ESU National Broadcasting Society Chapter Receives Honor at Convention in Washington, D.C.

Posted by: admin on April 2, 2013, No Comments

The East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU) student chapter of the National Broadcasting Society (NBS) received “Rookie Chapter of the Year” honors at the NBS national convention in Washington, D.C., on March 23, 2013.  ESU was among seven chapters vying for the award, which is presented to the new chapter that has exhibited exemplary progress in starting its organization on a productive and positive note. Julian Costa, the chapter president, and Colin Passman, fundraising chair, were on hand to accept the award. Costa, a graduate student majoring in media communication and technology, and Passman, a sophomore majoring in media communication and technology from Jamison, Pa., received separate professional honors when they were appointed to the NBS National Student Task Force.

“The national task force is a network of students throughout the society who collaborate on various society-wide initiatives,” said Costa.  “These range from planning for future conventions to providing guidance to chapters in areas such as recruitment and fundraising.  It is a real honor to be appointed to such a great network.”

The NBS convention included meetings, panel presentations, and workshops. Topics included marketing and promotions, sports broadcasting, how to prepare for a first job in broadcasting, alternative careers for electronic media majors, social media, public radio and broadcast engineering.  Presenters included professionals from a variety of media-related fields.

“This is the first year that the NBS has existed at our university,” said Costa.  “We feel a strong sense of humbling pride in our chapter for this award, as it is not every day that we receive such an honor.  As president of the chapter, I am very grateful for the efforts of our members in starting this new chapter on a strong note and developing a positive image for the university at the national level.”

NBS was established at ESU in the summer of 2012.  Chapter membership includes both undergraduate and graduate students in the ESU departments of Media Communication and Technology, Sport Management, Communication Studies and Business Management.  The chapter, which is comprised of six officers and seven student members, is advised by Carl DiNardo, assistant professor and information literacy and technologies librarian at Kemp Library.

Membership in the national organization is comprised of those with a demonstrated interest in the field of electronic media, including web/internet technologies and new media, broadcasting, mass communication, radio, television, cable, and/or film.

“NBS chapter membership at the national level is by no means automatic, and the students involved have not only done an excellent job of getting the ESU chapter off of the ground, but have gone above and beyond in their efforts to ensure this professional club will have a bright future at ESU,” said DiNardo.  “I am continually impressed by what these students bring to the table and their desire to seek out active learning opportunities to augment their classroom education.  They are very deserving of the national recognition this award brings.”

The ESU chapter also includes Christina Ellis, vice president, a senior media communication and technology and applied music major from Royersford, Pa.; Kelly Sindell, secretary, a senior majoring in media communication and technology from Yonkers, N.Y.; Miller Holmes, treasurer, a senior majoring in media communication and technology from Dunmore, Pa.; Tyler Black, communications coordinator, a junior majoring in marketing from Easton, Pa.; Matthew Bertsch, student member, a senior majoring in media communication and technology from Kunkletown, Pa.; Kristopher DeWitt, student member, a junior majoring in media communication and technology from Bangor, Pa.; Robert Economopoulos, student member, a graduate student majoring in sport management from Boyerstown, Pa.; Robert Hic, student member, a junior majoring in media communication and technology from Bartonsville, Pa.; Brandon Johnson, student member, a junior majoring in media communication and technology and computer science from Bethlehem, Pa.; Kevin O’Keefe, student member, a junior majoring in media communication and technology from Hatboro, Pa.;  Kim Roselli, student member, a graduate student in media communication and technology from Brodheadsville, Pa.; Nicholas Tetro, a senior majoring in media communication and technology from Jackson, N.J.;  James Gerlach ’12 (media communication and technology), professional member, from Holland, Pa.;  Ryan Oakes, professional member, a senior majoring in media communication and technology from Milford, Pa.

The members of the ESU Chapter have already demonstrated excellence in their fields, as well as at ESU, through their professional and scholarly achievements. In October 2012, Passman received the Joseph B. Noonan Endowment, a competitive grant awarded through the Student Activities Association at ESU. Sindell is currently serving an internship at News12 in the Bronx.  Black is employed as associate marketer for Morris Black and Sons, Inc., a construction company in Allentown, Pa., and Bertsch is employed as a sports photographer for Christmas City Studios in Bethlehem, Pa.

For more information on the ESU NBS chapter contact DiNardo at 570-422-3584 or by email at cdinardo@esu.edu, or visit http://quantumnew.esu.edu/clubs/nationalbroadcastingsociety/.