The JMC School is hosting a pair of workshops on Feb. 26 to prepare students for the upcoming JMC Career Fair. First is the How To Get The Most Out of the Career Fair Experience Workshop from 12-1 p.m., immediately followed by the Portfolio Workshop from 1-2 p.m. Both workshops are at Stauffer-Flint Hall in the Clarkson Gallery. The portfolio workshop is designed for students who are building or refining their portfolio, with a focus on strategy, clarity and presentation – not software. The JMC Career Fair is set for March 5 from 10-3 p.m., and students from freshmen to graduate levels are invited to attend. View the list of companies scheduled to attend.

Students: We want to hear from you and learn more about your experience in the SJMC. Complete this survey to help us build more programs and a supportive community for all our students. All responses are anonymous and will not be used beyond SJMC administration. Participation is voluntary. You can access the survey here. If you have any questions or concerns about this survey, please contact:
Impact Advisor Himée Kamatuka, Impact Advisor hkamatuka@ku.edu
Assistant Professor Sarah Cavanah, sarahcavanah@ku.edu. 

JMC alumna Claudia Close visited with students in JMC 430 via Zoom last week. She discussed discovering athletics communication as a career late in college but still deciding to pursue it, and the valuable experience she gained as a student worker for KU Athletics communications and then at DePaul as a graduate assistant. Using her network and connections in the field, she landed her first full-time job at Davidson and then again at the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Claudia Close

Students welcome at KC Health Communicators event on Feb. 25: KC Health Communicators is holding its first education event of the year at 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 25, at NKC Health, 2800 Clay Edwards Drive, North Kansas City, Missouri. It’s a great opportunity for KU students interested in healthcare communications to network. The topic is “Legislative Update Panel” with Jaron Caffrey, director of workforce and health care policy at the Kansas Hospital Association, and Jane Drummond, general counsel at the Missouri Hospital Association. Student membership is $10 and can be paid online. For more information, contact Autumn Bishop at autumn.bishop@lmh.org.

Gerri Berendzen, coordinator of the Bremner Editing Center, shared insights about fact-checking with the Heart of America chapter of the Grant Professionals Association on Feb. 18 as part of its continuing education program. The session, “Information Quest: Researching Efficiently and Credibility,” covered digital research and tips on determining information credibility for GPA members who do grant writing and editing.

Gerri Berendzen

Assistant Professor Judy Watts was recently awarded a grant from the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) to research media and persuasion. Her research project, "Persuaded or Dissuaded from Entertainment? Exploring Media Storytelling Techniques and Audience Characteristics," will examine whether the ratio of entertaining vs. persuasive content in television programming impacts attitudes toward various polarizing social issues. 

Judy Watts

Lecturer Eric Thomas appeared on the KTWU program “I’ve Got Issues” with host Bob Beatty to discuss the Kansas City Chiefs' stadium moving to Kansas. Watch the full segment. 

Eric Thomas

Everyone is welcome to join the JMC 201 class (Journalism in the Movies) as they watch journalism-related movies all semester on Monday nights at 6:30 p.m. in Stauffer-Flint 100. The film for Monday, Feb. 23, is “Bad Education” (2019), based on the true story of how a high school journalism student uncovered a multimillion-dollar embezzlement scheme in a Long Island school district. 

Join visiting journalists and KU faculty for a discussion on technology in journalism: Seventeen journalists are visiting from Latin America to discuss how consumer interest and technology are changing journalism education, Friday, Feb. 27, from 2:30-4:30 p.m., in the Clarkson Gallery. The U.S. State Department is hosting the professionals, who asked to meet with students as part of their trip across America. The opportunity will be especially useful for students hoping to work overseas. Speakers include Associate Professor Doug Ward, on AI, and Assistant Professor Melissa Greene-Blye, on the changing job market. Refreshments will be provided.

Faculty and graduate students are invited to attend this week's Research Bites on Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 12-1:30 p.m. in Dole 2000A. The meeting will include an open discussion about research projects and a brainstorming session about the availability of research tools at the school and the university. Full Professor Mugur Geana will conduct a demonstrative session on how Google's AI tools can be ethically used to inform and assist in research.

Internship and student jobs

Job opportunities

From Idea to Identity — Logo & Brand Kit Basics (sessions online and in person): Ready to turn an idea into a real brand? In this workshop, you’ll learn how designers create logos and brand systems that feel intentional, polished, and professional – not random or one-off. Using Illustrator and InDesign, you’ll dive into vector drawing fundamentals, including Shape Builder and Bezier curves, to design a flexible logo that works everywhere. You’ll also learn how color and typography systems come together to create a consistent brand look across platforms.

Sign up for all events. 

Lane Gillespie, sports director at Ad Astra Radio in McPherson, Kansas, was recently named Oscar Stauffer Sportscaster of the Year. Gillespie called KU football and men’s and women’s basketball games for KJHK as a JMC School student before being hired as the voice of Kansas baseball as an undergraduate in 2022. Read more here.

Alumni Job Updates

Scott Reinardy
Interim Dean

Mugur Geana
Interim Associate Dean
Research & Faculty Development

Lisa McLendon
Interim Associate Dean
Student Success

Calendar

William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications
journalism.ku.edu

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