JMC student Aminah Syed is pictured with JMC School donors Nancy and Jim Hoppa at last week’s Scholarship Recognition Ceremony.

JMC School scholarship recipients were honored at a Scholarship Recognition Ceremony last Thursday. The JMC School awarded more than $950,000 in scholarships and awards to current and incoming students, and 290 students received a scholarship. Special thanks to our donors for their generosity and to members of the Scholarship Committee for their commitment and dedication to JMC School students. 

Have you thought about getting involved in campus media or joining a JMC student club? Getting involved not only helps you meet other students, but it also allows you to explore areas of interest and build job-related skills. All academic levels are welcome, and even freshmen are encouraged to try anything from the University Daily Kansan to Media Crossroads, attend a Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) or KU Ad Club meeting, or join our newly formed Sports Media Club. It’s never too early (or too late) to express your interest or start attending meetings.

Attention new KU students! Have you completed all of the items on New Jayhawk Checklist? To avoid enrollment holds, you must complete the required AlcoholEdu and Sexual Harassment Awareness trainings soon. The Office of Admissions also requires new freshmen to send an official, final high school transcript to their office. Enrollment holds will prevent you from enrolling in Spring 2025 classes, so don’t delay.

Are you interested in creating video content that will be featured on our Instagram? Email us at jschool@ku.edu for a chance to have your work showcased on our profile!

KU Athletics associate AD for creative services Douglas Shepperd (center) is pictured with JMC 430 students. | Photo courtesy of Laurie Bollig.

KU Athletics visits JMC School class: KU Athletics associate AD for creative services Douglas Shepperd stopped by JMC 430 (Communicating Sports Information) on Monday, Sept. 23. Shepperd encouraged students to find a field that interests them and pursue an internship and to network. 

JMC Ph.D. Open House: The William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas will be holding a virtual open house for our Ph.D. program in Journalism and Mass Communications on Oct. 25 (2-3 p.m. U.S. Central Time). To attend the virtual open house, please register in advance here. Attendees will have the chance to hear from faculty and graduate students in our School. If you have questions, please contact Graduate Program Coordinator Jammie Johnson (jamjohn@ku.edu).

The JMC Ph.D. Program is currently accepting applications. Our faculty work closely with graduate students on research projects in areas including health communication, emerging technologies, environmental communication, multimedia journalism and strategic communications.

Dole Institute of Politics hosting pair of October events: Join Jerry Seib for a pair of forums at the Dole Institute of Politics. On Oct. 3, Seib will host a forum titled “The Candidates & America’s Role in the World,” with former Senator and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. On Oct. 17, Seib will host a forum, “The Growing Divide: Political Realignment in the Modern Era,” with Karen Tumulty, associate editor of the Washington Post The events are free and open to the public and will be streamed on The Dole Institute’s YouTube channel. More information can be found here.

Free meal available for faculty and staff eat free on Sept. 24: KU Dining is offering a free meal to all faculty and staff on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Bring your KUID for entry. Between 7 a.m. - 2 p.m. and 4:30 - 7:30 p.m., employees can take advantage of the two all-you-can-eat residential dining locations at South Dining Commons in Downs Hall or Mrs. E's in Lewis Hall. 

Between September 9 and 14, Professor Mugur Geana (pictured) participated in the master class "Empowering Futures: Mastering Erasmus Grants for Vocational Excellence and Innovation" in Bucharest, Romania, attended by NGOs and educational institutions from Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, and France. The intensive workshop provided a unique opportunity to learn about the European grant awards process and to network with potential intervention and research partners.

Professor of the Practice Stephen Wolgast reviewed the new book from Eugene Richards, “Remembrance Garden: A Portrait of Green-Wood Cemetery,” in the online magazine News Photographer. A celebrated documentary photojournalist, Richards took the pictures of the Brooklyn cemetery as he was recovering from Covid-19. It is published by Distributed Art. 

Professor of the Practice Patricia Gaston is moderating the panel discussion “Lab Leaks, Pandemics and Us,” at the 13th annual Kansas Book Festival which will take place at Washburn University on Saturday, Sept. 28. The 2024 Festival features a lineup of 50 authors that includes NYTimes Bestsellers and winners of national book awards. The Kansas Book Festival is for all ages and interests, and all events are free.

Assistant Professor Steve Bien-Amié was interviewed by KSNT and NPR Kansas City about the University of Kansas series on Taylor Swift.  His session, "Watching from the Stands: Addressing Media Stereotypes Within the Taylor Swift-Sports Ecosystem," kicked off the series.

Professor Mugur Geana visited Quadriga University in Berlin, Germany, to learn more about their innovative approach to integrating AI in the instruction of marketing communications and public relations graduate courses. Some of these successful strategies could inform the curriculum review for the Strategic Marketing Communications, Advertising, and Public Relations concentration.

Professor Mugur Geana's co-authored research paper "Using Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) to Recruit Women With Criminal Legal System-Involvement (CLSI) During the COVID-19 Pandemic" was published in the Health Promotion Practice journal.

Assistant Professor Chris Etheridge talked to FOX 4 in Kansas City about how media coverage of the Kansas City Royals can impact stadium attendance.

Career Fair set for Oct. 17: Close to 30 organizations are expected to attend the Journalism and Mass Communications Career Fair, connecting with students exploring internship and job opportunities on Thursday, Oct. 17. The event, scheduled for 10 a.m.-3 p.m., is open to all majors and concentrations. In addition to learning more about career options, students will have access to a professional photographer who will take portraits from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., and a breakout room for resume reviews.

Getting ready for the Career Fair event: Get ready for the Career Fair with a workshop featuring JMC alum and faculty on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 5-7:30 p.m. in the Clarkson Gallery. Learn tips for networking, have your resume reviewed, and talk to alumni. Appetizers and mocktails will be provided. Space is limited. Please register using the QR Code. If you have any questions, please contact Himee Kamtatuka, hkamatuka@ku.edu or stop by Stauffer-Flint 109.

Internship and student jobs

Job opportunities

JMC alumna to be honored: Caitlin Doornbos is part of the 2024-2025 class of the Wall of Honor at Hutchinson High School. She is one of three individuals who will be honored during a banquet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3. Doornbos covers the White House, Congress and foreign policy from Washington, DC for the New York Post. According to the release, she deployed to the frontlines of the Ukraine War in 2024, embedding with Ukrainian troops to report on their fierce fight against the invading Russian military.

More information is available in the news release.  

Calendar

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

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