February 20, 2008

Meet Melinda Rhodes

Melinda Rhodes

Rhodes says she was drawn to Ohio Wesleyan for several reasons. “I was coming from a wonderful private liberal arts college that was a two-year school to a wonderful private liberal arts college that’s a four-year school. My daughter and I were ready for an adventure and seeing a new part of the country. I love the big city—just not living in one—so we liked the community. And, of course, I was attracted to the mission of the University and the mission of the department, with its emphasis on developing strong writers and reporters. A lot of journalism departments are now falling under the umbrella of ‘communications,’ and that may not allow students to do what they do best.”

Print journalism can prepare students for careers in television and other fields as well, Rhodes says. “Broadcast journalists can learn the technical skills in internships, but we can help them sculpt the writing and reporting skills that make them wonderful journalists. And they’re Renaissance people because they have the strong basis of the liberal arts.”

When she’s not working with students, Rhodes enjoys being with her 11-year-old-daughter, Maya (the recent winner of Willis Intermediate School’s poetry jam), exploring the area, and “shuttling between dance classes and basketball. I’m an expert chauffeur.” Rhodes spends as much time as possible reading, and she also writes nonfiction.

OWU’s journalism department “will be paying attention to technology and the definitions of convergence,” Rhodes says. “We have to prepare students who can write for newspapers and magazines and then recast their pieces for online [readers.]” The department, she says, “pulls students, who may not be journalism majors, from all over the campus.” She notes happily that “both of our Fundamentals classes closed out with waiting lists, and the other classes are all full.”

– Gretchen Hirsch