Press Release: Farewell Joe Pa

photo courtesy www.wikipedia.com

For Immediate Release

FAREWELLTO A PENN STATE LEGEND

Joe Paterno Passed Away Today at the Age of 85

"They ask me what I'd like written about me when I'm gone. I hope they write I made Penn State a better place, not just that I was a good football coach." – JoePa

Washington, DC,  January 22, 2012 – The man affectionately known as "JoePa" has died following days of speculation regarding his health and a premature report of his death that caused anxiety among fans, friends, and family. The death of Joseph Vincent Paterno, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2011, comes amid an ugly child sexual abuse scandal that has rocked Penn State and created division on the campus and sparked contentious debates throughout the country on whether his not coming forward protected Jerry Sandusky and allowed him to harm more children. Questions abound as to what all he knew, for how long did he know it, and why didn't he do more.

But with his death today also comes deep reflection on his contributions to the Penn State community and how he should be remembered. That is not an easy answer. How should  we commemorate a career that began in 1966 and produced some of the country's best professional athletes, while also showing solidarity with the victims of a man under Paterno's watch who had been accused of horrific crimes against innocent young people

Despite the ugly sexual abuse scandal that led to his firing this past November, today as many grieve the loss of the Penn State Legend, it is hard to find anyone who can deny the impact of Paterno's leadership on the field. And that before the scandal, Paterno was one of the most respected figures on campus

photo courtesy of www.wikipedia.com

What cannot be denied is that there are few American college football coaches with such an impressive career. Paterno ushered 350 of Penn State's players to the NFL, making the Penn State athletic program a respected powerhouse. When you played under Joe Paterno you knew you were being taught by one of the best. Paterno's Penn State dedication did not end on the field. Over the course of his career, he donated over 4 million to the school.

Did Paterno fulfill his wish to be remembered as having made Penn State a better place? It depends on who answers the question.

Contact:

Jennifer Singleton, MA in Communication Candidate
Southern New Hampshire University
www.thesuccessfulcommunicator.blogspot.com

Sources:

http://www.biography.com/people/joe-paterno-9434584#synopsis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Paterno

If You Post It...They Will Come

photo courtesy of websiteexpert.com

There are many new media tools to use to reach a variety of audiences, from creating a simple blog post to creating an elaborate YouTube video. But based on the types of information I plan to share with the world--communication trends, publishing, digital media news, news of interest to freelance writers and editors-- there are three that I think will best reach the audience who will use the information.

LinkedIn is a professional networking site where users connect with their industry peers, school classmates, and others who have common professional interests. There are variety of groups on LinkedIn that are career- and interest-specific. For instance, I belong to a group of grammarians who enjoy posting questions they encounter in their work, such as "Does a comma always come after the 'which'?" Joining a group of new media freelancers is a great way for me to learn more about what they do, in addition to possibly learning new skills to incorporate into my own work. These types of groups would make for a good audience to review and critique information I post related to grammar and editing issues.

 Twitter is another good channel to communicate my ideas on the field of communication and new media. I am connecting to groups of freelancers and journalists who may find it useful to share with others, or simply provide feedback on the accuracy and relevance of my findings. I can publish my work to the web and share the link with my followers. Who knows, if its an interesting read, perhaps I may add a few followers to my small but growing Twitter family.

Musings of an Editor,Writer, and Storyteller is a blog I started a few years ago that, unfortunately, I've allowed to languish without my consistent musings. I don't have many followers on this blog, but my communication and publishing content would have a great home alongside some of the other content I've posted through the years. I've in the process of rebranding myself by only posting content to social media that involves my work as a writer and editor, my educational pursuits, and information that will cultivate a network of communication professionals.