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Student Blog Picked Up

After taking Nicco Mele's Intro to Digital Age last spring, Rebecca Scritchfield started a blog "Balanced Health and Nutrition" at www.rebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com. She was recently invited to be a guest blogger at HealthCommentary www.healthcommentary.org, a blog community (including videos) headed up by Mike Magee, MD, an author and healthcare advocate.

blog post http://healthcommentary.org/public/blog/177913
bio http://healthcommentary.org/public/item/191212

Hopkins Communication Student Named New Professional of the Year

Johns Hopkins Communication Master's student DeAnn Baxter has been named the 2006 New Professional of the Year by the Public RelationsSociety of America (PRSA) New Professionals Affinity Group. The first-ever award was presented on November 13 at the PRSA Conference in Salt Lake City.

Baxter, 25, is a Public Relations Specialist for Pittsburgh-based Michael Baker Jr., Inc. in Alexandria and a student in the JHU Communication program in Washington DC. In 2007, she will start a one-year term as a director of the PRSA-National Capital Chapter.

Baxter graduated Penn State University in 2003 with degrees in Public Relations/Advertising and Speech Communication. She is working full time while she pursues her master's degree in Communication with a concentration in public relations at Hopkins. She credits Hopkins with advancing her career.

The PRSA New Professionals Affinity Group was launched in 2004. With more than 500 members to date, the Group provides programs and services to address critical needs of professionals who are within their first three years of experience.

Lourdes Martinez's Paper Presented at Eastern Communication Association Meeting

Abstract: Despite extensive research regarding teen use of the Internet, little is known about how adolescents choose which websites to visit. No studies have investigated how adolescents' coping-style preferences influence their selections. This paper analyzes the HIV/AIDS link descriptions within the search results of popular search engines to examine the presence of coping variables. A content analysis revealed that HIV/AIDS link descriptions tend to be more problem-focused than emotion-focused. The results confirmed findings of previous research on coping and meta-tags. Based on the results, I predict that teens with a preference for problem-focused coping would find more HIV/AIDS sites relevant to their coping style than teens with a preference for emotion-focused coping. The paper proposes implications for health care professionals and direction for future research. Read the full paper.

Johns Hopkins Student is Subject of Ed Week Article

Brooke Haycock, who calls herself an "actorvist," examines the human dimensions of education policy and practice in her work. She breathes life into wonkish issues, telling the sometimes painful stories behind the data on student achievement, teacher quality, and related issues the Education Trust has long used in its work. Read the full article.

Comments From Our Students

“My attention eventually shifted toward the Hopkinsprogram over competitors because of the flexibility it would give mecareer-wise. The Hopkins programgives students the versatility of working full-time or part-time while takingcourses because normal working hours are always left open. The faculty, as wellas the students, come from varied career and educational backgrounds; I learnedmuch more than I would have had the students been a homogeneous group. Forexample, I took a course in Chinawith students who were from both the communication and government fields,adding a perspective I never would have seen otherwise. Add to thestudent/faculty diversity a varied curriculum that allows for either a broadoverview of communication study or a targeted track, and the program surpassesothers in the area easily.”

-Chelsea Marti

“I chose JHU due to its stellar reputation, convenient location, anddiversity of courses. With a demanding full-time job, the availability ofcourses in the evening made JHU the best option for me. I knew I wantedto earn an advanced degree, but did not want to sacrifice or slow my currentcareer path by becoming a full-time student. While the work-life balancecould sometimes be challenging, the overall schedule was both flexible andmanageable. The program provided me with invaluable experiences, skills,and lessons that I could apply to my job everyday - including a independentstudy in applied marketing and promotion with a professor and vice president ata large public relations firm. I would certainly recommend the program tostudents who want to expand their skills, build new networks of friends andcolleagues, and advance their careers.”

-Elizabeth McFarlane

“Over the many years I’ve been a communications professional,I’ve learned what works through trial and error. When I landed at a companythat encourages professional development, I looked for a program that couldteach me the theory behind the practice. The only program in the area that metmy criteria for a rigorous graduate education was Hopkins.The faculty is a great mix of academics and practitioners who bring interestingperspectives to the subjects they teach.”

“The curriculum offers a mix of courses that provide astrong grounding in communications theory and its practical applications. Theevening, weekend, and online classes make it possible to attend school whileworking full-time. I appreciate the diversity of offerings each semester andhave found it easy to register for the classes I want.”

“The program has already proven its worth at work. I’m usingwhat I’ve learned for proposals, project research, and program development. Mycompany is definitely seeing a return on its investment.”

-Terry Savage

“Going through the Communication program at Johns Hopkins has been aterrific experience for me. I chose Johns Hopkins because of its excellentacademic reputation, and because its Communication program seemed fresh andcutting-edge. I was looking for a program that didn't necessarily expect its studentsto go on to earn a Ph.D. (although this is still a possibility if you find youare interested). I wanted a program that would help me to develop a moresophisticated perspective and that would give me knowledge I could applyimmediately to my job. The program has definitely given me this. I feel I haveacquired knowledge in several years that would have taken me a decade or moreto get on the job. In addition, I have a theoretical basis for understandingwhat works and what doesn't in the context of communication. And now I am moreconfident in knowing how to find information to help me make informed decisionswhen I am presented with a challenge in my job.”

“I am also excited about how the Communication program has opened new doors forme. I entered the program not entirely certain about my career path, and now Iam excited about pursuing new interests.”

-Susana Peinado

“JHU was the perfect program for my busy lifestyle. I was able to keep upwith a 50 hour workweek and still graduate in 5 semesters, because assignmentsand coursework were designed with working professionals in mind. I am proud tohave been part of the very 1st graduating class!”

-Melissa Schwartz