It’s Great to be a Florida Gator!

I can’t believe my time here at the University of Florida is dwindling down. Being a Gator I have had opportunities that I would not have had anywhere else and for that I am forever grateful.

Reporting on hemp beauty products for Chic Essentials featured on Chompics The Bite.

I remember my first day as a telecommunication student in the Innovation News Center… I was a radio one student and I was scared to death. But I was reminded by some of the wonderful newsroom staff they too had been in my shoes.

Recording an episode for our podcast, The Potluckers.

I took advantage of as much as I could. I became a part of Chompics The Bite as a beat reporter, I started my own podcast called The Potluckers, I produced and reported for Florida’s 89.1 WUFT-FM,and I was part of the production crew for WUFTs “First at Five” and “WUFT News at 6.″

I have pulled all nighters in the INC finishing a project the night before it’s due, I have froze my butt off in the basement while operating the cameras for the five and six o’clock shows, but best of all I’ve met incredible people and I’ve had the opportunity to report on some of the most compelling stories, like The ESOL Closet run by a Gainesville High School teacher, a Christmas tree farm started 30 years ago by a Gainesville couple, and the breaking news of Brian Williams scandal.

Whatever market I end up in after graduation, I will always be proud to say I’m a Florida Gator!

“Tipping Point” Book Review

This week’s book review, The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, is a national bestseller. This book definitely gets your brain going. Gladwell identifies three key factors. Gladwell’s discussion and illustration of the concepts of the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context make up most of the book.

I did not know when I started reading the book; I would have a new meaning of the word “epidemic.”

Gladwell introduces The Law of the Few as the first concept in the book. The Law of the Few is defined as a tiny percentage of people doing the majority of the work. The types of people doing the majority of the work are referred to as connectors, mavens, and salesmen. The book states that before any trend can become popular there are a few types of people who must see the concept or product as popular before it will become a trend.

Connectors are the social networkers who know a wide array of people and can easily make introductions—they bring the world together. Gladwell uses the example of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, which makes the point that two people are only six or fewer acquaintances from knowing each other. After all, it is a small world. Mavens are people we rely on for new information and can easily share it. And we all know what salesmen are…captivating negotiators…they can get us to buy anything if they’re good at their job.

The Stickiness Factor is the second of Gladwell’s concepts. Stickiness defined as something that is memorable; it sticks in the minds of people and influences their future behavior. I remember this factor by comparing it to sticky notes…the little yellow sheets of sticky paper help us remember things.

The last major concept of the “tipping point” is the concept that Gladwell refers to as the Power of Context. This last concept is important in determining whether or not a concept or product will have a widespread popularity. Humans are much more sensitive to their environment than they seem. Gladwell refers to the 150 Rule, which is humans cannot have more than 150 real relationships.

By doing small things, people and factors can make a major trend—is the ultimate goal Gladwell wants to relay to the reader.

Epidemic is usually referred to as the tragic spreading of disease. It still means “the spread of,” but the spread of a message that will effect the world and hopefully make a change. And as a feature reporter the spread of change through the use of a powerful message is my ultimate duty.

Who says you can’t get to know your online classmates?

Today’s blog post features three classmates I have got to know through their blogs..technology is a blessing!

Want to know about a certain beauty product or not sure if House of Cards is worth watching? Isis Ash’s gives makeup and TV reviews on her blog, Gainesville Reviews. Her blog caption says she’ll review anything you want to know about.

Erikka Lieberman blogs about the daily grind of a college senior on her blog, Lieber Fever. She’s sarcastic and corky and we both adore the TV show Friends.

Jane Schwed can’t wait to find out which law schools she’s been accepted to. I can only imagine how anxious she feels. She document’s her journey to law school on her blog, Schweddyy.

Peer Bloggers

Need a read? Below are some of my peer’s blogs that are worth some eye time!

I have had the pleasure of being a radio classmate of Abby Taub’s. Abby majors in Telecommunication with a minor in Entrepreneurship. Her entrepreneurial skills show through her blog, The Undergraduate Budget. Her blog offers prime advice on the greatest steals for college students, like her blog post Facebook is not just for “stalking”.

If you want to know everything weather, I suggest checking out Morgan Falcon’s blog, Morgan’s Weather. Morgan is a student forecaster for WRUF Weather and she anchors the 6 o’clock news for WUFT News. I first met Morgan when she was producing for 89.1 WUFT-FM. She is always willing to help and offer advice to a fellow WUFT reporter. Her blog covers Gainesville’s rainy days and it’s “cold”.

Sloan Patterson is another WUFT reporter at the University of Florida. On her blog, Chronicles of Lazy Person Trying to Exercise, she documents her search for the motivation to exercise. I’m sure there’s a few of you who struggle with the same…I know I do!

Hannah Runge: Feature Reporter

Hannah Runge is majoring in Telecommunication-News Broadcast at the University of Florida. GO GATORS! In 2013 She transferred to UF from State College of Florida in Bradenton, Florida. She grew up in Bradenton her entire life enjoying the number one beach in America.

Hannah originally wanted to pursue a career in entertainment news, specifically E! News. But after reporting for UF’s 89.1 WUFT-FM Hannah gained a love for radio. However, Hannah still keeps her love for fashion and beauty close to her heart by producing a beauty segment called Chic Essentials for Chompics The Bite. Hannah’s passion is feature reporting. She loves developing relationships with her interviewees and learning what makes their “story” unique…like the story she produced about an ESOL teacher at Gainesville High School. The story can also be found on WUFT.org. Hannah is also part of a podcast called The Potluckers.

This summer Hannah will be traveling to Uganda where she will be part of a team that will produce a documentary about a changemaker making a difference in the country. She is eager to immerse herself in the culture, but she is most excited to produce something that may make a change.

After her travels to Uganda this summer, Hannah hopes to continue working on documentaries or to be part of a radio station in the Tampa Bay area, so she can be close to her family.

For more background about Hannah, check out her resume. And follow her blog for new posts every week!

Get to know me: Hannah Runge

I am majoring in Telecommunication with a focus on News Broadcast. My passion is feature reporting with hopes of working for a prominent radio station.

Have a look at my skills, experience, and affiliations by viewing my resume below.

Nursinghomegoodness

This past week I visited a nursing home for the first time to see my boyfriend’s grandmother. The hallways were long, grey, and cold. Each room is shared with only a curtain to divide the resident’s beds. It was quite terrifying just to visit, I couldn’t imagine living there.

But the part that broke my heart the most was passing by a small room lined with glass windows and the elderly, most in wheelchairs, watching T.V. or just staring at each other. They were living, but they had no life in their bodies.

My curiosity brought me to an article by the GoodNewsNetwork about a nursing home in Chelsea, Massachusetts called the Leonard Florence Center.

The Leonard Florence Center is an alternative to traditional nursing homes. Each apartment includes a large, centrally located kitchen and dining room designed to be the heart of the home. And the residents make their own rules.

According to the article, the Leonard Florence Center is encouraging other states to create a more homey atmosphere for frail elders.

Be sure to check out my last blog post about #dancingman.

#dancingman

A London man bullied online for dancing in public will be dancing his way to his epic party featuring some big celebs! (TAKE THAT FAT SHAMING BULLIES)!

*Picture from Yahoo

The man pictured in the above photos, ‘Sean’ was humiliated when these pictures were snapped of him dancing in public.

The pictures later surfaced on the internet and an anonymous poster wrote: “Spotted this specimen trying to dance the other week. He stopped when he saw us laughing.”

Cassandra Fairbanks saw the pictures of ‘Sean’ on the website 4chan and started a Twitter campaign with the hashtag #Finddancingman to find the man and throw him a dance party of his own.

Meanwhile, dancing man ‘Sean’ joined in on the Twitter conversation with his own Twitter handle, @Dancingmanfound and has accumulated over 78,000 followers.

It’s rumored that happy man himself, Pharrell Williams, will be in attendance of the dance party along with other celebs like Moby and Elle Goulding.

Be sure to check out my last blog post about therapy dogs improving children’s reading skills.

Therapy dogs giving back to children

[Picture from Google]

Recently I came across a newsgoodness story from the Huffington Post about therapy dogs that are helping struggling students read aloud. The post features Fletcher Library in Hendersonville, North Carolina, but there are many organizations that offer the same service.

Therapy Dogs International says many children who have difficulties reading develop self-esteem issues. The benefit of the program is of course helping children feel more comfortable reading aloud, but it also gives the dog handlers a chance to give back to the community.

Reading Paws, which has seven chapters in different states including Florida, has a similar program that teaches kids to love reading by implementing dogs.

Another program, Paws to Read, in Virginia says children feel at ease reading aloud because the dog does not judge or correct them.

Many newsgoodness stories come from the Huffington Post including my previous story about feeding the homeless in frigid temperatures.

Unicorn Hill Farm

One of my personal newsgoodness stories is about Unicorn Hill Farm in Gainesville, Florida. I visited the farm last year and had the opportunity to visit with John and Cathryn Gregory. The Gregory’s started growing Christmas trees in 1982. Their goal is to create a place families can incorporate into their holiday tradition. It’s important to the Gregory’s that people see where the trees are being grown. They say it makes a big difference when deciding to buy a tree from their farm or from a grocery store.

I chose this story for newsgoodness because the Gregory’s are a great example of people that just want to make others smile by creating a place where people can make memories to cherish forever.