In this month’s edition of the Emerson Today, one of my college’s newspapers, a story highlights Paul Niwa, one of my Sports Journalism professors. I had no idea before this class that a influencial Japanese-American would be teaching and going to Beijing with me! Not only was Paul on a team that launched NBC Asia, he’s also been granted exclusive interviews with such nobel peace prize winners as Aung San Suu Kyi.  It is such an amazing learning environment to have Paul’s experience and insights brought into the classroom!  Because of Paul and activities outside of the classroom, I’ve shed a little of my Western perspective of China.  This is opening up a fantastic exploration and awareness of a culture that’s complexities and richness is absolutely fascinating.  I can’t wait to dive head first into the middle of it all in Beijing this summer and piece together more about the elusive China.

Here’s the article:

Niwa is part of delegation to Japan

V.I.P. VISIT. Assistant Professor of Journalism Paul Niwa (left) recently traveled to Japan as part of the 2008 Japanese American Leadership Delegation Program. He was one of 13 influential Japanese-Americans from across the country chosen to participate in the program by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other groups.

The purpose of the visit was to improve understanding and strengthen relations between Japanese-Americans and Japan and to develop ongoing strategies to enhance the role of Japanese-Americans in advancing U.S.-Japan relations.

Highlights of Niwa’s trip included meeting Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (right) at Japan’s equivalent of the White House, giving a speech on workplace diversity to Japan’s next generation of CEOs and traveling throughout the country learning about Japanese culture and history. “If I were to go to Japan on my own, I would have never experienced these things,” said Niwa.

Straight from Emerson News, here’s the latest on the Beijing Olympics Program:

Thirty-five Emerson students selected to work at Beijing Olympics

03/27/08

Thirty-five Emerson students enrolled in International Sports Reporting are preparing to travel to Beijing this summer to be part of the official Olympic News Service (ONS). The students will work side-by-side with professional staff to cover Olympic events, to provide background information to the media on athletes and competitions and to create materials for the international press.

Emerson is one of only five colleges invited to participate in ONS. The other schools are the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Missouri, Ithaca College and the University of Iowa.

Officials from the Beijing Organizing Committee came to campus recently to test the students, and all of them passed with flying colors, according to Assistant Professor of Journalism Paul Niwa, who team teaches the course along with Associate Professor of Visual and Media Arts Shujen Wang.

The photo above shows the students in Boston’s Chinatown. They are Seth Adam ’08, graduate student Sara Alterman, James Clouthier ’08, Trisha Cowen ’08, Justin DeMarco ’09, Bryan Fennessey ’08, Ashley Fetyko ’08, graduate student Aiden FitzGerald, Khristopher Flack ’08, James Foley ’07, graduate student Adrienne Franceschi, graduate student Sandra Garcia, Sara Hogan ’08, graduate student Susan Jackson, graduate student Jenna Lebel, graduate student Bruce Lerch II, Alexandra Matthews ’09, Cathryn McDonough ’09, Katrina McIsaac , graduate student Laura McLam, graduate student Rose Mellion, Andrea Mooney ’08, graduate student Michael Nagel, Lloyd Nelson III ’08, Sylvie Packard ’08, Jennie Palluzzi ’08, graduate student Craig Panzer, Mikala Reasbeck ’08, graduate student Anna Sabella, Christina Skevington ’08, graduate student Bettina Stephenson, graduate student Helen Todd, graduate student Marc Velasquez, Jessica Wallner ’08, and Rebecca Wishnietsky ’08.

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Can you find me in the Beijing Olympic Program Class Picture?

Two good things to report:

1. I am now a Knight Scholar! This scholarship will cover the cost of this summer’s class valued at $3400; selection was based on need. The Beijing Olympics program consists of two courses. Technically it’s two undergraduate courses (but that hasn’t stopped them from charging graduate class fees!). The two courses consist of a preparation class I’ll take in the spring titled International Sports Reporting and the second course will be the actual work done at the Beijing Olympics.

2. My 15 minutes of Emerson fame: I made it into the latest Marketing Communicator, Emerson’s Department of Marketing Communication’s newsletter. I present it on my blog with a slight cringe due to my quoted wordiness, but nonetheless, here it for your viewing pleasure:

Emerson’s Nov/Dec Marketing Communicator Newsletter

The entire Marketing Communications department has shown enormous support for the 3 selected from the department to participate in the Beijing program. I’ve gotten personal emails from professors and the head of the department offering congratulations which I full-heartedly appreciate.

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!

Signing off….

Helen

Dear Friends and Family,

I have been back in Boston since September to finish up my Masters degree…however, I have found another way to push back graduation until the end of summer!  I am overwhelmingly excited to announce that I have been accepted into a program through Emerson that will send me to the Beijing Olympics this summer to support the Olympic News Service!!

I found out last Thursday night and will hopefully learn more within the next couple of weeks.  What I do know is that I’ll be doing grunt work to help journalists formulate stories about the Olympics.  Emerson describes it as “students will work side-by-side with professional staff to cover Olympic events, provide background information on athletes and competitions, and basically create Olympic news material for the international press who will be sending stories back to their homelands.” 

Depending if I stay for the paralympics, I’ll be in Beijing from July 7 until the end of August or til mid-September.  I’ll probably be assigned to a specific sport and there’s a chance that I’ll actually get to interview the athletes!   

My participation is contingent upon passing an exam showing thorough expertise on whatever sport I’m assigned; however, I’m not going to let this stand in my way of this truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!  Part of the program is to take a prep course in the spring to cover Mandarin (just basic conversational), sports journalism, and China’s history and culture.  I was selected based on an application, essay and interview.  143 students applied, 58 were interviewed and 25 selected.  Emerson is one of 5 schools in the United States selected to send students in partnership with the Communication University of China of which will house us in its dorms. 

As I get more information, I will keep everyone updated.  I’m going to try blogging and see how it goes.

I hope this blog finds you well and enjoying fall!  Have a wonderful veteran’s day! 

Warmest regards,

Helen