /><strong><br />How have you been received by the Mason student body since the media attention that followed?</strong><br /><br />"I've had more people recognize me since my interviews and I had over 100 Facebook friend requests."<br /><strong><br />Do you think Mason's diversity allows for a more accepting learning environment?</strong><br /><br />"I think that Mason's diversity creates an amazing learning environment. I think that, by being at Mason, we hear other views and stories that can help us learn more about who we are as people and more about being global citizens."<br /><strong><br />What is your advice to any student considering Mason?</strong><br /><br />"I think that everyone should consider Mason as a great school to look at. There are lots of rumors and misconceptions about the students, the parking, the commuting, but every university has these issues. The one thing [other schools] don't have is the diversity. As one of the most diverse universities in the country, everyone's sure to find some like-minded friends."<br /><strong><br />What are your future plans? Career interests and other interests?</strong></p> <p>"After graduation, I hope to get a job in special events or advertising/promotions. I'm not limiting myself in anyway."&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Photo by Teddy Meyer/Broadside</em></p> false 458 Teddy Meyer/Broadside image/jpeg ballslee_large.jpg 115017 2009-03-10T14:27:54Z I think that Mason's diversity creates an amazing learning environment. I think that, by being at Mason, we hear other views and stories that can help us learn more about who we are as people and more about being global citizens. Ryan Allen false false false false 1 Published Allen says his time at Mason has made him a better “Global Citizen.” Ryan Allen, a 22-year-old senior communication major from Virginia, has found what he called an amazing learning environment at Mason. An openly gay drag queen who performs at local nightclubs, Allen recently won Mason’s homecoming queen contest, kicking off a media swirl. But Allen said life on campus is the same as it ever was. Q&A With Ryan Allen – Mason’s Drag Homecoming Queen image/jpeg ballslee_small.jpg 34307 2009-03-16T14:33:54Z