School of Communication

Experts Explore Twitter and its Role in Public Conversations

By: Michael R. Malone University of Miami communication specialists analyze the susceptibility of Twitter and other social media platforms to society’s ills—racism, rage, and violence—and what might be done to improve digital media as a resource. When Twitter founder Jack Dorsey launched the online social networking site in March 2006, his team envisioned a noble purpose for the enterprise: to serve the public conversation and stimulate shared learning and solutions for some of the world’s most complex problems. Yet today, far from being a hub for healthy exchange, Twitter seems [...]

2020-06-08T11:14:20-04:00June 8, 2020|School of Communication|

‘The Culture’ Makes UMTV History with First NATAS Nomination

By: Jabria Roscoe UMTV’s The Culture, the station’s first black show, now becomes the first black program at the University of Miami to be nominated for a Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Student Production Award (NATAS). NATAS recognizes excellence and outstanding achievement in television and student production. “My initial reaction was, ‘Wow, we did it!’”, said UM senior and executive producer of The Culture, Rachel Smith. “When we started the show it was just an idea, so this is huge.” The Culture has gone [...]

Two New Special Topics Classes for Fall 2020

The School of Communication has added two new special topics classes to its fall schedule where students can explore how communication can be used to help communities. Communicating COVID-19: Social Justice Research, Action, and Impact offers students an opportunity to implement community-based projects founded on communication theory, research and practice. Students will be able to use their skills as researchers, communicators, and storytellers to join the unprecedented global response to the humanitarian crisis unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The class will leverage the diverse talents of professors from across the [...]

Celebrating the 2019-2020 Recipients of the University of Miami School of Communication End-of-Year Awards

As the unprecedented 2019-2020 academic year comes to a close, the School of Communication would like to congratulate its Outstanding Overall Senior, Ben Ezzy, Outstanding Student Worker, Alexandra Naessan-Do, Outstanding Staff Member, Michael Lester, and Staub Faculty Excellence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Effective Teaching recipient, Heidi Carr. Join us in celebrating their accomplishments by watching the video above, or by clicking here, for a message from Dean Karin Wilkins. Outstanding Senior, Ben Ezzy Ben Ezzy, majoring in broadcast journalism, received this school-wide recognition for his dedication to the University of Miami, [...]

Cinematic Voyage Across the Globe’s Oceans Captivates and Educates

By: Kelly Montoya The Ocean Health Voyage, an online educational platform produced by a University of Miami professor and award-winning filmmaker, is now offered to members of the Hemispheric University Consortium. For two years, Ali Habashi, an award-winning filmmaker and assistant professor at the University of Miami School of Communication, set off to meet with 10 world-renowned marine biologists in 10 remote locations around the globe in order to unearth stories about the health of the world’s oceans. Even as Habashi moved from country to country, through thrilling helicopter rides [...]

UM Senior Wins Prestigious Debate Award

By: Jabria Roscoe Julia Lynch, an avid debater and finance and legal studies major at UM, is the recipient of the prestigious Julia Burke Award for Character and Excellence. Lynch received the award at the American Debate Association National Championship tournament on Mar. 8 in Las Vegas. “It was a really incredible award to win,” said Lynch. “I’ve known about it since my freshman year of college, so it was very emotional.” The Julia Burke Award is unique because it not only recognizes someone who wins debate tournaments, but also [...]

Student Faces a New ‘Humanity Emergency’

By: Christopher Bared Sarah Fraser, a medical doctor and graduate student in the University of Miami School of Communication, decided to return to the medical front lines and help battle COVID-19 in her native Canada. Last year, in the Oct. 3, 2019, edition of UMTV’s NewsVision show, Dr. Sarah Fraser appeared as the guest medical expert. A graduate student in the University of Miami School of Communication, she had pressed pause on her medical career to pursue a master’s degree in journalism. On the student media cable show, she eloquently [...]

2020-04-23T15:09:01-04:00April 23, 2020|Journalism, School of Communication|

Joining Forces to Give Back: SoC Graduate Student And Professor Make Masks And Face Shields For Frontline Workers

By: Isabella Vaccaro It all began with Lorena Lopez, a UM graduate student pursuing an M.F.A. in Interactive Media, and some leftover materials she had laying around her home. Lopez, a long-time seamstress and costume designer, said after a few days in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, she noticed a dire need for masks around the world and various groups coming together to make them. “If people are requesting them, and I can make them, there’s no reason for me not to, especially if I have all the materials at [...]

2020-04-22T12:19:10-04:00April 22, 2020|Interactive Media, School of Communication|

Student Productions Win Big at National Media Competition

By: Sabrina Pizziol University of Miami students took the nation by storm at the 57th Annual National Undergraduate Student Electronic Media Competition, receiving several nominations and taking home eight awards. UMTV’s Spanish-language news show, UniMiami, was recognized as the Best Video Newscast (Prerecorded) making it the first award the program has won. “It was definitely a long-time coming,” said Alexa Eckembrecher, one of the executive producers of UniMiami. “It would have never happened if it weren't for all the members that worked on this program before me and my co-EP, [...]