Students enrolled in capstone courses across the JMC department have received real-world training and experiences this semester, ranging from developing a campaign for Alumni Affairs to covering the aftermath of the EF4 tornado that ripped through far western Kentucky.
Below are highlights from the capstone experiences:
Advertising students present campaign
Advertising students presented their campaign proposal for Cook-Out fast food as a hypothetical client on May 4. Dr. Kenneth Kim taught the class.
PR students create alumni campaign
Public relations seniors, taught by Dr. Marcie Hinton, received a shout-out during the Senior Breakfast for their role in creating a campaign to promote membership in the Murray State Alumni Association.
Their goal was to increase the number of graduating seniors who take advantage of free new graduate membership in the MSUAA.
This incredible group of up-and-coming PR professionals includes two members of the 2022 OVC Champion Racer Softball team, a long-jumper ranked 15th in the world with plans to try-out for the U.S. Olympic Track and Field team and the 2022 Murray State JMC Student of the Year and PR Student of the Year.
Journalism students document tornado aftermath
Journalism students were pushed well outside their comfort zones with the launch of the 270 Stories website this semester. Students produced stories and podcasts about the recovery and resilience of the region after an EF4 tornado roared through western Kentucky on Dec. 10.
They traveled to Samburg, Tennessee, the small hamlet of Cayce in rural Fulton County, Mayfield and Marshall County to find stories about how the region and the people are coping five months later. Their stories ranged from the storm’s effect on the wildlife population in northwest Tennessee and western Kentucky to the long-term recovery efforts in Mayfield. Other stories focused on storm anxiety, charitable events, a new blessing barn and a mission team’s actions in Mayfield.
They also produced two podcasts around the theme of 270 seconds that featured stories of those affected by the storms.
Read their stories and listen to their podcasts here: https://270stories.mymurraystate.com/
Leigh Landini Wright taught the spring capstone course.
Television production students spotlight projects
Eleven students in the television production capstone produced both episodic and longer form programming. Students also were required to serve as the production crew for their peers’ projects throughout the semester. The shows will be aired on MSU TV-11 in coming weeks. Chris Haynes taught the spring capstone course.
Here are the titles:
“Broke College Kid Cooking” – Save Money. Eat at home. Small budget cooking with big taste results.
“Christ Episcopal Tabernacle Bicentennial” – A historical piece that focuses on the 200-year history of one of the oldest churches in Louisville.
“FilmmakeHER” – A documentary based on the podcast. A Murray State student explores the world of global media through the eyes of the women who make their mark in a male-dominated industry.
“A Goop Visual” – An entertainment brand delivering short films, music videos, hype videos, and sizzle reels.
“Grief: Behind the Scenes” – A behind the scenes documentary covering the production of the student short-film, Grief.
“In the Groove” – An in-depth journey through the musical libraries of some of your favorite cartoon classics.
“Joe’s Sports Corner” – A humorous look at the world of sports.
“Mental Health Awareness” – Presents the topic of mental health as a medical issue among students and promotes ideas to lessen the stigma associated with the topic.
“Musical Murray” – As Murray State celebrates its centennial, this piece takes a brief look at the history of music and music education on campus.
“Shop Small” – An episodic look into the local offerings of Murray, Kentucky.
“Wassup Mane” – A podcast that reveals a closer look at the lives of student athletes and the stresses that they face.
