National College Media Convention sessions on study/work abroad

Hope to meet many of you at the Associated Collegiate Press/College Media Advisers National College Media Convention in Louisville later this week.

Journalism educators and students who are interested in studying or working abroad should know about two sessions -- one geared toward advisers and one for students. Dan Reimold of College Media Matters, who has taught in Singapore, and I will present at both sessions.

I'll be presenting information about the Institute for Education in International Media (ieiMedia)'s summer programs in Istanbul, Turkey; Perpignan, France; and Urbino, Italy at both sessions. Students in these four-week programs not only study media skills and the local language and culture but they produce online and sometimes print publications about the communities they are living in.

Please tell your students, friends and colleagues and refer them to the ieimedia website (http://ieimedia.com) for more information.

Thursday, Oct. 28
9-9:50 a.m.
International Teaching/Research Opportunities for Journalism Educators
Collins, 2^nd Floor

Many journalism educators dream of teaching or doing research abroad. Where do you find these opportunities? Is there funding? How difficult is it to step away from your regular life -- and then step back in?  Bob Bergland of Missouri Western University, Dan Reimold and I will share tips on breaking into the world of international education.

Saturday, Oct. 30
1:30-2:20 p.m.
Study/Work Abroad Opportunities for Students
McCreary, 3rd Floor (Conservatory/Skywalk Level)
Do you fantasize about becoming a foreign correspondent? Do you hope to study abroad? Representatives of several international programs for students will describe opportunities to study overseas, with a focus on media-related internships and field-study programs. Patrick Armstrong, a student who participated in ieiMedia's Urbino Project in 2009, will share his experiences studying in Italy.

IeiMedia, which has been co-sponsoring programs with San Francisco State University for the past two years, is expanding this year and forging partnerships with Iowa State University, James Madison University and other schools. The organization is also hiring instructors for summer programs abroad. Read more about these job and institutional partnership opportunities.

Interested students and journalism educators can contact me by leaving a voicemail message in my room at the Galt House (502) 589-5200 or contacting me on Twitter @ieimedia.

Study multimedia in Italy, N. Ireland this summer

In case you're wondering why I've posted so little lately, it's because I've been devoting a lot of time to negotiating an agreement between San Francisco State University and the Institute for Education in International Media to offer multimedia study-abroad programs next summer. The deal is done!

In 2009 SFSU and ieiMedia will co-sponsor month-long programs in Urbino, Italy (June 30-July 30) and Armagh, Northern Ireland (July 15-August 16).

Students will be able to earn 3 units of journalism credit through the SFSU College of Extended Learning. Students and recent graduates from all universities and majors are welcome to apply. The application deadline is Feb. 1.

The institute, a pioneer in converged media education, has been taking students abroad since 2001.

The programs in Armagh and Urbino are a continuation of the ieiMedia philosophy of taking students to communities that are off the beaten tourist track, allowing them to immerse themselves in the local culture. Students will learn various aspects of digital storytelling -- including photography, video, writing for the Web, blogging and Web design -- and will produce an online multimedia documentary about the local community (see InArmagh.net and InCagli.net for examples of work from previous years). Students will also study intercultural communication and Irish history and culture (Armagh) and Italian language (Urbino).

The cost of the program is $4,475 plus airfare. For more information and an application for Urbino contact UrbinoProject@gmail.com; for Armagh contact ArmaghProject@gmail.com.

About Armagh, N. Ireland
Situated on the Irish Republic’s border, Armagh is a city rich in culture and history. It was here that St. Patrick reportedly built the first stone church in 445 and two cathedrals in his name still tower over the city. With 15,000 residents, Armagh has a wide range of attractions: museums, national parks, historic castles and houses, a modern theater, a university, Ireland’s only planetarium, and numerous restaurants and pubs. Activities include golf, fishing, bicycling, and hiking. Armagh is served by public transportation and is one hour from Belfast, two from Dublin, and three from Galway.

Classes will be held in the AmmA Centre, a multimedia creative learning centre in Armagh. Students will live in the Armagh City Youth Hostel,a modern facility with private baths. Some meals will be provided, and students will have access to a large communal kitchen, as well as laundry facilities.


About Urbino, Italy
Urbino is a picturesque Renaissance hill town and the capital of the Marche region, a beautiful but little-touristed region of Central Italy. The city’s impressive Ducal Palace houses one of the most important collections of Renaissance paintings in the world. The artist Raphael was born in Urbino (in 1483) and visitors can tour his family home, which is now a museum. Other attractions include a small botanical garden, a medieval church and a 14thcentury fortress offering stunning views of the town and the surrounding hills.

The University of Urbino, founded in 1506, will provide classroom space as well as housing. Students will live in a residence hall; all meals in the university dining facility are included.

Study multimedia in Italy, N. Ireland this summer

The Institute for Education in International Media is still accepting applications for its 2008 multimedia journalism programs in Italy and Northern Ireland this summer. The application deadline is March 15; applications that come in after that will be considered on a space-available basis.

I taught in the program last summer and can testify students had a great time and learned a lot about multimedia storytelling.

Students spend four weeks studying digital storytelling, photography, video and Web design and produce a multimedia Webzine about the local community. (For examples of past projects see InCagli and InArmagh.)

The Italian program is based in Cagli, a charming town nestled in the foothills of the Apennine Mountains. The program has come to Cagli every summer since its founding in 2002. In Ireland, students live and study in Armagh on the Irish Republic's border, two hours from Dublin, three from Galway, and one from Belfast.

The program welcomes students from all universities and disciplines.

Highlights of the program:

* Earn six undergraduate credits (through Marquette University) or six graduate units (through Gonzaga University) in communication
* Study with experienced faculty plus top media professionals (3:1 faculty-student ratio)
* Live in furnished apartments in Cagli or a youth hostel in Armagh
* Combine hands-on professional experience with academic learning
* Travel independently on three-day weekends (additional faculty-guided travel opportunities may be available)

Dates:

Cagli, Italy: 5/27 – 6/24
Armagh, Northern Ireland: 7/22 -- 8/19

Costs:

$4,999 + airfare for 6 undergraduate credits from Marquette University
$6,500 + airfare for 6 graduate credits from Gonzaga University
Prices are subject to change based on market fluctuations.

For info and application visit ieiMedia or email CagliProject@gmail.com or ArmaghProject@gmail.com.