Resources

The Department of Mass Communication has the following laboratory facilities:

1. A 22-unit Macintosh laboratory, networked with AP wire service coming into the system, and all the faculty office computers are linked to the server in this lab.
2. A 24-unit laboratory with 14 Macintosh and 10 IBM-compatible computers.
3. Graphics and newspaper design laboratory equipped with 14 Macintosh computers, networked..
4. Photojournalism laboratory -- a darkroom equipped with enlargers, developers, etc., and a photo studio with light sets, tripods, and other paraphernalia.
5. The Gramblinite laboratory equipped with Macintosh computers, layout tables, a darkroom, and offices for the director of The Gramblinite, the university editor and student editors. The Gramblinite is an award-winning weekly newspaper published by the Department of Mass Communication. It serves the laboratory function for the students in mass communication. As a student-operated publication, The Gramblinite is written, edited, and designed by students under the guidance of the faculty and staff. It is published every Thursday during the school year, and one or two issues during the summer session.
6. The Television Center, with an information channel, has a control room, studio, editing booths, floor cameras, outdoor cameras, and other equipment. The Center serves the laboratory function for students in mass communication. Operated by students under the guidance of faculty and staff, the Center cablecasts programming everyday during the school year. The Center's broadcasting covers educational, cultural, entertainment, news and information needs of the University and the Grambling City communities.
7. KGRM-FM is a 50,000-watt educational radio station is operated by students as a laboratory function of the Department of Mass Communication, on 91.5 frequency. KGRM is on air 24 hours a day. It serves the community with music, news, and a variety of public affairs programming. KGRM programming conducted by students under the guidance of faculty and staff.

Annual activities

The department conducts two major events every year -- 1. the two-day annual Mass Communication Conference in the fall semester (in October) with a set theme, a keynote speaker, workshops/seminars conducted by media/communication professionals and a job fair with prospective employers interviewing students for internships and entry-level positions; and 2. Mass Communication Day in spring semester (in March) as a recruiting tool with high school students visiting the campus and the department to get an orientation of the mass communication program and the university. The visiting students also take tour of the campus and the department's facilities.

Professional chapters

As mass communication is a professional program, the department maintains a number of campus chapters of national professional organizations. They include:

• Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) -- a joint chapter with the Louisiana Tech University's Department of Journalism. Faculty Advisor: Dr. Gaylon Murray.
• Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) -- a chartered student chapter of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Faculty Advisor: Dr. Martin Edu.
• Society of Newspaper Design (SND) -- a campus chapter of those interested in visual communication in the areas of news design, graphics and other related areas. Faculty Advisor: Mrs. Sandra Lee.
• National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) -- a campus chapter of NABJ aimed to promoting the role of minorities in the media. Faculty Advisor: Dr. Sharon Ford.
• National Broadcasting Society (NBS) -- A campus chapter of NBS aimed at promoting professionalism in broadcasting. Faculty Advisor: Dr. Micheal Pitts.
• Association of Women in Communication (AWC) -- a campus chapter of AWC aimed at promoting the role of women in communication. Faculty Advisor: Mrs. Sandra Lee.
• National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) -- a campus of those interested in photojournalism and press photography. Faculty Advisor: Mrs. Sandra Lee.

Scholarship opportunities

The department's three media units -- The Gramblinite weekly newspaper, the KGRM-FM radio station and the Television Center hire students, depending on their skills and academic record, and recommend modest stipends.

There are a number of scholarships available to students on a competitive basis. These are posted on the department's bulletin board as they are received from the sponsoring organizations. Some of them are listed below:

• Chips Quinn Scholars Program, sponsored by The Freedom Forum. Every year, the department recommends three to five students for Chips Quinn Scholars Program which includes paid internship with a newspaper and scholarship on successful completion of the internship. The students must be junior by classification with experience on the campus newspaper. This is a nation-wide competition with selections conducted by The Freedom Forum. In the past years, the department had three to four students selected for this program.
• Available also on competitive basis, The Freedom Forum-NCAA Foundation Sports Journalism Scholarships with a career interest in sports journalism; and Pro Football Writers' Association and The Freedom Forum with aa csareer interest in sports reporting.
• National Black Programmers Coalition (NBPC) Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to students with a career interest in radio and experience in radio broadcasting and work on the campus radio station. At least one student is nominated by the department. In the past years one student has been a recipient of this award.

Others include:

• Allison Fisher scholarship, sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ): Open to any African-American undergraduate or graduate student, majoring in print journalism, currently attending an accredited four-year university.
• Carole Simpson scholarships, sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ): Open to any African-American undergraduate or graduate student, majoring in broadcast journalism, currently attending an accredited four-year university.
• Marc Watts and Diana Burns Watts scholarship, sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ): Open to any African-American undergraduate or graduate student, majoring in broadcast journalism, currently attending an accredited four-year university.
• NABJ scholarships: Open to any African-American undergraduate or graduate student, majoring in print, photography, online or radio journalism, currently attending an accredited four-year university.
• Newhouse Foundation scholarship, sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ): Open to any African-American undergraduate or graduate student, majoring in print journalism, currently attending an accredited four-year university.
• Unity: Journalists of Color Founders scholarship, sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ): Open to journalism or mass communication juniors or seniors of an accredited college or university.
• The Washington Post scholarships, sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ): Open to any any African-American student, majoring in journalism, currently attending an accredited four-year university.
• Association of Women in Sports: Open to full-time female undergraduate or graduate students who plan to pursue career in sports writing, sports copy-editing, sports public relations or sports broadcasting.
• Jack H. Sanders Memorial scholarship: Annually awarded to a Louisiana college student who hasd demonstrated proficiency, excellence and dedication to pursuing public relations knowledge.
• Press Club of New Orleans: Open to Louisiana residents who are enrolled in university-level print or broadcast journalism programs. The scholarships are open to students attending either in-state or out-of-state schools.
• American Copy Editors Society: Open to college students who have demonstrated talent for copy-editing and interested in becoming professional copy-editors.
• Media Buying Academy: Open to mass communication majors who wish to pursue a career in media buying.
• Black Communicators scholarship: Open to college students pursuing a career in print or broadcasting.
• Chicago Association of Black Journalists: Open to African American or other minority full-time junior, senior or graduate students majoring in print or broadcast journalism at an accredited college or university.
• Chicago Sun Times Minority Scholarship/Internship Program: Open to minority students entering their junior year in college, graduated from a Chicago high school or have lived in the Chicago metropolitan area for at least 5 years and have demonstrated an interest in print journalism.
• Asbury Park Press Scholarships for Minority Students: Graduating high school student entering college seeking a career in the field of communications. Offered to African Americans and other minority students.
• Detroit Free Press Minority Journalism Scholarship: Open to African American and other minority students who plan to become writers, editors or photojournalists.
• Dow Jones Minority Scholarships: Open to minority college sophomores who have completed a reporting internship at a newspaper.
• Leonard M. Perryman Communication scholarship: Open to African American and other ethnic minority undergraduate students who are juniors or seniors and have the intention of pursuing a career in religious communications.
• National Association of Media Women, Inc. scholarship: Open to undergraduate female majoring in mass communication.
• Stephen H. Gayle Memorial scholarship: African American high school seniors or college students who are planning a career in journalism.

DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION CONTACT INFORMATION - CAMPUS MAILING ADDRESS

Box 4292, GSU
Grambling, LA 71245
Building and room number: WC/200
Telephone number: (318) 274-2189/2403
Fax number: (318) 274-3194
E-mail: tunuguntla@gram.edu