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About Karina Valdes

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So far Karina Valdes has created 695 blog entries.

Movies of the 80s with Rene Rodriguez

This semester, Rene Rodriguez, who served as the Miami Herald’s film critic for over 20 years, is teaching a class in the School of Communication called The Most Influential Decade: How the Movies of the 1980s Continue to Shape Hollywood today. Rene spoke with us about the inspiration for his course and what he hopes to convey to his students about this pivotal decade.   Isabella: What was the inspiration for this 1980s cinema class? Rene: So, I teach an Aspects of Contemporary Cinema course in the spring semester, which is [...]

October 25, 2019|Motion Pictures|
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Remembering Moses Shumow

Moses Shumow, Ph.D. ’10, a beloved University of Miami School of Communication alumnus tragically passed away on the morning of Oct. 22. He was riding his bicycle near Boston when he was struck by an MBTA Commuter Rail train. Shumow was living in Massachusetts, where he recently began working as an associate professor for journalism at Emerson College. He is survived by his wife, Rose, B.S.C. ‘98, and their three children. “Our hearts go out to his wife Rose, also a graduate of our program, his family, and his friends,” [...]

October 24, 2019|School of Communication|
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A UM Alumna, Self-Made Entrepreneur, and Multi-Organ Transplant Survivor

Every so often, we hear an inspiring story of hope and survival that reminds us to put things into perspective. In May 2015, Diana Donnarumma graduated from the University of Miami and had begun working at a PR firm in downtown Miami where she was living full-time. A successful student and working professional, she did not expect she would also be a multi-organ transplant survivor.  Since she was seven years old, Donnarumma had been in and out of hospitals with constant infections, fevers, and no concrete diagnosis. Determined to put [...]

October 15, 2019|Public Relations|
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Leading Through Debate

Of the many qualities that make a person a leader, Dewayne (DJ) Washington, a senior at the University of Miami, possesses all of them. Washington comes from Raleigh, NC, with a passion for football and numbers. While in high school, he wanted to combine his two loves to grow into someone worth noticing. One night while watching ESPN, he came across UM on ESPN’s 30 for 30. One campus tour later, Washington made the decision to attend The U.  Washington came in as business and finance law major, noting "I always [...]

October 10, 2019|Communication Studies|
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Debate Team Goes to Prison

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. There are more than 16,000 chapters of Toastmasters worldwide. One of the most unique chapters is in the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem, Oregon. Since 2004, inmates in this maximum-security prison have developed speaking and critical thinking skills through their participation in the organization. Their activities include debate training from the debate coach at Lewis & Clark College and participation in competitive debate. The penitentiary also hosts the only intercollegiate/institutional [...]

October 10, 2019|Communication Studies|
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Five School of Communication Students Awarded PRSA Miami Scholarships

The scholarships are named in honor of Ev Clay, founder of the oldest public relations firm in Florida, and awarded annually at the PRSA Miami scholarship luncheon. Five University of Miami students recently received the 2019 Ev Clay/Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Miami scholarship award to propel them further into their college careers. In total, eight South Florida students were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments in the field of public relations at the 32nd endowment luncheon. Since its founding in 1985, and including this year’s awards, the endowment has [...]

October 7, 2019|Public Relations|
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What You See Is Not What You Get: Misleading Charts

In elementary school, we were introduced to graphs and charts. We were taught how to find the x- axis, the different types of graphs, and how to plot points. We also learned, that charts are like pictures--they help tell a story and add credibility. But graphs should really be looked at with a close eye, as some can skew data to support the writer's own narrative and mislead readers. The information isn’t always wrong, but the way in which it is presented can be deceptive. Take this scenario for example: Hurricane [...]

October 1, 2019|Journalism|
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Christina Lane Named President-elect of UFVA

On September 1, Christina Lane, chair for the Department of Cinema and Interactive Media, was named president-elect of the University Film and Video Association (UFVA). Lane served as a board member for two years before assuming her new position at UFVA, a not-for-profit organization which brings together media professionals to promote cinema and media as a whole.  As president-elect, Lane will work closely under UFVA’s current president to learn the ins and outs of the job, as well as develop her own vision for the organization before officially becoming president [...]

September 30, 2019|Motion Pictures|
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Debating in English When it’s your Second Language

A language barrier can prevent someone from understanding you in the simplest of situations leaving you frustrated, anxious, and sometimes even ready to give up. For Melody Li, a sophomore who moved to the U.S. from China to pursue a bachelor’s in Marine Science and Biology at the University of Miami, learning English as a second language gave her the opportunity to attend a college outside of her country, but left her feeling nervous conversing with peers.  "It was an easy choice,” Li said of selecting to attend UM. “It's [...]

September 24, 2019|Communication Studies|
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Intercollegiate Debate: We’re Back and Ready to Rock

After a summer’s worth of downtime, the University of Miami Intercollegiate Debate team is back and better than ever – ready to get their heads back in the game and take the college debate world by storm. Consisting of three teams, more than 60 students and two staff members, our debate team has plans to go not only around the country, but around the world to show their talents for persuasion, critical thinking, and making sure that The U is represented to the best of their ability.   Julia Lynch, the [...]

September 24, 2019|School of Communication|
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