- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Professor’s Film Set for Worldwide Release Dec. 20

John Hill — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 14:15:30 +0000

A film written and directed by a ��Vlog��ý Little Rock professor has been picked up for distribution and will be released worldwide on Dec. 20. Kiel Thorlton, assistant professor of film and television at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, debuted his first feature-length film last year at the Arkansas Cinema Society’s Filmland in Little Rock. “A Place Called Home” is the story of widowed father Levi, played by Ben Gavin, who struggles to raise his two young daughters after the tragic loss of their mother. Living paycheck to paycheck was hard enough but with the loss of his wife, things become increasingly strained forcing Levi to make some difficult decisions. “It’s a love story between a father and his daughters,” Thorlton said. “He is a high school dropout working in the rural South. His wife dies in childbirth, and he has a 7-year-old and a newborn to raise by himself. He has to find someone to watch the baby, and he has to go back to work. It’s a snowball effect. He is navigating grief with young children.” The film garnered attention on the film festival circuit from multiple distributors and sales agents; ultimately landing the film with Freestyle Digital Media in Los Angeles. “A Place Called Home” will be available to rent and own on North American global digital HD internet and satellite platforms on Dec. 20. You can find out more information at the .

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“Thankfully, ‘A Place Called Home’ sees hope in, well…the title does spell it out,” said Luke Thompson, reviewer for Film Gone Wild. “If the home is worth protecting, it’s not just because of the building but also the people around it. Is this undue optimism in an increasingly radicalized world of demonization? Maybe. But in the movies, at least, optimism can still be earned.” A native of Auburn, Kentucky, Thorlton and his crew filmed the movie in his small hometown of about 1,000 residents and in Logan County in 2019, bringing in more than 50 film professionals to the area and spending 30 days in the community creating the film. The production supported individuals from Atlanta to Los Angeles as well as local crew and cast such as Sean Ramey who has been a part of “Chicago PD,” “Chicago Fire,” and, “Snapped.” “It was imperative that this film, given the subject matter and style, be filmed inside the American South,” Thorlton said. “The fact that this area is where I found my love of filmmaking was a bonus.” The film was screened around the world at various film festivals such as Arkansas Cinema Society’s Filmland, The Oxford Film Festival, SoCal Film Awards, and South Georgia Film Festival. It also garnered multiple awards including Best Film at the Louisville International Film Festival, Special Jury Award at WorldFest – Houston International Film Festival, and Best Director at the London Fusion Festival.

Miller Earns Double Bachelor’s Degrees at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Wed, 11 May 2022 13:19:21 +0000

Student journalist Remington Miller has made her mark at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and now she is taking her next step in her career as a journalist. Miller is graduating May 14 with bachelor’s degrees in English and mass communication with an emphasis in journalism as well as a minor in race and ethnicity. “I am equal parts terrified and excited about graduating,” Miller said. “I came straight from high school to college, and I also know through ��Vlog��ý Little Rock I’ve had so many opportunities and internships and great professors that I will be able to go out into the world and be successful no matter what I do.” While Miller always planned to major in mass communication, her decision to pursue a second major in English was the first of many unexpected surprises from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “I had taken a test and received a score that indicated an aptitude for English,” Miller said. “Professor Kris McAbee emailed me before I started college to see if I was interested in the English program. She helped me pick out classes, find scholarships, and decide if English would work with mass communication. The support I got before I even got to campus is what convinced me that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was a great idea.” Miller thanked Dr. Tim Edwards and Sonny Rhodes, mass communication professors, as well as English professors Dr. Kris McAbee and Dr. Laura Barrio-Vilar for serving as inspirational professors during her time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “They were phenomenal influences and inspired me to keep learning,” Miller said. “They are highlights of this university and helped to make or break my experience as a student.” Miller has worked at , ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper, for years, serving as a reporter and entertainment editor. This semester, Miller received a third-place award for review writing from the Arkansas College Media Association. Last year, Miller was selected for the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation’s (ANF) summer internship program and interned at the Daily Record over the summer. The ANF supports Arkansas newspapers by sponsoring college students to intern at newspapers over the summer to gain real-world journalism experience. Her time at the Daily Record was followed with an internship at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio during the fall 2021 semester. Miller now works as a part-time reporter at K��Vlog��ýR. In addition to her journalism activities, Miller was also a member of the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps, the William G. Cooper Jr. Honors Program in English, and a peer mentor for the Office of Student Retention Initiatives. As a Little Rock native, Miller is passionate about providing better information to the community where she grew up. After graduation, she aspires to be an investigative reporter in the Little Rock area. “My advice is to get involved at your university,” Miller said. “That doesn’t just mean join a club and don’t show up. It makes a difference to go and make connections. Take advantage of the resources we have. We have a great food pantry, career closet, and counseling services. These resources are there for you and will go to waste if you don’t use them.”

Transfer Student Spotlight on Maddie Becker

John Hill — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 16:52:17 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock is highlighting some of its outstanding transfer students in celebration of , Oct. 18-22. Maddie Becker is a senior mass communication major and intern at who transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock from ASU Beebe. What is your hometown? I’m from Colorado Springs, Colorado, but I’ve lived in Jacksonville, Arkansas, for most of my life. My dad was in the United States Air Force and was stationed here when I was five. He ended up retiring here so I’ve spent most of my life in Arkansas. Tell us about yourself. I’m 22 years old and the oldest of five children. I’m a senior at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I’m a writer for The Forum. I work two jobs while being a full-time student. I work full-time at Subway and part-time at Tacos 4 Life. In my free time, I like to do DIY projects, go hiking, bake, listen to podcasts, work out, and hangout with family and friends. I love to travel and would love to have a career��that allows me to travel. Why did you decide to transfer to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I decided to transfer to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock because it was close to home and the commute wasn’t bad. I didn’t want to go somewhere that would require me to be far from home. I also like that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is in Little Rock.. I feel like there are endless opportunities��all around us. I also knew people who went to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock before I transferred,��and they kept telling me about the professors and how they truly want you to succeed and they will do anything they can to help you. That pretty much sold me. During my time here, I’ve experienced that with many of my professors. What is your major, and what do you plan to do after graduation? I’m majoring in Mass Communications��with an emphasis in Journalism. After graduation, I am open to any areas in communications but I would love to work in radio. My ultimate goal is to have my own radio show down the road. What is special about being a transfer college student? I transferred from Arkansas State University in Beebe, and transferring has opened up scholarship opportunities. What opportunities have you gotten through ��Vlog��ý Little Rock that you might not have had otherwise? When I transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, I started writing for The Forum, and that is what ultimately led me to the internship I have now at K��Vlog��ýR. And the internship I have at K��Vlog��ýR has led me to my internship at The Ronald McDonald House next semester. I truly believe if I wasn’t at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock I wouldn’t have gotten these opportunities, and I couldn’t be more thankful!

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Professor Thorlton to Show New Feature Film “A Place Called Home” at Filmland in the Park

John Hill — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 13:43:21 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor will debut his first directed feature-length film in Arkansas at , the Arkansas Cinema Society film festival in downtown Little Rock. Kiel Thorlton, assistant professor of film and television, will showcase his film, “A Place Called Home,” during Filmland 2021 Digital Experience. People will be able to purchase tickets for the festival and stream his film online from Sept. 24 to Oct. 3 via . You can also vote for “A Place Called Home” for an Arkansas Audience Award from Sept. 24-29. “” is the story of a widowed father who struggles to raise his two young daughters after the tragic loss of his wife. “It’s a love story between a father and his daughters,” Thorlton said. “He is a high school dropout working in the rural South. His wife dies in childbirth, and he has a 7-year-old and a newborn to raise by himself. He has to find someone to watch the baby, and he has to go back to work. It’s a snowball effect. He is navigating grief with young children.” According to Thorlton, the key to a good script is to write about things that you know. He knows what it’s like to be a father and to live in the rural South. Shortly after his second child, Fern (named for the main character in “Charlotte’s Web”), was born in 2016, Thorlton began writing the script while working and going to school full time.�� A native of Auburn, Kentucky, Thorlton and his crew filmed the movie in his small hometown of about 1,000 residents and in Logan County in 2019. At the time, Thorlton and his crew were trying to keep the movie under wraps, but he quickly remembered how hard it is to keep a secret in a small town. “We didn’t want anyone to know because it’s such a small town,” Thorlton said. “If they found out, they would have been all over us. We went and shot at a park one day. We showed up, there’s no one there, and by noon there were 35 kids at the park. I’ve been at this park my entire life, and there have never been 35 kids at that park in one day. There were 75 kids there the next morning. We tried to stay a day ahead of everyone and not let them know.”

Ben Gavin, left, and Mccarron Stith, right, star in “A Place to Call Home.”

Thorlton’s family also got involved in the filming of the movie. In 2019, his wife, Elizabeth, was pregnant with their third child, Michael. She played the main character’s pregnant wife in the first scene of the film. After Michael was born, he was filmed as the baby who was driven home from the hospital. Thorlton’s film will be shown at many festivals during the upcoming months. It recently won the Audience Award and Runner-up Best Feature Film at the Knoxville Film Festival. “There is still so much work to do as we go through festivals, distribution, and release,” Thorlton said. “Making a feature film is incredibly difficult, especially when it’s just you and you don’t have a studio backing. I am really pleased with the way things worked out and of the cast and crew who worked so hard. The story is what I wanted to set out to tell. It’s visually pretty, and the performances are very strong.” Thorlton has bachelor’s degrees in film and theatre from Campbellsville University and a Master of Fine Arts in Film Directing from Regent University. He joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as an assistant professor in the School of Mass Communication in 2020. He’s also a coordinating producer for ESPN. Prior to coming to Little Rock, Thorlton worked in film and television for 10 years. His research is focused on long form narrative and the role of the director in film. In addition to “A Place Called Home,” Thorlton is in early pre-production for another feature film, a thriller drama that he plans to film in the next two years.

Two ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Selected for Arkansas Newspaper Foundation Summer Internship Program

John Hill — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 17:22:27 +0000

Two talented student journalists from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have been selected as part of the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation’s 2021 summer internship program.�� The Arkansas Newspaper Foundation (ANF) has a commitment to serve Arkansas newspapers by helping fund summer interns at Arkansas Press Association member newspapers across the state. The internships provide students with real-world journalism experience while newspapers obtain a qualified candidate to fill a temporary position. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students selected for the ANF internship program include Chloe McGehee of Bryant and Remington Miller of Little Rock. A graduate of Bryant High School, McGehee is majoring in mass communication and minoring in political science. She served as the executive editor of The Forum, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper, and president of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. She has won a number of awards from the Arkansas Scholastic Press and Arkansas Collegiate Media Association. “I’m very thankful to receive the internship because I know I could not have done it without the help of my scholarship program, my previous editor, Jordan Woodson, and my advisor, professor, and friend Carlton Rhodes,” McGehee said. “Without them I would have never applied or had the skills to achieve it. I’m also incredibly excited to be doing what I love to do and want to work in for my career. It’s an invaluable experience and I do not take it for granted.” After she graduates in 2023, McGehee wants to work as a journalist and get her master’s degree. She’s thankful for the experience she is gaining from her internship with the Daily Record. “The paper and publisher I am working under, The Daily Record and Wesley Brown, are truly amazing, and I feel like I would not be having this amazing experience anywhere else,” she said. “He really allows me to shine where I can while always teaching me and making me more confident.”

Remington Miller

Miller, the second ��Vlog��ý Little Rock ANF summer internship recipient, is a graduate of Robinson High School in Little Rock and is a double major in mass communication and English. She’s a reporter for The Forum as well as a mass media research assistant for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Mass Communication. “I was so honored and surprised to receive the internship,” Miller said. “It is a great opportunity, and I am so eager for the real experience in the journalism field. I am really excited to look at the local news gathering process. I hope it allows me to start establishing contacts with possible mentors and create a better view on the news cycle in Arkansas, on the inside.” After she graduates in 2022, Miller plans to work as an investigative reporter. “I love working in print and online journalism so much. I have the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Mass Communication to thank,” Miller said. “I’ve got skills that I know will be useful with the internship. The professors have always been so supportive and willing to help me reach these internships and my career goals. I couldn’t do it without their support. Every journalism professor I’ve met has always been willing to help but my advisor and supervisor of The Forum, Professor Rhodes, has been really great about encouraging me to go for all these opportunities.” Both students are interning at the Daily Record this summer. Publisher Wesley Brown said he welcomes the opportunity to help guide and train promising young journalists through the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation internship program. “As a member of the Arkansas Press Association, we are excited to work with the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation to provide internships to outstanding students from colleges and universities across the state looking to enter the journalism field,” Brown said. “As a longtime journalist and industry advocate, I look forward to working with these budding journalists from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock this summer so they can further their educational experience.” The Arkansas Newspaper Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides support, professional development, and educational opportunities to APA member newspapers. ANF has offered internships for more than two decades. This year, ANF will fully fund four full internships and two half-internships for student journalists. The foundation is paying the internship costs to help Arkansas newspapers recover from the economic effects of COVID-19. In the past, newspapers participating in the internship program were expected to match ANF’s grant for a 10-week internship. Since last year, the ANF Board of Directors fully funded the internships for a total of $15,000 for the summer interns. “It’s an obligation of the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation to support and promote newspapers in this state, so it was a simple decision to continue to fully fund this vital program,” said Rusty Fraser, ANF board president and publisher of the Stone County Leader in Mountain View. “These interns get a front-row seat in a professional newsroom and can help immediately in reporting on the communities our newspapers serve.”

Brown Honored in 2021 Diamond Journalism Awards

John Hill — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 14:04:53 +0000

Alexandria Brown, a senior mass communication major at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been honored for her work with the very first story she ever made for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio.�� Brown, who reports and hosts “All Things Considered” and “Weekend Edition” for K��Vlog��ýR received third place honors in the Features, Broadcast category for her story, “.” The judges called Brown’s story “straightforward and interesting.” “Thank you to the judges for allowing me to receive my first Diamond Journalism Award,” said Brown, a native of England, Arkansas. “It’s such an honor to even be considered in this contest. The story I entered was the first piece I ever did for K��Vlog��ýR. It was about how an early census deadline could impact Arkansas’ economy by losing billions of dollars. This piece is special to me because it showed me how vital it is to inform our democracy about matters that impact us all that we may not even be aware of. Thank you to my fellow news team for guiding me through this and congratulations to them as well.” The 2021 Diamond Journalism Award Contest is sponsored by the Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The group considered work from journalists in Arkansas and six neighboring states. “Independent and local reporting is vital to the health of our democracy,” said Nathan Vandiver, general manager of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio. “We have seen the evidence of this first-hand in the pandemic and in the run-up to the 2020 election. It’s an honor to serve our community in this way and it’s especially an honor for the hard work of our news team to be recognized among such an impressive group of journalists from across the region.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio is a listener-supported public service department of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock based in the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education. Brown is a former intern at K��Vlog��ýR, the Little Rock National Public Radio affiliate, where she’s reported on issues such as the census and a proposed city sales tax. She now works part-time as the “All Things Considered” host and a reporter for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio. She is also a recent recipient of the Arkansas Press Women’s annual scholarship and a reporter with The Forum, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper. After she graduates in 2022, Brown plans to continue her career as a broadcast reporter.

Study.com Recognizes Four ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Degree Programs

John Hill — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 20:23:45 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has been recognized by Study.com as having some of the top ranking bachelor’s degree programs in web design, business analytics, sociology, and journalism.�� More than 40 million visitors per month use Study.com to research potential schools, degrees, and careers. The lists of the top school rankings help Study.com users and potential students learn about excellent college programs. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock received the following 2021 rankings from Study.com:��

7th on the list of
18th on the list of
27th on the list of
36th on the list of

��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s highest ranking comes for the Web Design and Development Program, which is designed to cater to both traditional university students as well as working professionals in multiple fields. This is an interdisciplinary program designed collaboratively by faculty from the departments of Art and Design, Rhetoric and Writing, Mass Communication, Information Science, and the Information Technology Program. “We are thrilled to receive this designation, and I am very proud of the faculty and community partners that have been instrumental to our success,” said Thomas Wallace, web design and development/information technology program coordinator. “The collaboration across campus has allowed us to build a relevant and adaptive curriculum tapping into a broad range of faculty expertise. We are also very pleased with the success of our recent graduates and their ability to secure jobs within the industry. Through the efforts of both faculty and students, we have built a solid foundation for continued growth and success in the coming years.” Next, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Business Analytics Program was recognized as 18th on the list of best bachelor’s degrees in business intelligence. This program in the Department of Business Information Systems is an interdisciplinary business degree that develops the technical and analytical skills that students can apply to decision making in today’s increasingly competitive business environment. The university’s Bachelor of Arts in mass communication degree with an emphasis in journalism prepares students for careers in newspapers, magazines, radio, television or internet journalism as reporters, writers, photographers, or editors. “I think one of the things that makes us stand out is the level of experience the faculty members have as practitioners,” said Dr. Sonny Rhodes, associate professor and faculty advisor of The Forum. “We have decades of practical experience in our fields that we can share with our students. The quality of the training can be seen in the success of our graduates, who are leaders in their professions throughout the nation. For example, one of our graduates is a national board member of the Society of Professional Journalists, while another is president of the Arkansas Professional chapter of SPJ.” Mass communication majors can also focus on mass media, media production and design, motion picture, and strategic public relations. “Students and their success not only in the program after they graduate drive our program,” said Dr. Tim Edwards, interim director of the School of Mass communication. “We meet students where they are and push them to new heights. Faculty build relationships with students beyond the classroom and become their mentors. Our program strives to be cutting-edge and forward thinking to prepare students for the journalism and media jobs of today, tomorrow, and years into the future.” The final ranking comes for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s online Bachelor of Arts in sociology degree, which is a 120-hour program dedicated to the study of the social lives of people, groups, and societies. It promotes effective communication, critical thinking, and data analysis through its broad selection of courses. Graduates of this program receive a valuable foundation for direct entry into meaningful careers or graduate study in a wide range of fields including law, education, counseling, social work, public health, and public administration. The rankings by Study.com are based on academic and career resources, the quality of education, faculty, and more.

Graduate Spotlight on Rodricka Blanks

John Hill — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 18:31:32 +0000

Rodricka Blanks will graduate on Dec. 19 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication with an emphasis in mass media. She considers herself a “super-transfer student” because of her college journey. Tell us a little bit about your transfer journey in college? I was born and raised in Magnolia, Arkansas, and graduated high school in May 2014. At Magnolia High School, I got certified in their certified nursing assistant (CNA) program. I attended my first year of college at Southern Arkansas University where I was studying to become a nurse. Then I transferred to the University of Central Arkansas to study speech pathology. After one and a half years, I decided to move to Little Rock because my mom had just moved here from Magnolia. I started taking classes at Pulaski Technical College and looked at their Metro 2+2 Degree program. That’s where I discovered mass communication at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I’ve always been a creative person who likes to write and make videos. That’s what inspired me to change my major from nursing to journalism. I looked at Philander Smith, but ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was more affordable. I checked out the campus and really liked it. What were some of your ups and downs of your transfer journey? Surprisingly, transferring credits wasn’t that hard because I was probably used to it. Professor Carlton “Sonny” Rhodes, my advisor at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, was the best advisor I had ever had during my college experience. The mass communication teachers were top-notch as well. Last week, one of my professors helped me solve a complex problem I was having entirely over the phone! Did you participate in any extracurricular activities? I wrote articles for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper, The Forum. Who were your mentors at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? My advisor and professor Sonny Rhodes was a huge influence. Professor Jamie Byrne-McCollum also had a big impact on me. She was very good, but also strict. What were some of your favorite classes? Photojournalism, web design, digital animation, and graphics. What advice would you give to transferring students? If you are a transfer student, don’t get discouraged. Just know that your accomplishment will be at the end, so don’t give up. How are you going to celebrate graduation? I recently bought some balloons that spell “congratulations graduate.” I’m going to blow them up in my apartment, buy some wine and cake, and throw myself a party. What are your plans for the future? I’ve accepted a job as a production assistant at a local news station, so I have that to celebrate as well. This commencement story was compiled by Toni Boyer-Stewart.

Arkansas Press Association names Rhodes 2020 Educator of the Year

John Hill — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:50:34 +0000

Sonny Rhodes, associate professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Mass Communication, is the 2020 recipient of the Arkansas Press Association Journalism Educator of the Year award. Rhodes received the award during a virtual ceremony during the Rhodes is a veteran newspaper reporter and editor with a quarter-century of experience at newspapers like the Pine Bluff Commercial, Log Cabin Democrat, Arkansas Democrat, Arkansas Gazette, and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He previously freelanced for AY Magazine and Bloomberg News. “Having been a reporter and editor for a long time gives me some credit with the students,” Rhodes said. “If they are in a reporting class, I know some of the challenges they are facing, and I can relate to them and help them overcome some challenges by relating some of the real-world experiences I had.” Though Rhodes earned a bachelor’s degree in education, he was a hardcore journalist who hadn’t considered teaching as a full-time career. In 1990, Jay Friedlander, then chair of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s journalism department, asked Rhodes to take a leave of absence from the Arkansas Democrat to fill a 9-month teaching role for the school year. “I applied back in 1990 to teach a night course in journalism,” Rhodes said. “It just so happened they were in need for somebody to teach full time. I fancied the idea of teaching, but I never thought of being more than an adjunct. I was surprised my boss let me have a leave of absence. I really fell in love with teaching and wanted to come back. Nine years later, a full-time position opened.” Now entering his third decade of teaching, Rhodes said his communication and listening skills along with a friendly attitude have helped him create a good rapport with his students. “I think these skills are vitally important in teaching and in journalism,” Rhodes said. “These are all skills that I was able to hone during many interviews over the years. It’s all about establishing relationships. You have to teach every student as an individual, get to know that student, build a rapport, and show them that you are someone who they can trust to be looking out for their best interests.” His colleague, Tim Edwards, interim director of the School of Mass Communication, said Rhodes is a popular and well-respected teacher because of his efforts to help students succeed. “Professor Rhodes is one of the most caring individuals I know,” Edwards said. “He cares about the success of his students and goes above and beyond the call of duty to assist them. I can’t count the number of students he has helped get a scholarship, an internship, or a job through his letters of recommendation and industry contacts. He shares his knowledge and experience freely, and continues to stay current in an ever-changing media environment. He is not just a teacher to his student but a mentor and friend.” An active member of the Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, Rhodes begins each of his courses with an ethics section based on the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. This training is especially important since so many untrained people report the news through social media and websites. Since technology and skills are continually changing for journalists, Rhodes instills the value of lifelong education into his students. “One piece of advice I try to instill in all my students is that education is a lifelong experience,” said Rhodes, adding that he would offer the same advice to new professors. “They should be prepared to continually change the way they do things and be open to new styles of teaching and learning. The technology is such that students are continually coming into the job field with different skill sets and expectations.” A native of Pine Bluff, Rhodes graduated from Watson Chapel High School and also has a master’s degree from the University of Mississippi. He lives in North Little Rock with his wife, Julie. He has three children and two grandchildren.

Announcement on Mark Giese’s Passing

John Hill — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:45:10 +0000

Dr. Mark Giese, retired associate professor of mass communication, passed away Aug. 6 following a brief illness.�� Giese came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2003. He earned a bachelor’s degree in radio, television, and film in 1981 and a master’s degree in radio, television, and film from the University of North Texas in 1991. He earned a Ph.D. in the Interdisciplinary Program for Mass Communications at Pennsylvania State University in 1996. He was recognized for his work in the community in 2012, when he received the Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service. “He has worked tirelessly and successfully, going far beyond the bounds of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to engage students in educational experiences, to help secondary teachers broaden their technical expertise, and to aid community organizations,” colleague Carlton M. “Sonny” Rhodes said at the time. An active supporter of journalism training for high school students, Giese conceived the idea for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Summer Media Camp, a one-week residential experience for Arkansas high school students. From 2010 to 2011, he directed the camp and oversaw every aspect, from fundraising to producing promotional material, teaching seminars, and chaperoning campers to tours of local television stations. To ensure students could attend the camp at no cost, he raised more than $24,000 to provide scholarships for Arkansas students.�� In another service project, he enlisted McClellan High School students in writing and producing a public service announcement promoting healthy habits for teens. As part of the grant-supported project, he wrote the curriculum for McClellan’s first media production course. Giese served on the advisory board for the Metropolitan Career-Technical Center and Accelerated Learning Center and presented talks to middle school students in the Duke TIP program. Additionally, he served as a judge for the 48-hour Film Festival that helped establish the national competition in Little Rock while engaging ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students in intensive movie making in the community. He judged video competitions and organized workshops for EAST conferences, which brought together elementary, middle, and high school students with an interest in technology.�� After 14 years at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, he retired in 2017, and he and his wife, Rebecca, settled in Mississippi. “One can appreciate just how great an influence he had on so many people by checking Facebook and seeing the outpouring of love by his former students,” Rhodes said. “He was a beloved mentor to many.”

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Professor’s Film Set for Worldwide Release Dec. 20

Miller Earns Double Bachelor’s Degrees at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock