DIMITRA APOSTOLOPOULOS
is working on her MA in journalism at Columbia College in Chicago. The native of West Chicago holds a BA in political science and international relations from Loyola University.Currently interning as a web-writer for Chicago ABC7 and WBEZ.org, she produces articles, research and video posts for Steve’s Dolinsky’s Adventures in Urban Eating. She also regularly contributes toChicagoTalks.org on the Columbia campus with interviews, research and daily news coverage of public affairs issues. Awarded the Follett Fellowship in Journalism, Apostolopoulos is amember of the Hellenic Professional Society of Illinois. Apostolopoulos is currently interning at ABC in Chicago while continuing to write for ChicagoTalks.org and taking a class on teaching journalism.She is the daughter of Fotios and Vasiliki (Kanellakis) Apostolopoulos of Chicago.

ALEXIS GEORGIADIS
is a sophomore at the University of Illinois pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism. The native of Champaign, IL and 16 year-old high school graduate spent a transition year after high school interning at The Cyprus Mail in Nicosia, Cyprus and volunteering at the Cyprus Institute for Neurology and Genetics. Last summer, while attending the TFAS Institute on Political Journalism at Georgetown University, Georgiadis also served as news radio intern with WTOP FM in Washington, DC. She recently completed a public advocacy internship with U.S. Public Interest Research Groups, has assisted the College of Media with its website “Media Minds” and was a paid student writer for the University of Illinois’ Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering. For the summer , she is interning at the IndependentMedia Center in Urbana, IL, as well as anchoring Weekend Edition for the local National Public Radio affiliateWILL-AM-FM-TV in Urbana. A member of the Hellenic Students Association and Orthodox Christian Fellowship, she attends Three Hierarchs parish in Champaign, IL. Alexis is the daughter of John Georgiadis and Hilary DeRocco-Georgiadis of Champaign, IL.

MICHAEL NEVRADAKIS
has embarked on a Ph.D. track in media studies at the University of Texas at Austin. He holds a MA in public policy from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a BA in political science, international studies and media arts, summa cum laude, also from SUNY Stony Brook. During his studies, Nevradakis has been invited to serve as a teaching assistant at both the University of Texas and SUNY Stony Brook.The producer and host of Austin Hellenic Radio, Nevradakis served as an intern in the offices of U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, the Mayor of New York City’s Office of Research and Media Analysis and with the New York Public Interest Research Group. Nevradakis’ writing and research is extensive, including an upcoming chapter on Greek radio entitled “Government Sanctioned Anarchy: Greece’s Chaotic Airwaves,” part of an academic volume to be published this fall.He has been published widely on numerous topics pertaining to the global state of media and more specifically to the state ofHellenicmedia.He is also the founder of an online guide to Greek-language broadcast media,www.media.net.gr, which receives over 300,000 visitors annually.Inducted into several honor societies, he has received numerous scholarships and awards from within the journalism, academic and Hellenic American communities. A formermedia volunteer for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Greece, this summer Nevradakis will continue his academic research at the University of Athens on the topic of Greek news blogs, the possible causes of their popularity, and their role in fostering a new public sphere and citizen’smediamovement in Greece, and will present some of his findings at international symposia in Greece and Turkey.He is the son of Nicholas and Zoe Hapsis Nevradakis of Flushing, NY.

TONI THANAS
is entering her senior year at the University of Illinois aiming for her degree in broadcast journalism. The Plainfield, IL native has done overseas study in journalismin emerging cultures in the Dominican Republic and studied Ancient Greek philosophy and modern Greek language at a University of Indianapolis program in Athens. She has served as a communications intern in the offices of IL State Sen. Mike Frerichs and at the Chicago Bulls/White Sox Training Academy and was a sports stringer for The Enterprise, as well as editor-in-chief of The Fielder.Civically active, she has worked with Gulf Coast relief,Habitat forHumanity and theHumane Society and is a member of Orthodox Christian Fellowship and the Hellenic Student Association. Her list of awards , scholarships and achievements is extensive. Thanas is currently considering applying to the graduate programin Public Affairs Reporting at the University of Illinois, which includes an internship at the State Capitol. This summer , she will be fur the ring her experience as a communications intern with IL State Sen. Michael Frerichs, as well as taking courses and finishing her degree in three and a half years. She is the daughter of Thomas A. and Theodora (Coulis) Thanas of Plainfield, IL.

MELANIE YATES
will earn a BA in broadcast journalism from Hofstra University next spring. The Killingworth, CT native serves as branch manager in charge of 5 of themore than 120 branch sites forHerCampus.Com, an online dailymagazine geared toward college aged women. She was an editorial intern with FilmNews- Briefs.com, a staff writer for Nassau News Live, reporting on the towns of Hempstead, Garden City and Uniondale, NY and has served as anchor andcontributing writer on the weekly news broadcasts of Pride Watch. Yates also hosted For Your Island, a show featuring activities and landmarks unique to Long Island, NY. The founding secretary of Hofstra’s Chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success, she is also a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the national communications honor society. This summer, Yates is interning at WABC-TV in New York City, writing and reporting on their website 7online.com. She is the daughter of Steven and Helene (Gianitsos) Yates of Killingworth, CT.

PETER ZERVAKIS
has completed his degree in broadcast journalism at the University of Illinois. A native of Darien, IL, Zervakis has interned at WLS-TV in Chicago, WCBS-TV in New York City and WCIA-TV in Champaign, IL. He was also a sports reporter and fitness columnist for The Daily Illini student newspaper and a freelance reporter for The News-Gazette in Champaign. A member of several national honor societies, he served on the Student Advisory Council to the Dean for the College of Media and was recognized by the university with its outstanding journalism achievement award, as well as with the scholarship of the Illinois Legislative Correspondence Association. Having just celebrated his college graduation, Zervakis is exploring opportunities to further his broadcasting career in one of the smaller markets around Chicagoland, as well as testing the waters in London’s thriving newspaper industry. He is the son of Anastasios P. Zervakis and Harriette Condes-Zervakis of Darien, IL.