Millersville Students Experience BEA Conference

Six Millersville students traveled to Las Vegas to attend the 69^th annual Broadcast Education Association convention on April 12-16. The convention featured faculty research, a student programming track that combined student readiness sessions, a career fair and media technology training workshops for students and faculty. The convention occurred concurrently with the National Association of Broadcasters conference and trade show. The trip was made possible through travel support from the Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Department of Communication and Theatre and Millersville's BEA Student Media Networking Chapter fundraisers.

Three faculty members accompanied students on the trip. Dr. Stacey Irwin, professor of communication and theater, attended the convention as Millersville's BEA student chapter advisor, presented research at the event and acted as both the Alpha Epsilon Rho National Chair and as a BEA board member. Dr. Robert Spicer, associate professor of communication and theater, attended and presented research, as well as chaired the Assessment Boot Camp program. James Machado, associate professor of communication and theater, also attended the event and shared research. He also presented awards as Festival Chair of the BEA Festival of Media Arts Documentary division.

All six students in attendance were named Radio Advertising Bureau Student Scholars, a prestigious honor that includes free registration to BEA, a gift card to help with travel expenses and special mentoring and career-focused sessions. The students are as follows:

• Vanessa Anders
• Steven Armstrong
• Erin Funston
• Georgea Hall
• Katie McKelvey
• Krisn' Parmer

Erin Funston was featured at the conference by sharing her perspective on a panel about Study Abroad. Further, Vanessa Anders and Steven Armstrong were inducted into the Alpha Epsilon Rho International Media Honor Society at the convention's national induction ceremony. "This induction, to me, shows that all the hard work that I've been putting in throughout my time here is paying off, that I now really am a part of the greater media community," says Anders.

The following students also received media honor society membership and were awarded their plaques, pins and honor cords on Millersville's campus:

• Kevin Lynch
• Elizabeth Wicht
• Josh Zietak

Millersville University's Department of Communication and Theatre has been actively associated with the Alpha Epsilon Rho Media Honor Society since 1994. This event allowed for a unique opportunity for students. "The conference was an excellent opportunity for students to experience and learn from a wide array of topics in media studies," says Irwin. "Students experienced a variety of new technologies during the NAB trade show, heard from guest speakers who are experts in media-related fields and networked with students, faculty and professionals from around the world."