As the Manship School of Mass Communication’s journalism program kicks off its 100th birthday year, the school will look back on its past as well as looking ahead to the future of media.
Retrospective panels today in Manship’s Holliday Forum will discuss the past, present and future of the school’s student media outlets. Manship alumni will discuss the history of these organizations during the panels. Famed Watergate scandal investigative journalist Carl Bernstein will speak today during lunch.
“It’s ironic that we’re celebrating history at the moment when mass communication is changing so rapidly, but we think that the combination of old and new actually makes great sense,” said Jerry Ceppos, dean of the Manship school. “That’s why we’ve invited one of the best traditional investigative reporters of our generation — Carl Bernstein — to speak, and why we’ve devoted a full day to understanding digital media.”
The Manship Hall of Fame will also honor new inductees Kevin Reilly Sr., Jay Perkins and Dan Borné at a gala tonight.
About 1,000 Manship students are expected to attend these events throughout the week. All events requiring a ticket to enter are sold out; however, Director of Centennial Activities Emliy Wascom said students are encouraged to come to other events.
The events are also open to students applying to enter the school who have not yet been accepted.
“The centennial celebration is a great opportunity to talk about the legacy of the Manship School,” Wascom said. “We are excited to celebrate the last 100 years and are looking forward to the next 100.”
Events also include 1913 Society Dinner with Alberto Ibargüen, a Manship Prize award winner and president and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, who spoke Wednesday at the Lod Cook Alumni Center.
Friday’s events include The Digital Spread: Digital Media Initiative Training Day as well as the Centennial Celebration Birthday Party with food, live music from The Michael Foster Project and a silent auction to benefit student scholarships as well as a few surprises.
Saturday’s Taste of Louisiana Tailgate will wrap up the celebration with music, gumbo, jambalaya and other Louisiana-style food.
“We hope that the centennial program embodies what we try to do everyday — teach the important traditional values but encourage students to use technology in gathering information and delivering it,” Ceppos said.
The University’s journalism department was established in 1913 and marked the beginning of the Manship School. The public relations program became its own department in 1993, with the political communication program following in 1997. The Ph.D. program started in 2000, with advertising becoming digital advertising in 2013.
“I think it’s a wonderful milestone for Manship, and I look forward to all this week’s events,” said media and public affairs doctoral student Gheni Platenburg. “As a graduate student who is fairly new to Manship and LSU, I look forward to learning more about the school of mass communication’s history.”