Topic: College of Communication Information and Media

July 1, 2011

Ball State has added to its collection of regional Emmy Awards, winning five honors June 18 during the 42nd annual awards ceremony in Cleveland. Timothy Pollard, telecommunications department chair, said that the students pushed one another to create Emmy-winning projects.

"There are many students in the telecommunications department, and in the university as a whole, who will not accept 'average'," Pollard said. "When students see their compatriots get nominated — and win — they are happy for them. They, too, begin to work on ways to make a better product that will be seen by professionals as worthy of an Emmy."

Winners include:

  • Graduate Joseph Vella for "Your Downtown Muncie: MITS" in the crafts: photographer—non-news category
  • Telecommunications instructor Stan Sollars for "Sculpting the Wind: Alexa King & the Making of the Barbaro Memorial Statue" in the crafts: audio category
  • Graduate Allison Pareis for "Sculpting the Wind: Alexa King & the Making of the Barbaro Memorial Statue" in the crafts: director—post-production category
    • Virginia Ball Center seminar students Sarah Brannan, Kyle Fobe and Haley Kotnik for "Hidden Treasures" in the crafts: lighting—studio category
    • Graduates Andrew Bissonnette and Joseph Vella and student Chase Skiles for "Your Downtown Muncie: MITS" in the commercial category.
    Since 1999, Ball State students, faculty, staff and alumni have earned 103 regional Emmy nominations and taken home 33 wins.

"When our students win, they are very grateful for the opportunity Ball State has given them," Pollard said. "You have to have an ego to be able to trust your creative talents, but it's wonderful to see that Ball State students are humble and respectful, and they realize that it's a team effort. No one can do these projects alone."

By Mallory Sturgeon