Millennials and the Media

Simpson Colloquium 101

Young, aware, and tech savvy, your ‘Millennial’ Generation (roughly anyone born between 1980 and 2000) is at the heart of an information and media revolution. Many of you and your peers are helping redefine the way we connect and communicate with one another. You can broadcast your deepest thoughts to the world with the click of a mouse. But are young people smarter than other generations? As a group, are you happier? Millennials have hundreds of virtual relationships, but why do so many report feeling lonely? Where do you get your information, and who can you trust? Together we will learn how to navigate this social media and communication revolution.

Meet Your Professor
Lisa Carponelli, M.S.J.
Assistant Professor of CommunicationsLisa Carponelli

How many 24-year-olds get phone calls returned from U.S. senators, chief executive officers at major corporations and multi-millionaire philanthropists? Journalism offers a front-row seat as history unfolds and to those who are making it happen.

Driven by the Internet, journalism is changing rapidly and video is a major component on any of our mobile devices. Yet the rapid growth in the availability of information is making the role of the journalist – the chronicler of history’s first draft – more important than ever.

I am an assistant professor in the Department of Communication & Media Studies. I earned an undergraduate degree from Miami University and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. I have worked as a reporter and anchor in cities as small as Pocatello, Idaho, and as large as Washington, D.C. and London.

I have been married for 13 years to my husband, Mike, and have two young daughters. I love to be outside and enjoy adventure travel (Mt. McKinley summit ’05), riding my Slingshot mountain bike, a strong cup of coffee, and sleeping late whenever I can. I find 8 a.m. classes as difficult as my students.

Meet Your Simpson Colloquium Leader
Erin Brown6Erin.Brown

Hi, my name is Erin Brown and I will be a sophomore at Simpson this fall.  I am a mathematics major with minors in both secondary education and coaching.  I am from Battle Creek, Iowa, which is in the northwest corner of the state and I attended OA-BCIG high school.  While in high school I was very involved in sports, cheerleading, NHS, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Friends of Rachel Club, band, and choir.  Here at Simpson I have tried to continue to stay involved.  My freshman year here at Simpson college I was involved in Math Club, Education Club, Best Buddies, Student Alumni Association, the Math Modeling Competition, and a work study job.  I am pretty easy to get along with and always willing to help others.  I will be here to help you not only with classes but adjusting to college as well.  College can be a big adjustment and I am willing to help in any way that I can.  I enjoy meeting new people and look forward to meeting all of you next year and having the opportunity to show you all the great things Simpson has to offer!  

Meet Your Writing Fellow
Steffi Lee6Steffi

My name is Steffi Lee and I am going to be a sophomore this fall. I am a multimedia journalism and political science double major here at Simpson College! I am so excited to be your Writing Fellow for Fall 2013 for Professor Carponelli’s class. I am originally from Anaheim, California. West coast is the best coast! I attended Oxford Academy, where I participated in Speech and Debate, Show Choir, Youth Leadership America, and National Honours Society. Here at Simpson College, I write for The Simpsonian and serve the Vice President of Communications for Pi Beta Phi sorority. I am also a John C. Culver Fellow. If I ever have free time, I love surrounding myself with friends and having television show marathons. Don’t hesitate to come to me with questions! That’s what I’m here for! You can find me on Facebook or on Twitter at @SteffiSLee.