New Media Conference a Big Success!

 

SC State communication majors were joined by students from five other HBCUs for a first-ever media conferenced organized by production director Rolondo Davis and a team of our communication majors. 

The 2026 SC HBCU Media Conference was held in the Stanback Museum and Planetarium. Everyone was pleased with the turnout. Students came from the following schools: Claflin, Voorhees, Morris, Benedict and Clinton colleges. 

The all-day conference featured several speakers including the dynamic Sierra Artemus. 

Artemus has a broad communication background. A University of South Carolina broadcast journalism graduate, she spoke about her years of work at Columbia television stations, behind and in front of the camera. 

She currently is with the S.C. Department of Veteran Affairs as a multimedia coordinator. 

Other speakers were Dr. David Staten, co-founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of HBCU Times magazine, Elizabeth Mosely-Hawkins (SC State Class of 2000), senior director of strategic communications with SC States University Relations office, and Kiera McGowen (Class of 2025). McGowen is pursuing a paralegal studies degree, and then plans to attend law school.  

Impressive speakers we had! 

Shandon Kelly, a junior from Columbia, was among several communications major who assisted Rolondo Davis in the planning and execution of the media conference. 

Talk is that the Communications Program will make this an annual event. 

Meet Communictions Professor Dr. Demi Washington!

 

We were excited this past semester to have Dr. Demi Washington in person on campus after several years of remote teaching as he completed his doctorate degree. His office is in Turner Hall on the D wing's third floor.

One of our Communications students, Alia Goode, did a great job with a profile story about Dr. Washington. It was in my Radio Production class so her blog post includes a link to her audio report on SoundCloud.

Check out Alia's blog post about Dr. Washington.

Also, check Alia's blog "Life with Lia" here. She is a talented writer and content creator. And is the current Miss Sophomore at SC State.

It is great to have you teaching on campus Dr. Washington!

WIS-TV Meteorologist Sheds Light on the Local TV News Business

 

What a treat it was for the Communications Program to have WIS-TV Columbia meteorologist Shavonne "Von" Gaskins speak on Oct. 16! The veteran weather expert, a Palmetto State native, gave sage advice on the ins and outs of the local TV news business. She has forecast the weather for WIS and its viewers since 2010. Here is her station biography.

Among her insightful comments: "Behind the glamor are long hours and deadline pressure. The skills you need are storytelling, connecting with the audience. That matters more than looking good on camera."

Ms. Gaskins included a slide in her presentation showing several SC State communications graduates currently working at WIS-TV.

Thanks go to Andrea Milford-Williams for another outstanding guest in the program's speaker series!

A Sporty Talk from a Sports Information Veteran

 

The wide world of sports offers a segment of the public relations field that many students may not know much about.

Most colleges have athletics teams. In South Carolina, we have Bulldogs (SC State and The Citadel), Cougars (College of Charleston), Gamecocks (University of South Carolina), Tigers (Clemson University), and Paladins (Furman University), among others.

Behind the scenes of these teams are sports information professionals such as...

Romanda Noble-Watson

"Country Girl" Shares Her TV News Success Story

 

"One of my rules is not to say I want to be but to say I'm going to be, so from now on say that." 

Such self-confidence has guided Billie Jean Shaw to a successful television news career since graduating from Winthrop University in 2013 with a mass communications degree. 

The self-proclaimed "country girl from Manning" treated our communications majors to an inspiring presentation on Feb. 20 as part of our Media Professionals Speaker Series. 

A main anchor at Columbia's WIS-TV, Shaw told us she knew early in life that she wanted to work in TV news, telling the Manning newspaper in 2014 that as a youngster, she preferred watching WIS-TV news instead of cartoons.  

"They had a segment, 'Live with Lucas,' she said back then, "where he would go to places all over the Midlands and interview all types of people. I would look at that and think, 'Hey, I want to be on TV. I want to talk to people like that and tell their stories.'" 

College helped equip Shaw with the knowledge, skills and tools to make her dream a reality. She showed us her first "MMJ" report as a Winthrop student. MMJ stands for multimedia journalist, meaning she shot, wrote and edited the package (a reporter story with voice-over tracks, soundbites from people interviewed, and her on-camera standup part). 

May 2024 Graduates: Well Done!

Congratulations to our Spring 2024 Communications graduates! In alphabetical order and photo sequence, they are: Amauri Allen (cum laude), Deatrice Chisholm, Ke'Asia Edwards, Sharlene Luke (magna cum laude), Jared Kirksey (magna cum laude), Jerron Mayes, Delano Whitfield (cum laude).

Amauri Allen (cum laude)

Deatrice Chisholm

Ka'Asia Edwards

Police Social Media Coordinator Shares Career Advice

 

Campus involvement can be the key!

Communications graduate Brianna Simmons, Class of 2016, gave an excellent and insightful talk on March 21 as part of the program's Media Professionals Speaker Series.

The North Charleston native and Fort Dorchester High School graduate is the social media coordinator for the City of Charleston Police Department.

She encouraged students to make the most of their time on campus to better prepare themselves for life after graduation.

"My campus involvement helped," she said. "I was involved with student media, interned at WSSB (SC State's radio station), I shadowed a public relations department. It's really important while you are here to build up your resume and portfolio. Don't be afraid to reach out and ask."

Brianna spoke about, as a senior, meeting on campus U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, a prominent SC State alumnus, and asking him if she could come work for him. The assertive approach paid off, when a few months later she met with the longtime S.C. 6th District Congressman and went on to work in social media for him for two years.