A Virginia resident majoring in communication design, Wu grew up in the DaXing area near the capital city until age 12 and has closely followed efforts to clean up the LiangShui (Cold Water) River.

Judges for the Pulitzer Fellowship, a competitive international travel grant awarded to an ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ student journalist each year, noted that Wuā€™s proposal stood out for its background research and on-the-ground context.

A fluent Mandarin speaker with his own photography business, Wu noted that while air pollution in China receives much attention, less coverage has been given to water quality and to the impact of factory effluent, agricultural runoff, and untreated waste on the regionā€™s rivers, lakes and groundwater. Wu believes much has changed since the conditions he observed in his childhood, when waterways were filled with algae blooms and litter.

ā€œThis is an example of when a community and its officials reach an agreement to improve a crucial resource to their well-being and actually work out a beneficial solution,ā€ he said. ā€œHowever, there are so many towns, especially rural ones, that lack the power, voice or physical ability to improve something as important as a shared waterway.ā€

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is a long-standing member of the , a network of colleges and universities that support the centerā€™s mission to promote journalism on critical global issues. The organization pairs students with mentors and advises student journalists through the reporting and publication phases. Students from the 39 participating campuses travel to Washington, D.C., to present their projects, and campus partners also benefit from professional journalist grantees who visit partner campuses.

Among his professors and collaborators at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network, Wu has earned a reputation for being open to a variety of assignments and for his technical dexterity, said Randy Piland, associate teaching professor in Communication Design.

ā€œEthanā€™s always willing to take on any photo assignment,ā€ Piland said. ā€œHe has a sense for quality. Heā€™s taken it to another level.ā€

Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism, serves as ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s liaison to the Pulitzer Center.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s growing connections within the drone education community came full circle on April 11, when the university hosted the U.S. Drone Soccer District IV Championship in South Gym for the first time.

The event brought together high school teams from North Carolina and Virginia for a fast-paced competition that blends strategy, engineering and flight skills ā€” but for Randy Piland, the moment represented something bigger: the result of years spent building relationships through ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Drone Day.

ā€œIt was not long after drone soccer launched in the U.S. that I became interested in the sport,ā€ said the associate teaching professor of communication design who organizes ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Drone Day. ā€œI learned that Asheboro City Schools had a well-established team, so I reached out and invited them to Drone Day in 2023.ā€

That initial connection grew into a partnership that ultimately led to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ serving as a host site for district-level competition, evolving from a demonstration at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Drone Day ā€” where students introduced the sport to attendees ā€” into a broader collaboration with educators and industry partners.

At a subsequent ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Drone Day last fall, North Carolina State University contributed a drone soccer arena, while students from Asheboro City Schools returned to demonstrate the sport in action.

Those connections ultimately paved the way for ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ to host the District IV Championship after Anthony Woodyard, chief information officer for Asheboro City Schools, approached Piland about securing an on-campus venue. South Gym provided ample space for competition and spectators, along with convenient access for visiting teams. To see the drone soccer action, .

ā€œWhen we launched ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Drone Day, the goal was to create a space where people could learn about this rapidly evolving technology,ā€ Piland said.

That vision continues to expand, with events like the district championship strengthening ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s role as a hub for drone education and innovation.

Piland teaches two courses at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ that explore the growing role of unmanned aerial systems across industries.

Drones and Society: Balancing Innovation and Accountability, first offered as a COR Capstone last fall, examines the technology from multiple angles, including history, ethics and hands-on flight. This spring, Piland launched Drones 101: Takeoff to Career Paths, which introduces communications students to drone operations and their applications in fields ranging from media and environmental research to emergency response.

ā€œT³ó±š feedback we received on the district championship was very positive, and we hope weā€™ll be asked to host again next year,ā€ Piland said.

Looking ahead, the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ professor sees even more potential for growth ā€” particularly in expanding access for local students.

ā€œIā€™d like ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, with some outside financial support, to organize after-school programs here in Alamance County where high school students can get involved in this fast-paced e-sport,ā€ he said.

The six teams ā€“Ā 40 students in all ā€“Ā competing in the championship represented Asheboro City Schools, Wheatmore High School in Trinity, North Carolina, and an afterschool program sponsored by Virginia Tech.

The championship finals featured two Asheboro teams, with both advancing to the U.S. Drone Soccer 2026 National Championship, scheduled for May 18ā€“19 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

A team of School of Communications students has earned national recognition in the 2026 Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) , receiving an honorable mention for its campaign implementation and overall deliverables.

The Bateman Competition is PRSSAā€™s premier national case study competition, challenging undergraduate student teams to design and execute a public relations campaign for a real-world client. This yearā€™s competition featured 46 entries from students representing universities across the country, with 11 teams earning honorable mention distinction. A full list of honored institutions appears below.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s team developed and implemented a strategic communications campaign for ACCESS Newswire, a media monitoring and news distribution service. The research and planning for the campaign began in January. The campaign implementation, conducted from February to March, focused on tactics to promote the companyā€™s new educational program and platform, which provides professors free access so students can gain hands-on experience with press release distribution, media pitching, sentiment analysis and media coverage tracking.

The ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ student team included Hannah Parker ā€™26 (account manager), Sydney Griffith ā€™29, Brooke Menzock ā€™26, Sandy Orozco-Rosaldo ā€™28, Taylor Radney ā€™28 and Grace Wizel ā€™28. Karen Lindsey, assistant professor of strategic communications, served as the teamā€™s faculty adviser and applauded the studentsā€™ efforts.

ā€œOur ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Bateman team spent countless hours in the evenings and on weekends to research, plan and implement the campaign,ā€ she said. ā€œFrom writing a series of thought leadership articles for Substack to facilitating faculty focus groups on and off campus, they created a meaningful campaign that challenged them.

“Iā€™m incredibly proud of how they balanced the demands of their regular coursework with dedication to this competition. The experience produced the kind of work for their professional portfolios that employers want to see.ā€

The competitionā€™s three finalists will present their campaigns to the national PRSSA board and ACCESS Newswire representatives on May 7 to determine the winner.

Bateman Case Study Competition

Finalists:
Montclair State University
Texas State University AdvoCats
Texas State University StarCats

Honorable Mentions:
Brigham Young University – Navy Team
California State University, Long Beach
ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ
High Point University
Kent State University Gold
Louisiana State University
Loyola University New Orleans
University of Florida CommuniGATORS
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of Oklahoma Gaylord College
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network earned 11 awards during the National College Media Conference hosted by the Associated Collegiate Press in San Francisco, March 5-7.

The awards contest included hundreds of entries from college media outlets from across the country. Below is a list of the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ winners.

• Finalist – Online Pacemaker | Staff |
• 2nd Place – Best of Show Broadcast | “ENN Tonight” |
• 2nd Place – Best of Show Newspaper | The Pendulum |
• 4th Place – Best of Show Digital Newsletter | ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network Weekly Newsletter |
• 6th Place – Best of Show Website |
• 6th Place – Best of Show News Story | Lilly Molina and Charlotte Pfabe |
• 10th Place – Best of Show Sports Story | Benjamin Berfield |
• 8th Place – Best of Show Feature Story | Charlotte Pfabe |
• 6th Place – Best of Show Newspaper Design | Sarah T. Moore |
• 7th Place – Best of Show Broadcast News Story | Anjolina Fantaroni | “
• 10th Place – Best of Show Broadcast Sports Story | Monika Jurevicius | “

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students attending the National College Media Convention conference included Evan Cooper ā€™28, Trista Panagakos ā€™28, Megan Walsh ā€™28 and Nolan Williams ā€™28. They were accompanied by Kelly Furnas, senior lecturer in journalism and ENN adviser.

ENN is a student-run news organization covering ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ and the broader Alamance County community. It includes The Pendulum newspaper, ā€œENN Tonightā€ broadcast, elonnewsnetwork.com website, as well as social media accounts, podcasts and newsletters. regardless of their experience level, major or year in school.

The School of Communications community gathered March 5 in Snow Family Grand Atrium for the third annual Spotlight on Inclusive Excellence, an interactive event highlighting projects and initiatives advancing inclusive storytelling and media practice.

The program featured table conversations where attendees moved throughout the space to engage with students, faculty and staff about ongoing initiatives and projects.

Take a closer look at our Spotlight on Inclusive Excellence with our .

Assistant Dean Vanessa Bravo opened the event by emphasizing that inclusive excellence remains a core priority within the School of Communications and across ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

ā€œInclusive excellence is deeply important to us,ā€ Bravo said. ā€œT³ó±šse values have always mattered and will continue to matter.ā€

Throughout the program, attendees explored a range of subjects, including work by student organizations, projects from Live Oak Communications ā€” the schoolā€™s student-run communications agency ā€” student journalism and research efforts, faculty scholarship and coursework connected to the universityā€™s Advancing Equity Requirement.

Other discussions focused on topics such as women in sports, student research featured in academic journals, and projects examining how communications and media can amplify diverse voices and perspectives.

Bravo said the event helped the school community better understand the breadth of inclusive excellence initiatives taking place across the School of Communications.

ā€œThis is a great opportunity to learn about the many diversity-, equity- and inclusion-related efforts happening throughout the School of Communications,ā€ she said. ā€œFrom student organizations and faculty research to journalism projects and alumni work, these efforts demonstrate how our community is engaging these issues in meaningful ways.ā€

ā€œT³ó±š discussions highlighted how quickly the communications landscape is evolving ā€” and why questions of equity and representation remain central to that change,ā€ said Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism and chair of the Inclusive Excellence Committee. ā€œOur students, faculty and alumni are actively examining how media systems shape who is represented and whose voices are heard.ā€

Bravo thanked the faculty members who organized the event through the schoolā€™s Inclusive Excellence Committee, including Ahearn, Young Do Kim, Sydney Nicolla, and Lee Bush, as well as the students, faculty and staff who hosted conversations during the program.

More than 130 students gathered in Snow Family Grand Atrium on March 3 for the Communications and Sport Management Meet & Greet, an event designed to connect ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students with industry professionals, internship opportunities and career insights.

Hosted in partnership with the Student Professional Development Center and the School of Communications, the event brought together employers from across the communications and sport industries. Representatives from organizations including APCO, Capitol Broadcasting Company, Carolina Core FC, SportsMEDIA Technology and the Burlington Sock Puppets met with students interested in exploring career paths and building their professional networks.

For photos of the Meet & Greet, visit our .

A defining feature of this yearā€™s event was the strong presence of ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ alumni, who participated both in person and virtually to mentor current students and share insights from their professional journeys.

Alumni representatives included Shanna Van Beek ā€™12 of APCO and Laker Figueroa ā€™25 of the Burlington Sock Puppets, who attended in person, as well as Jack Taylor ā€™21 of Golin, Catherine Nester ā€™22 of The Walt Disney Company, Lexie Flood ā€™21 of Edelman, Luke LeSourd ā€™13 of NFL Films and Elena Kyriakos ā€™18 of NBC Universal, who joined virtually to connect with students.

Ryan Taube, associate director of corporate and employer relations for the School of Communications, said the eventā€™s alumni participation added a meaningful dimension.

ā€œWhat made this year special is the number of fantastic alumni who participated,ā€ Taube said. ā€œOur alumni always want to give back to current students, and this networking opportunity provided them a chance to speak about their current roles and how ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ prepared them to be successful in a competitive job market.ā€

In total, 138 students attended the event, engaging in one-on-one conversations with employers about internships, entry-level roles and career preparation.Ā The event was coordinated with support from Ross Wade, Amber Moser, Alison Doherty, Kameryn Taylor and Taube.

Participating organizations ā€“Ā In-Person

APCO
Burlington Sock Puppets
Campus Greensboro
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc.
Carolina Core FC
ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ – Athletic Department
ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ – Isabella Cannon Global Education Center
ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ – Office of Alumni Engagement
North Carolina Department of Public Safety
SportsMEDIA Technology (SMT)

Participating organizations ā€“Ā Virtual

Columbus Blue Jackets
Edelman
NBC Universal
Golin
NFL Films
The Walt Disney Company

Students across ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ will soon have the opportunity to test their creativity, design instincts and emerging AI skills in the inaugural Make Your Mark: AI Poster Competition, a fast-paced challenge exploring how artificial intelligence can support ā€” not replace ā€” thoughtful creative work.

Open to students from any academic discipline, the first-time event encourages participants to experiment with AI tools while developing strong visual concepts and design strategies. An optional preparatory workshop on Tuesday, March 31, in Steers Pavilion will give students the chance to refine their ideas and explore approaches before the challenge officially gets underway.

The main competition takes place 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, in Schar Hall, where students will receive a live prompt and have 2.5 hours to design an original 11ā€³ Ɨ 17ā€³ poster. Each submission must combine an AI-generated element with a non-AI or hand-crafted component, while also documenting how AI supported the creative process.

Once completed, the posters will be printed and displayed for public voting during an April 3 awards event from 5 to 6 p.m. in LaRose Digital Theater. Students will compete for $650 in prizes, including awards for the top three posters, a Fan Favorite selected by the audience, and a Judgeā€™s Favorite.

For organizers, the competition represents more than just a creative challenge ā€“ it is also a new example of cross-campus collaboration.

ā€œIā€™m excited about the Make Your Mark: AI Poster Competition for a number of reasons. One of the biggest is that this is one of the first times the Communication Design program has partnered with ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ AI, and itā€™s been a lot of fun exploring how AI and design can complement each other,ā€ said Ben Hannam, associate professor and chair of the Department of Communication Design.

Hannam said the contestā€™s prompt is designed to spark ideas across disciplines and invite students from across campus to participate.

ā€œIā€™m really looking forward to seeing what students create once we reveal the secret prompt,ā€ he said. ā€œIf you drew a Venn diagram, the prompt would definitely overlap with interests in both the School of Communications and the Love School of Business ā€“ but honestly, a creative student from anywhere on campus could walk away with the win.ā€

The competition also highlights the evolving role of AI in creative practice ā€” not as a shortcut, but as a tool that still requires strong ideas and thoughtful design decisions.

ā€œT³ó±š goal of this competition is to give students a chance to experiment with emerging tools while still focusing on creativity and ideas,ā€ said Mustafa Akben, assistant professor of management and director of artificial intelligence integration. ā€œAI can generate images quickly, but the real challenge is developing a concept and translating it into a strong visual. We are excited to see how students interpret the prompt and what they create in a short amount of time.ā€

Sagun Giri, AI Sandbox coordinator, noted that the event reflects a broader effort at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ to bring together faculty and programs exploring how AI intersects with their fields.

ā€œT³ó±š ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ AI Hub works with partners across campus who are exploring how AI connects to their fields,ā€ he said. ā€œMake Your Mark is a great example of that collaboration between the School of Communications, the Love School of Business, and the AI Hub. It gives students a chance to experiment with AI tools, test their ideas, and create something original.ā€

Hannam said the competition ultimately aims to give students a creative outlet while encouraging experimentation with new tools.

ā€œAt the end of the day, this event is all about having fun, flexing your AI skills, and being creative,ā€ he said. ā€œI canā€™t wait to see what students come up with and who emerges as the winners in this head-to-head poster competition.ā€

Three faculty members will serve as judges for the competition: Michele Lashley, assistant professor of strategic communications; Smaraki Mohanty, Doherty Emerging Professor of Entrepreneurship and assistant professor of marketing; andĀ Lana Waschka, assistant professor of marketing.

Ready to make your mark? Complete the online registration form. For additional information, contact Giri at sgiri@elon.edu.

Event recap

Tuesday, March 31, 5ā€“6 p.m.
Pre-event workshop ā€” Steers Pavilion

Thursday, April 2, 5ā€“7:30 p.m.
Live competition ā€” Schar Hall labs and Snow Family Grand Atrium

Friday, April 3, 5ā€“6 p.m.
Awards ceremony ā€” LaRose Digital Theater

The event, scheduled from 4:20 to 5:30 p.m., will feature a dynamic speed-rotation format, allowing attendees to engage in a variety of discussions in 15-minute intervals. Faculty, staff, students and alumni will lead conversations exploring how their work advances access, representation and belonging in the communications and sport fields.

This yearā€™s table topics reflect the breadth of the schoolā€™s work ā€“ from health literacy and neuroinclusive communication to religious diversity, brand activism, student journalism and the influence of algorithms on movie audiences. Other sessions will spotlight undergraduate research, alumni leadership and student-driven initiatives that aim to build a more connected and representative community.

ā€œReaching underrepresented people is the through-line for so much of our work in the School of Communications,ā€ said Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism and chair of the Inclusive Excellence Committee. ā€œT³ó±šse presenters demonstrate how dynamic our field is, and how tapped in ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students, faculty and alumni are to these changing systems and the ways they impact equity in communications.ā€

Complimentary beverages and snacks will be provided.

For more information, contact Ahearn at lahearn@elon.edu.

Table Topic Discussions and Presenters

1. Engaging All Audiences Through Neuroinclusive Communication Practices
   James Holsinger, Executive Director, Koenigsberger Learning Center
2. Live Oak Communications: Rooted In Community
   Hal Vincent, Associate Teaching Professor, Strategic Communications
   
3. Understanding is Power: What is Health Literacy and Why Does it Matter?
   Julie Lellis, Professor, Strategic Communications
4. The Politics of Play: Race, Gender, and Power in Sport
   Lindsay Pieper, Assistant Professor, Sport Management
5. Diversity in the Age of Algorithms
   Sowjanya Kudva, Assistant Professor, Cinema and Television Arts
6. Exploring ReligionĀ in a Diverse Campus Community
   Anthony Hatcher, Professor, Journalism & Max Negin, Assistant Professor, Cinema and Television Arts
7. Faces of the Future: Undergrad Research on the Cutting Edge
   Maddie Bauman ā€™26 & Halli Harwood ā€™26
8. Friend or Faux: The Role of Authenticity in Brand Activism and Advocacy
   Shanetta Pendleton, Assistant Professor, Strategic Communications
9. Alumni Spotlight: A Journalistic Voice for Justice and Clarity
   Robin Adams Cheeley ā€™81
10. Unity in Communications: A Student Initiative to Build Diverse Community
11. International Student Spotlight: Navigating Across Cultures
    Ethan Wu ā€™27 & Bernardo Vargas-Lopez ā€™26
12. Student journalists: Challenging Inequity in the Real World
    Estella Hoye ā€™27 & Cassie Weymouth ā€™26

In his new role, Buck will oversee a portfolio of alumni, parents and friends affiliated with the School of Communications, with a focus on building relationships that support the schoolā€™s academic priorities. He will work closely with University Advancement colleagues to align fundraising efforts with broader institutional goals.

ā€œReturning to the School of Communications feels both personal and purposeful,ā€ Buck said. ā€œAs a graduate of the M.A. in Interactive Media program, I experienced firsthand the mentorship and hands-on learning that make ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ so distinctive. I am honored to now serve as director of development and look forward to building meaningful relationships with alumni and partners to expand opportunities for our students.ā€

ā€œAlan understands the culture of the School of Communications and the powerful role relationships play in shaping the student experience,ā€ said Jonathan Miller, senior director of development. ā€œWith his existing connection to the school and the university, he is well positioned to strengthen our existing partnerships while building new relationships that will advance the schoolā€™s future.ā€

Buck brings more than 20 years of professional experience in multimedia production, broadcasting, higher education and strategic communication. He began his career in television news, working at CBS, WB and Fox affiliates in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. His production and videography work has included projects for the CBS Network, The Weather Channel, The Masters Tournament, the Pittsburgh Penguins and numerous nonprofit organizations. His work as a news videographer earned an Associated Press Award for Best Feature Video.

He later transitioned into higher education, teaching communication courses and leading academic initiatives, including launching and directing a digital communication certificate program. Buck served as an associate professor of practice in communication at Meredith College and taught at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In addition, Buck was selected by the U.S. Department of State as a Fulbright Specialist, serving in Eswatini (Southern Africa) to collaborate on cross-cultural storytelling and media education initiatives. He was also one of four producers nationwide chosen by the Foreign Press Center, part of the Bureau of Global Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, to cover the 2020 elections through its Virtual Reporting Tour. His footage was distributed to U.S. embassies worldwide.

Throughout his academic career, Buck has also led successful fundraising and facilities development initiatives to expand hands-on learning opportunities for students. At Meredith, he played a central role in securing philanthropic support and overseeing the design and build-out of a new television studio, control room, editing labs and podcasting suite. During his Fulbright Specialist appointment in Eswatini, Buck helped secure funding and equipment to strengthen instructional resources for students in the Department of Communication at the University of Eswatini.

Shannon Zenner, assistant professor of communication design, authored a chapter in a newly published textbook focused on journalism and media education.Ā Zenner wrote the chapter titled ā€œTeaching Advertising Creativeā€ for “,” released in January by Cognella Academic Publishing. The book is part of the Teaching Communication series, which offers research-based guidance for instructors developing and refining communication courses.

Edited by Susan Keith of Rutgers University, the volume addresses instructional approaches across journalism, public relations, advertising and media studies. Topics include media literacy, visual storytelling, digital newswriting, broadcast reporting, data journalism, podcasting, public relations strategy and advertising campaign development. The collection also examines teaching about race, gender, media representation and social media engagement.

“Teaching Communication, Vol. 3: Journalism and Media” is available in print and digital formats.

In other recent scholarship, Zenner served as a co-author of a peer-reviewed study examining how Americans attach political meaning to typography, revealing that fonts themselves can function as markers of affective polarization. The article appears in the December issue of Visual Communication Quarterly, a quarterly academic journal.