Tag Archives: events

Cynthia Cordes: acclaimed human-trafficking prosecutor honored by BU

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By Iris Moore
MS Broadcast Journalism ’15
BU College of Communication

At Boston University’s College of Communication (COM), the beginning of a new semester also means the start to another year filled with exciting events for faculty and staff. Yes, it is important to get your schedule right and books bought, but it’s also important you are made aware of the once-a-year, beneficial networking events happening right now.

This Thursday, September 18th at 5:30 p.m., the College of Communication (COM) is hosting the 2014 Distinguished Alumni Awards at the School of Management. The event, which is free and open to the public, will honor some of COM’s most accomplished alumni. Previous alumni recipients who have attended the event include: – Co-Host of Market Place Morning Report and American Public Media, Jeremy C. Hobson (‘04) – White House Photographer, Peter J. Souza (’76), – Bravo’s Executive Vice President of Development & Talent, Andy Cohen (’90). The list goes on. If you have time, check it out here.

This year, you may have the chance to network with the BU COM alum who has prosecuted more human trafficking cases than any assistant U.S. attorney in the country. Yup, that’s right, Cynthia Cordes (COM ‘01) will be attending this year’s Distinguished Alumni Awards, as she is one of the four COM alums being honored for her impressive professional accomplishments.

molawyersmedia.com

Cordes completed her undergraduate studies at Boston University where she received her B.S. in Journalism. Following, Cordes earned her J.D. at the University of Notre Dame. She began her legal career as a trial attorney with the U.S. Attorney General Honors Program. It did not take long before Cordes was recognized for her pioneering work as a federal prosecutor.

As an assistant U.S. attorney, she led multiple, ground-breaking human trafficking investigations and prosecutions. In 2014, Cordes was named Lawyer of the Year by Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly and selected nationally in the Top 250 Women in Litigation by Benchmark Litigation.

Currently, Cordes is a partner at Husch Blackwell in Kansas City. Although she is no longer a prosecutor, she is still actively involved in the fight against human trafficking.

So, join your COM community as we enjoy an open bar and hors d’oeuvres in celebration of these alums’ accomplishments. For more information visit the Alumni Weekend page. 

Bill Simmons to be honored at this year’s Distinguished Alumni Awards

BU Comgrad, COM Spotlight, Graduate Events, , , , , , , , , ,

By Iris Moore
MS Broadcast Journalism '15
BU College of Communication

In graduate school, networking has become a term on which so much value has been placed. Whether it be at job fairs, via social media, or during a casual conversation on the T, your ability to recognize, create, and act upon business opportunities has become a determining factor for the success of your professional future. However, the skill of networking is only half the battle. You’ve heard it before, “it’s all about who you know,” and unfortunately, it's true.

Thankfully, we are in graduate school; and, an advantage of being in graduate school at an institution like Boston University, is the numerous opportunities made available through the university, which can help you improve your networking skills and maximize your professional relationships and connections.

This Thursday, September 18th at 5:30 p.m., the College of Communication (COM) is hosting the 2014 Distinguished Alumni Awards at the School of Management. The event, which is free and open to the public, will honor some of COM’s most accomplished alumni. Previous alumni recipients who have attended the event include: - Co-Host of Market Place Morning Report and American Public Media, Jeremy C. Hobson (‘04) - White House Photographer, Peter J. Souza (’76), - Bravo’s Executive Vice President of Development & Talent, Andy Cohen (’90). The list goes on. If you have time, check it out here.

Not only is there an open bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres, but you will have the opportunity to practice your networking skills with some of the most successful COM graduates. Why not check it out? I mean, who knows…. maybe you’ll end up talking to The Sports Guy, Bill Simmons, who is one of this year’s Alumni Award recipients.

http://media.jsonline.com

For those of you who don't know, Bill Simmons is the Editor-in-Chief of Grantland.com, a sports and pop culture website owned by ESPN. He began his career working for the Boston Herald covering high-school sports and doing freelance work for the Boston Phoenix. While living and working in the Boston area, Simmons completed his M.S. in Journalism from Boston University.

After gaining notoriety from his online column, "Boston Sports Guy," Simmons was hired to work as a writer on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Eventually, he was hired to write full-time for ESPN. This marked the beginning of Simmons' unmatched, colorful career in the sports journalism world.

Simmons is considered one of the country’s most read sports writers. In 2007, he was named the 12th-most influential person in online sports by the Sports Business Journal. Simmons is also the author of The Book of Basketball, a New York Times No. 1 Bestseller. Even if you’re not a sports person, Simmons is definitely a highlight at this year’s Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Interested in signing up or finding out more about this event? Go here.

Hitting the Road

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Throughout the fall the College of Communication will be hitting the road, and making stops in a number of cities around the country to meet with prospective students. The schedule is as follows, and I can speak from experience when I say it is worth your while to try to attend...

Sunday, September 29 - Chicago (Bar Event)

Tuesday, October 1 - University of Toronto (Graduate Fair)

Saturday, October 12 - London (Graduate Fair)

Tuesday, October 15 - Milan (Graduate Fair)

Tuesday, October 22 - UNC Chapel Hill (Graduate Fair)

Thursday, October 24 - University of Florida (Graduate Fair)

Thursday, October 24 - Gainsville, FL (Bar Event)

Tuesday, October 29 - Boston (Bar Event)

Monday, November 4 - Denver (Bar Event)

Tuesday, November 5 - Los Angeles (Bar Event)

Thursday, November 7 - San Francisco (Bar Event)

Sunday, November 10 - Seattle (Bar Event)

When I was a prospective student, it was one of these very "meet and greets" that helped me finalize my decision to attend BU. I sat down with Dean Sabovik and a handful of graduate assistants for dinner in San Francisco, and peppered them with all of the questions that I had. The meeting was more of a therapy session than a graduate school information session, because I was downright terrified to move all the way across the country to attend BU. I had lived in Seattle for my entire life. My family, friends, job...everything I knew was in Seattle. And the idea of traveling 3000 miles away from home to attend grad school was freaking me out. But in meeting with the crew of BU folks, I was not only able to learn a lot about the program that I was interested in, but I was able to find out more about what life is like for students. Basically, my stress level was drastically reduced. I knew I was interested in the school, it was just very reassuring to hear from current students about what exactly I was getting myself into.

As a graduate assistant, I am lucky enough to be a part of these trips as a representative of the College of Communication. It really is the best part of my job. Deciding which school to attend can be a daunting process, and incredibly stressful. For me to be a part of that process, and offer advice and personal experience is a really rewarding feeling. I especially enjoy being on this side of the process, because I was on the other side just over a year ago.

I hope to see you this fall. Be sure to RSVP to the event in your area, and you can do that right here.

Jack Falla Speaker Series: Mark Feinsand

BU Comgrad, ,

On Monday afternoon I had my first experience with the Jack Falla Speaker Series, as New York Daily News Yankees beat writer Mark Feinsand came in and spoke. Having never been to a Jack Falla Speaker Series event, I didn’t know what to expect, but was very pleased with the event.

Let me first give a little background to the speaker series. Jack Falla was a sports journalism professor at COM, who sadly passed away five years ago. Jack was known for many things; among them were his 8:00 a.m. classes (to make sure only dedicated students enrolled), the great contact he kept with his former students (or his “mafia” as they came known as) and the great speakers he would bring in, many of which were COM alums. To honor Jack and his dedication, the series was started to continue the tradition of great speakers.

Getting back to Monday’s speech, I was very impressed with Mark. He began by mentioning how nervous he was about speaking, but you would never have known this wasn’t a regular occurrence for him. He did a great job of going back and forth between stories and lessons he learned at BU (and Jack in particular) and advice from his years working, leading up to his current position with the Daily News.

The stories were funny and relatable, the advice was helpful and honest (especially since we share majors: sports broadcast journalism), but what made the biggest impression was how emotional he got when talking about Jack. Mark had to take a minute to compose himself at one point, which showed the amazing affect that Jack Falla had on the people he touched.

That’s what makes this series great. Not only do you get experienced, passionate speakers with great stories and advice, but you see the affect that a single person can have on so many. From Mark’s speech I learned things that will help me as I embark on my career in sports broadcast journalism, but it also was a reminder to take advantage of all the resources I have here, and that includes the amazing people. I am very happy I was able to attend Mark’s speech, and cannot wait for the next Speaker Series event.

 

Fall Events

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A new school year is upon us here at COM.  And while that may conjure thoughts of cramming for tests, agonizing over group projects, and struggling to meet deadlines for some, for me it brings one of my favorite parts about the fall: grad events.  Don’t get me wrong, I am very enthusiastic about another semester in the classroom, but to me nothing beats a good old grad event.  Not only are these a chance to explore the city that makes BU so unique, but it is also a great way to get to know your classmates throughout the COM community.

I know the list of the events can be daunting to look at, and knowing which ones (if any) you should go to can keep anyone up at night.  So here is a guide to this fall’s grad events from a grizzly veteran to make everyone’s decisions easier.

Tavern in the Square Reception- Monday, Sept. 2 : 6:00pm- 8:00pm : Free The Tavern in the Square event is a great way to begin the semester.  First off, it’s right after orientation (which is mandatory for new students) so you might as well come by with everyone else.  Second, you get a chance to get to know fellow COM students in a setting that isn’t in a classroom setting.  And finally, the first drink is on COM.  Even if free drinks aren’t your thing, it’s a great way to rewind after orientation and prepare for the start of classes.

The Hyatt Event- Friday, Sept. 6 : 7:00pm-11:59pm : Free (with ticket) Ah the Hyatt, so many wonderful memories.  For those of you not familiar, the Hyatt is the hotel across the river from BU.  At the Hyatt event, COM rents out the top floor for an evening of food, drinks, dancing and one of the best views of the city.  Oh and did I mention it’s space themed?  Costumes are not required (though always appreciated), but it’s a great way to relax after your first week of classes and show your moves on the dance floor.

The Maine Event- Saturday, Sept. 14 : 10:00am-7:00pm : $45 Lobster.  That should be enough to get most of you to pile up for this event, but there’s more.  Not only do you get to travel to Maine for delicious lobster, but there is a stop at the outlet malls as well. Shopping and shellfish?!?!?! Sign me up!

Pub Trip and Red Sox Game- Tuesday, Sept. 17 : 4:00pm-6:00pm & 6:30pm-Game end : $10 & $28 Two separate events, one great time.  You can do either or both.  It all starts with a trip to the BU Pub, located a block from COM.  Stop by for a drink or two before heading to Fenway to watch the Red Sox take on the Orioles.  Seeing a game at Fenway is a must for anyone who lives in Boston, so why not go with your fellow COM grads?  Adding to the excitement of the game will be the fact that the Sox will be in the home stretch of the season looking to win the AL East.  A luxury the event did not have last

Freedom Trail Pub Crawl- Saturday, Oct. 26 : 1:00pm : Free Peanut butter and jelly.  Macaroni and cheese.  Rocky and Bullwinkle.  Sometimes things are just destined to be together.  So combining a walking tour highlighting 17 of Boston’s most significant historic sites and drinking at bars just makes sense.  It’s learning about the history of the city with a few drinks, or hitting the bars while getting an education of Boston.  Either way, it’s a great way to spend a Saturday in October.

Bell OUT of Hand- Wednesday, Dec. 11 : 8:00pm-11:00pm : $20 The final event of the semester is always a great one.  Classes are done, and before people head away for greener pastures or just winter break, it’s always nice to be able to see everyone for a last time.  It’s the perfect way to close out the semester, at America’s oldest bar.

There you have it, an easy to follow guide of the great grad event offerings this fall.  If you haven’t gotten tickets yet, email comgrad@bu.edu for more information.

Before you finish reading, I leave you with one final piece of advice: go to as many as possible, you won’t regret it.  Take that advance from someone who knows.