School of Communication Accomplishments “Our Points of Pride” Illinois State University Communication Studies Teacher Education The Communication Studies Education faculty provide local and national training to assist K-12 teachers in improving teaching and student performance by incorporating more communication skills in their classrooms. The Communication Studies Teacher Education program far exceeds national placement and retention rates with 90% placement and 83% retention of teachers who graduated from the program. The Communication Studies Teacher Education program has been identified by the National Communication Association a model program for the United States. Forensics The Illinois State Speech team made history with its outstanding season this year, finishing second in the nation at the two most competitive national speech tournaments. The second place finish at the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament is the best the University has ever done, impressive considering this tournament was the largest and hardest it has ever been. Additionally, the ISU squad advanced a record 38 events to quarter finals at the National Forensics Association National Tournament, yielding two national champions in poetry interpretation and after dinner speaking. Beyond its competitive success, the ISU speech squad now has more members than any previous squad, and the team is proud of its diverse membership. In fact, the speech team was the primary reason many squad members decided to attend ISU as freshman or transfer students, making the team an excellent recruiting tool for the university. During the 2003-4 school year, the team consisted of 26 Female students (56%) and 20 Male students (44%); 26% of the team were from diverse ethnic backgrounds (Middle Eastern; Egyptian, African American, Indian, Hispanic, Asian, and French-Canadian. The ISU speech squad hosts four tournaments annually, including one high school and three college competitions. Plus, the team conducts a two-week speech high school camp each summer. Over 100 high schoolers attend the camp. The Forensics Team provides on-campus performances throughout the year to supplement classroom instruction on public address and interpretation of literature. Over the past 10 years, the ISU Forensics Teach has finished the year 3 rd in the nation twice, 2 nd in the nation five times, and national champion 3 times. The ISU Forensics Teach has produced 17 national champions in the pentathlon, persuasive speaking, rhetorical criticism, impromptu speaking, after dinner speaking, prose interpretation, duo interpretation, and informative speaking. Broadcasting The School of Communication has produced a Broadcast Education Association Scholarship winner every year since 2001 with multiple winners in some years; only Syracuse University has won as many as ISU. The School of Communication has produced Bayliss Radio Foundation Scholarship winners three of the last four years. According to the Illinois Broadcasters Association awards competition results, ISU produces the best air personalities, play-by-play announcers, newscasts, and commercials among all institutions in the state. Illinois State University School of Communication students are studying mass communication and public relations in Korea during the Fall 2004 semester.  The students are (from left to right) Jennifer Mayes, Mass Communication (Kankakee, IL); Mickey Ramirez, Public Relations (Sycamore, IL); Hans Jin Song, Public Relations (Algonquin, IL); Annalesa Feiden, Mass Communication (Petersburg, IL); Daya Shabnam, Public Relations (St. Charles, IL). WZND Illinois State University 's student radio program dates back to 1935. WZND, ISU's student radio station has been on the air since 1981; its precursor, WILN began broadcasting in the 1960's. Approximately 100 students work at WZND each semester. Unlike most student stations across the country, WZND operates as a commercial radio station with News and Sports, Programming, Promotions, Public Relations, Multi-Media, Sales, Traffic, Production, and Imaging and Music departments. Since 1991, WZND has won over 70 national, state and regional awards for on-air programming, promotions and community service. During the 2003-4 school year, WZND received 8 awards from the Illinois Broadcasters' Association – 1 st place for Best Website and Best Sports Play-by-Play, 2nd place for Best Radio Aircheck and Best Radio Newscast and 3rd place for Best Radio Aircheck, Best Radio News Story and Best Radio Spot. WZND received 1st place in Outstanding Radio Sports Play-by-Play, 2nd place Radio Sports Reporting and Honorable Mention for Outstanding Radio Sports Reporting as well as Outstanding "Soft" Radio Program for the Student Illinois News Broadcasters WZND was chosen as ISU's Outstanding Large Student Organization of the Year. Student General Manager Krista Gradberg recently received the John Bayliss Foundation Broadcasting Award for $5000 and a $3500 scholarship from the Broadcast Education Association. Since 2000, WZND students have received $50,000 worth of scholarships. WZND students have raised over $25,000 for charity. WGLT WGLT was nationally ranked in the Top Ten of all public radio stations of similar market size. WGLT programming won an award from the National Program Directors Association for “incorporating listener values” into fundraising efforts. WGLT continues to receive multiple awards from the Illinois Associate Press for journalistic excellence, including first place awards for best news writing, sports reporting, and investigative reporting. TV-10 TV-10 has provided the community’s only locally produced news program for over 30 years. TV-10 alum Joel Bernell received an Edward R. Murrow award for excellence in journalism. TV-10 continues to be recognized for excellence in television broadcast journalism as a recipient of many awards from the Illinois Broadcasters Association. Graduate Students Graduate students won several awards this past year, including College of Arts & Sciences Outstanding Thesis Competition (Fisher Award) for 2003; Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award; Ada Belle Clark Welsh Scholarship; Charter Department Graduate Student Excellence Award; two $3,000 Country Radio Broadcasters Scholarships from the Broadcast Education Association. Faculty In 2003, faculty members produced 6 books, 29 book chapters, 15 articles, and 52 conference papers. Since 2001, Communication faculty members have received numerous teaching awards, including the outstanding university teaching award twice and university teaching initiative award three times. Deb Lesser has been chosen as the National 2004 College Media Advisor's Distinguished 4-year college/university Broadcast Advisor of the Year. In 2000, Deb Lesser was chosen as Illinois State University's Student Organization Advisor of the Year. Deb Lesser received ISU's Distinguished Service Award in 1996. Dr. Joe Blaney received the International Radio and Television Society's Award for Excellence in Communications Education Dr. William Cupach, past President of the International Association of Relationship Research, presided over the 2004 annual conference in Madison which drew 350 participants from more than 15 countries. Dr. Joseph Zompetti has been selected to instruct international debaters and coaches at the Youth Forum in Estonia.