20FA_EH204A-Writing for the Media

I had hoped to do this live, but the endless improvisation continues! Before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, post to THIS thread and let me and your classmates know which general assignment story you have decided to do first. Your post should include a brief description of the story and the names of two people you plan to interview. Think of this as a mission statement for this story. Or better yet, the first draft of the nut 'graph. You may have a lot of information at this stage. You may have several TKs. For example, let's say Lucas was doing a story about the fence around the BSC campus. His post might look something like this:

*Lucas Lamb* -- I'm writing an 800-word story about the fence around the perimeter of the Birmingham-Southern campus. The fence was constructed in 19TK and measures a total of TKTK miles. I plan to interview BSC archivist GK Armstrong and campus police chief Jeff Harris.

By Thursday, you should have been in contact with at least one person you plan to interview. That doesn't mean you have to have COMPLETED an interview, but working ahead will keep you on track to complete these stories by next week. Make sense? Yes? Yes! Hooray!

-The 2020-2021 basketball season 

-Greek life during Covid-19

-Theatre Department during Covid-19

-Birmingham Zoo during Covid-19

-Movie Theaters during Covid-19

-The film festival held on campus last weekend

-High School sports in the Bham area

-Minor league baseball being cancelled due to Covid-19

-What it's like to plan a wedding around Covid-19

-What’s up with Intramurals

-What’s up with Fraternity row

-What’s up with Jan term

1.     Compare the diversity of the student body from the year 1962 to present day.

2.     Comparing diversity—growth or diminishment—in 2019 and 2020 fall terms.

3.     Analyzing the effects, the pandemic has had on BSC’s enrollment and see which student group has been affected the most.

4.     Asking an activist what has being part of rallies and protests been like during a pandemic.

5.     Gathering data from students about what habits they have developed during quarantine.

6.     How has the Birmingham Humane Society been affected by the pandemic and how can that be changed?

7.     How do professors think online learning hinders the social skills of students?

8.     How do professors feel online learning benefits students?

9.     Club Quarantine, what is it? Inception and the growing LGBTQ+ online community.

10.  What is up with the Birmingham city budget defunding libraries?

New M3 controversial grill 

Covid effects on sports 

Hurley leaving Nike 

The comeback of SUVs 

My experience at BSC 

Different Turkey species across the United States 

Personal Covid story 

Rising ATP stars across the world 

Change in culture from Orlando Florida to Birmingham Alabama 

Effects of covid on student athlete eligibility  

1. 21st Birthday in Quarantine 

2. Presidential Elections Yard Signs

3. Seniors, whats next?

4. Covid Adventures

5. Zoom vs. Microsoft Teams?

6. Best Facemask to wear?

7. Quarantine pt. 2

8. What's up with the BSC education department?

9. What’s up with the BSC library?

10. What does Greek Life look like during a Pandemic look like?

What’s up with Hanson?

A student’s take on their quarantine in the apartments

Student opinions on the presidential debate

The shift of campus culture due to covid

What’s up with the academic buildings closing early?

What’s up with having two different cover testing processes?

What’s up with the residence hall living rooms not having overhead lights?

What’s up with the attic?

What’s up with the pod?

Petition to bring Subway back on campus

1.     Arts During the Time of Covid-19

2.     A Sit-Down with BSC’s SGA President

3.     Active Minds: New Mental Health Resource and Support Group on Campus

4.     A Conversation About Art History: Why Do We Need to Care?

5.     Student Organizations You Should Care About & How to Get Involved

6.     A Conversation About Police Brutality with a Birmingham Police Officer

7.     Halloween Ideas for a Quarantined Campus

8.     What’s Brewin’ at Panther Perk: Hear from the Baristas

9.     What’s Up with All This New Furniture? Student Opinions on Allocating SGA Funds

       Compare/contrast sports as a whole pre and mid pandemic

2.        Compare/contrast fantasy football pre and mid pandemic

3.        Compare/contrast sports pre and mid pandemic by interviewing BSC students

4.        Investigate decline in Greek life participation

5.        Investigate political climate at BSC amid upcoming election and nationwide           unrest

6.       Research current job market by interviewing BSC students and alumni

7.        Research return of sports in other countries and compare with U.S.

8.       Explore the increase in ecommerce, and subsequently online fraud, since the   pandemic began

       Explore which industries—and companies within them—have thrived amid the pandemic and why 

              Interview students and faculty/staff alike to find out what’s up with the caf food     and how things could improve 

- sexual assault on college campuses—stories of students who reported and didn’t get the Justice or support they sought

- a different take on voting during covid—how are people, specifically college students, choosing to vote during the pandemic? In person, absentee, voting at all?, etc.

- seat at the table diversity and inclusion discussions 

- theater productions during a pandemic—current monologues/ plans for next semester 

- increase in violence against women due to covid

- small school covid policies vs. state school covid policies

- new Birmingham Planned Parenthood location—is it more accessible to patients/ more private for patients due to hidden parking lot from protesters 

- large amount of engagements/weddings during covid. What’s it like to get engaged/ have a wedding during a pandemic?

- black lives matter on bsc’s campus. displays of support: mural, white boards in norton, BLM post-its on pierce windows

- study “abroad” during a pandemic

• What's the deal with healthcheck? 

-what happens when you don’t use it? Anything? Where is this info going? Why does it notify that you've been exposed, how does it know? Is it tracking you???? Why have none of my professors ever asked to see it? 

• Is guidesafe even real? No way those tests are real. I’d like to see one positive that came from those tests.

• Are BSC students genuinely scared of contracting covid? Do they actually take it seriously or is it because they have to?

-anonymous poll??

• Sexual assault on campus. A step by step guide of how to report and what to do when nothing is done.

• BSC alum was the first lady of Costa Rica????? Why did we not know more about this?

• BSC alum spotlight, what bsc grads are up to, where they are working, could potentially help with connections

• First Presidential Debate Highlights

• News in terms that college students care about. What these terms politicians use actually mean. A simple way for the average college student to become more politically involved. 

• An in depth story of campus cats, how did they get here, who are they, what are their personalities. 

• Around B’Ham, locally owned stores and restaurants in Birmingham, promote small business! 

-Virtual Recruitment for Fraternities and Sororities--Did new members get the same recruitment  experience virtually?

-Can BSC stay in the green zone? How to avoid having restrictions put down...again.

-Elections coming up-who is all voting around campus?

-Cheerleading-not a real sport according to BSC

-Will COVID impact voter turnout next month at the polls?

-Events that are taking place virtually, specifically for students in quarantine so they don't feel so isolated.

-Turning right off campus--is it as scary as they say?

-Do the college republicans still exist?