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Student media racks up 11 program and 23 student nominations from IBS

Posted February 02, 2018   Print
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GREENVILLE, Pa.-- The student radio and television stations at Thiel College, a leading liberal arts college in northwest Pennsylvania, were nominated for 11 Golden Mic Awards by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System.

The radio station, WXTC 88.1FM, was nominated for five Golden Mic Awards, and Thiel’s student television studio, TCTV, was nominated for six Golden Mic Awards.

The Intercollegiate Broadcasting System is a 78-year-old national organization that supports and recognizes excellence in high school and college student broadcasting. Golden Mic Awards are presented during IBS’s national yearly conference in New York City in March.

More than 2,500 submissions were received this year by the IBS awards committee from high schools and colleges across the country in a wide range of categories, such as sports programming, news, specialty shows, comedy, best interview, and others.

IBS also recognizes student media management with Golden Mic Management Awards. This year WXTC’s Production Director Dan Wagner ’18, of Espyville, Pa., is nominated for the third time for excellence in radio production. He was the national winner in 2016. Gabriella Vapenik ’20, of Strongsville, Ohio, has been recognized as WXTC’s promotions director. This is her first award nomination.

 “I’m really excited! I’ve never had anything like this happen before,” Vapenik said. “I work hard for the station and it’s so amazing to be recognized for it.”

WXTC’s other nominations include:

  • Best Specialty Show: “Brainstorming,” Wagner and Jake Clark ’19, of Jamestown, Pa., producers. Brainstorming is a collaboration between Thiel’s Neuroscience program and WXTC.
  • Best Station Promo: “Classic to Metal” liner; Wagner and Jake Clark, producers.
  • Best Sports Play-by-play, “women’s basketball, Thiel vs. W&J,” Trey Andrews ’18, of Johnstown, Pa., and John Clark ’17, of Morrisdale, Pa., producers.

WXTC has been nominated for IBS Golden Mic Awards for four consecutive years.

“This is huge for us!” said Peg Watts, Managing Adviser for WXTC, and an adjunct professor of Thiel’s Department of Media, Communication & Public Relations. “The competition is fierce for Golden Mic Awards and we’re a small liberal arts college. To be nominated at all really is a big deal. This is student media’s version of the Emmys or Grammys.”

TCTV also made a strong showing. TCTV is nominated for a second consecutive year in production and programming. The TCTV nominations are:

  • Best Sports Program: “Put Me in Coach” S2E2: women’s volleyball, staffed by Shannon Baker ’18, of Corry, Pa., Lucas Blacka ’18, of McKeesport, Pa.; Aaron Hansen ’18, of Oakdale, Pa.; Corey Lang ’18, of Glenshaw, Pa.; Robert Thompson ’18, of Youngstown, Ohio; and Quinn Ursprung ’20, of Bel Air, Md.
  • Best Comedy Program: “Tristan the Animal Psychic,” staffed by Jake Clark, Joe Pouliot ’17, of Linesville, Pa.; Kira Snyder ’18, of Houston, Pa.; and Cody Wagner ’19, of Pittsburgh
  • Best Variety Program: “Just Kickin’ It” - Episode 1 and “Just Kickin’ It” - Episode 3, staffed by Liz Carlson ’17, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; Marcus Dowell ’20, of Buffalo; E.J. King ’17, of New York City, Lloyd Meeks ’20, of Baltimore; Hunter Michaelis ’17, of Farrell, Pa.; Nate Monks ’18, of Butler, Pa.; Shane Young ’19, of Sharon , Pa.
  • Best Talk Program: “Lt. Gov. Mike Stack discusses ‘Pathway to Pardons’,” staffed by Brian Brink ’20 and Danielle Wiseman ’20, of Washington, Pa.
  • Best Program Promotion: “News Engagement Day 2017,” staffed by Blacka, Timothy Jackson ’19, of Glen Burnie, Md.; Wiseman.

“TCTV is thrilled to be nominated for six IBS awards in five different categories. Twenty students were involved in producing these video projects for both class assignments and student-led programming for TCTV,” said TCTV’s faculty adviser Professor Ross Nugent of the Department of Media, Communication and Public Relations.

WXTC-FM and TCTV are both housed in the $6.8 million James Pedas Communication Center, a collaborative learning community where students engage in film, TV, radio, news production and other multimedia-rich experiences that prepare them for today’s information society. The building’s features include sophisticated labs and studios, dynamic classrooms and learning spaces, the Office of Admission and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building certification.

“Professors Nugent and Watts intensively work with a small number of dedicated and creative students to regularly produce excellent programs, promotions, and student leadership performances,” said the Executive Director of the James Pedas Communication Center and Chair of the Department of Media, Communication and Public Relations, Dane S. Claussen, Ph.D. “It’s appropriate, and inspiring, that IBS recognizes the work of our students and faculty year after year.”

Claussen also is the James Pedas Professor of Media, Communication and Public Relations.

Staff members from both Thiel student media are headed to the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City for the 78th Annual IBS Conference and Awards Presentations on March 1.

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Dominick DiRienzo
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 ddirienzo@thiel.edu
 724-589-2188

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