Kent JMC

Who will lead them?

Picking the next leaders of Student Media can be a difficult task

A mix of nervousness, excitement, confidence and calm was visible in the six students' faces as they went into the conference, one by one, to speak in front of the 7-member JMC Media Board.

These students had come a long way in their college careers since their first year at Kent State, but that day, the Board, comprised of both JMC and non-JMC faculty and students, would decide just how far they'd go.

Interviews for editors of the Daily Kent Stater and the Burr, as well as interviews for TV2's general manager, were held late last semester in Taylor Hall.

Two students applied for each form of media. Having already filled out written applications pertaining to their journalism experience and to their hopes for student media, the students then had to defend and elaborate on their ideas during the interviews.

The interviews were conducted in the following process:

The Board called each student into the room individually. After the applicant gave his or her opening statement, board members asked the applicant several questions about his or her goals for the particular form of student media for which the student was applying.

The student then had the option of giving a closing statement before leaving the room.

The board members, five of whom were voting members, then held a brief closed meeting, during which each voting member named the student whom they thought was the most promising candidate.

The student who received the majority of the votes became the new student media leader,

and he or she was congratulated right away on his or her accomplishment. For that student, the responsibilities of the position began right away.

"They go out and immediately find a staff," Ann Schierhorn, adviser for the Burr, said. "And they don't have much time to put together a staff before the end of the semester. It's pretty exciting."

Jason Gallagher waits for his turn to interview for the position of Daily Kent Stater editor. Photo by Marie B. Ho.

During the last two weeks of the semester, editors of the Stater and the Burr must find a staff of assistant editors, as well as review applications and choose writers, designers and photographers for next semester's publication.

The general manager of TV2 must find assistant directors and prepare for talent auditions, which are held at the beginning of the spring semester.

Although these responsibilities may sound overwhelming, TV2 adviser Gary Hanson said every leader at the station has made it better in different ways.

"We're very fortunate to have strong leaders," Hanson said. "Each student brings so much to the station that it's tough to see them go, but another student is always in the pipeline."

Click here to find out who the new TV2 general manager is - and what that person has done to earn the position

Click here to find out whether the Stater will become a "teaching" newspaper next semester, or one of greater political diversity

Click here to find out why it was so difficult for the media board to decide on the Burr's new editor

Story by Angelique McKowan