Communications folks contribute to Beatles tribute

School of Communications faculty member Michael Frontani provided program notes and scripting information for "All You Need is Love," the Elon Music Department tribute to the Beatles presented on the Young Commons lawn in front of Koury.

The performance, under the direction of Stephen A. Futrell, was attended by hundreds of spectators, who danced and sang along with a beautifully orchestrated production of 30 of the Fab Four's popular tunes.

Featured singers were the nine-member vocal ensemble Elan, an elite Elon group which includes communications majors Cindy Beidel and Jason Smith.

Special guest artist Andre Mika also performed. Mika has worked as supervising producer of Walt Disney Records and as director of international productions/music for Dreamworks SKG. He continues to produce and direct special audio projects for Steven Speilberg. He also created and produced the interactive television series "The Deadwood Mysteries" for HBO. He is now developing a children's mystery series, "Arbor Springs," for Nickelodeon's Noggin Network.

When Frontani earned his Ph.D. in mass communication at Ohio University, his dissertation topic was, "The Beatles as Sign: The Transformation from Moptops to Gramsian Intellectuals." One of the courses he teaches is titled "Culture of Rock and Roll."

Nelson presents paper at AP regional conference

School of Communications faculty member Tom Nelson presented a paper titled "Reconciling Decency with Doggedness" April 20 at an Associated Press Regional Conference in Newton, Mass.

Nelson was accompanied on the trip to the Boston area by student Nicholas Tashjian.

The presentation keyed in Nelson's experiences in recruiting students and directing them in the production of special TV coverage of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.

"Many students had a difficult time reconciling the intrusive nature of newsgathering with their sense of decency that day," Nelson said.

Padgett to attend seminar on diversity

School of Communications faculty member George Padgett will participate in a seminar titled "Diversity Across the Curriculum" June 2-7 at The Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, Fla. He has been awarded a full fellowship for the seminar.

The seminar promises help participants to move "diversity from the back pages of textbooks and into every lesson plan."

Nelson Poynter, publisher of the St. Petersburg Times, founded the Poynter Institute in 1975 as a school to further his goals and values. It is now known as the nation's top continuing education site for journalism professionals and educators. Poynter also founded and served as chairman of Congressional Quarterly. He died in 1978, leaving the institute he built as a major part of his journalistic legacy.

Martin receives Ella Brunk Smith Award

Communications senior Jaya Martin was awarded the Ella Brunk Smith award at the ODK ceremony May 2. The award, given in honor of the wife of Elon's fifth president, Dr. L.E. Smith, is presented to a young woman in the graduating class who has made the greatest contribution to the religious and moral life on campus. The award was presented to Martin by Elon chaplain Richard McBride.

Student group attends PRSSA conference

Seven Elon corporate communications majors attended the PRSSA conference at North Carolina State University April 26. Kate Brannack, Alaina Rodriguez, Amanda Boland, Holly Edwards, Kathryn Dodd, Idalia Hill and Jillian Thornton were accompanied by Leah Kessler, director of internships and special projects for the School of Communications.