Photo by Tricia Buchhorn

Introducing Journalism to middle school students

In the school cafeteria of Leal Middle School, students can buy a pencil for 25 cents, but for Career Days May 5-7, free pencils, pens and toothbrushes from San Antonio College were a big hit.

As she does with every group of students visiting The Ranger newsroom, Tricia Buchhorn, Mac technician and adjunct instructor in the Journalism-Photography Department, demanded the students ask questions in exchange for the prized utensils.

After a short presentation on the department, the students asked questions about attending San Antonio College, how much journalists earn and the cost of tuition.

Buchhorn was the only representative of area colleges at the event.

San Antonio firefighters, who had to leave the event to answer a call, returned later to show off their fire engine and equipment while representives of local businesses described their careers and job responsibilities.

Buchhorn visited three classes of seventh and eighth graders at the Harlandale High School feeder.

By the end of each class, she engaged students in a call and response of “Where do you go for journalism?” “San Antonio College” followed by “What do you study at San Antonio College?” “Journalism.”

	Cynthia Esparza, a staff photographer of the San Angelo Standard-Times and former student of the department, talks about her experience covering the Raid on the YFZ Ranch during the 31st annual Edith Fox King Journalism Lecture. Photo by D.A.James

Former Ranger staff returned as speaker of Edith Fox King Journalism Lecture

Cynthia Esparza, a staff photographer of the San Angelo Standard-Times, delivered the 31st annual Edith Fox King Journalism Lecture May 1 in the visual arts center of San Antonio College.

She becomes our third former student to deliver the lecture.

Cynthia shared her work and the work of Brian Connelly and Patrick Dove, her colleagues at the San Angelo newspaper, who covered the Raid on the YFZ Ranch.

Cynthia and the Standard-Times were at ground zero of the story of the raid on the polygamist compound operated by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Eldorado.

They were able to get inside the YFZ ranch to take photos of the women and children and the myriad agencies involved before the 463 children living at the ranch were removed and placed into state custody.

	Cynthia Esparza's photo of the YFZ Ranch appeared on the cover of People magazine.

Cynthia’s work on this national story has appeared in two issues of People magazine as well as in newspapers throughout the state. (She’s been too busy to check for national and international use of her photos.)

Cynthia first came to San Antonio College in summer 1998 while a junior at Judson High School when she was accepted into the Urban Journalism Workshop.
She was an extremely quiet student and hard working, but she lit up with a camera in her hand.

In fall 1999, she enrolled in San Antonio College and worked five semesters on the staff of The Ranger and the Fourth Write magazine as a photographer, reporter and photo editor.

She also began volunteering with the Urban Journalism Workshop in 1999, and unless she’s been on an internship, has returned each year to serve as a mentor and photo coach to promising high school students.

Her portfolio won her a spot on The Working Press, the Society of Professional Journalists’ convention newspaper in 2000; and The Latino Reporter, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ convention paper in 2001. She was drafted for The Latino Reporter again in 2002 and 2003 even though she did not apply to the project.

In 2002, the Chips Quinn Scholar interned for the summer at the Fort Collins Coloradoan where she quickly learned about forest fires.

She served as president of the Society of Professional Journalists student chapter at San Antonio College, and her diligence in the classroom earned her entry into the Beta Nu chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two-year college students.

In 2003, she was selected for the Associated Press Diverse Visions internship in Nashville, Tenn., and in 2004, she worked on the ASNE Reporter, the daily convention newspaper of the American Society of Newspaper Editors in Washington, D.C.

With a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in journalism, Cynthia graduated from Southwest Texas State University in August 2004 with — to the envy of her longtime classmates and colleagues — a job offer in hand.

In one of the many letters of recommendation we have been pleased to write for her through the years, a selection committee was encouraged to invest in Cynthia, saying: “She’s a motivated and enthusiastic self-starter who will one day have a career to make all her benefactors proud.”

Thank you, Cynthia, for not turning us into liars.

	Photo by Darren Abate

Former Ranger photographer's work displayed on big screen in Times Square

Former Ranger photographer Darren Abate freelances sports and editorial photography for publications around the country.

But even Abate was surprised when one of his photos was displayed on a jumbo screen in Times Square.

His photo of luminarias at the Alamo was displayed on the PR Newswire feed in Times Square March 18.

“I’ve shot a lot of stuff that’s appeared in a lot of places, but I don’t think I’ve ever had anything run in Times Square — at least not that I know of,” he wrote on his networking blog at www.uber.com/darren

	Longtime Ranger photo staff D.A. James is transfering to Texas State Univeristy in Fall 2008. Photo by Edmund Lo

Longtime Ranger staff says goodbye

Longtime Ranger staffer D.A. James is transferring to Texas State University-San Marcos in Fall 2008 to major in journalism.

D.A. has spent six years — NOT six semesters as he likes to point out — as a Ranger photographer or photo editor. He’s been so visible around campus and spent so much time in the department, many people assumed he was part of the faculty or staff.

James, 63, is a 1963 graduate of New Braunfels High School and spent five years in the U.S. Marine Corps before working 21 years as a switchman, brakeman, conductor and yardmaster for Missouri Pacific and Union Pacific railroads.

He entered San Antonio College in 1998 and earned an Associate of Arts degree in photography in 2005. He joined the staff of The Ranger in 2002.

He has won six awards from 2004-2008, including first place in feature photography in 2006, from Texas Intercollegiate Press Association; an award of merit from the Association for Women in Communications San Antonio Professional Chapter in 2005; and a third place from the Texas Community College Journalism Association in 2005.

	Chet Hunt

Hunt Family Journalism Endowed Scholarship Fund

Chair and Professor Emeritus Chet Hunt has established the Hunt Family Journalism Endowed Scholarship Fund, which awards $500 annually to a staff member of The Ranger.

The fund was established in December 2007, and the first recipient was Charles Cima, Web administrator for The Ranger.

Hunt, who retired in August 2006, continues to volunteer his time as an adviser to The Ranger Online. Under his leadership, the newspaper Web site was awarded the Associated Collegiate Press’ highest honor, a national Pacemaker in Fall 2007.

Additionally, The Ranger Online was honored by Region 8 of the Society of Professional Journalists in Spring 2007 and 2008.

	Lauren Barrera

Journalism student featured in advertising for San Antonio College

Journalism freshman Lauren Barrera is featured in an ad for San Antonio College appearing in high school newspapers.

The slogan is “Thinking university? Thinking better job? Think San Antonio College.”
The ad was produced by the college’s public information office and appeared in the newspaper at Taft High School.

Barrera graduated from Taft in 2007, attended the Urban Journalism Workshop and won a scholarship to this college. She enrolled in Fall 2008 and became production manager of The Ranger in Spring 2008.

	District 7 trustee Charlie Conner visits The Ranger newsroom on Nov. 28 and meet with department chair Marianne Odom and Ranger editor Joyce Flores. Photo by Allison Doyle

	The Texas Community College Journalism Association awarded sweepstakes honors to The Ranger.

The academic year 2007-08 has brought accolades to The Ranger, The Ranger Online and The Fourth Write.

The Texas Community College Journalism Association awarded sweepstakes honors to The Ranger Oct. 12. In addition, the newspaper won first place in general excellence. These awards, and 17 individual honors, were for two-year colleges with more than 6,000 students. Editor Joyce Flores accepted the awards at the convention at Texas State University in San Marcos. Fourteen staffers and five advisers attended the one-day event.

The Ranger Online won an Online Pacemaker from Associated Collegiate Press in October in Washington, D.C. This national award is considered the Academy Award for student media. Charles Cima is the Web administrator for The Ranger’s online version, and Professor and Chair Emeritus Chet Hunt volunteers as the online adviser.

The Ranger Online offers interactive and original content in addition to giving broad exposure to the stories, photographs and graphics produced in the weekly print version of The Ranger. The Online Ranger is an affiliate of College Publisher Network, the largest provider of Internet services to college newspaper Web sites.

	The Ranger won first place in general excellence at The Texas Community College Journalism Association contest. Photo by Edmund Lo

In March, Region 8 of the Society of Professional Journalists awarded The Ranger Best All-Around Nondaily Newspaper competing against two- and four-year colleges.

The Fourth Write magazine won second place, and The Ranger Online took third in those categories.

Budget constraints prevented representatives of The Ranger staff from attending the SPJ spring conference in New Orleans and the ACP convention in the nation’s capital.

In the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association competition April 4-6, The Ranger brought home the Division 2 Newspaper Overall Excellence award and numerous individual awards.

Photography adviser Edmund Lo and Ranger staffers Monte Ashqar, Will Underhill, Regis Roberts and Jason Hogan attended the two-day meeting in College Station.

Complete listings of student publication awards are available at The Ranger Online at www.theranger.org.

	Ranger opinion editor Regis Roberts reports on President hopeful Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in front of the Alamo Feb. 21, 2008. Photo by D.A. James

Ranger staff cover the presidential primary election

The spring primary season gave reporters and photographers for The Ranger an opportunity to cover national politics and brought the campaign trail home for readers.

The newspaper covered S.A. events featuring former President Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Ted Kennedy, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, and Frederico Peña (former secretary of transportation and energy endorsing Obama).

	Ranger Feb. 29, 2008 front page

In addition, The Ranger published stories explaining the primary process in Texas as well as stories on registering to vote and dates for early voting and the primaries. An editorial urged readers to vote.

Two covers of the newly designed tabloid were devoted to front runners. Editor Joyce Flores interviewed former President Clinton in a telephone conference call.

While this coverage provides excellent experience for journalism students, The Ranger also provides news and information for students, faculty and staff districtwide to help them make decisions on voting — truly the role of the press in a democratic system.

All of this coverage is available on The Ranger Online at www.theranger.org.

	Dr. Lori Bergen, director of School of Journalism and Communication at Texas State University-San Marcos, briefs Ranger staffs and advisers. Photo by Edmund Lo

Visiting Texas State University

Fourteen students and five advisers to The Ranger visited the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Texas State University-San Marcos Oct. 12.

Kym Fox, senior lecturer and print sequence coordinator, set up the event, “San Antonio College: A Day to Explore.” Students and faculty toured the department housed in Old Main and the newsroom of The University Star.

After a reception, the group met with faculty, including Dr. Lori Bergen, director of the school; Dr. Laurie Fluker, associate dean of the College of Fine Arts; Professor Gilbert Martinez; and Professor Harry Bowers, transfer coordinator.

Mass communications students shared insights on courses, workloads, student media and housing.

In the afternoon, students and faculty attended the Texas Community College Journalism Association convention. The Ranger won sweepstakes among two-year publications in the division for colleges with more than 6,000 students. Additionally, The Ranger won first place in general excellence and 17 other awards at the annual meeting.

The honors were for Fall 2006 when César Rodriguez was editor and Spring 2007 when Julian Aguilar was editor.

	Bob Bajackson, adviser to the University Star, visits the Journalism-Photography Department to recruit Ranger staffers to Texas State on Dec. 6, 2007. Photo by Edmund Lo

	Department Chair Marianne Odom introduces the department to the visiting middle school students. Photo by D.A. James

Our door is always open ...

The door is always open in the Journalism
Photography Department for visitors to tour our facilities, meet with faculty and staff, and learn more about what we do.

Student development classes have added the department as a stop on campus tours. The groups watch the department’s three-minute promotional video in The Ranger newsroom and ask questions about classes and careers.

Narrated by former Ranger staffer Julie Sanchez, the video covers the advantages this department offers and ends with an animated Sanchez advising, “Studying journalism at San Antonio College is the best decision YOU’LL ever make!”

Then the groups go downstairs to the photo lab to learn about opportunities in photography.

The department has worked with Dr. Jim Lucchelli. student development coordinator, to set up the tours, and some of the accompanying counselors tell us we’re one of the “must-see” locales on campus.

From Dec. 17-19, some 225 middle schoolers toured the department in the Eighth Grade Career Exploration Summit for the San Antonio Independent School District.

The students participated in sessions led by Chair Marianne Odom that showed the career possibilities for students who love to read, write, take photos, tell stories and be the first to know what’s happening.

	Middle school students who pose thoughtful questions after the session are rewarded with “goodies” from lab technician Tricia Buchhorn’s stash of notepads, pencils, pens, erasers, stickers, stress balls and more. Photo by Edmund Lo

Those who posed thoughtful questions after the session were rewarded with “goodies” from lab technician Tricia Buchhorn’s stash of notepads, pencils, pens, erasers, stickers, stress balls and more.

Special projects Coordinator Doug Caballero in the student development office has brought hundreds of visiting middle- and high-school students by the Journalism-Photography Department throughout the year.

His philosophy meshes with ours — start early. We stress that sampling a journalism class as an elective in high school or simply starting to keep up with the news are ways students can begin to develop an interest in journalism. Who knows where that might lead?

Additionally, students from the University of the Incarnate Word stopped by in the spring to get advice from Ranger adviser Irene Abrego on improving their student newspaper, The Logos.

Interested in seeing The Ranger newsroom or touring the photo lab?
We’d like to know when you’re coming, but we can be ready on short notice.

Our door is always open ...

Ranger staffers and journalism faculty judging for contest

Three faculty members and five Ranger staffers judged the District 30-AA University Scholastic League journalism contest March 26.

Instructor Susan Merkner and Premiere editor Sami Parman judged feature writing. Instructor Irene Abrego and Ranger editor Joyce Flores judged editorial writing.

Sports editor Jason Hogan and opinion editor Regis L. Roberts chose the winning news stories. Chair Marianne Odom and news editor Will Underhill judged headline writing.

Judges made comments and filled out evaluation sheets for each entry and ranked the top six entrants in each category. The top three winners in each category will advance to regional competition.

Dean Smith, English teacher at Dilley High School and a former newspaper photographer, coordinated the event.

Journalism-Photography Department successfully defended unit review

The Journalism-Photography Department’s Unit Review Committee successfully defended its five-year review and the viability of the department Feb. 20.

The collegewide Unit Review Committee chaired by astronomy Professor David Wood met with Chair Marianne Odom, journalism Instructors Irene Abrego and Susan Merkner and photography Professor Fred Whitecotton in an open hearing.

The process was the culmination of months of work by the Journalism-Photography Department’s committee compiling a review of the journalism and photography programs from September 2002 through August 2006.

The collegewide committee praised the department for “dedicated, highly qualified and resilient faculty” who are “motivated to engender professionalism among their students, despite long hours and limited resources.” Student publications, which serve as co-curricular projects and laboratory experience for many departmental courses, “are important sources of information for the entire ACCD,” the committee observed.

The committee also commended the department for curriculum changes to keep up with industry trends, such as proposing a multimedia reporting course and expanding photojournalism offerings to include instruction in video and slide shows.

Concerns for the department were increasing enrollment and graduates. The committee also encouraged the department to explore consolidation with the Radio-Television-Film Department.

The RTF and Journalism-Photography Departments were joined for several years in the early 1990s as the Mass Communications Department. In 1997, the faculty voted to separate.

Journalism Instructor Edmund Lo also served on the department’s unit review team. His wife, Phoebe Lo, volunteered her time to massage and present the statistical data in the report.

A copy of the department’s five year review will be placed in the college library after final approval by Executive Vice President Kristine Clark.

	Tim Patrick, account supervisor, and Lisa Marie Gomez, media relations manager, both of Guerra DeBerry Coody, encourage students in COMM 2327, Principles of Advertising, to develop their creative side on Nov. 20, 2007. Photo by D.A.James

Advertising professionals address COMM 2327 students

Two professionals from one of San Antonio’s top full-service advertising, communications and marketing firms addressed students in COMM 2327, Principles of Advertising, during the fall 2007 semester.

Lisa Marie Gomez, media relations manager, and Tim Patrick, account supervisor, both with Guerra DeBerry Coody (GDC), spoke Nov. 20, 2007, at the invitation of instructor Susan A. Merkner.

They showed examples of viral marketing, such as a sunglasses ad on YouTube, and encouraged the students to develop their creative sides. “Let the kid inside you come outside and play, so you can sell products,” Gomez said.

Patrick presented the students with an outline for a strategic brief and solicited their input for a national ad campaign for Starbucks. The discussion included the campaign’s rational outcome and ways of making ad messages reliable and consistent. After some time spent in small-group discussions, the students brainstormed several original ideas, using themes that would be attractive to college students, discount coupons and social networking Web sites.

Gomez and Patrick also encouraged the advertising students to network through professional organizations, enter competitions and seek internships in their area of interest.

GDC, 122 E. Houston St., http://www.gdc-co.com, was founded by Frank Guerra, Trish DeBerry-Mejia and Tess Coody in 1995. The three principles, all graduates of Trinity University, had significant experience in print and broadcast media before starting their company, which was named one of the Wall Street Journal’s top small workplaces in 2007.

	Ron Aaron, executive director of the Animal Defense League, addresses students in COMM 2330, Introduction to Public Relations, on May 1, accompanied by his Great Dane, Elloise. Photo by D.A. James

Public Relations students get the inside scoop from Ron Aaron

Ron Aaron, executive director of the Animal Defense League of Texas, spoke to students in COMM 2330, Introduction to Public Relations, on May 1, 2008.

Instructor Susan A. Merkner invited Aaron to share his experiences from his many years of working in San Antonio’s media and nonprofit sectors. He was accompanied by Elloise, a 4-year-old Great Dane, whom he adopted last year through the ADL.

The Animal Defense League, 11300 Nacogdoches Road, http://www.adltexas.org, is the area’s largest no-kill shelter. 

Aaron shared video clips of recent local newscasts featuring stories about the pets and people involved with the ADL and discussed his work with local media in telling the shelter’s stories to the San Antonio community.

“Most press releases are not used because PR people don’t understand what makes news,” Aaron said. He encouraged the students to read, watch and listen to local media to gain an understanding of how journalists decide which stories to cover. 

He also stressed the importance of good writing, describing effective public relations efforts as “good story-telling that helps people in the community connect to the agency or organization.” Aaron discussed how he pitches stories to the media, noting that television particularly likes stories “with a touch-your-heart hook.”  It’s also important to offer the media follow-up story ideas, which in the ADL’s case can display the shelter’s successful pet-adoption efforts as well as its work in rescue, rehabilitation and education.

Aaron hosts “Talk San Antonio,” a weekly program that airs on the six Clear Channel radio stations in San Antonio. Before joining the ADL in August 2007, he served as president of the board of Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Inc., executive director of the Rape Crisis Center, executive director of Jewish Family and Children’s Service, and vice president of institutional advancement at the Winston School San Antonio. He has maintained his radio career in addition to his work with local nonprofits, and is an adjunct professor of political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio.  He earned a bachelor’s degree from Case/Western Reserve University, a master’s degree in communications from Ohio State University, and a law degree with honors from the George Washington University National Law Center.

		A radio spot script, written by fall 2007 COMM 2327 student Charles Cima, extols the benefits of a local hotel.

Advertising, public relations students partner with local businesses and nonprofits

Students in the Journalism-Photography Department’s advertising and public relations classes are learning the concepts and skills involved in those fields by partnering with San Antonio-area nonprofit organizations and locally owned small businesses.

Instructor Susan A. Merkner encourages each student to select a local agency or business to serve as a client for the semester, based on the student’s individual interests. COMM 2327, Principles of Advertising, was offered in fall 2007, and COMM 2330, Introduction to Public Relations, was offered in spring 2008.  Merkner also teaches COMM 1307, Introduction to Mass Communications.

Over the course of the semester, the public relations students researched and wrote a campaign proposal for their nonprofit agency; wrote and assembled a media kit, including a backgrounder, news release for print, a fact sheet and a media advisory; designed and wrote newsletters and brochures; created a public service announcement; and presented oral evaluations on the effectiveness of their campaigns.  Other topics covered in the course included multimedia releases, Web sites, legal and ethical issues, photography, media relations, event planning and spokesperson training.

Among the agencies selected by the PR students were the Avenida Guadalupe Association, Boysville, Child Advocates San Antonio, Habitat for Humanity, the Low Vision Club of San Antonio, Planned Parenthood, SAMMinistries and Transplants for Children.

Each student in the advertising class selected a locally owned small business to serve as their client for the semester. Students developed a range of advertising materials, including an Internet banner or button, a direct mail piece with a response device, a billboard or transit ad, a full-color print ad, a radio spot script and a TV storyboard. Other concepts included in the class were ethical and legal issues, media planning and buying, market segmentation and target audiences.

ArtPace, the Aztec Theater, Camera Exchange, Demo’s Restaurant, Hogwild Records, Krazy Kat Music, La Mansion del Rio, Miguelitos Dance Shoes and Supplies, Real Ale Brewing Co., Southside Connection, Timo’s Coffeehouse, VIA and White Rabbit Pizza were among the businesses selected by the students for their ad campaigns. Several students reported their ideas were well received by their clients and might be adopted for use in future ads.