College of Fine and Applied Arts

The Department of Communication faculty and students were recognized with awards at the Broadcast Education Association's (BEA) national conference held last week in Las Vegas, Nevada. Additionally, AppTV, Appalachian State University's award-winning television channel, was recognized as one of BEA's two "Signature Stations," a high honor for the student-run channel.

BEA's "Signature Station" designation recognizes "areas of excellence in the hands-on facilitation of station functions such as philosophical engagement, community involvement, programming arrangement, branding/logo development, student management, volunteer recruitment, and broadcast equipment." This year, AppTV was one of two college stations recognized with this award, coming in second to CitrusTV, operated out of Syracuse University.

“The ’Signature Station’ award for AppTV places Appalachian State and our Department of Communication among the premier destinations to earn a degree in Electronic Media/Broadcasting in the country.  We are very proud of the work our students have produced." -Scott M. Welsh, Ph.D., Department of Communication Chair & Professor 

BEA holds an international Festival of Media Arts competition each year, with awards given out at the national conference. This year, the festival received a record number of submissions, and less than 20% of the submissions were recognized with awards, making this a highly selective international festival.

App State communication students who received awards at BEA's Festival of Media Arts are:

– Conor O'Doherty, Instructional/Educational category – Award of Excellence for AppTV's "High Country Weekend"
– Noah C. Cornelius, Video Sports Talent (Anchor/Host) category – 2nd place

Faculty who received awards at BEA's Festival of Media Arts for their documentary work are:

– Dan "Vallie" Hill, executive producer, and Anne Ward, assistant professor – Award of Excellence in the Mixed/Pedagogical category (teacher-student production) for "WASU at 50: College Radio As It's Meant To Be," a documentary highlighting the first 50 years of WASU-FM, App State's award-winning college radio station. Students on the production crew for this documentary included:

– JC Belfi
– Aaron Bolick
– Amando Chavez
– Charlotte Fonda
– Nate Fordyce
– Ian Lilliston
– Zachary Masters
– Nick Odoi
– Andrei Paras
– Andrew Vogel

"We created a class specifically designed to produce a documentary celebrating WASU's 50th anniversary," said Ward, director of the documentary. "All of us involved with this project worked very hard to share the story of this wonderful college radio station, and it's extremely gratifying to see this work recognized by BEA."

ABOUT BEA
BEA is "the premier international academic media organization, driving insights, excellence in media production, and career advancement for educators, students, and professionals."

The BEA Festival of Media Arts is a worldwide exhibition of award-winning student and faculty works in a variety of categories, including audio, interactive multimedia, scriptwriting, and documentary. It is a refereed exhibition and the perfect time to showcase the outstanding work of both students and their teachers. The goal of BEA is to encourage and enhance creative activities in broadcasting and other forms of electronic communication.

About the Department of Communication
One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Communication at Appalachian State University focuses on preparing students to succeed in the varied fields within the communication industry. The department offers five majors – advertising, communication studies, electronic media/broadcasting, journalism and public relations – and a minor in communication studies. Graduates work in a wide range of positions in media, corporate, agency, government and nonprofit organizations. Learn more at https://communication.appstate.edu.

About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University's College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance. Learn more at https://faa.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University
As the premier public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls more than 20,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

Tags: