College of Fine and Applied Arts

Photos by Marie Freeman, Appalachian State University

George G. Beasley, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., Naples, Florida, wrapped up the 2009 Kellar Radio Talent Institute. He told the students of his journey in life and broadcasting and provided them with inspirational advice about succeeding in the industry.

Fifteen students completed the third Kellar Radio Talent Institute at Appalachian State University. The first and only one of its kind, the Institute is an incubator for future radio broadcasters.

The Murphy in the Morning Show from 107.5 WKZL broadcasted live from the Kellar Radio Talent Institute for the second year in a row. Appalachian’s stand-out football quarterback Armanti Edwards (center) was a guest on the show. He signed a football for the station, and it will be auctioned off for charity. The Murphy in the Morning Team are (left to right) Jack Murphy, Josh Anderson, (Armanti Edwards), Jared Pike and Appalachian alumna Katie O’Brien.

Doug Rice, president of Performance Racing Network and Appalachian alumnus, spoke to students during their visit to Charlotte. They learned about sports broadcasting from Rice at Lowes Motor Speedway, Mick Mixon at Bank of America Stadium (home of the Carolina Panthers) and Sam Smith at Time Warner Arena (home of the Charlotte Bobcats).

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The Kellar Radio Talent Institute at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, has prepared 15 more talented young broadcasters. The third year of this innovative program concluded Wednesday with words of advice and inspiration by George G. Beasley, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., Naples, Florida.

The students were selected by an application process for the 10-day experience. The first and only one of its kind, the Kellar Radio Talent Institute is an incubator for future radio broadcasters. The students learn from industry professionals about the various aspects of the industry including on air, programming, sales, promotions/marketing, copy writing, news writing and reporting, production and even ownership.

Twenty-five industry professionals participated this year. Don Curtis, Chief Executive Officer of Curtis Media, Raleigh, kicked off this year’s institute with a motivational talk about getting in the radio industry and becoming an entrepreneur.

As part of the institute, students are required to take the RAB Radio Marketing Professional Sales Training certification course, taught by industry professionals. All 15 students passed the RAB exam and received RAB certification.

Two popular morning shows broadcasted live from the Institute — Murphy in the Morning from 107.5 WKZL and Program Director/News Director Brian Freeman of News/Talk WSJS AM 600/1200, both in the Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point market. The show hosts also led educational sessions with the students.

Guest professional faculty throughout the 10-day institute included Doug Rice, President and Voice of Performance Racing Network; Mick Mixon, Play-by-Play Announcer for the Carolina Panthers; Sam Smith, Sports Show Host and Play-by-Play Announcer for ESPN Regional Television Network/Charlotte Bobcats Radio; Michael Thompson, Director of Corporate Communications for the Charlotte Bobcats; Bob Bolak, Vice President and Market Manager for Saga Communications, Asheville, North Carolina; Rick Jackson, Vice President and General Manager for Greater Media, Charlotte; Carly Laskey, Director of Marketing for G105-FM, Clear Channel, Raleigh; Tom Jackson, Manager of Interactive Media for Lincoln Financial Media, Charlotte; Don Anthony of Atlanta, Founder of Morning Show Bootcamp and Publisher of Morning Mouth Magazine; Arroe Collins, Production Director, Clear Channel, Charlotte; Kent Pike, Senior Account Executive for CBS Radio, Charlotte; and Bruce Wheeler, Vice President and General Manager of WKZL and WKRR, Dick Broadcasting, Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point.

Program Directors and Operation Managers included on the professional faculty were Randall Bliss, 93.1 The Wolf, Entercom Radio, Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point; Jack Daniel, 106.5 TheEnd, Clear Channel, Charlotte; Chase Murphy of B93.7 and WSPA-FM, Entercom, Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina; John Reynolds, KISS 95.1 FM and K104.7 FM, CBS Radio, Charlotte; Neal Sharpe of WLNK and The Link Radio Network, Greater Media, Charlotte; and Randi West of G105 FM, Clear Channel, Raleigh. Graduates of the program continue to be hired by top broadcasting companies including CBS, Cumulus, Clear Channel, Entercom, Beasley Broadcasting, Capitol and others.

The professional faculty had many positive comments about the program.

“The curriculum of the Kellar Institute - with great leadership and vision provided by Dan Vallie - and the incredible energy of these well-prepared students is a true pleasure to behold,” said Rick Jackson. “I loved participating and found the experience very enriching.”

“It’s important for the industry to see that these students are trained at a much higher level than any I’ve ever seen,” said Jack Daniel.

“Wow…Every university with a communications/broadcasting major should be doing this - you have an impressive school and department,” stated Bob Bolak. “Hiring your students will be an honor!”

“Once again I found your students engaging and interested in all things radio, that’s such a rush,” described Doug Rice.

“I don’t know who the next great broadcaster will be…let’s just say I won’t be shocked when they say they came from The Kellar Radio Talent Institute,” said Arroe Collins.

The entire program is held on the Appalachian State University campus except for one day when all the students visited Lowe’s Motor Speedway; Bank of American Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers; and Time Warner Arena, home of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Another unique aspect of the Kellar Radio Talent Institute is that each student who successfully completed the program now has the opportunity, anytime in the next 10 years, to apply to Appalachian State and the Kellar Radio Talent Institute for $50,000 in seed money for investment in radio broadcast ownership. This opportunity was created by a $500,000 gift from the Kellar Family Foundation to Appalachian’s Department of Communication.

The participating students also had rave reviews for the Institute.

Kellar student Gillian Brooke Medford described the Institute as “one of the coolest things I have ever done! The professionals I met and the advice they gave was a once in a lifetime experience.”

“The Kellar Radio Talent Institute was one of the best overall experiences of my life,” said Joseph Shook. “The men and women we had the privilege of meeting were worth their weight in gold.”

The director of the institute is one of the industry’s top consultants, Dan “Vallie” Hill of Vallie Richards Donovan Consulting. Dan is a 39-year broadcast veteran who created the Kellar Radio Talent Institute.

To participate or contribute to the Kellar Radio Talent Institute, contact Dan “Vallie” Hill at 828-262-3919/828-262-7621 or via email at valliedan@aol.com. To learn more about the Kellar Radio Talent Institute or the Department of Communication at Appalachian State University visit www.asucom.appstate.edu.

Appalachian State University’s student-run radio station, WASU 90.5 FM, has won two Finalist Certificates in the New York Festivals Radio Broadcasting Awards.

The New York Festivals Radio Broadcasting Awards recognize “The World’s Best Work” in radio broadcasting. Hundreds of entries come from all over the world.

WASU received a finalist certificate as “Best Radio Station” and, for the second year in a row, for “Best Sportscast,” for the station’s “Sports Yapp” program. Sports Yapp is a sports talk show that focuses on the major sports stories that are interesting to college students.

“This type of recognition is an honor to receive,” said Jon Wood, WASU station manager. “It shows that we take our responsibilities seriously and that we strive for excellence. This has been a mentality set for us by our previous staff members and predecessors. Their encouragement and commitment has meant a more professional product and something to be proud of.”

The composite aircheck for the Best Radio Station award was coordinated by Brendan Croghan, who has since graduated from Appalachian. Appalachian graduate Bryce Johnson produced the Sports Yapp program.

For 52 years the New York Festivals Radio Programming and Promotions Awards has recognized The World’s Best Work in radio broadcasting. Each year the organization receives entries from radio stations, networks and independent producers from over 30 countries. International radio experts from stations and companies donate their time to the judging process. The “GrandJury™” is comprised of top level industry professionals from five continents and over 25 countries.

For more information about the awards, visit www.newyorkfestivals.com. For more information about WASU, visit www.wasurocks.com.

Jeff Tiller, professor of building science, has been named chair of the Department of Technology, effective July 21.

Tiller has taught at Appalachian for the past 13 years and was coordinator of the building science program. He has served as interim chair of the department for the past year.

“Mr. Tiller led the building science program to be highly respected among the industry and its peers,” said Dr. Glenda Treadaway, dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts. “He brings those same leadership skills and enthusiasm to the Department of Technology.”

Tiller holds bachelor of science and master of science degrees in industrial and systems engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His teaching specialties include construction technology and building science, residential and commercial building design, mechanical systems, construction estimating and management, technology forecasting and assessment, renewable energy technologies and energy, economic and environmental analysis.

Tiller served as project director for development of the North Carolina State Energy Plan and on the Ad Hoc Energy Code Committee of the North Carolina Building Codes Council. In 2004, Tiller developed and organized the North Carolina’s Energy Star campaign.

The Department of Technology is one of the largest departments on the Appalachian campus with more than 900 majors. The department offers undergraduate degrees in appropriate technology, building science, graphic arts and imaging technology, industrial design, interior design, technical photography and technology education. It also offers graduate programs in technology education and industrial technology.

Dr. Janice Pope, professor of communication, has been named chair of the Department of Communication, effective July 21. She has served as the department’s interim chair for the past two years.

Dr. Pope has been a member of the communication faculty since 1995 focusing on the public relations sequence, research and service and has served as an associate member of the graduate faculty. She served as assistant chair of the department for the two years prior to serving as interim chair. She has a Ph.D. in mass communication, a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of arts in public relations with a minor in sociology, all from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Dr. Pope is an excellent choice for leadership in the Department of Communication,” said Dr. Glenda Treadaway, dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts. “The department has experienced great success and has many exciting opportunities on the horizon. Dr. Pope has proven to be proactive and effective while interim chair and assistant chair. I appreciate her past work and look forward to her continued leadership.”

Dr. Pope steps into the position held by Dr. Treadaway, who served as interim dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts from July 2007 until March 2009 when she was named dean of the College.

Dr. Pope was selected for the ACT Faculty Fellows program for Spring 2007 and was named the College of Fine and Applied Arts Outstanding Faculty Award winner in 2006. She also received the Student Government Association Outstanding Teacher Award for the College of Fine and Applied Arts in 1998. She served as the Department of Communication Honor’s Program director from 2006-2007 and was co-director of Appalachian’s Summer Reading Program from Fall 2004 to 2006 and a committee member from Fall 1999 to present.

The Department of Communication, which is in the College of Fine and Applied Arts at Appalachian State University, is currently one of the largest programs on campus, with over 900 students. The department offers concentrations in advertising, communication studies, electronic media/broadcasting, journalism, and public relations.

On July 23, 2009, Honorary Chairman Vern Yip (of TLC’s Trading Spaces, HGTV’s Deserving Design, and Design Star fame), will showcase the winners of the national The Chair Affair™ student design competition at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C….Appalachian students Tucker Wilson, Justin Fox and Jacob Wolfe won a Merit Award for Innovation at the competition. Click here for more…