The Deans Prize: Improvements for Annenberg's Journalism Department

The core mission of the University of Southern California is the “development of human beings and society as a whole through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit.” Considering the volatile educational environment, the university is constantly seeking to enrich their learning atmosphere to cope up with this dynamic. According to the 2004 USC Strategic Plan, the institution “intends to become one of the most influential and productive research universities in the world” The USC College Dean’s Prize is an attempt to ameliorate the undergraduate experience by calling upon students to submit potential improvements. In response to the institutions appeal, this week’s post will highlight upon possible enhancements the Annenberg School of Communication, particularly the Journalism department (my field of interest), could implement to better its academic opportunities not only for its students but also the larger community.

According to Director of Journalism at Annenberg, Michael Parks (pictured below to the right), “students learn clear, concise writing and develop reporting skills that provide a strong foundation for a wide array of careers... Our unique curriculum encourages students to learn by doing.” As a former Communications major, I have been fortunate enough to have the “Annenberg experience”. However, my criticism lies in the fact that these opportunities are not made available to all, especially in the journalism department. The doleful lack of a broadcast journalism minor fails to provide students who do not wish to major in journalism, but simply desire to gain some background experience in broadcasting news writing and reporting with an opportunity to do so. Undergraduates are also unable to take such courses as electives because it is limited to journalism majors. If a minor cannot be added to the curriculum, perhaps the journalism program should hold news writing and reporting classes just for non-journalism majors who have an interest in the discipline. Although Annenberg Television News is open to all, there is not much motivation for those pursuing a degree outside of journalism to attend regularly since the student is not receiving a grade for it and also because the student cannot contribute significantly due to a lack of experience (the workshops provided at the beginning of the year do not suffice). Finally, the fact that summer school does not exist for journalism majors prevents new or late comers to the major from graduating earlier and/or catching up to their peers.

Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism (their logo is displayed on the left) is the top program of its kind in the nation. I believe one reason for their success is due to a hands-on internship program called Teaching Media, which places students in a professional newsroom for 11 weeks as a working journalist. It is an undergraduate educational requirement, therefore granting the student academic credit and a stipend should they be relocated. The program includes over 100 news outlets all over the nation and a few even outside American borders, such as New Delhi and Cape Town. This academic internship is truly valuable as it presents students with the opportunity to gain first hand experience in a bona fide professional setting while also providing them “with contacts and work samples for a competitive edge in the job market.” Furthermore during their junior year, when most students search to gain internship experience, these students will already have one completed. Northwestern students can instead spend their time pursuing other endeavors of their choice or gaining even more journalistic experience.

Annenberg (pictured on the left) prides itself in the ability to “foster dynamic synergies and multidisciplinary approaches to the study of communication and journalism through unparalleled access to the nation's and the world's entertainment, media and technology industries.” If USC could emulate such a program in the near future, it would undoubtedly make the academic experience more effective and perhaps even catalyze an upward movement for Annenberg in national rankings. In addition the highly regarded curriculum present, a program of such caliber would endow students with a very enriching, memorable and well-rounded educational opportunity which will send out experienced and better trained Annenberg alums into the job market and also attract an intelligent incoming class of journalism students to USC.

Louis Zamperini: My Nominee for an Honorary Degree

With commencement approaching next month in universities across the nation, I decided it would be timely to discuss my nomination for an honorary degree at the University of Southern California.

I was recently introduced to the work of James Freedman , former President of Dartmouth College and University of Iowa. He mentions that, “in bestowing an honorary degree, a university makes an explicit statement to its students and the world about the qualities of character and attainment it admires most.” According to the USC Honorary Degrees website, this recognition is granted to those individuals “who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary achievements in scholarship, the professions, or other creative activities, whether or not they are widely known by the general public.” Past recipients include Neil Armstrong, Robert Zemeckis, and Andrew Viterbi. The recipient of this degree is also to speak at commencement and impart their insight and advice to the graduating Trojan class.

I imagine Louis Zamperini (pictured below) as an ideal candidate for this degree not only because of his success as a runner, but also for his humanitarian efforts. I believe that Zamperini exemplifies the qualities of faith, skill, ambition, courage, and scholarship highly regarded by the Trojan family. Quite frankly, it would be a shame if a former Trojan with such heroic like accomplishments could not even address the graduating students of his own alma mater.

Zamperini a Southern Californian native, is an All American runner, two-time NCAA champion, Olympic athlete, a survivor of war, and now an inspirational speaker. The “Tornado from Torrance” as he was nicknamed, participated in the 1936 Berlin Games wherein his speedy finish commanded the attention of none other than Adolf Hitler, who singled out the runner and shook his hand. “Aha! The boy with the fast finish!” Hitler said to Zamperini through an English interpreter. After the Olympics, Zamparini was enlisted and served as a bombardier in World War II. During a mission his plane crashed into the Pacific waters, leaving him and two other men (one of whom passed away in the raft) stranded on a small life raft for forty seven days with nothing to consume but chocolate. The duo finally reached land starving, dehydrated, and unable to walk, only to find themselves in the hands of the Japanese army as prisoners, for two years. During his time as a POW, Zamparini was subjected to starvation, physical abuse, medical experiments, and threats of being beheaded. For Zamperini to survive consecutive catastrophic situations is truly miraculous, and unexpected of someone outside of a Hollywood blockbuster film. He finally returned home feeling understandably estranged, lost, and revenge seeking. After attending a lecture series about religion, Zamparini was a changed man. He then dedicated his life to becoming an inspirational speaker.

Perhaps even more significant than Zamperini’s athletic accomplishments, is the unwavering service he has provided for humanity, and this is why I nominate him. As an inspirational speaker to the youth, he bestowed hope upon the dejected sharing the lessons he has learnt through his journey as student at USC, Olympic runner, and prisoner of war. In addition Zamperini visited the guards who had abused him during his time as a prisoner. He informed them that he had forgiven them and moved on. “I threw my arms around him [the former Japanese guard],” Zamperini recollects. His ability to transcend the extreme negativity he experienced as a POW, and channel it into a positive outlet is indeed very motivating. Zamperini also wrote a book entitled Devil at My Heels, a memoir which reveled the austerity of war and also the persistence of our human nature. Moreover, he is the founder of the Victory Boys Camp, “an organization that each year brought life skills and confidence to thousands of high school dropouts through outdoor skills such as repelling, skiing, water-skills and horsemanship.”

While others may argue that the man is rather archaic and will neglect to captivate or relate to his young audience, I beg to differ. I have had the privilege of meeting Mr. Zamperini and can say that the 88 year old is still as sharp and witty as ever. Today Zamperini reaches an estimated 30,000 youngsters yearly, communicating his themes of resilience, a positive attitude, and forgiveness as he leads by example. The values Zamperini imparts through his discussions are both timeless and universal. His boundless energy is contagious, and I honestly believe he will be a terrific commencement speaker who will motivate the graduating class of 2007 in their endeavors.