Bringing Home the Gold: PNW Weekly Television Program Earns Award

Bringing-Home-the-Gold-PNW-Weekly-Television-Program-Earns-AwardStudent producers of Purdue University Northwest’s weekly television program, The Calumet Roundtable, earned a video production award from the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA) for a recent episode featuring an interview of “Mama” Charlotte O’Neal, a founding member of the Kansas City Black Panther Party.

The program received one of five Communicator Awards of Distinction in the Film / Video / Television category as a Talk Show / Interview. The award is the second received in as many years for The Calumet Roundtable.

The 30-minute interview program focuses on issues in communication and media, politics and scholarly research. Purdue Northwest Communication Professors Lee Artz and Thomas Roach, also head of the Department of Communication and Creative Arts, conduct the interviews.

Airs on Chicago TV The student-produced program airs Thursday mornings at 5:30 on ION Television, WCPX-TV, Chicago. It also can be viewed on YouTube at youtube.com/CalumetRoundtable.

In the award-winning episode titled, “A Discussion with Mama C,” O’Neal discussed what led to her exile from the United States for more than 20 years, and how much her message still resonates today. She also explained how her United African Community Center in Tanzania works with people internationally to project a message of peace.

According to program assistant producer Brooke Kirant, “Being recognized for all our time and hard work is so motivating, and it truly makes the experience worthwhile. We were honored to have Mama C as a guest; it was a wonderful opportunity to learn from such a prominent activist.”

Experiential learning PNW students who produced the program were enrolled in the university’s experiential learning course, “Practicum in Radio and Television,” taught by Associate Professor of Communication Mary Beth O’Connor. Experiential learning coursework—the integration of traditional and real world learning--is required by all PNW students.

“All students who take this course have an amazing portfolio when they leave,” O’Connor said. “Many students who have participated in this class have used their portfolio to secure prestigious jobs and internships.”

Other students contributing to the award-winning program were Miranda Redenbaugh, Natalie Hedrick, Christopher Anguiano, Sewan Kim, Ayana Clark, Kerri Oberc, Mackenzie Covault, Bianca Martinez, Vanessa Matthews, Josh Martinez, Colin Scheub, Kenneth Hill, Rachel Paul, Amanie Foster, Rolanda Crawford, Shianne Lee, Hector Cabrera, Bradley Brooks, Alyssa Cardello, Dustin Pluard, Lucie Ashmore, Abigail Kik, Kelvin Owens and Barbara Burgess.

Those responsible for public relations and marketing were Casey Jillson, Jessica Chavez, Kyle Jackson, David Bork, Spencer Boerman, Daniel Cantu, Nate Haverstock, Katherine Opach, Hannah Hall, Karis White, Natalie Hedrick, Duran Ivery, Cedric Griffin, Arriana Guillen, Raven Burnett, Ve’lari Dorsey, Jack Kiger, Janel Contreras, Michael Wagner, Jill Nowak and Christian Garcia.

Radio/TV Lab Instructor Jake Giles served as editor and technical production advisor.

Purdue University Northwest Purdue University Northwest (PNW), a comprehensive regional university within the Purdue University system, has two Northwest Indiana campuses in Hammond and Westville. With more than 15,000 students enrolled last fall and nearly 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, Purdue Northwest is Indiana’s fifth largest public university. For more information about PNW, visit www.pnw.edu.