From the Chair
Kathy Menzie
This has been a challenging
year! Dr. Chorba has started phased
retirement, so he is only teaching
two courses for the next three years.
Dr. Cranston has spent most of this
semester’s sabbatical in Washington
state, filming a documentary about
Native Americans and salmon fishing.
And Dr. Stover welcomed a new baby
in April!
So Regina Cassell, JaeYoon Park
and I have been working very hard
to cover all the classes, meetings and
events. Dr. Chorba has helped out, too
with classes and
events.
We had
hoped to hire a
new assistant
professor in
Public Relations
and Advertising,
but our search did
not work out, so
we’re still hoping
to hire a lecturer
for this fall. I
hope you’ll see a new instructor then.
Our Public Relations and Advertising
emphases have really grown in the
last year, so we’re hoping to put more
emphasis there with a new instructor.
We’ve been lucky to have great
adjuncts helping us, too.
We’re always glad to have Eugene
Williams, the executive director
of KTWU teaching for us. He has
stepped in and worked with the
Advertising II class. Sarah Towle,
communications strategist for the
Washburn Foundation (and one of our
graduates!) has taught Creative Media
Writing and will be teaching PR I next
fall. John Summers, a new transplant
to Topeka and the news director for
WIBW radio, has enhanced our radio
and broadcast areas.
Another graduate, Krystal Wiltz,
operations manager at Home Depot,
is teaching an Introduction to Mass
Media course. And we have a new
lawyer, Eric Weslander teaching the
Mass Media Law class. Tim Hrenchir,
government writer from the CapitalJournal, is repeating his popular
“Murder, Mayhem and Media” course.
One of the
great joys of
teaching is seeing
students do well
and I must give
my students in
Public Relations
II kudos. Not only
did the class plan
the wonderful
Kathy Menzie Derby-themed
Mass Media
Banquet, but they
also divided into two groups, which
each planned a special event.
One group held a food drive for the
Exchange, a food bank for students
in the basement of Henderson. They
encouraged students to give the
money left over from their meal plans
to buy food at the Corner Store for
the Exchange. They raised $76 and
collected 278 cans of food.
The second group promoted the
new bicycle Rideshare Program that
has four stations here at Washburn.
They planned a late evening “Glow
Ride,” which involved attaching glow
“I was so incredibly
proud of the students
and the work they did.
Everything went off
well.”
page 2
Photo by Brian Cervantez
Chair Kathy Menzie speaks about the
challenges and successes of the 2014-15
academic school year.
sticks, bracelets and necklaces to
bikes for a ride from Washburn to the
Capitol. More than 75 people showed
up for the ride.
Both groups solicited donations,
and were able to give participants
something for being part of each event.
Both events were amazing triumphs! I
was so incredibly proud of the students
and the work they did. Everything
went off well, with no major
catastrophes—the tables were in place,
and the weather cooperated. Both were
wonderful events, which showcased
the group of talented students, raised
awareness of a campus issue and
provided a real-world experience for
the class. I love being a teacher!
washburn.edu/massmedia