COM announces Blue Chip winners
The College of Communication congratulates the 2009 winners of the Blue Chip Award, given to students who have demonstrated excellence in their academic and professional endeavors, leadership among their peers and involvement in College groups and activities.
COM Blue Chip Awards - Images by Dominick Reuter
Allison Elvove is a recent graduate from COM's Film Department. Over the past four years, she has followed the production track, taking Film Production III as a junior and taking Narrative Documentary, a graduate-level class, as a senior. Her final semester was spent in Los Angeles where she completed BU's Los Angeles Internship Program. Since January, her name has finally appeared on IMDB with production credits, she was interviewed on the CBS Early Show, and she was a Film Loader on a feature film starring Leland Orser, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Laura Linney, and Elliott Gould. Since then, she has officially moved to the LA area and is hoping to continue working in the Camera Department on features, shorts, and documentaries.
Philip Byron, a resident of Baltimore, Maryland, will be graduating Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in film from the College of Communication. Passionately involved with undergraduate theater, Philip served on the BU On Broadway Executive Board as Vice President for three years, directed and choreographed four major productions and won the OBie Award for Most Valuable Junior, Most Valuable Senior and twice for Best Director (Reefer Madness: The Musical and HAIR).. Phil also performed in a total of twelve different productions with Stage Troupe, On Broadway and JTG, his most favorite experiences being Little Shop of Horrors (The Dentist) and Urinetown (Officer Barrel).
Additionally, Phil volunteered as a President?s Host (tour guide) for the Admissions Office since his freshman year. During his sophomore and junior years, Philip traveled to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. to speak with prospective students and parents on behalf of Boston University. This past fall, Philip interned for HBO Films while studying abroad with Boston University in Los Angeles.
Chris Conte is a local boy. He came to Boston University from the small town of Northboro, Massachusetts just outside of Worcester. He has been an avid skier since age six and spent four years on the Boston University Ski Team. This past year, as president he helped lead his team to regionals at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire – and even has a scar on his right cheek to prove it. If skiing is his first love, then news comes in a very close second. Chris currently works at WCVB-TV Channel 5, the ABC affiliate here in Boston. He is a writer for all of NewCenter 5’s top rated news programs. He loves the excitement of the newsroom and the adrenaline rush when a major breaking story happens. While he wants to be an on-air reporter – Chris is happy to have been a part of the NewsCenter 5 family. But, Chris’ proudest accomplishment came just three weeks ago. That’s when he completed his FIRST marathon here in Boston with a time of 3 hours 53 minutes and 18 seconds. Aside from high fiving little kids and kissing all those girls at Wellesley College – Chris was proud to raise over 5 thousand dollars for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in honor of neighbor John who died of lung cancer. Chris has had nothing but fun these past four years and his sad to leave behind the place he’s called home for so long – Boston. But, he knows COM and B.U. have prepared him well for the future.
Mallory Cooke aka Mal will graduate with a broadcast journalism degree and minor in political science on Sunday! This fiesty southerner hails from Columbia, South Carolina and enjoys online shopping, tweet-ing and watching Gossip Girl re-runs. On a more serious note...Mal has covered breaking news stories during multiple internships at tv stations in Baton Rouge, Charleston and Boston. No story is too big or too small for Mal. She's covered a devastating four alarm fire that killed 9 firefirghters and a tractor-stealing debacle. Mal participated in numerous activities at BU including, BUTV10, Delta Gamma Sorority, President's Hosting, Dean's Hosting, etc. She is currently looking for a job as a general assignment reporter in an effort to avoid having to sleep in the backseat of her car. So, if you're interested in hiring a young, ambitious and persistent reporter...feel free to give Mal a holler.
Matt Negrin was the youngest editor in the history of The Daily Free Press, the independent student newspaper at Boston University. He has reported from Washington, D.C., for The Boston Globe and the New Hampshire Union Leader, in addition to reporting internships at the Hartford Courant and the Associated Press in Tokyo. He is now an intern on the copy desk of The New York Times, which is why he regrettably cannot attend the Blue Chip Award reception.
Erich Schwartzel will graduate summa cum laude with a degree in journalism and currently writes as a correspondent for the Boston Globe. At BU, Erich served as President of the Society of Professional Journalists and wrote a thesis on perspective in online reporting. He took a semester off last year to work as an editorial assistant in the Globe Business Pages, where he landed front-page articles and a reputation for the best shirt / tie combos in the newsroom. Some of Erich's articles found him riding a party bus with optimistic (and drunk) entrepreneurs, discussing the sociology behind long lines with MIT professors, and lamenting the bah humbug economy with out-of-work Santas. He has interned with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and his hometown's Latrobe Bulletin (circulation: this room's capacity). Erich most certainly plans to continue working as a journalist.
Allie Strauss has spent her time at B.U. studying and practicing journalism, graphic design and urban anthropology. Fusing these interests has taken her from San Diego to Boston, London to India. She has worked in brand development at the BBC, written for San Diego Magazine, designed for COM and the International Design Clinic in Mumbai. She hopes to build upon what she has learned about journalism, record keeping, sharing and communicating to spread ideas across media and countries alike in pursuit of a greater, worldwide good.
Carrie Chiusano is from Clifton Park, New York and is graduating with a degree in public relations and women’s studies. Throughout her time at BU, she has used her communication skills to facilitate campus-wide dialogue around women and gender issues and encourage student activism. She is the Founder and Co-Director of the Boston University Women’s Resource Center and Class of 2009 Co-Chairperson of the BU Women’s Alumni Association. A passionate activist, Carrie hopes to pursue a career in nonprofit public relations or community relations. In her free time, Carrie enjoys spending time with her friends and family, being outdoors, reading food blogs and baking.
Grant Griglak is from Detroit, MI and an active member of BU's Community Service Center. He just ended his job as the Development and Alumni Relations Program Manager there, and is looking forward to spending the summer in Chicago at an advertising and branding firm.
Shannon Mullen was born and raised in Dallas, TX, and came to BU's College of Communication on a soccer scholarship. While here she played for BU's varsity team for four years and was elected captain her senior year. Shannon is one of our public relations majors and is ecstatic to start her corporate PR job for Levenson & Brinker Public Relations in Dallas,TX (even though she starts May 20th!) Shannon’s family bleeds scarlet and white, and her little sister Erin will also be playing soccer for BU in the 2010 class.
Heather Papsun, a public relations major and political science minor, has been involved with COM activities since her freshman year. She has held a number of positions on the BU Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) executive board, including president last spring. This year, Heather served as event coordinator, and led a planning committee to organize and host a PRSSA nationally recognized day-long Conference. She also served as a Dean’s Host and Peer Advisor for the last year, and is proud she served as a COM Ambassador. Heather is also an enthusiastic learner outside of COM, and has held internships in London, New York, and Boston. Her professional experiences include learning from the professionals at 360 Public Relations, Marina Maher Communications, Schwartz Communications, and PRSA/PRSSA Headquarters. She is excited to join the Ketchum team this summer in New York as a 2009 Summer Fellow.
She is grateful for all of the opportunities COM has offered her, and is thankful for all of the support her family has provided. Papsun hails from Glen Rock, New Jersey.
David Siewers is originally from North Attleboro, Massachusetts. He is currently graduating cum laude under the Boston University Collaborative Degree Program with dual degrees in Psychology and Communication with a specialization in Advertising. In his past four years, he has worked closely with several on-campus organizations including the Community Service Center (FYSOP Coordinator, Advertising Program Manager), Stage Troupe (Vice President of Special Projects), and AdLab (President). David has also been privileged enough to participate in internships with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Greater Boston Regional Public Affairs Coordinator) and Arnold Worldwide (truth campaign). Next year, David will be studying at the University of Technology, Sydney in the Communication Management Masters degree program.
