Media College News

An Oscar nomination won’t entice Elaine McMillion Sheldon and her husband, Kerrin, away from their passion: telling the stories of their home state of West Virginia in hopes of bringing attention, and solutions, to its problems – especially opioid addiction.

West Virginia University Reed College of Mediastudents will work with local communities to tell and “sell” their stories thanks to a grant from the American Electric Power Foundation.

The $250,000 grant supports WVU’s Community Branding Initiative, BrandJRNY. Students enrolled in specialized upper-level strategic communications courses will develop integrated communications campaigns for selected West Virginia communities within AEP’s Appalachian Power service area. Students will hone skills in campaign research, strategy, community engagement, budgeting, innovative storytelling and creating promotional materials, while they discover and decide how best to brand each community.

The West Virginia University Reed College of Mediahas topped two different “best of” lists for innovation.

MediaShift, the premier destination for insight and analysis at the intersection of media and technology, recently announced its top picks for media innovation in several areas. Dean Maryanne Reed was recognized in “EducationShift20: Honoring Innovative Journalism Educators.”College of Media faculty Dana Coester and Gina Martino Dahlia were listed in “MediaShift20: Recognizing Digital Media’s Top Innovators”for their work on “100 Days in Appalachia,” which was also recognized in “Top 6 Journalism Collaborations of 2017”by MediaShift contributor Stefanie Murray.

Join us for a conversation with top, local journalists, including Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Eric Eyre, Dana CoesterofWVU and 100 Days in Appalachia,and Roxy ToddofWVPB and Inside Appalachia,led by Charles Sennott, head of The GroundTruth Project which is launching its new Report for America initiative here in West Virginia and in Eastern Kentucky, part of a national effort to place emerging journalists in local newsrooms to revitalize American journalism.