Lincoln, Neb. - Four days after ringing in the New Year, seven news-editorial students, four broadcasting students, two advertising students and four faculty members from the University of Nebraska College of Journalism and Mass Communications will embark on a 10-day excursion to Berlin, Germany.
The goal of the international depth-reporting program at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications is to develop cross-cultural communications professionals. Through international experiences, students explore topics of global impact and depth and create work for broad distribution that delves far beyond the superficial. The student and faculty team will explore the status of German-American relations in a globalized world as focus of the college's latest depth-reporting project.
The team began preparing for the trip during the fall semester. "We started by reading about German history. We also hosted guest speakers, including Wolfgang Drautz, German consul general in Chicago, and Susanna Schrafstetter, UNL associate professor of history specializing in German history. In addition, each of the students did individual research on narrowed topics," said Charlyne Berens, professor of news-editorial.
Tim Anderson, news-editorial lecturer, said that while in Berlin, "students will be reporting out the stories that they came up with, interviewing German government and business officials and German citizens, as well as seeing the historic sights."
The advertising students drafted a strategic communications platform for the promotion of the depth reporting project. Upon returning from Germany the students will spend the spring semester producing a 60-minute documentary and a news magazine.
Barney McCoy, broadcasting faculty member, said that "the documentary has been a wonderful opportunity for students to work in international reporting," and that he has "greatly appreciated the help the German government has provided establishing contacts in Berlin."
As part of the vision to position the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Journalism and Mass Communications as a collegiate leader in international depth reporting, the college offered a combined course focusing on contemporary domestic and global issues in Germany.
"It's exciting to see students from all three majors working so closely together on one project in depth. This is what convergence of media is all about," said Frauke Hachtmann, assistant professor of advertising. Past depth reporting projects have included the Student Academy Award winning documentary "Cuba: Illogical Temple;" Pulitzer Prize nominated "Cuba: An Elusive Truth," "U.S.A. and France: I Love You - Neither Do I," and Sri Lanka - "In the Wake of Catastrophe."
Students participating in this depth report are listed in alphabetical order with hometown and academic sequence.
Rachel Anderson, Grand Forks, N.D., broadcasting
Katie Backman, Omaha, news-editorial
Megan Carrick, Franklin, Tenn., broadcasting
Joel Gehringer, Omaha, news-editorial
Kyle Harpster, Ewing, news-editorial
Katelyn Kerkhove, Omaha, news-editorial
Tiffany Lee, Lincoln, news-editorial
Justin Peterson, Omaha, broadcasting
Teresa Prince, Omaha, news-editorial
Nels Sorensen, Jr., Fairbury, Neb., advertising
Stephanie Sparks, Lincoln, advertising graduate student
Hilary Stohs-Krause, Wauwatosa, Wis., news-editorial
Chris Welch, Dakota Dunes, S.D., broadcasting