Introduces Student News Teams, Opens Dedicated Production Space
For release November 26, 2010
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| CMU student media news team, Laura Tait and Evelyn Kampen, report on campus events |
One of CMU’s more recent initiatives is its Communications and Media program, which made significant strides this fall when CMU introduced a media workshop program and opened its newly renovated media production space.
“Offering a media workshop program, supported by dedicated production space, is a significant step forward,” says CMU’s Communications and Media Instructor David Balzer. “We can now offer the right combination of resources to help students develop a solid foundation through hands-on training.”
Students are formed into in-house “news teams” explains Balzer, which enables students to produce quality reports while also gaining rapidly in expertise and experience.
The students are supported in their course work through CMU’s new media production space, which houses several new Mac computers and a number of new cameras and digital audio recorders that are being harnessed for innovative course delivery.
“CMU’s communications and media program began eight years ago through the vision of Elmer Hildebrand, owner of Golden West Broadcasting and a strong supporter of CMU,” says CMU President Gerald Gerbrandt. “We’re grateful for his support and very pleased to have the program develop to this next level.”
“Elmer Hildebrand saw the CMU program as a means to develop skilled future communication and media practitioners who are also shaped by Christian faith and ethics,” says CMU Vice President External Terry Schellenberg.
Balzer, who produces CMU’s “Sunday at CMU” radio show as well as instructing courses, organized CMU’s internal launch of its new production space and media workshop program in October. The event attracted students, faculty, staff, and friends of CMU.
“This program lets CMU students build authentic portfolio pieces through their course work,” says Balzer. “Our students plan, write, produce, and handle post-production as they develop multi-media news products that are then utilized by CMU’s own communications and marketing department.”
“This program teaches valuable skills,” says Balzer, “while also providing a unique way for people to experience CMU university life through the lens and the stories of our student news teams. Yet, more importantly,” he says, “our vision and hope for this program is to equip and inspire students as creative storytellers in the broader community.”
Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university offering undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music, music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has over 1,700 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).
For information, contact:
Nadine Kampen, Communications & Marketing Director
nkampen@cmu.ca;
Tel. 204.487.3300 Ext. 621