By Michael Gaspeny
Chronicle co-adviser
Here's what sweating deadlines for the Campus Chronicle has helped former staffers to achieve.
Media: After teaching grade school in Nicaragua and Honduras, Gena Smith is combining her mastery of Spanish and her
writing skill as
a reporter covering the Hispanic community for the daily paper in Lumberton, the Robesonian... Former editor in chief Andrea Griffith is
an assistant editor for Our State magazine, which focuses on North Carolina and has become one of the most successful publications of
its kind in America... Pam Holley, employed by Carson-Dellosa Publishing in Greensboro, fulfilled a longstanding dream this summer: She
launched her own magazine, Faithful Sister, which concentrates on issues of interest to young African American women... While pursuing a
doctorate in communications at UNC-CH, Justin Martin is publishing dispatches from the Middle East in such papers as The Baltimore Sun
and the (Greensboro) News & Record... Jocelyn Paza wakes at 3 a.m. each day to prepare for her role as the radio personality Josie on the
WKZL morning show from Winston-Salem... As a sportswriter for The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer, Mike Graff is receiving national attention.
The Associated Press has honored Mike as a top 10 finalist for his feature on a collegiate cross country runner who was struck by a car.
In addition, his piece about an impoverished mom and daughter chasing the daughter's dream of becoming a Golden Gloves boxing champion
was chosen as the top sports feature of last year among the biggest papers in the state by the North Carolina Press Association. Mike,
who grew up in Indian Head, Md., recently covered the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for his hero, Baltimore Oriole great Cal Ripken.
Mike's a former editor in chief of the Chronicle... After eight years as a reporter, Heidi Coryell is the editor of two semi-annual custom
magazines, Resort Living and Club Living... As managing editor of The Culpeper (Va.) Star Exponent, the fastest-growing daily in America,
Rob Humphreys has been elected to the board of directors for the Associated Press Managing Editors. A story about the last lynching in
Culpeper catapulted Humphreys to the board. "We literally rewrote the history books and corrected several errors in our original stories
from 1918," writes Rob, a former editor in chief of the Chronicle.
Education: Last year's editor in chief Amanda Roberts is pursuing a master's in history at George Mason University. Last
year's a&e editor
and resident bibliophile Rebecca Fleming is working toward her master's of library science from East Carolina University via distance
education. She will also be serving as part-time administrative assistant in the HPU history department this fall... Briana Warner had a
sparkling first year in the master of science in journalism program at West Virginia University. Working as a graduate assistant to the
dean of the journalism school, she gained grant money for a radio news show in an area that previously lacked a media outlet. This summer
she has been living on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC as an intern with an international public relations firm, GolinHarris... Kathleen McLean,
who received a master's in public history from Duquesne University, has become the boatswain's mate on the U.S. Constellation. Her job
involves "being dressed up in character, working with visitors and doing historical interpretation. Kelly Gilfillan, who lives in Laurinburg,
is the sole English teacher for the Scotland High School of Business, Finance, and Marketing in Scotland County. The school is underwritten by
the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation.
Business: Former editor in chief Brent Ayers is a curriculum developer in Greensboro for Gilbarco Veeder-Root, the largest supplier of fueling
and tank monitoring equipment in the world. As an employee trainer, Brent is "striving to bring real-life simulation to online and animated
content." He adds, "I look forward to the day when I overhear people saying, 'You should really take that module. It was so cool.'"...After
covering the Supreme Court's business decisions for the interactive edition of The Wall Street Journal, Clint Barkdoll, the Chronicle's first
editor in chief, practices law in Waynesboro, Pa. He has argued a case before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
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Jay Shurling
Vice President
Baseline Licensing Group
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Jay graduated from HPU in 1991 with a B.A. in English with a concentration in Media Studies and Writing.
He has worked at WCTI-TV 12 in New Bern, NC, as a Weekend Sports Anchor / Reporter. In 1995, he went to work at
WGHP-TV in High Point, NC, as a Sports Anchor / Reporter. He was promoted later to the Morning News team as a live sports
presence for that news cast.
Jay ended his tenure at WGHP in the fall of 2001 and together with Brown Councill, developed the idea of introducing
furniture into motorsports. Racing Furniture was created in 2002, with Councill's furniture background and Shurling's sports
& racing knowledge.
In 2005, Councill and Shurling merged with Red Barnes and Gary Roberson of Baseline
Sports to create Baseline Licensing Group that now holds licensing with the NFL, NBA,
Collegiate Licensing Corp., NASCAR, Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Gordon Licensing,
Richard Childress Racing and Evernham Motorsports.
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Jay can be contacted at:
jays@blsports.com
757-217-1859 - direct line
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Heidi Coryell Williams
is the Associate Editor
Publishing Division, IMI Resort Holdings
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Heidi's job includes overseeing the day-to-day writing, editing and management duties of two semi-annual custom
publications -- Resort Living and Club Living magazines. Resort Living is currently sold at bookstores throughout
the nation, including Barnes & Noble, Walden Books and BDalton Books.
Prior to joining IMI, Heidi spent more than eight
years working as a staff writer at newspapers
throughout the Southeast, including North Carolina,
South Carolina and Georgia. Her work has been
recognized by press associations in all three states.
She is a 1998 graduate of High Point University's
English/Writing program. During her tenure at HPU,
Heidi served as a staff writer and news editor of The
Campus Chronicle. A native of Northern Virginia, she now makes her home in the college town of Clemson, S.C.,
where she lives with her husband, Larry, who is a sportswriter for The Charleston Post & Courier newspaper.
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Heidi can be contacted at:
writeratheart@yahoo.com
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Paul J Lessard
Executive Director
High Point Community Foundation.
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Paul earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and History at High Point University where he attended on a
soccer scholarship. He earned his Master of Fine Arts Degree in Communications from the University of North Carolina
at Greensboro.
HPFC is a community foundation that helps citizens of the Greater High Point Community achieve their philanthropic
goals by providing fund management, legal and accounting services, and assistance in finding worthwhile non-profit
projects to invest in. The Foundation is also responsible for an annual Grants Program that in the last five years has
redistributed $750,000 back into the community in unrestricted grants and $3.6 million in Donor Advised funds.
Paul is also the Founder and Director of the Lighthouse Project, a foundation that he established in 1994 with a monetary
stipend that accompanied the Carnegie Hero Medal he was awarded for saving an elderly woman who was drowning in a submerged car.
Since 1994 the Lighthouse Project has partnered with the Guilford County Schools Character Education Program to bring in nationally
known role models who have spoken to and mentored over 300,000 students about character and values.
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Paul can be contacted at:
paul@hpcommunityfoundation.org
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Andrea Spencer
Writer
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Andrea has advanced as a marketing professional over the past 11 years. In every position she has taken, Andrea has
looked for an opportunity to write. Her first job was with the Center for Creative Leadership. Though she was hired
as an account manager and not a writer, she hounded the marketing director on a regular basis and was eventually asked
to write a piece for their newsletter. After two years, she left CCL for positions as an account executive with Pascale
& Associates Advertising and Design and as an account manager/copywriter for ELS Marketing.
In 2001, Andrea started a freelance writing business (propeller copywriting and concepting) to attract more writing opportunities.
In 2003, she was hired as copywriter and speechwriter for UNCG. She produces all of the messaging for the university's capital campaign
and helps develop the UNCG's brand image, enhancing its top-of-mind recall among the corporate sector, alumni circles and community groups.
Andrea has written for a variety of clients and virtually every medium, including the Web, printed collateral, magazines,
radio, press releases, newsletters and direct mail. Her experience includes writing for higher education, pharmaceuticals,
IT, health care, real estate, department store conglomerates, houseware manufacturers and home furnishings. She now works
almost entirely from home while raising her two-year-old daughter.
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Andrea can be contacted at:
propeller@triad.rr.com
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Jocelyn "Josie" Paza
Radio Personality
107.5 WKZL
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The oldest of 5 kids, Josie was raised in Hagerstown,
Maryland where she was always told she would become a lawyer because she could argue her way out of any situation. Instead of studying
law, Jocelyn decided to follow her passion for writing and talking and discovered broadcasting her freshman year at HPU. Over the next 3
years, Jocelyn was sure she would explore a career in television. One day, Jocelyn ran in to former English major, Justin Wood, who told
her about an opening for an intern at the Murphy in the Morning Show
at 1075kzl. After working 6 hours a day at her internship, taking a full class load, and working at Ham's as a waitress, Jocelyn was offered
a job on the morning show in 2002. Since that wonderful day when she signed a contract with 1075kzl, Jocelyn has met numerous celebrities
(Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, Sheryl Crow, and John Mayer
to name a few), hosted several charity events for some great
organizations, and made many new friends in North Carolina. All of these perks make up for her 3am wakeup time every morning.
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Josie can be contacted at:
Josie@1075kzl.com
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Andrea Griffith
Assistant Editor
Our State Magazine
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A 2005 summa cum laude graduate of HPU, Andrea Griffith is now an assistant editor of Our State magazine,
a 74-year-old publication based in Greensboro that has more than 138,000 subscribers.
Prior to her job at Our State, Griffith - a West Virginia native - worked as a community news reporter for
the (Greensboro) News & Record. During her tenure at HPU, she served as editor-in-chief of the Campus Chronicle,
performed in the Chapel Choir, and was a university ambassador. At the end of her senior year she received the
University Award for Service and the English Department's Award for Excellence in Public Writing.
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Andrea can be contacted at:
andreagrif@yahoo.com.
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