University of South Alabama Press Release

University of South Alabama, Office of Public Relations

December 15, 2011
Contact: Joy Washington-Crawford, USA Public Relations, (251) 460-6638

USA Communication Department Presents 2011 Hanna Scholarship Award

Scholarship Making a Difference for Communication Students - Nancy Hanna, wife of the late Professor Emeritus of Communication Dr. Michael S. Hanna, left, and Dr. Jim Aucoin, far right, chair of the communication department at the University of South Alabama, congratulate the recent scholarship recipients and communication majors Bryan Bolin and Amber Day at the recent scholarship announcement. Each student received a $1,000 scholarship award, which was established in memory of Hanna. The goal of the scholarship is to encourage communication juniors and seniors with a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 to excel in their tracks of study. In addition, the student must be dedicated to the community and demonstrate leadership.

The department of communication in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Alabama has announced Amber Beasley Day and Bryan Bolin as the 2011 recipients of the Dr. Michael S. Hanna Endowed Communication Scholarship.

The $1,000 award is named in memory of Hanna who was a respected professor, mentor and communication practitioner who served USA and the Mobile community for more than 25 years. Hanna also served as chair of the department for five years and co-authored six books. He received numerous awards, such as “Best Faculty Member” for Outstanding Service to International Students at USA.

Day and Bolin received the award based on faculty and professional recommendations, overall academic success of a minimum grade-point average of 3.0, along with displaying leadership, financial need, community, and campus involvement. Day is a senior communication major with a concentration in print journalism and a minor in sociology. She is also a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society, The National Honor Society and the J.L. Bedsole Scholars program.

She has also completed an internship with Mobile Bay Monthly magazine, and she did an internship with the USA College of Medicine Public Relations Office this past summer. Day learned the basics of freelance writing in advanced news and feature writing with her mentor Dr. Michele Kimball, assistant professor of communication. Day was inspired by Kimball to become a staff writer for The Vanguard, USA’s student newspaper. Day also volunteers at the Mobile Museum of Art’s Annual Art Blast Camp, Mobile Botanical Gardens and with the Murphy High School Band and Color Guard.

Bolin, is a senior communication major with a concentration in digital cinema and television. He is also seeking a second degree in anthropology. He has assisted classmates with producing films, and worked as a production assistant, actor, an grip on four movies including, “Raw Justice” and “The Dangerous.” Following graduation, Bolin hopes to work in documentaries and motion pictures, or commercials for consumer and educational interests. One of Bolin’s favorite courses is advanced video field production, taught by his mentor Dr. Richard Ward, associate professor of communication at USA.

The Michael S. Hanna Endowed Communication Scholarship is open to full-time students enrolled at USA. For more information, call the department of communication at (251) 380-2800.