Alvin Adams, pictured in these photos, was one of the first African American graduates of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.The Alvin Adams Symposium honors the heritage of an important journalist from Ohio University./ Photos courtesy of the Alvin Adams Collection.
Adams, who grew up just miles away from the Athens campus, was one of the first African American graduates of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Adams immersed himself in the Civil Rights Movement as both a journalist and activist while working for the Chicago Defender and Jet magazine.
Adams also used his research and writing skills to document his family’s history in southeastern Ohio. This historical collection includes emancipation papers and other artifacts from the early 1800s.
The Alvin Adams Symposium is an opportunity to highlight the work of one man who centered African Americans within the greater narrative of this country’s history while inspiring others to build on that legacy.
All events are free and open to the public!
Friday, September 13, 2019
9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
“The Alvin Adams Story” Schoonover (SCHN) 145
Join members of the Adams family, former colleague Howard Roweof the Illinois Power Company, and retired Ohio University professor Dr. Vibert Cambridge for a conversation about Alvin Adams, hosted by Matt Barnes, BSJ '08.
Members of the Adams family:
- Ada Woodson Adams,wife
- Dr. Amelia Marie Adams,daughter
- Alvin Clay Adams, III,son
- Kathy Marie Adams,daughter-in-law
- Kristen Marie Adams,granddaughter
- Alvin Clay Adams, IV,grandson
- Jessie Workman,sister
Many additional extended family members were also in attendance.
Matt Barnes, BSJ '08
Matt Barnes is the morning co-anchor of NBC4 Today in Columbus, Ohio, where he interned in 2007 and has been on staff since 2010.
He is a graduate of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, graduating cum laude with a degree in broadcast journalism. While a student, he worked for WOUB’s Gridiron Glory and won a student production Emmy.
Matt has also worked at WRDW-TV in Augusta, Ga. He is active in the community of his native Columbus, volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House and area schools.
Dr. Vibert Cambridge
Dr. Vibert Cambridge retired from Ohio University in fall 2017 after 24 years of service. In addition to serving as a professor in the School of Media Arts & Studies, he also served as associate director of the school from 1993 to 2005, director of Communication and Development Studies from 1996 to 2000, and chair of the Department of African American Studies from 2000 to 2006.
Dr. Cambridge worked to preserve Guyanese culture, particularly relating to folk music and the creativity of the country’s people. At OHIO, he taught courses in communication for social change and international communication. He is the author of several books, book chapters and journal articles. He has presented his research at conferences in Barbados, Canada, Eritrea, Estonia, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Jamaica, Malaysia South African, and Turkmenistan.
He was awarded Guyana’s Golden Arrow of Achievement (2016) for “dedicated involvement in contributing to the preservation of Guyanese culture in Guyana and in the diaspora,” as well as awards and recognitions from the Guyana Folk Festival for outstanding contribution to Guyana’s culture and heritage (2005), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Ohio University Chapter (2005), A Netherlands Entertainment-Education Foundation (NEEF), Amsterdam (2000).
LIVE STREAM & ARCHIVE:
11:50 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
“Taking the Alvin Adams Story to the Screen” SCHN 145
Join Kyle Bowser, BSC ’80,producer of “Trial By Jury: The ’N’ Word” for a creative development “how to” workshop on how Alvin Adams story might be told in a production.
Kyle Bowser has worked as an entertainment industry executive for more than three decades. His experience spans the areas of film, television, music, theater, radio, and digital media. A native of Philadelphia, Bowser earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio University in Radio/Television Communications, where he serves on the Scripps College Dean’s Advisory Council, and his Juris Doctor degree from Widener University School of Law.
Bowser lives in Los Angeles where he produces multimedia content, and where he helped to establish the Scripps College OHIO-in-LA program, an immersive work/study course for OU students pursuing careers in the entertainment industry.
LIVE STREAM & ARCHIVE:
2 - 3 p.m.
Scripps Open House Schoonover Center for Communication
Lasher Learning Center, Schoonover Center 130, will serve as home base with fellowship, refreshments and tours. This Black Alumni Reunion event is open to all Scripps College of Communication alumni, students, faculty and staff. Friends are also welcome.
3 - 5 p.m.
“Telling OUr Stories, Building OUr Futures” SCHN 145
This alumni panel discussion will highlight successful communication careers and detail some of the many paths to various professions. This session will be moderated by School of Visual Communication senior Micah Fluellen.
Micah Fluellen, a senior at Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication, is studying multimedia design and journalism while working as a motion graphics designer for WOUB Public Media.
From Columbus, Ohio, Micah’s journey in creative storytelling started at his alma mater Columbus Alternative High School with his first digital arts classes. Micah has worked as a creative visual arts intern in Washington, DC, for a youth public health advocacy program, and has also been a visual promotions intern at C-SPAN. During his time at OHIO, he has visually contributed to organizations such as ACRN, WOUB, AVW films, and The Study and Application of Spray Paint, a student-run organization through Ohio University that seeks to educate and include anyone that feels uncertain of their artistic abilities, as a digital designer and creative content promoter.
Micah is currently working toward his goal of becoming a creative director for a production studio of his own making, hoping to continue using his skills and interests as a tool to help portray others stories in a visually innovative and compelling manner.
Panelists include:
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Janelle Coleman, BSJ '95
Janelle N. Coleman is the Executive Vice President of External Affairs at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Coleman has more than 20 years of experience in leading efforts to shape and implement initiatives that enhance corporate strategy and significantly benefit communities. She has held leadership positions with L Brands, The Ohio State University, Cleveland Municipal School District, and the United Way of Central Ohio. Mrs. Coleman began her professional career with L Brands in 1993 as a college intern. She rejoined L Brands in 2007 as Manager of Corporate Giving, where she was responsible for the company’s fundraising campaigns benefiting Komen for the Cure, United Way, and the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University.
Coleman earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University and holds a certificate in business management from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. She is also is a graduate of the Boardroom Bound® Boardology™ Institute and profiled in the National Director-Candidate Database©. Mrs. Coleman’ honors include Columbus Business First Forty Under 40, Columbus CEO Magazine – Executive Women Rising to the Top, The Network Journal’s 40 Under Forty Award, and Who’s Who in Black Columbus – Interesting Personality. - Ashley Ferguson, BSJ ’06
Ashley Ferguson is an author, a full-time content writer and most importantly the mother of one magical girl named, Nia. Ashley Ferguson believes firmly in the power of encouragement and is a living example of how positive affirmations can transform a person’s path. Ferguson graduated from Ohio University’s E. W. Scripps School of Journalism in 2006 with honors. She went on to intern at national publications and served as an assistant editor at a trade magazine before moving into marketing. In 2015, while seeking a creative outlet from her marketing project management career, Ferguson began Copy & Content Boutique, LLC. Through this business, she offered content writing services and manuscript reviews for new authors; and used the experience to land a content writing position for an award-winning marketing team.
Ferguson is a native of Springfield, Ohio, and has lived in Cincinnati for more than 10 years. - Earl Hopkins, BSJ '19
Earl Hopkins, a recent graduate of Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, currently works as an education and family issues reporter for USA TODAY's Courier & Press in Evansville, Indiana.
Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Earl started his early journalism career competing in essay competitions and writing short stories in third grade. Even then, he recognized his passion for storytelling, which quickly shifted toward other interests in poetry and hip-hop music. Throughout his time in Athens, he was a culture writer and editor for Backdrop, Speakeasy, Thread and Fangle Magazine, and worked as an online reporter for WOUB and The Athens Messenger. He was also the president of the Black Student Communication Caucus, an organization he proudly helped re-establish on Ohio University’s campus after its disbandment.
In time, Earl strives to become the head editor of a culture-based publication, one that will afford him the opportunity to travel the world and tell stories through written, audio and visual communication.
- Wrienne Mitchell, BSC ’05
Wrienne Mitchell is a Senior Network Engineer with Covia Corporation. At Covia, he works on a wide range of network equipment and networking projects spanning facilities in the United States, Mexico, Canada. He started his career working at Ohio University supporting the deployment of the first campus wide wireless network. Upon leaving the University, Wrienne transitioned to network consulting roles at MCPc, Black Box Network Services and IntelliNet Corporation. In those positions, he was able to design, deploy, manage and troubleshoot advanced wireless solutions for a wide range of business at the local, national and international level. Throughout his years in those roles, he collected several professional certifications and hopes to one day obtain his Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert Wireless certification.
After 13 years in consulting roles Wrienne transitioned to his current position. He is a 2005 graduate of the Scripps College of Communication’s Information and Telecommunication Systems Program, minoring in Business. From 2003 to 2005 Wrienne also served as the College of Communication representative on Ohio University Student Senate. When he’s not on the clock, Wrienne enjoys working on projects around his house, spending time with his soon to be 4-year-old son Jacob, playing with his two oversized dogs Zeus and Tessa, woodworking and squeezing in the occasional ride on his motorcycle. - Jennifer A. Moore, BSJ '07
Jennifer A. Moore is an Emmy Award-winning executive producer (EP) who currently works as dayside EP at KHOU-11 News in Houston, Texas, where she has helped launch the new 4 p.m. newscast called Four11.
Prior to that position, she was morning EP at WLWT in Cincinnati, where she helped bring the newscast to first place in ratings. Moore worked as a producer, reporter, community affairs talk show host & web producer over a span of eight years at WCPO in Cincinnati. Moore graduated cum laude from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism degree, and went on to get her Master of Art degree in Communication and Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University. The Cincinnati native has also taken part in workshops at the Poynter Institute, Tegna’s Innovation Summit & the Hearst Tegna Producer Academy.
Moore is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She joined both organizations while attending Ohio University, serving as secretary for the Black Student Communication Caucus and president for the Delta Phi chapter of AKA.
LIVE STREAM & ARCHIVE:
5 - 7 p.m.
- Alvin Adams Symposium/BAR reception
Roof of the Athens City Parking Garage, 35 Washington St., Athens, Ohio
This reception, sponsored by the Black Student Communication Caucus, will feature food, music and fellowship for all.
BONUS:
Oral History Podcast Drop-Ins
Podcast Studio One, Schoonover Center Lobby
Friday, 2-5 p.m.
Saturday, 10-4 p.m.
Join students from the Scripps College of Communication to record your thoughts on being a student and now alumnus/a of the college! Groups welcome; availability and wait times may fluctuate.