Speech Team = Ohio University strong

Scripps College of Communication graduate Ken Klein shares student, alumni and faculty news via social media. He is a volunteer assistant to the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University. Here is his recap of October 2022.

Around 9 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 17, the members of Ohio University’s Speech and Debate team rolled into Athens after an all-night van ride from a tournament in Tuscaloosa, tired but victorious.

A tribute to the University’s ethos, the scrappy speech team:

• Competes well against bigger, long-established programs
• Attracts talent from top high schools
• Personifies a wide range of available career paths (past team member Nancy Cartwright — the voice of Bart Simpson — placed fifth in a national tournament with her speech “The Art of Animation.”)

Senior communication studies major Mackenzie Joseph won first place in persuasive speaking at the two-day tournament sponsored by the University of Alabama. Bobcats took three of the five top slots in that category, with Abreanna Blose and Tori Smith finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

In prose interpretation, senior Soren Starkey won first place.

Speech and Debate team coach and School of Communication Studies professor Jennifer Talbert drives the van.

High traffic on social media

Ken Klein tracks audience engagement generated by his tweets and Linkedin posts. In October, news about Ohio University’s Speech and Debate team generated the highest traffic along with these other posts about Scripps' students, alumni and faculty:

• Ohio University President Hugh Sherman and Scripps Dean Scott Titsworth participated in the grand opening of the new esports facility
• 2021 Journalism graduate Ethan Sands’ commentary on the 2022 World Series 
• 2022 VisCom graduate Josh Duplechian is a senior producer at Trout Unlimited
• Scripps alumni were honored at 2022 Homecoming
• 2017 Journalism graduate Dani Dean presented at a social media summit
• “Scripps Day” at Mason High School
• E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Director Dr. Eddith Dashiell and 1972 Journalism graduate Andy Alexander spoke at a First Amendment forum in Columbus
• Cleveland Magazine profiled 2016 Journalism graduate Kierra Cotton of WKYC Cleveland
• 2022 Journalism graduate Bryan Kurp was promoted at WEWS Cleveland
• #BehindtheCamera… Women of Ohio University document the world

Experiential learning

Standout examples of hands-on learning included:

• 2020 music production graduate Matt Dugan recorded Jordin Sparks’ collaboration with For King and Country on “Love Me Like I Am.”  As a student, Dugan got experience at Brick City Records on campus.
• Student-run newspaper The Post ranked sixth nationally in traffic/engagement.

Alumni authors

• 1977 Journalism graduate Rebecca Fannin wrote “Silicon Heartland” about transformation of the Rust Belt. This is her fourth book.
• 1976 interpersonal communication graduate Chuck Swirsky is the play-by-play broadcaster of the Chicago Bulls. He wrote “Always a Pleasure.”

Mid-term elections

Focus on the Nov. 8 mid-term election highlights the prominence of Scripps-trained photographers, writers and commentators:

• Freelance photographers Maddie McGarvey, 2012 VisCom graduate, Gaelen Morse, 2020 Media Arts and Studies graduate, and Andrew Spear, 2010 VisCom graduate
• 2003 Journalism graduate Phil Elliott, TIME Magazine
• 2015 Journalism graduate Josh Jamerson, Wall Street Journal
• 2022 Master of Fine Arts graduate Haiyun Jiang, Photo Fellow at The New York Times
• 2006 Journalism graduate Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball
• 1994 Journalism graduate Gregory Korte, Bloomberg
• 1977 Journalism graduate Dan Sewell, columnist at Cincinnati Enquirer