Melody Ferkel

As a student, Melody Ferkel made quite an impression on the King’s College faculty and administration. Karen Rogowicz, Director of Public Relations and Marketing at King’s College was so impressed by Mass Comm intern Melody Ferkel that she offered her a full-time position three months before her graduation. Ferkel later accepted the position of Multi-media Designer at Blue Cross of Northeastern PA, Wilkes-Barre.

Ferkel, is currently the instructor for the Comm 391E Newsletter Design on the Web, and was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions relating to her King's experience.

How different was it to return to the classroom as the instructor instead of the student?
It was a bit strange at first, being that I am also currently a student. But this also worked for me because I could relate to being a student and what is expected of me as a student. I tried to cater my curriculum to what I would have enjoyed and expected if I were taking this class. I remember the parts that I enjoyed and the different lessons that I learned from the most and tried to adapt these to my classroom.

Do you find that you have a different viewpoint of your instructors?
Yes, I now have a greater respect for teachers, in general. I’ve always been aware of the preparation involved in developing the curriculum, but I’ve never realized the time involved in this preparation. Not to mention all the time spent outside the class during the semester tweaking and preparing the assignments according to the students.

How instrumental was the Mass Comm. Program in getting you to where you are today?
Not only was the technical preparation imperative to my academic and career development, but the preparation I got through the lectures and real-world experiences in classes such as senior seminar, practicum and independent studies at the King’s PR Office and Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry were essential in the development of career morals and beliefs. I gained a good sense of responsibility from these experiences and the ability to set my goals even higher than I would have ever thought I could eventually achieve.

What are some of the benefits of returning to teach at King’s?
One of the greatest benefits is the familiar environment. Another benefit is my familiarity with the beliefs and goals of the department. It’s much easier to teach in an environment that you were raised in.

What advice would you offer to the student hoping to become a teacher?
I would advise any student who wants to be a teacher in this field (instructional technology/design) to read a lot. Read trade magazines, current statistics and research, even the newspaper to be able to get a feel for what the current issues of the educational technology and graphic design fields are. Because of the nature of these fields, technology is always changing. In order to be marketable, you must be current with all of your skills. Also, go back to school and learn as much as you can on the different ways in which people learn. Not everyone consumes information the same and it is important as an educator to be able to customize and help every type of student you have. You want to get your point/lesson across to all of your students - not just a few.

What advice would you offer to the Mass Comm class of 2000?
The only advice I have is to keep learning. You can never know too much. Stay on top of the current trends and technology and you will always be marketable.

John L. Augustine

John L. Augustine completed an internship at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce while working for LeaderNet, the Times Leader newspaper’s Internet site. After graduating from King's he formed his own company, Global Infonet, providing Internet marketing and web-site designs. Augustine’s Internet savvy continues to keep him busy. He is the Internet marketing specialist/systems administrator for the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce.

Augustine is currently the instructor for the Comm 391 E Graphic Design for the Web Augustine was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions.

How different was it to return to the classroom as the instructor instead of the student?
It was very different. Obviously being on the other side of the table gives you a very different perspective. I think all students should have to teach one class early on in school. I think you would find that they would appreciate their teachers much more. There is a lot of work that teachers do to prepare for their classes that sometimes the students don't see.

Do you find that you have a different viewpoint of your instructors?
If you mean looking back now, then absolutely, I appreciate much more everything that they did for me. When you are in school you learn a little bit here, and a little bit there. It's not until you are out in the workplace that it all begins to come together.

How instrumental was the Mass Comm. Program in getting you to where you are today?
Dr. Mussari and the Mass Comm department played a very big role in getting me to where I am. They built the foundation on which I live day to day. On one level they taught me the courses that I needed to succeed in the workplace. But on a much different level they guided me and helped shape my character. There are very few teachers out there that take the time not only to teach you but to mentor you as well.

What are some of the benefits of returning to teach at King’s?
I was able to return to a familiar environment. I know the philosophy of the Mass Communications Department and the message they are trying to get across. I felt that it was my job to continue the tradition of sharing my experiences with the students.

What advice would you offer to the student hoping to become a teacher?
The best teachers today are those that can bring real world working experiences into the classroom. You cannot teach the technology of tomorrow by reading a book today.

What advice would you offer to the Mass Comm class of 2000?
There is no better time than now to be working in an environment that is fast-paced and very exciting. You must learn all that you can and never stop. Technology changes every couple of months, those that stay on top will succeed, those that don't will be left behind.

How do you see the Internet evolving in the next century?
The Internet is the fastest growing media ever and I believe it will continue to be the driving force behind everything we do. Any company or individual not involved in some way, either through the Internet or E-commerce will have a very difficult time moving forward. History has shown us through consolidation and downsizing that only the strong survive, it is hard for many little companies to compete and I think that we will begin to see a lot of click and mortar mergers and partnerships.