Volume 11, Issue 6 | February 1, 2017

2017 Sundance Film Festival

The University of Northwestern Sundance crew is back in Minnesota! And although it's sad to leave such an exciting environment, it's wonderful to come back and reflect on everything that has happened. We look forward to posting a vlog about the journey, but first a recap on a few things that happened this last week:

We saw so many films and it's difficult to talk about each one in depth, but they had an impact on all of us. The documentaries showed us stories around the world that were enlightening and the feature films were heartwarming and motivating. We also saw short films from recently graduated Christian filmmakers at the Windrider forum and they talked about their experiences.

Overall, the festival was a wonderful experience that included a lot of growth, intellectually and spiritually. We can't wait to continue studying film at UNW and use our experience towards our education and future.

What's Going on With
Students and Alumni?

Internship Bonanza

PR major Gillian McIntosh is doing an event planning internship with Young Life in Hastings, working on their Splat Dash.

Professional Writing major Shelby Eden is doing a PR internship with the MN Ovarian Cancer Alliance.

PR major Andrea Magana is doing a marketing/PR internship with MN Adult and Teen Challenge.

PR major Sarah Bengtson is interning for Willful Goods, https://www.willfulgoods.com/, doing publicity and writing.

Senior PR major Katie Espeseth is serving as an intern with the Angel Foundation, working on the organization’s silent auction and gala.

Communication Studies major Tori Penick is serving as development intern at MN Adult & Teen Challenge.

Senior PR major Shanay Gonder has a social media internship with 4Tucson, http://www.4tucson.com/.

Freshman PR major Rachel Gasterland has landed a student ambassador job with the Minnesota United professional soccer team.

Senior PR major Hannah Spieldenner competed with hundreds of applicants to secure a paid summer 2017 church engagement internship with Compassion International in Colorado Springs, CO.

Senior PR major Hannah Swanson is interning with the Center for Parental Responsibility in Little Canada, MN.

PR major Sarit Bridell has landed an internship with 50^th & France in Edina: http://www.50thandfrance.com/

Professional Writing major Hannah Veldkamp is doing an internship at WOW Ministries in which she is doing editing, grant writing, among other writing work.

Communication Studies major Hannah Beebe has landed a marketing/communications internship with ICCU-USA.

PR major Abigail Herman has landed a marketing/events internship with the Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce.

That's Awesome:

The 2017 iNRB Student Production Awards have been announced and the University of Northwestern – St. Paul Media Production students have won 10 iNRB awards including 2 first place honors for Michael Hutchens (Short Form Audio) and David Kalsow (PSA/Commercial). David also captured 2nd place honors in both the PSA/Commericial and Promo/Imaging Categories. Congratulations also to Jordan Pohl for his two prizes (3rd for Short Form, 3rd place Promo/Imaging) and Josh Kolojeski (3rd Place News/Sports). In the visual categories, Sophie Meath, Ben Carlson, and Carsten Johnson won second place in the Film Narrative category for A Happy Seven. Forrest Anderson Mares won 2nd place for his Fortune Teller Music Video and the team of Jens Kallgren and Brennen Scarborough won a 2nd place award for their News Package Local Haircut.

First place winners receive a $300 travel stipend and a $150 cash prize. The 2017 NRB Convention will be held in Orlando, Florida from February 26-March 3. Each of these students plus a few others will also participate in this year’s 24 hour production challenges at the Orlando World Marriott.

While the Christian Media industry has honored them, it is the Lord’s grace that abounds. The Lord has done great things for us (again!) and we are (exceedingly) glad (Psalm 126:3).

Here is the complete list of the iNRB Student Production Awards for UNWSP:

Original Short Form Audio-

1st Place - Michael Hutchens - Amazing Products You Need

2nd Place - David Kalsow - Colonial: We Have Lift Off

3rd Place - Jordan Pohl - Jamaica Missionary Moment

News/Sports

3rd Place - Josh Kolojeski - UNW Sports Play By Play

PSA/Commercial

1st Place - David Kalsow - Green Grandpa

Promo/Imaging

2nd Place - David Kalsow - Soda Pop Remnant

3rd Place - Jordan Pohl - Power of a Toaster

Film: Narrative

3rd Place - Sophie Meath, Ben Carlson, Carsten Johnson - A Happy Seven

Film: Music Video

2nd Place - Forrest Anderson Mares - Fortune Teller

TV News Package

2nd Place - Jens Kallgren, Brennen Scarborough - Local Haircut

Faculty News

On January 7, Dr. Kaiser served on the "Ask the Judges" panel at the Beauty Is Power seminar as part of Future Productions' Pageant Power Week in which the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA contestants from seven states, as well as aspiring contestants, gather in Minneapolis for diverse expert advice on how to succeed in pageants and on how to become more confident, effective, and powerful people.

Note from the Chair

Be Prepared

Recently the Communication Department and KTIS collaborated on the purchase a defibrillator (AED) for the Mel Johnson Media Center. (It resides on the east wall of the lobby, near the south doors, by the way.)

An administrator noted that a couple of our department faculty members had taken AED training when it was offered on campus, and the rest of us, along with staff, called a special meeting where we received training from Coach Hieb. He also noted that we pushed to have an AED installed at department expense, even though the purchase of other AEDs on campus were not the responsibility of individual departments. He wondered what it was about our department that made us push to have an AED and to be trained on it.

“I guess it’s the Eagle Scout in me,” I said. “Be prepared.” -- I grew up with that motto ingrained in my mind.

This made me think, as Christians, we are called to be prepared:

“Be on the alert -- for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning -- in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’” (Mark 13: 35-37)

And, becoming prepared for a future career and life of fully experiencing the world is what we do at school, too.

In fact, the first of the Proverbs of Solomon says, “To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth -- Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Be prepared and become prepared.

Dr. Kent Kaiser APR
Chair, Department of Communication

Upcoming Events

February 26-March 3
NRB Convention
Orlando, FL

February 28
Quad 3 Final Exams

Featured Student

Hannah Swanson
Public Relations '17

What are your plans for the future?
My plan is to somehow get a big girl job doing something fun until I pay off my student loans. After that, my hope is that I can go to the Middle East to share the gospel and love on the people there.

What opportunities have you had at UNW?
I have been involved with Eagle 7 News for 2 years, and I continue to engage the community in the on-campus ministry, Campus Outreach.

What is your favorite thing about UNW?
I love the community around Northwestern, and the hands on work-experience that I get because there are smaller class sizes is extremely helpful.

Featured Alumnus

Dan Schultz '15
Public Relations

Where has life taken you after UNW?

Following graduation, I started working with a Minneapolis PR firm called the Rouen Group and then I moved to run the communications at a recruiting firm called entero, LLC. This last year, I moved to Honeywell International to run social media efforts for our Home and Building Technologies business. Additionally, I am currently working with a business called Stryde Solutions where we help businesses save money through specialized tax incentives and business cost reduction.

What advice do you have for current students?

Make the most of the opportunities you have now. Go out and build as many relationships as possible with people off of campus because those will lead to future possibilities that you can't even imagine yet.