District 3 Elections

DISTRICT 3 CAMPAIGN STATEMENT    Stacey O. Irwin

Dear BEA District 3 Colleagues,

I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to the work of the Broadcast Education Association as your District 3 Representative to the Board of Directors. I joined BEA in 2001, as a graduate student, and have been an active participant in every annual BEA conference since that time. I served as Chair of the Curriculum, Assessment and Administration Interest Division, presented papers and participated in panels each year in several different Interest Divisions and worked as your Convention Program Chair in 2010.

Specifically, my time as program chair for the 2010 BEA Convention allowed me to work closely with the BEA Board of Directors and gave me insight into the “behind the scenes” work of the organization. I also worked closely with all of the Interest Division leadership, the BEA staff, and program contacts. The 2010 Annual Board Report (April 13, 2010) for that year noted the success of that convention year and the uptick in the preregistration numbers from the previous five years. The 2010 convention had forty-seven sessions, seventeen scholar-to-scholar posters, the first “War on the Floor” student production contest and the first Senior Scholar Podium Session, along with favorites like the RTNDA/NABAF Career Day, the 3rd annual Documentary Division Workshop, and the 3^rd annual Research Symposium. BEA 2010 was the first year of online submissions for the Festival of Media Arts and the division paper competitions. As noted in the report by Heather Birks, “We are encouraged by the positive attendance at this year’s convention and plan to use that momentum to build.”

I am both impressed and awed by the commitment of those who volunteer on behalf of BEA, and I have benefitted greatly from their efforts to make this a top-notch academic organization.  I can truly say that I learn something every time I attend a BEA sponsored event. I think that it is now my turn to step up and serve the organization, and allow my prior experiences to serve the district. If elected as your District 3 Board representative, I would use my leadership experience and regional connections to continue the good work of BEA and also explore the ways BEA can best meet the needs and recognize the contributions of our regional members.

If elected, I would bring the knowledge I have gained from various leadership roles in BEA and outside of the organization to my district work. I have served on the board of the Society of Phenomenology and Media (SPM) for seven years and am currently board president for the regional Pennsylvania non-profit, Susquehanna Sustainable Business Network (SSBN). Both of these commitments end soon so I will be able to focus my attention on BEA responsibilities. I have also held leadership positions in academic committees at my current institution, Millersville University of Pennsylvania, and before that, at Towson University in Maryland. I have a strong commitment to nurturing collaborative relationships, partnering with a variety of different organizations, and doing work that helps broadcast educators in their academic and administrative positions across District 3. I am organized, interested, and engaged in the media work in our region as a researcher, working professional, and internship supervisor.

Please vote for me during the District 3 election to be held online from October 10^th to 24^th. To learn more about me, please view my full academic profile at https://millersville.academia.edu/StaceyIrwin

Sincerely,

Stacey O. Irwin, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Communication & Theatre, Broadcast Option
Millersville University of Pennsylvania