Centre Focus: Fall 2011
Students in Comm. 466 Public Affairs Reporting spent the Fall 2011 semester focusing on several major events impacting the Centre Region community and on Penn State’s world-class sustainability program, which has been getting high praise from the White House and beyond.
During a half hour “Centre Focus” show produced in the College of Communications television studios, public affairs hosts Gabrielle Ziegler, Phil Rosentraub and Jim Mowery examined several topics.
The show opens with a review the many aspects of the Sandusky Child abuse scandal at Penn State in the Fall of 2011.
The class chose to focus the next segment on the achievements of Penn States world-class sustainability program. This includes ongoing energy-saving initiatives at University Park and at all Commonwealth campuses, as well as the Penn State Energy Innovation Hub at the Philadelphia Navy Yards.
Students also fanned out to cover the tenth anniversary of September 11th terrorist attacks on America. They wanted to see how the public and private sector came together to remember the tragedy. The class traveled to official services at the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pa., and covered several special memorials in the Centre Region.
Finally students explored how local public officials, community members, alumni, and students come together to put on the largest collegiate homecoming parade in the nation. Their reports focus on public safety, 10 years after 9/11, and on a group of dedicated and serious young musicians from the State College Area High School marching band, who believe their annual parade appearance represents the spirit of the State College community. The students also hosted the 2011 parade during a live webcast.
Broadcast faculty member Marea Mannion teaches the course with studio assistance from Television Studio Manager and director Jim Dugan.
