Guests & Visitors

Guests and Distinguished Visitors

Here is a partial list of interesting people whom the Communication Department has hosted to help enrich our students' education.

Penn State communication professor John Sanchez, an Apache Indian, gave a department-wide presentation presentation on "News Coverage of American Indians" as part of the Innovations in Creative Expression series of the School of Arts and Humanities (Spring 2008)

Native American journalist Kara Briggs, associate director of the American Indian Policy and Media Initiative, presented a week-long series of workshops and class lectures. One public event included Maurice John Jr., representing the Seneca Nation of Indians. (Fall 2007)

WBNY campus radio observed its 25th anniversary with a series of workshops featuring alumni including Ralph Cipolla of Jacobs Media, Jonathan Cohen of WYNY-TV in New York City, Kimberly Evering of NOVA and formerly AOL, John Russo of Citadel Interactive Broadcasting, and Tom Calderone, general manager of VH-1. (Fall 2007)

As part of the Communication Speakers Series, Professor Raffel hosted a panel featuring New York State Trooper public affairs officer Rebecca Gibbons and  Buffalo News crime reporter Gene Warner discussing their roles in the media-covered manhunt for Ralph Phillips. (Spring 2007)

Henry Ferrini, a New York City film director, screened and discussed his documentary on film-maker Charles Olson in a presentation arranged by Professor Knowles for her TV documentary students. (Spring 2007)

Radio reporters Steve Cichon and Barbara Burns participated in a panel hosted by Professor McCray, discussing their roles in providing on-site coverage of Hutticane Katrina in New Orleans. The panel wa part of the Communication Speaker Series. (Fall 2006)

Communication alumnus Tom Calderone, senior vice president for music and programming with MTV, returned to campus to talk with students in Tom McCray's broadcasting classes. (Spring 2005)

Faculty met with visiting journalists from Europe, including Benedetto Sorino of Italy, and Ms. Hamid, Ms. Messari, Mr. Onal and Mr. Mohagheghi from various locations in Europe. The meeting, arranged through Buffalo Niagara WorldConnect, focused on the role of the media in American life and on the issue of cultural pluralism. (Fall 2004)

Communication faculty and students talked with visiting Russian journalists about media coverage of youth issues, including the media's role in drug education. The visitors included Svetlana Kukartseva, editor of a private television company; Mariya Makhanova, program editor of a broadcasting company; Tatyana Tikhonova, chief editor of a public radio-TV company; and Natalya Aksenko, executive director of a children's TV project. (Fall 2003)

Alumnus John Bobey (1991 Broadcasting) presented a workshop on writing and producing for television and served as guest lecturer in two sections of the COM304 Broadcast Copywriting class. John is a writer/producer for Colin Quinn and is producing a reality game show for the Oxygen TV network. He previously was a writer for Dave Letterman and Bill Maher. (Fall 2003)

Gordon Farr, award-winning veteran TV writer & producer ("The Love Boat," "The Bob Newhart Show," "The Rich Little Show," "That Girl," "The Jeffersons," "Maude," "Doc," "Three's Company") presented a workshop and met with Professor DeWald's classes. He discussed the role of TV writers and producers and how to get shows accepted by the networks. (Fall 2003)

A professor of Native American Studies at the University at Buffalo, Barry White, was a guest speaker in Professor Niman's COM333 Minority Voices in the Media class. (Fall 2003)

Jennifer Whitson (2001 Public Communication) gave a presentation as part of a department Careers Q&A series. She spoke on "Making It in Government Communications." Jennifer is deputy Communication Director for the US House of Representatives Committee on Ways & Means (Democratic Staff). Her presentation was co-hosted by the campus chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. (Fall 2003)

A leader of the Garifuna people of Belize and former candidate for Prime Minister in Belize, Cynthia Ellis, was a guest speaker in Professor Niman's COM333 Minority Voices in the Media class. (Fall 2003)

Michael Koegel, a part-time lecturer, gave a presentation as part of the department's Careers Q&A series. He spoke on "Making It in Broadcasting." He is an Emmy-nominated television writer/producer with Fox, Nickelodeon, Disney and FX. His presentation was hosted by the department as part of the College's Arts and Humanities Month. (Fall 2003)

Three Chinese journalists visited the department : An Shiying, chief international news editor of the Beijing Youth Daily; Zeng Hu, deputy director of the international news department of Zinhua News Agency; and Lin Feng, chief editor of the China News Weekly. They talked with faculty about changes in China during the past 15 years and about the role of the journalist in an evolving political and economic system. They also discussed ethics/law, media coverage, crime and safety vs. protection of individual privacy. (Spring 2003)

Students in Professor Whitaker's classes heard from two international journalists about the rewards and dangers in journalism. Ian Williams, a UN-based British correspondent, and his wife, Anora Mahmudova, a BBC reporter and native of Uzbekistan, discussed working in a profession in which a person can make a difference. Mahmudova said one of her goals is "trying to explain the U.S. to the Uzbeks." Both were critical of U.S. media. Mahmudova said not enough American reporters are overseas. Williams called U.S. cable networks "too superficial." (Spring 2003)

 

Visiting Professors

Here is a partial list of distinguished professionals whom the Communication Department has brought to campus for extended periods of time to teach and work with our students.

Award-winning television producer Tom Fontana was a Visiting Professor, teaching students from Communication, English and Performing Arts. The course focused on the process of literary research leading to the creation of theater productions and then video productions. A 1973 Buffalo State alumnus, Fontana has produced several TV series, including "The Jury," "Oz," "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "St. Elsewhere." He also has written TV films such as "The Fourth Wise Man," "Judas" and "Homicide: Life Everlasting." Many of his scripts and television materials are in the Tom Fontana Collection, part of the Special Collections archives of the College's Butler Library. (Fall 2003)

Western New York advertising pioneer Alden Schutte taught several advertising courses as Executive-in-Residence. A 1963 Buffalo State graduate, Schutte  . He was one of three charter inductees into the Communication Hall of Fame in 1998-99. He is chairman and CEO of the Schutte Group, a leading Western New York advertising agency. (Fall 2002, Spring 2003)

Prior to being hired as a member of the full-time faculty, attorney and journalist Janet Kaye served as Visiting Professor with the Communication Department.