DANBURY, CONN. — “When you think of jail, who do you think of?” was the question posed in one award-winning video by students at Western Connecticut State University.

The four students: David Duncan, Mike Lukaniec, Dan Choi and Robin Moravsky earned second place in the student-produced video commercial for an alcohol awareness Public Service Announcement competition sponsored by Wine and Spirit Wholesalers of Connecticut in May.

The 30-second clip flashes the words “kidnapper,” “embezzler” and “murderer” as the criminals found behind bars and then shows a mother jailed for serving alcohol to minors.

“The WestConn video reflects the commitment to professionalism our students brought to the project,” Assistant Communications Professor J.C. Barone said. “The message was very effective and the soundtrack and visuals packed a powerful punch. I was very grateful to see their hard work and talent recognized outside of the classroom in a way that helped the community.”

A second video by 2008 graduates Arjumond Khan and Ben Woodhouse came in first runner-up in July at a contest sponsored by The Scientist magazine. The 26-second video, which showed the time lapse of an amoeba’s life cycle, was part of a senior research project. Calling it a “great scientific video short,” judges said the video earned recognition because the time-lapse “allowed a dramatic change to be more apparent.”

“I think this video was selected because it elegantly and dynamically shows a complicated interaction between two organisms,” said Professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences Dr. Frank Dye. “It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This video is worth is thousand pictures.”

For more information, contact the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.