JOUR 414: Advanced Digital Media
Storytelling
2 Units
Spring 2021 – Thursdays – 9-10:40 a.m.
Section: 21268D
Location: Zoom
Instructor: Willa Seidenberg
Office: ANN 205B
Zoom Office Hours: Wednesdays, 1-4 p.m.
https://usc.zoom.us/j/8984583280
Contact Info: [email protected]; office: 213-740-4301
Course Description
This class builds on skills you have learned in previous journalism classes. It is intended to
serve as a showcase of your ability as you prepare to graduate and begin your career.
In this course, students will produce an original multimedia journalism project that requires
substantial research and reporting, and consists of a text story as well as video, audio, stills,
interactive graphics and/or other digital elements. The topic should uncover news or advance
a story for which there is past coverage and be targeted to a clear and specific audience.
This course requires independent thinking and reporting and it is intended to provide students
the opportunity to demonstrate their journalistic skills, ethics and initiative, and reflect on the
role and responsibility of journalists. The reporting should reflect context, analysis and a
diversity of sources, including race, class, ethnicity, gender and class. Most major stories on
topics of significance will have most, if not all, of what some journalists call the “fault lines” of
American society, as defined by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education: race, gender,
class, generation and geography.
This course will also prepare you to distribute your work outside of the classroom. Students
are encouraged to submit their work for publication to Annenberg Media, the Daily Trojan
and/or other media outlets. Annenberg Media guidelines can be found at this link:
for more on how to pitch your work to the campus newspaper.
Finally, this course will explore strategies for job hunting, including best practices for
resumes, cover letters, interviews and choosing the best examples of your work.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will:
● Create a pitch for an original work of journalism that uncovers new information, and/or
advances an already reported story, using diverse and inclusive sources that is targeted
to a clearly identified audience.
● Report, produce, write and revise an original work of longform multimedia journalism
that meets professional standards and uses diverse and inclusive sources and anti-racist
concepts and language.
● Design and execute a WordPress or hand-coded website to present your final
multimedia project
● Research and identify potential jobs, internships, fellowships, graduate school programs
or other opportunities, and create strategies for applying and securing a
post-undergraduate opportunity.
Course Notes
Class sessions will provide an opportunity for discussion and feedback. I will give you guidance
throughout the semester, and your small groups will serve as mini-newsrooms where you will
be expected to give each other honest and helpful feedback and support.
There will be a series of guest lecturers and part of your participation grade will be
determined by how well you are prepared for their appearance (i.e. questions, discussion
points.)
Class sessions will be conducted remotely via Zoom with assignments posted on Blackboard.
All class meetings will be recorded and automatically posted on Blackboard. Please try not to
miss class, as the synchronous sessions are most useful when everyone is there to participate.
However, if you must miss class, it is your responsibility to view the class you missed and catch
up with any work you missed.
As journalists, deadlines are important and they will keep you on track to complete your work
in a timely way. If there is some reason why you cannot meet your deadline, you must contact
me ahead of time.
Attendance in class and meeting deadlines for assignments are important for the learning
experience. Of course, I understand there are times when forces beyond your control mean you
miss class or deadline. Those include illness, family emergencies or a death in the family,
unavoidable travel, internet outages or computer problems. They DON’T include the fact that
you have work to complete in other classes, your parents or friends are visiting you, it’s your
birthday, or optional travel.
Required Readings and Supplementary Materials
You do not have to purchase a textbook for this class. Links to all materials are on the syllabus
and Blackboard.
As journalists, you must become news consumers by reading, watching and listening to news
sources every day. You must follow and be familiar with world, national, state and local news.
As Annenberg students, you have access to free digital subscriptions of the Los Angeles Times
and The New York Times.
Helpful websites:
BBC Social Media Academy: http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/skills/social-media
Media Shift: http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/
Journalist’s Toolbox: http://www.journaliststoolbox.org/archive/mobile-journalism/
NPPA: https://nppa.org
SPJ: http://www.spj.org
NPR training: http://training.npr.org/category/social-media/
NPR Social Media Code of Ethics: http://ethics.npr.org/tag/social-media/
Description and Assessment of Assignments
Multimedia Project
Students will conceive, research, pitch and produce an original multimedia project that meets
the standards of professional journalism. Multimedia projects allow a layered approach to
reporting a story. Students should make a clear and compelling argument for why their project
serves the needs of a particular audience that you have identified, and that it includes diverse
and inclusive concepts and sources.
Your project will be anchored by a text story that has video/audio, photographs and perhaps
interactive elements. You should expect to make multiple drafts of your pitch and your
presentation. Drafts will count as part of the overall grade.
Your project will either be created on a WordPress site (called ASCJcapstone) hosted by the
university or hand-coded using a course template. A link with instructions to your personalized
site and handle will be emailed to you early in the semester, and help will be available from the
Annenberg Digital Lounge.
Job search strategy
Students will research potential jobs, fellowships or graduate school paths, and create a
strategy for pursuing these opportunities, including an evaluation of your online and social
presence, updating your resume, writing a cover letter. You will also practice interviewing and
networking skills.
Student presentations and discussion
Each student will give a presentation analyzing a work of original multimedia journalism
published by a professional news outlet. The student doing the presentation will lead the class
in a discussion about the project. The presenting student will submit a written analysis or
PowerPoint presentation and discussion questions posed to classmates.
Reading responses
You will be assigned readings that will help you with your multimedia project and allow you to
reflect on your role and responsibility as a journalist. When indicated, you will write a few lines
that give your response to the reading.
Grading Breakdown of Grade
Grading Scale
Grading Standards
Journalism
All assignments will be edited on a professional basis and you will be judged first on the
accuracy, fairness and completeness of your stories. You will then be evaluated for broadcast
style, editing, production value, originality and the ability to meet deadlines.
“A” stories are accurate, clear, comprehensive stories that are well written and require only
minor copyediting (i.e., they would be aired or published). Video work must also be shot and
edited creatively, be well paced and include good sound bites and natural sound that add
flavor, color or emotion to the story.
Assignment
% of Grade
Pitch
5%
Story presentation/reading responses/misc.
10%
Resume/cover letter/mock interview
10%
Text, digital and video and/or audio drafts
25%
Final project
40%
Participation
10%
TOTAL
100%
95% to 100%: A
80% to 83%: B-
67% to 69%: D+
90% to 94%: A-
77% to 79%: C+
64% to 66%: D
87% to 89%: B+
74% to 76%: C
60% to 63%: D-
84% to 86%: B
70% to 73%: C-
0% to 59%: F
“B” stories require more than minor editing and have a few style or spelling errors or one
significant error of omission. For video, there may be minor flaws in the composition of some
shots or in the editing. Good use of available sound bites is required.
“C” stories need considerable editing or rewriting and/or have many spelling, style or omission
errors. Camera work and editing techniques in video stories are mediocre or unimaginative, but
passable. Sound bites add little or no color - only information that could be better told in the
reporter’s narration.
“D” stories require excessive rewriting, have numerous errors and should not have been
submitted. Camera work is unsatisfactory or fails to show important elements.
“F” stories have failed to meet the major criteria of the assignment, are late, have numerous
errors or both. Your copy should not contain any errors in spelling, style, grammar and facts.
Any misspelled or mispronounced proper noun will result in an automatic “F” on that
assignment. Any factual error will also result in an automatic “F” on the assignment. Accuracy is
the first law of journalism. The following are some other circumstances that would warrant a
grade of “F” and potential USC/Annenberg disciplinary action:
• Fabricating a story or making up quotes or information.
• Plagiarizing a script/article, part of a script/article or information from any source.
• Staging video or telling interview subjects what to say.
• Using video shot by someone else and presenting it as original work.
• Shooting video in one location and presenting it as another location.
• Using the camcorder to intentionally intimidate, provoke or incite a person or a group
of people to elicit more “dramatic” video.
• Promising, paying or giving someone something in exchange for doing an interview
either on or off camera.
• Missing a deadline.
Grading Timeline
Assignments will generally be reviewed within a week after they are due. All content MUST be
revised based on the instructor and classmates’ feedback. The grades for all assignments will
be entered on Blackboard. If you have not received a grade or email about your assignment in
a timely manner, please email me. If you do not hand in your work on the due date, I cannot
guarantee the same timely response.
Assignment Rubrics
The criteria I use to grade each assignment will be provided with the assignment instructions.
NOTE: Part of your grade will be based on how well you follow instructions which are clearly
laid out in the assignment sheets and whether you stay timely with your assignments.
Assignment Submission Policy
All assignments MUST be turned in ON THE DUE DATE. Assignments must be uploaded to
Blackboard by 9 am on the date in which it is due. If you have extenuating circumstances why
you cannot turn in your work on the due date, YOU MUST NOTIFY ME IN ADVANCE.
Extenuating circumstances could include illness, sources cancelling a scheduled interview at the
last minute or other conflicts, but if you do not inform me of the reason ahead of time, a late
assignment may be penalized half a grade. If the assignment is more than a week late without
informing me as to the reason, a full grade will be taken off the final grade. If the assignment is
more than four weeks late without informing me, your grade will suffer even more.
Specifics on what to turn in for your assignments and how to label them will be detailed on the
assignment sheets. For any text assignments, such as essays or scripts, please submit in
Microsoft Word format.
Laptop Policy
All undergraduate and graduate Annenberg majors and minors are required to have a PC or
Apple laptop that can be used in Annenberg classes. Please refer to the Annenberg Digital
Lounge for more information. To connect to USC’s Secure Wireless network, please visit USC’s
Information Technology Services website.
Add/Drop Dates for Session 001 (15 weeks: 1/15/2021 – 4/30/2021; Final Exam Period:
5/5-12/2021)
Friday, February 5: Last day to register and add classes for Session 001
Friday, February 5: Last day to drop a class without a mark of “W,” except for Monday-only
classes, and receive a refund for Session 001
Tuesday, February 9: Last day to drop a Monday-only class without a mark of “W” and receive a
refund for Session 001
Friday, March 5: Last day to drop a course without a mark of “W” on the transcript for Session
001. Mark of “W” will still appear on student record and STARS report and tuition charges still
apply. [Please drop any course by the end of week three (or the 20 percent mark of the
session) to avoid tuition charges.]
Friday, March 5: Last day to change pass/no pass to letter grade for Session 001. [All major and
minor courses must be taken for a letter grade.]
Friday, April 9: Last day to drop a class with a mark of “W” for Session 001
Course Schedule: A Weekly Breakdown
Important note to students:
Be advised that this syllabus is subject to change - and probably
will change - based on the progress of the class, news events, and/or guest speaker availability.
Due dates
In-Class Topics
Readings and Homework for the following
week.
Please refer to Blackboard for full
assignment details
Week 1
January 21
*Intros
*Syllabus review
*Multimedia requirements
*Reading/watching/listening
responses
*Class presentations -- sign up
1. Start working on the short pitch using the
template on Blackboard. Pitch due Week 3.
2. Read over the assignment sheet for
student presentations in class.
3. Read Overcoming Bias
, Chap 3:
Encountering the News. p. 33-49. On
Blackboard.
4. Click here for the assignment sheet on
reading responses.
Week 2
January 28
Due:
Reading
response
*Student presentation to the class
*Pitching a multimedia story
*Guest speaker: Brian Frank, digital
news producer at LAist/KPCC
*Avoiding bias in story selection
1. Continue working on your short pitch. Due
next week.
2. Read Journalism Essentials (American
Press Institute)
What makes a good story? (on this page, on
the left menu you will see the following links
to read, but they are also linked below)
Good stories are important and interesting
Boring versus engaging stories
Good stories prove their relevance to the
audience
Good stories have strong central characters
Good stories use detail
Good stories connect to deeper themes
Good stories explore tensions
Good stories capture emotions
Good stories provide context
Good stories surprise the reader
Good stories empower the reader
3. In your reading response, write THREE
points that stood out to you and will be
helpful in your text story. Bring the list to
class (and upload the response to BB).
Week 3
February 4
Due:
-Short pitch
-Three points
from the reading
*Student presentation to the class
*In-class pitching
*Discussion of writing and reporting
1. Using this template, write a longer pitch
for your multimedia project. Due next week.
2. Read “How to successfully pitch The New
York Times (or, well, anyone else)” by Tim
Herrera on Neiman Lab. (no response
needed on this one)
3. Read James G. Robinson, The Audience
in the Mind’s Eye: How Journalists Imagine
Their Readers, from the Tow Center for
Digital Journalism
Week 4
February 11
Due:
-Draft of long
pitch
-Response to
The Audience in
the Mind’s Eye
reading
*Student presentation to the class
*Discussion about audience
*Discussion about long pitches
*Sign up for one-on-one meeting
*Explanation of job hunting
homework
1. Meet with me one-on-one to discuss your
pitch.
2. Revise your pitch based on your classmates
and my feedback.
3. Schedule an appointment with Annenberg
career services to go over your resume,
LinkedIn profile and cover letter template.
Read “Our reckoning with racism,” Sept. 27,
2020. Los Angeles Times
. Read at least three
of the six segments.
Week 5
February 18
Due:
-Revised pitch
-Response to
“Our reckoning
with racism”
*Student presentation to the class
*Discussion of reading
*In class work on production plan
for multimedia projects
1. Write a detailed outline for your text piece.
2. Read API,
How to organize a story
4 questions to find a focus for your
story
3 story structures
8 paths to defining a storytelling
approach
How to compose a narrative on
deadline
The Black Box system for organizing a
story
NO READING RESPONSE NEEDED THIS
WEEK.
Week 6
February 25
Due:
Text piece
outline
*Student presentation to the class
*Creating compelling visuals
*Guest speaker: Shawna Thomas,
formerly of NBC, CBS, Vice and
Quibi
1. Start writing a first draft of your text piece.
Due Week 8.
2. Read Lewis Raven Wallace, The View From
Somewhere, Chapter 4 “Drowning in Facts”
p. 67-80. On Blackboard.
3. Read “The Wage Warrior” by Hillel Aaron,
LA Weekly, Dec. 23, 2013
Week 7
March 4
Due:
-Reading
response
*Student presentation to the class
*Developing your journalistic voice
and the great objectivity in
journalism debate
Guest speaker: Freelance journalist
Hillel Aaron
*In-class editing on draft text pieces
1. Schedule a midterm one-on-one meeting
with me.
2. Read “Fake or Real? How to Self-Check the
News and Get the Facts” by Wynne Davis on
npr.org. Dec. 5, 2016
3. Read
http://www.annenbergdl.org/tag/web-desig
n/ and
https://www.canva.com/learn/design-eleme
nts-principles/
Week 8
March 11
Due:
First draft of text
piece
*Student presentation to the class
*WordPress instruction with Josh
Logan, Annenberg Digital Lounge
1. Prepare a rough draft of your multimedia
project using the template on Blackboard.
2. Revise your text piece. You have until
Week 12, April 8, to turn in your revision.
NOTE: this is a hard deadline and you will be
graded on this draft.
3. Read one of the stories on Why We Need
the Media: curated by Margaret Sullivan.
Week 9
March 18
Due:
First draft of
multimedia
project
*Student presentation to the class
*In-class review of multimedia
drafts
*Discussion of digital elements
1. Prepare a rough cut of your video/audio.
Bring a hard copy to class of your script, if
there is narration.
2. Read How to Write a Cover Letter
How to write a killer cover letter
Your Ultimate Guide to Answering the Most
Common Interview Questions
NO READING RESPONSE NEEDED THIS WEEK
Week 10
March 25
Due:
-Rough cut of
video/audio
*Student presentation to the class
*Interviewing for jobs
Guest speaker: Keiko Morris, Wall
Street Journal, Newsroom Talent
Editor
*Review of video/audio rough cuts
1. Rough mock-up of your website page
2. Sign up for your mock interview. You must
submit your resume and cover letter BEFORE
next week.
NO READING THIS WEEK.
Week 11
April 1
Due:
Rough mock-up
of website
*Student presentation to the class
*Mock interviews with guest
interviewer
1.Prepare a rough draft of your digital
element(s)
2.Read Bearing Witness While Black
by Allissa
Richardson, Chapter 2 “The Origins of Bearing
Witness While Black” p. 23-44
Week 12
April 8
Due:
-Revised text
piece
-Rough draft of
digital element
*Student presentation to the class
*The world of freelancing
*Guest speaker: Brian Carter,
freelancer reporter for the Los
Angeles Sentinel and others
1. By next week, you should have an update
of all of your multimedia elements.
2. Read “Journalism Has Been Disrupted. Can
Product Thinking Save It?” by Meredith Gallo,
Knight Lab. 11/9/2020.
Week 13
April 15
Due:
Update of
multimedia
elements
*Student presentation to the class
* Disruption in journalism
*Guest speaker: Richard Rushfield,
editor of The Ankler newsletter
1. Over the next two weeks you should have
revisions done on all of your elements. ALL
DRAFTS MUST BE HANDED IN BY APRIL 29 on
the last class or you will receive an F for your
drafts.
Policies and Procedures
Additional Policies
Attendance
You should make every effort to attend class sessions. Please do not schedule interviews or
other appointments during class time. If you have an unavoidable reason why you cannot join
class, please notify me ahead of time. If you miss class, you are responsible for watching the
Zoom recording.
Class/Zoom Etiquette
Remote classes can be challenging so it is important for us to follow some basic guidelines:
1. Log-in to the class session via the link on Blackboard.
2. Be respectful of your classmates and me by not joining class late.
3. I encourage you to keep your video on during class. It’s a much nicer experience for
everyone to see faces rather than just your name, but if there is a reason you prefer not to
be “on camera,” let me know privately. You may use a virtual background, but try to make
it one that is not too busy. If your internet connection becomes unstable, there may be
times when you need to disable the video.
4. Keep your audio muted when you are not speaking to minimize background noise. You can
raise your digital hand on Zoom or unmute yourself if you want to ask a question or
comment.
5. Find a comfortable and non-distracting place from which to join the class.
6. It can be difficult to pay attention during a Zoom class, but please avoid checking your mail
or other distractions during class time. We will take frequent short breaks throughout the
class session, so there will be times when you can use the restroom, get food or check your
email or social media.
7. Feel free to have food or drinks during class.
Discussion Etiquette
Week 14
April 22
NO CLASS
USC WELLNESS DAY
Week 15
April 29
Due
Draft of your
multimedia
project
*Class evaluations
*Review of expectations for final
project
Sign up to meet with me one-on-one to edit
your projects.
FINAL EXAM
Tuesday, May 11
8-10 a.m.
Final projects are due on this date.
We will meet during the exam time
to review your projects.
1. Class critiques are a crucial part of learning and making your audio stories the best they can
be. Please listen attentively to your classmates’ stories when they are played in class and
offer constructive comments.
2. You all bring a unique perspective to the class and I urge all of you to participate in class
discussions and critiques with honest, yet respectful comments. Class discussions are much
more interesting and robust when everyone contributes.
3. Always ask questions if you don’t understand something or need more clarification, but
please make sure you don’t dominate the discussion and you allow others the opportunity
to speak.
Reporting Etiquette
It is your decision whether you want to do any in-person reporting in this class. I don’t
encourage it, given the dangers of the Covid-19 virus, but I recognize that some of you may
want to do it. Guidelines for best practices reporting in-person during the pandemic are
included in the class packet. If you do choose to report on-the-ground, you should act
professionally and ethically. See the RTNDA Code of Ethics and the Annenberg Media Code of
Conduct, including appropriate dress code when you are reporting.
Communication
You are welcome and encouraged to contact me outside of class if you have questions,
concerns or suggestions. If you want to meet with me in person outside of Zoom student office
hours, email me some suggested days and times. Email is the best form of communication for
me and I usually respond within a day. If you do not hear from me promptly, please email me
again. I will also provide my cell phone number, but please only text or call at night or on
weekends if it’s urgent and can’t wait.
Internships
The value of professional internships as part of the overall educational experience of our
students has long been recognized by the School of Journalism. Accordingly, while internships
are not required for successful completion of this course, any student enrolled in this course
that undertakes and completes an approved, non-paid internship during this semester shall
earn academic extra credit herein of an amount equal to 1 percent of the total available
semester points for this course. To receive instructor approval, a student must request an
internship letter from the Annenberg Career Development Office and bring it to the instructor
to sign by the end of the third week of classes. The student must submit the signed letter to the
media organization, along with the evaluation form provided by the Career Development
Office. The form should be filled out by the intern supervisor and returned to the instructor at
the end of the semester. No credit will be given if an evaluation form is not turned into the
instructor by the last day of class. Note: The internship must be unpaid and can only be applied
to one journalism or public relations class.
Statement on Academic Conduct and Support Systems
a. Academic Conduct
Plagiarism
Plagiarism – presenting someone else’s ideas as your own, either verbatim or recast in your
own words – is a serious academic offense with serious consequences. Please familiarize
yourself with the discussion of plagiarism in SCampus
in Part B, Section 11, “Behavior Violating
University Standards” policy.usc.edu/scampus-part-b. Other forms of academic dishonesty are
equally unacceptable. See additional information in SCampus
and university policies on
scientific misconduct, policy.usc.edu/scientific-misconduct.
USC School of Journalism Policy on Academic Integrity
The following is the USC Annenberg School of Journalism’s policy on academic integrity and
repeated in the syllabus for every course in the school:
“Since its founding, the USC School of Journalism has maintained a commitment to the highest
standards of ethical conduct and academic excellence. Any student found plagiarizing,
fabricating, cheating on examinations, and/or purchasing papers or other assignments faces
sanctions ranging from an ‘F’ on the assignment to dismissal from the School of Journalism. All
academic integrity violations will be reported to the office of Student Judicial Affairs &
Community Standards (SJACS), as per university policy, as well as journalism school
administrators.”
In addition, it is assumed that the work you submit for this course is work you have produced
entirely by yourself, and has not been previously produced by you for submission in another
course or Learning Lab, without approval of the instructor.
b. Support Systems
Counseling and Mental Health - (213) 740-9355 – 24/7 on call
studenthealth.usc.edu/counseling
Free and confidential mental health treatment for students, including short-term
psychotherapy, group counseling, stress fitness workshops, and crisis intervention.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1 (800) 273-8255 – 24/7 on call
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24
hours a day, 7 days a week.
Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention and Services (RSVP) - (213) 740-9355(WELL), press
“0” after hours – 24/7 on call
studenthealth.usc.edu/sexual-assault
Free and confidential therapy services, workshops, and training for situations related to
gender-based harm.
Office of Equity and Diversity (OED)- (213) 740-5086 | Title IX – (213) 821-8298
equity.usc.edu, titleix.usc.edu
Information about how to get help or help someone affected by harassment or discrimination,
rights of protected classes, reporting options, and additional resources for students, faculty,
staff, visitors, and applicants. The university prohibits discrimination or harassment based on
the following protected characteristics
: race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex,
gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, physical disability, medical
condition, mental disability, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information, and
any other characteristic which may be specified in applicable laws and governmental
regulations. The university also prohibits sexual assault, non-consensual sexual contact, sexual
misconduct, intimate partner violence, stalking, malicious dissuasion, retaliation, and violation
of interim measures.
Reporting Incidents of Bias or Harassment - (213) 740-5086 or (213) 821-8298
usc-advocate.symplicity.com/care_report
Avenue to report incidents of bias, hate crimes, and microaggressions to the Office of Equity
and Diversity |Title IX for appropriate investigation, supportive measures, and response.
The Office of Disability Services and Programs - (213) 740-0776
dsp.usc.edu
Support and accommodations for students with disabilities. Services include assistance in
providing readers/notetakers/interpreters, special accommodations for test taking needs,
assistance with architectural barriers, assistive technology, and support for individual needs.
USC Campus Support and Intervention - (213) 821-4710
campussupport.usc.edu
Assists students and families in resolving complex personal, financial, and academic issues
adversely affecting their success as a student.
Diversity at USC - (213) 740-2101
diversity.usc.edu
Information on events, programs and training, the Provost’s Diversity and Inclusion Council,
Diversity Liaisons for each academic school, chronology, participation, and various resources for
students.
USC Emergency - UPC: (213) 740-4321, HSC: (323) 442-1000 – 24/7 on call
dps.usc.edu, emergency.usc.edu
Emergency assistance and avenue to report a crime. Latest updates regarding safety, including
ways in which instruction will be continued if an officially declared emergency makes travel to
campus infeasible.
USC Department of Public Safety - UPC: (213) 740-6000, HSC: (323) 442-120 – 24/7 on call
dps.usc.edu
Non-emergency assistance or information.
Annenberg Student Success Fund
https://annenberg.usc.edu/current-students/resources/additional-funding-resources
The Annenberg Student Success Fund is a donor-funded financial aid account available to USC
Annenberg undergraduate and graduate students for non-tuition expenses related to extra-
and co-curricular programs and opportunities.
Breaking Bread Program [undergraduate students only]
https://undergrad.usc.edu/faculty/bread/
The Breaking Bread Program is designed to provide individual undergraduate students with an
opportunity to meet and have scholarly discussions with faculty members outside of the normal
classroom setting. Through this program, students and faculty enjoy good company and great
conversation by literally “breaking bread” over a meal together and USC will pick up the tab!
Your meal event can take place anywhere outside of the normal classroom setting. Your venue
can be a restaurant or eatery on or off-campus.
About Your Instructor
I have worked in broadcast journalism for … let’s just say a lot of years. Like many journalists, I
began my career on the college newspaper, but quickly discovered my true passion was public
radio. I worked at community radio station WYSO-FM in Yellow Springs, Ohio; WBUR-FM and
WGBH-FM in Boston and as a freelance radio reporter. In Boston, I made the switch to
television news at WBZ-TV. At the same time, I worked on an independent project with my
husband, photographer William Short. We published the oral history/photography book, A
Matter of Conscience: GI Resistance During the Vietnam War
in 1992. We followed that up
with another oral history/photo project called Memories of the American War: Stories From
Viet Nam.
I moved to Los Angeles in 1992 and worked at KCAL-TV. I came to USC in 2000 as
Associate Director of Annenberg TV News. I launched Annenberg Radio News in the fall of
2007, and in 2008, I co-founded Intersections South LA.
Finally, I too am a student as I am
pursuing a master’s in Heritage Conservation in USC’s School of Architecture.
Please see Blackboard for a copy of my Teaching Philosophy.
