Fall 2007 - SCOOP Magazine

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Who We AreDane in the U.S.International journalism student Christel Damsbo-Madsen adjusts to life in theUnited States and explains her future career goals in Denmark.Story byChristel Damsbo-Madsen sits at her desk inher Apartment Residence Hall room wearingher University of Tennessee sweatshirtand black slippers. Her long blondhair and blue eyes show a warm personality that isopen to new experiences. Madsen is an internationalstudent from Hørsholm, Denmark, studying journalismat UT for the fall 2007 semester.Madsen studied at the Danish School of Journalismin Aarhus, Denmark, where she published articles forthe school newspaper. She also completed two internshipsand worked for a local paper over the summer.fall 2007photos provided by Christel Damsbo-MadsenCourtney Hackworth“I have wanted to study in the United States. It isdifficult to put a finger on why. I don’t know whetherit is the culture or the people, but things here are differentfrom European countries,” Madsen said.The adjustment to the U.S. school system is somethingto which Madsen is adjusting. “The DanishSchool of Journalism is not a university,” Madsen said.“UT is bigger, so much bigger!”Professor Mark Littmann has been teaching Madsensince her arrival at UT and was impressed with herquick transition. “How is it possible that a studentfresh off the plane from Denmark can step into a
senior/graduate-level writing-intensive class like‘Science Writing as Literature’ and perform brilliantly,both in class discussions and in her writing,when she is analyzing works about science, writtenartistically in a non-native language?”Another difference Madsen is dealing with is theclass schedule. In Denmark, students focus on onesubject for three weeks, do a final project and takeanother course thenext month. Here,during a semster,students take alltheir courses at thesame time.Despite the differences,she is using theopportunity to herfull advantage by takingtwo journalismcourses: “Magazineand Feature Writing”and “Science Writingas Literature.” In hercourses, she is improvingher Englishwriting skills andlearning differentways to compose featurestories.“I didn’t write inEnglish that muchin Denmark. It isnot difficult for me,but my vocabulary isso much smaller inEnglish. In Danish Ihave all these wordsto choose from, butin English I have tothink about things,”Madsen said.Damsbo-Madsen in front of The HillIn “Magazine and Feature Writing,” she is learningtechniques that she hopes to apply after shegraduates. “I would like to be a magazine journalistand also do documentaries,” Madsen said. “I haveno preference in the type of magazines, just somethingthat is interesting and challenging. I reallydon’t want to write for a newspaper. It is too fastpaced.”One journalistic variation between the U.S. andDenmark that confused Madsen is the way namesare referenced in print media. “I was really surprised,”Madsen said. “In Denmark we don’t reallyhave any rules relating to first and last names in anarticle. Something like that would never be done inDanish.”With the inf lux of new faces and experiences,Who We AreMadsen makes a considerable effort to keep in contactwith her friends back home. She writes a blog attravellog.dk chronicling her experiences in the UnitedStates.“I am so far away, and I want to update my friendsand family on what is going on. I figured that wouldbe easier than sending everyone e-mails. With myblog, people can just go and read it. I don’t updateit everyday, just everynow and then,” Madsensaid.“If I didn’t studyabroad, I would befinished in January.Now I have to start mythesis later,” Madsensaid. When she returnsto Denmark next semester,she will beginworking on her thesisin February and thensubmit it in April.Following the completionof her thesis, shewill graduate fromthe Danish School ofJournalism.“I am excited aboutgraduation — it seemedlike it was so far away.It is strange to finish,I’m excited, but I likeschool and studyingtoo,” Madsen said.“My experience hereis different, becauseI was able to be in adifferent city, countryand speak another language.I think in journalism it is more interesting todo it abroad than classes at home,” she said.In comparing the two programs, Madsen feels thatalthough she is not necessarily learning more at UTthan she would be in Denmark, the experience herehas helped her gain a wider perspective.“I am adapting to a new environment and differentpeople. I am learning to write magazine feature articlesin English. The aspect of being in another countrymakes it more interesting in itself,” Madsen said.Study-abroad programs not only positively inf luencestudents, they also make a vital impact on professors.“Christel was a joy to have in class,” PaulAshdown, Madsen’s professor for her feature-writingclass, said. “I’ve had dozens and dozens of internationalstudents in my classes over the years, andthey’ve all enriched my own teaching experience.”fall 2007
Page 1: ScoopSchool of Journalism and Elect
Page 5 and 6: Scoop36 features4042465155*Technolo
Page 7 and 8: One in sixAmerican childrenlives in
Page 9 and 10: Celebrating60yearsPlease join UT jo
Page 11 and 12: The two became friends andremained
Page 13: Who We AreEd Spray, former Scripps
Page 17 and 18: uilding as the Underground, and als
Page 19 and 20: Q:What do you enjoy most about your
Page 21 and 22: why they would want your stories as
Page 23 and 24: 60thAnniversary&1947-2007fall 2007
Page 25 and 26: Luther returned to the academic wor
Page 27 and 28: BROADCASTCameras were huge by today
Page 29 and 30: It’s football timein Tennessee!!
Page 31 and 32: For Jessica Thomas, studentactiviti
Page 33 and 34: One in sixAmerican childrenlives in
Page 35 and 36: Photo By:Maria Smurzynska1,000 Word
Page 37 and 38: Photo by Jason Woehler“Only from
Page 39 and 40: Photo by Kimberly Hoodfall 2007
Page 41 and 42: advertisingart6photographydesign0pu
Page 43 and 44: fall 2007
Page 45 and 46: y Anne-Claire Seigertdidn’t fores
Page 47 and 48: ones their readers know about and t
Page 49 and 50: Profile:Eva Mag--Targets Women--Foc
Page 51 and 52: THE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND ELECTR
Page 53 and 54: Atlanta, succeeded him. Cade spent
Page 55 and 56: news announcer for WUOT-FM.Classes
Page 57 and 58: out the following morning, Phillips
Page 59 and 60: wrote more than one per day.When Ca
Page 61 and 62: Thank youTo our supporters, we offe
Page 63 and 64: It is hard to believe the statueUni
Page 65 and 66:
RetrospectJake Wright recalls his d
Page 67 and 68:
fall 2007
show all

Fall 2007 - SCOOP Magazine

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?